ITINERARY HIGHLIGHTS
- Begin in Quito, the world’s first UNESCO World Heritage city, then journey along the Avenue of the Volcanoes and explore Cotopaxi National Park.
- Immerse yourself in Andean culture with vibrant indigenous markets, picturesque mountain towns and overnight stays in historic family-run haciendas.
- Revel in the biodiversity of the Cloud Forest, discovering butterfly farms, nocturnal wildlife and soaring through the canopy by cable-car or cable-bike.
- Experience the remote Amazon Basin, relaxing at luxury jungle lodges amidst extraordinary wildlife and lush rainforest.
- Sail the Galápagos Islands for eight days aboard a luxury yacht, with daily wildlife encounters, snorkeling, kayaking, and paddleboarding adventures.
- End your adventure at magical Hacienda La Danesa near Guayaquil, where refined hospitality and unique experiences await.
Our tailor-made journeys include
- A dedicated Destination Expert who will curate your itinerary from scratch, tailoring it to your preferences + interests
- Private + extraordinary under-the-radar experiences
- Access to the very best guides + experts to bring the destination to life
- Private international airport transfers in destination
- The MyCazLoyd app to view your itinerary offline anywhere, anytime
- 24/7 support whilst travelling
- ATOL protection to give you total peace of mind
ITINERARY IN DETAIL
Weather permitting, you’ll be able to see the snowcapped summits of the Cotopaxi and Antisana volcanoes before learning about the spectacular volcano’s major eruptions, as well as the local flora and fauna. Then visit Lake Limpiopungo on foot, or continue on a two-hour hike around the Cotopaxi area to enjoy spectacular views of the volcano and the Andean peaks.
Start with a walk through the ‘Plaza de la Independencia’ viewing the Government Palace, the Cathedral, and some of the most important 16th/17th century churches. Then, it’s off to a traditional food market for a taste of Ecuadorian food and Quito market life, followed by a chocolate tasting session, a visit to the “Intiñan Museum” and simultaneously putting a foot in each hemisphere and, finally, aiming to stay on your feet after a big day with a visit to ‘Casa Agave’!
Local markets are a big part of Ecuadorian traditional culture, where communities come to buy from vendors they often know personally – and an eye-opening contrast to the way we shop in supermarkets. Then it’s on to a world-class rose farm that produces exquisite breeds of the flowers for discerning customers all over the world. You’ll learn about the process of producing these high-quality roses and the spectacular and intense range of colours they’ve cultivated.
A range of guided excursions and activities are on offer during your stay at Mashpi, during which you will discover the magic of the forest. Options include hiking, birdwatching, and rides on the Dragon Fly and Sky bike, taking you up through the forest canopy. There are also visits to the butterfly farm and night walks to see the nocturnal wildlife.
After being shown to your cabin and treated to a delicious lunch, you’ll be fitted with wetsuit and snorkelling gear. The yacht circumnavigates the islands for the next eight days, stopping for snorkelling, kayaking, paddleboarding, hiking, birdwatching, whale and wildlife-spotting, swimming with sea-lions… To put it bluntly, along with incredible dining, magic sunsets and Zodiac rides to sea-caves, this will be one of the most memorable weeks of your life.
Inspired by their love of nature, and appreciation of food and comfort, Niels Olsen Pons and his wife Sonia have transformed this 500-hectare dairy farm, into a magical destination where guests can go horseback riding through the scenic countryside, mountain biking, hiking, or birdwatching in the nearby cloud forests, learn about sustainable farming practices and cacao production, or (we highly recommend!) take part in the chocolate-making process.
Nothing but the best. Browse our carefully handpicked collection of tried-and-tested hotels, lodges and Galápagos cruises in Ecuador and the Galápagos.
What our clients say
Our three-week trip through South America taking in the Galápagos, the Amazon, the Caribbean coast in Colombia as well as hiking up to 5,000m altitude in the Andes worked flawlessly. I didn't have much time to involve myself in the planning, but with a few pointers, Caroline put a great trip together, exceeding our expectations. We stayed in fabulous lodges and hotels, and ate fantastic food and always felt safe and in very good hands. I am certain that if we were to suggest another trip organised by cazenove+loyd, all our young adult children would sign up straight away again.
I would like to thank you for organising our trip to Ecuador. Everything was perfect and we were very happy there. The hotels were very good quality and the guides were perfect, too. We especially loved the Galápagos.
An enormous thank you for the incredible trip that you organised for me to Ecuador. The entire holiday was wonderful – from the pretty Hotel del Parque to the MV Theory to the gorgeous Hacienda Zuleta, which I fell in love with. What a lovely place and what gorgeous people. It's so rare to find places like that anymore – that still reek of history and family, so it was extremely special.
I wanted to follow-up from our fantastic trip to the Galápagos. All of the travel went incredibly smoothly and we truly had an incredible experience. We ended up on the MV Theory, which was Relais & Chateaux's newest ship... I think it was only about three months old. All of the guests were younger and relatively close to us in age, which made for some great dinners and conversation. I can't say enough about the quality of our guides, the hikes and snorkels we got to do over the course of trip... Truly incredible! Our time at Galapagos Safari Camp was also exceptional. The service went above and beyond our expectations, and every day was well organised with good activities. Also, my day of diving was fantastic... I got to play with sea lions and swim with full-grown hammerhead sharks. I wanted to thank you for all of your help. It was truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience – except that we may go back in the future to do the southern route!
The dust is settling and I have the time to think back on our wonderful trip. Honestly, I cannot think of a thing that I would have done differently. We had a fantastic time at the hacienda. The countryside was beautiful, and the horse-riding and rope climbing was a brilliant challenge for some of our group. It was good that we had those few days before we went on the boat, as it gave everybody a chance to settle in and catch up on sleep before we flew to the Galápagos Islands. And the boat was absolutely sensational. Every member of the staff was courteous, helpful and good at his or her job. Our guide, Camilo, was just the best. He was charming, knowledgeable and efficient. The staff on the boat were extremely accommodating, the food was delicious and we saw animals that we had never seen before, including penguins, flamingos, sharks and manta rays.
cazenove+loyd organised every detail of our trip to the Galápagos. We had a knowledgeable guide who showed us hidden gems in Quito. Our cruise around the islands, complemented by the detailed narrative of our naturalist guide and the attentive, friendly crew, made each day an amazing adventure. Flight connections were seamless and we were always well looked after.
It was magical. I had forgotten what a special place the Galápagos Islands is. I was determined to bring my son and he fell in love too. The boat was lovely. The staff was amazing. They never stopped. They were really fantastic – friendly, helpful and super-efficient. Thank you for all your help, answers, suggestions and all. It was a superb trip!
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