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Worldwide Escorted Bus Tours & River Cruises
Cruising The Galapagos On Ecuador's Amazon
Buffet breakfast daily (B), 7 lunches (L), 7 dinners (D); Local Host service in each city; a welcome wallet and city map; sightseeing and transportation as outlined in the day-by-day itinerary.
Highlights:
Itinerary:
| Day #1 |
Arrive Quito, Ecuador. Arrive in Quito, where you will be met by your Local Host. |
| Day #2 |
Quito–Coca–Amazon Lodge. Fly to Coca and travel by motorized canoe to your selected Amazon lodge, your home base for the next three nights. (L,D) |
| Day #3 |
Sacha Lodge. During your stay, enjoy excursions with a Naturalist who introduces you to the Amazon. On the suspended rainforest canopy walk your Naturalist points out many different species of vibrantly colored birds. Jungle walks show off the immense biodiversity and medicinal plants that have been used by the native cultures for hundreds of years. Visit the lodge’s butterfly house, one of Ecuador’s largest, and take a night walk or canoe ride with a Local Guide to discover creatures that can rarely be seen during the day! You will also cruise through the flooded forest in search of troops of squirrels, capuchin, and howler monkeys—and maybe even the incredibly well camouflaged 3-toed sloth. After fishing for piranhas, arrive at the Kapok Tree tower, perched 135-feet high. Get close-up views of birds as the sun sets on volcanic Mount Sumaco and the Andes. (B,L,D)Napo Wildlife Center. Your time in the Amazon accompanied by a Local Guide includes early morning excursions to parrot clay licks; dugout canoe rides in search of river otters, potoos, kingfishers, hoatzins, jacamars, hawks, and monkeys; and walks along the canopy platform to view Spider Monkeys, aracaris, toucans, Blue and Gold Macaws, numerous species of tanagers, and the Red-Rumped Cacique. In your free time, consider a walk through the jungle in search of interesting plants and colorful or well-camouflaged insects. You are also invited to join families of the Anangu indigenous community on their daily activities, such as harvesting bananas, coco, manioc, or preparing chichi. (B,L,D) |
| Day #4 |
Sacha Lodge. During your stay, enjoy excursions with a Naturalist who introduces you to the Amazon. On the suspended rainforest canopy walk your Naturalist points out many different species of vibrantly colored birds. Jungle walks show off the immense biodiversity and medicinal plants that have been used by the native cultures for hundreds of years. Visit the lodge’s butterfly house, one of Ecuador’s largest, and take a night walk or canoe ride with a Local Guide to discover creatures that can rarely be seen during the day! You will also cruise through the flooded forest in search of troops of squirrels, capuchin, and howler monkeys—and maybe even the incredibly well camouflaged 3-toed sloth. After fishing for piranhas, arrive at the Kapok Tree tower, perched 135-feet high. Get close-up views of birds as the sun sets on volcanic Mount Sumaco and the Andes. (B,L,D)Napo Wildlife Center. Your time in the Amazon accompanied by a Local Guide includes early morning excursions to parrot clay licks; dugout canoe rides in search of river otters, potoos, kingfishers, hoatzins, jacamars, hawks, and monkeys; and walks along the canopy platform to view Spider Monkeys, aracaris, toucans, Blue and Gold Macaws, numerous species of tanagers, and the Red-Rumped Cacique. In your free time, consider a walk through the jungle in search of interesting plants and colorful or well-camouflaged insects. You are also invited to join families of the Anangu indigenous community on their daily activities, such as harvesting bananas, coco, manioc, or preparing chichi. (B,L,D) |
| Day #5 |
Coca–Quito. Depart your Amazon lodge and fly from Coca to Quito today. The remainder of your afternoon is at leisure. (B) |
| Day #6 |
Quito. Your included city tour showcases the rich legacy left by the Incas and, later, the Spaniards. See Independence Square, dominated by its formidable Cathedral, San Francisco Plaza Church, and the Basilica with its marvelous stained-glass windows. (B) |
| Day #7 |
Quito–Baltra–Santa Cruz (Embarkation)–Cruising. Fly to Baltra and transfer to Santa Cruz Island to board the Galápagos Explorer II for your 4-night Galápagos Islands cruise. Cruise to Dragon Hill (Cerro Dragon) to visit a hypersalinic (saltier than the ocean) lagoon frequented by many species of birds. Also watch for the numerous iguanas that nest here. (B,L,D) |
| Day #8 |
Bartolomé & Santiago Islands. Wake up at Bartolomé Island, a volcanic island with black lava fields, a gray-brown cinder cone, and white sand beaches. Walk to the island’s summit to enjoy an impressive view, including Pinnacle Rock. You may also see the Galápagos penguin, the only existing species of penguin in the equator area. Cruise to Santiago Island and Puerto Egas, once a buccaneer supply base. Watch for Galápagos hawks, Darwin’s finches, land and marine iguanas, fur seals, and Sally Lightfoot crabs. Swim and snorkel in search of sea life. (B,L,D) |
| Day #9 |
Fernandina & Isabela Islands. On Fernandina, the youngest of the islands, marine iguanas, flightless cormorants, penguins, pelicans, and sea lions are abundant. Continue to Isabela, the biggest island, with unique animals including the world’s only surviving population of mangrove finch and giant tortoises that have been isolated long enough to evolve into distinct subspecies. During a boat ride, observe nesting blue-footed boobies as well as pelicans, sea turtles, basalts, sea lions, and land iguanas. Snorkeling offers a great view of marine life. (B,L,D) |
| Day #10 |
North Seymour & Santa Cruz Islands. Today begins on North Seymour, where sea lions and marine iguanas hang out next to the rocks. The interior has a Palo Santo and small Opuntia forest with blue-footed boobies and frigatebird colonies. Next up: Santa Cruz, where vegetation ranges from cactus to rainforest. Visit a reserve with giant tortoises in their natural surroundings, and walk through a naturally formed lava tunnel. (B,L,D) |
| Day #11 |
San Cristobal (Disembarkation)–Quito. Sea lions greet you on San Cristóbal. Watch for Sally Lightfoot crabs, marine iguanas, and the endemic Chatham mockingbird. Fly to Quito for one more night. (B) |
| Day #12 |
Quito. Your vacation ends with breakfast this morning. (B) |
Pricing Options:
| Depart US | Land-Only |
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| 01/02/2011 | $3,849.00 | | 01/16/2011 | $3,869.00 | | 01/30/2011 | $3,869.00 | | 02/13/2011 | $3,869.00 | | 02/27/2011 | $3,869.00 | | 03/06/2011 | $3,869.00 | | 03/27/2011 | $3,869.00 | | 04/03/2011 | $3,869.00 | | 05/08/2011 | $3,849.00 | | 05/29/2011 | $3,849.00 | | 07/03/2011 | $3,869.00 | | 07/31/2011 | $3,869.00 | | 08/07/2011 | $3,869.00 | | 10/02/2011 | $3,869.00 | | 10/16/2011 | $3,869.00 | | 10/23/2011 | $3,869.00 | | 12/04/2011 | $3,849.00 | | 01/01/2012 | $4,169.00 | | 01/15/2012 | $4,169.00 | | 01/29/2012 | $4,169.00 | | 02/05/2012 | $4,169.00 | | 02/12/2012 | $4,169.00 | | 02/26/2012 | $4,169.00 | | 03/11/2012 | $4,169.00 | | 03/25/2012 | $4,169.00 |
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©2005 Flamingo Travel Group
All Rights Reserved
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