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Combine the luxury Mashpi Lodge with a cruise around the Galapagos Islands
This holiday combines the highlands of Quito and nearby cloud-forest with the wonders of the Galapagos Islands. Start in Quito where you spend a couple of nights including a walking tour of the historic centre of the city with a expert local guide. After Quito head to the luxury Mashpi lodge located around 3 hours from Quito in the cloud forest. During your stay here all excursions and meals are included allowing you to experience the unique wildlife. After the Mashpi lodge, enjoy five days sailing the Galapagos Islands on-board the Isabela II discovering the endemic flora and fauna.Arrival into Quito
Arrival into Quito where you will be met and taken by private transfer to your hotel.
INCLUDES : Breakfast
Quito walking tour
We head out for a walking tour of the Old Town, intent on understanding more about the people who live in the largest and best-restored historical centre in the Americas. The guide takes us through the nearby streets, stopping to meet artisans, shopkeepers, hat makers and sweet confectioners. Up the hill on Calle Rocafuerte, we explore the San Francisco Market, one of the oldest in the capital. Here, we learn all about the fruit and vegetables produced in Ecuador and some culinary traditions. From the market, we walk downhill to the emblematic street of La Ronda, considered one of the flagship regeneration projects in the city. It’s a quiet, cobbled street with typical balconies overflowing with geraniums. From La Ronda, we walk northwards through the handsome streets of the Old Town to the Plaza Grande, the political heart of the city. In the afternoon, we cross the street to the excellent Casa del Alabado Archaeological Museum.This tour also includes a visit to a panoramic viewpoint to appreciate Quito in all its Andean splendour.
INCLUDES : Breakfast, Lunch
Quito - Mashpi Lodge
Mashpi lodge is located three hours away, 70 miles from Quito in the western slope of the occidental flank of the Andes. The rapid change in altitude (from 2800 to 1000) allows you to discover the wanders of the Andean landscape. The road crosses the valley of Pomasqui dominated by Andean dry forest, and then to the western flank of the Andes through the Cloud Forest and the road ends in Mashpi at the beginning of the tropical rain forest. At 15:30 we will gather together at the lobby in order to head to the Napa Trail. This trail starts at the side of the road, across areas where the forest is regenerating and large patches of pristine forest. For this reason this trail is ideal to explain the ecological succession processes and the importance of forest conservation for the Chocó region. This is also a very good trail for bird watching. It is a moderate difficulty trail and the excursion takes 2 hours.
INCLUDES : Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Mashpi Lodge
We will depart at 08:30 to the Sky Bike and Observation tower. The Sky Bike makes for an original and exciting way to explore the forest canopy up close. Designed for two people to use at once, one person pedals the bike along a cable stretched between two points in the forest, around 200 m (655 feet) apart, crossing a gorge above a river flowing between rocks and trees below. In the afternoon walk the howler monkey trail. which goes across one the original forest were many of the centenarian trees survive login, being the “copal” tree the most emblematic. Along this trail our local guide will listen to any sound in the forest, so he can show you maybe a colourful bird or the very elusive howler monkeys, while our naturalist guide will take any opportunity to talk about the ecology and conservation of the forest. In the evening the forest is transformed completely during the night, the sounds and smells are intensified and other senses are awakened. On this “night safari”, unlike others, our guests find the beauty in the small details, the croaking of frogs or the hum of insects.
INCLUDES : Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Mashpi Lodge - Quito
This activity starts at 6:30 in the hotel lobby and take advantage of the fact that many species of birds comes near the hotel to feed on the moths that were attracted to the light last night. Then for the next part of the excursion and after a cup of coffee, you walk down the road looking for the fascinating mixed-species feeding flocks, this mixed hunting party, is a flock of usually insectivorous birds of different species, that join each other and move together while foraging. In a single flock you may see over 20 different species of birds, making this encounters the jackpot to the bird watchers. This activity take 1 hour an you be back for breakfast. At 08:30 we will leave the hotel heading to the Copal waterfall. This hike takes 2 hours and the land-scape is beautiful, moss-cover trees, bromelias and orchids everywhere. This trail ends in a spectacular waterfall over 50mt high. You will be back to the hotel by noon, you can refresh yourself and check out. We will be waiting for you at our restaurant where you can enjoy your last meal at Mashpi, after lunch you will head back to Quito at 13:30.
INCLUDES : Breakfast
Quito - Galapagos Islands
Baltra Island Airport & Santa Cruz Island - We arrive at Baltra airport and then we take you to the Itabaca Channel to take a ferry across to Santa Cruz Island. A 30-minute bus ride takes us to a restaurant in the highlands of Santa Cruz Island to enjoy lunch, and then continue to Puerto Ayora. Depending on local weather conditions up in the highlands, we may include a short hike which will be a great introduction to some Galapagos wildlife.
INCLUDES : Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Galapagos excursions
Santa Fe Island - A stunning anchorage provides our jumping-off point for our visit to this sandy white beach with many sea lion harems. Galapagos hawks are often easily observed, perched atop salt bushes. The endemic land iguana, unique to this island, may be spotted during the walk. Snorkelling from our skiffs, kayaking or a ride in our glass-bottom boat rounds off the rewarding experience.
INCLUDES : Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Galapagos excursions
North Seymour Island - The morning starts with an enjoyable walk along the coast and the interior of this island, a favourite of many visitors, observing numerous bird colonies as well as sea lions and marine iguanas. There are opportunities for snorkelling and coastal exploration with chances of spotting fur seals along the rocky coastline.
INCLUDES : Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Galapagos excursions
Bartolome Island - This morning, a Galapagos icon awaits for us: Bartolome Island. A great way to start the day, with a steep climb up a wooden staircase: the view from the top is worth the effort! Following the walk, we take the dinghies for a ride around colossal Pinnacle Rock, followed by time to enjoy the beach and do some snorkelling. Explore the shores and look for Galapagos penguins too.
INCLUDES : Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Galapagos Islands - Guayaquil
After breakfast, we leave for the airport to take the flight back to the mainland. On arrival into Guayaquil you are met and taken by private transfer to your hotel.
INCLUDES : Breakfast
Departure for the UK
Private transfer to the airport for your flight back to the UK.
INCLUDES : Breakfast
Cloudforest
Mashpi is a luxury lodge situated in a unique ecosystem between the cloud forest and the rain forest. Due to this the region is a biodiversity hot spot and over 400 species of birds have been spot in the region. The lodge offers luxury accommodation for guests wanting to experience this fascinating region.
All prices shown represent a from price per person based on low season travel unless otherwise stated.
Availability of tour components and flights seats change continually, affecting the final price. The lead-in price given is therefore for guidance only.
To obtain a tailored quote for you and your party, please call one of our travel experts today.
from (date dependent) 1st December 2023 - 15th December 2024
from £6,689pp