SOUTH & CENTRAL AMERICA
Ecuador: Quito, Amazon Rain Forest, Coca, 7-night Galápagos Cruise 
Small groups of no more than 16 travelers, guaranteed
Experience the full spectrum of Ecuador's diverse natural and cultural tapestry up close, beginning in colonial Quito. Then, leave the urban hustle behind when you spend three nights at a jungle lodge on the Amazon, witnessing the biological diversity of the tropical rain forest before cruising the Galápagos archipelago for 7 nights aboard a privately chartered 16-passenger small ship, witnessing species found nowhere else on our planet.
16 days starting from $7,795
including international airfare from Miami
Single Supplement: FREE
Departure Dates: Jan-Dec
Activity Level: Moderate
IT'S INCLUDED
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15 nights accommodation, including 7 nights aboard a privately chartered, 16-passenger Galápagos small ship
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International airfare, airport transfers, government taxes, fees, and airline fuel surcharges unless you choose to make your own air arrangements
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All land transportation and 4 internal flights
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39 meals: 15 breakfasts, 13 lunches, and 11 dinners (including 1 Home-Hosted Lunch)
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12 guided tours and cultural experiences, plus Galápagos shore excursions
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Gratuities for local guides, drivers, ship crew, and luggage porters
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5% Frequent Traveler Credit toward your next trip
ITINERARY
DAY 1 • Depart U.S. • Arrive Quito, Ecuador
Fly to Quito, Ecuador, where you'll meet your fellow travelers, including those who took our Best of Peru: Lima, The Sacred Valley & Machu Picchu pre-trip extension.
Mercure Alameda Quito or similar
DAY 2 • Equator Museum • Agave Spirit museum
Begin the day at the Inti Nan Equator Museum, which sits directly on the equator, followed by a light Ecuadorian lunch and tasting at Agave Spirit, a museum that preserves the heritage of locally distilled liquors.
Meals: B,L | Mercure Alameda Quito or similar
DAY 3 • Santa Clara market • Quito • Controversial Topic: Sex work in Quito's Old Town
Visit the Santa Clara market before exploring Old Town Quito, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, including Independence Plaza, San Francisco Square, and Quito's oldest street, Calle La Ronda. We'll also discuss the Controversial Topic of sex work in Quito with two locals who have opposing views. Then the rest of day is for independent exploration.
Meals: B,L | Mercure Alameda Quito or similar
DAY 4 • Quito • Coca • Cruise to Amazon lodge
Fly to Coca, where we transfer by boat to our Amazon lodge in the rain forest.
Meals: B,L,D | Yarina Lodge or similar
DAY 5 • Amazon rain forest • Sapococha Lagoon
Enjoy a nature walk in the rain forest, where we'll learn about native medicinal plants and see an example of primary forest. Then, go for a canoe ride in Sapococha Lagoon.
Meals: B,L,D | Yarina Lodge or similar
DAY 6 • A Day in the Life of Kichwa village • GCF visit • Home-Hosted Lunch
Your A Day in the Life of an indigenous Kichwa village experience begins with a visit to a school supported in part by Grand Circle Foundation. Then we'll meet a local Kichwa family and help prepare a special meal which we'll share during a Home-Hosted Lunch.
Meals: B,L,D | Yarina Lodge or similar
DAY 7 • Coca • Quito
Return by boat to Coca, where you'll catch a return flight to Quito.
Meals: B,L | Mercure Alameda Quito or similar
DAY 8 • Quito • Optional Papallacta Hot Springs tour
Enjoy a free day in Quito, or join a full-day optional tour to the Termas de Papallacta hot springs in Ecuador's highlands.
Meals: B | Mercure Alameda Quito or similar
DAY 9 • Galápagos • Embark ship
Fly to the Galápagos via Guayaquil on Ecuador's Pacific Coast. Then, board our ship once we land in the islands.
Meals: B,L,D | Galápagos Small Ship
DAY 10 • Galápagos cruise
For the next six days, we'll explore the "Enchanted Isles" aboard our small ship, on foot, and during Zodiac excursions. Please note: The islands we call upon vary according to seasonal conditions and Galápagos National Park regulations. Meals: B,L,D | Galápagos Small Ship
ADVENTURE HIGHLIGHT
On Day 6, experience A Day in the Life of an indigenous Kichwa village deep within the Amazon rain forest.
DAY 11 • Galápagos cruise
As we cruise, explore the wildlife of the Galápagos, much of which exists nowhere else on Earth. The absence of human predators makes the animals surprisingly tame, so we can view them up close during our hikes, while snorkeling, and aboard Zodiacs.
Meals: B,L,D | Galápagos Small Ship
DAY 12 • Galápagos cruise
Depending on our departure date, we may stop at the Charles Darwin Research Station on Santa Cruz Island, dedicated to the preservation of the islands and to maintaining the purity of their endemic species.
Meals: B,L,D | Galápagos Small Ship
DAY 13 • Galápagos cruise
As we cruise, we may visit Santiago (James) Island, where tidal pools reveal a profusion of undersea life; or Bartolome (Bartholomew), with the distinctive spire of Pinnacle Rock as its landmark. Some of the Galápagos's most fascinating features are best viewed from a Zodiac. We'll have several opportunities to explore aboard these open-air crafts during our cruise.
Meals: B,L,D | Galápagos Small Ship
DAY 14 • Galápagos cruise
During our cruise, we may visit Mosquera Beach, a small, white-sand islet ideal for snorkeling; or Rabida (Jervis) Island, which has a reddish beach with steep volcanic slopes.
Meals: B,L,D | Galápagos Small Ship
ADVENTURE HIGHLIGHT
On Days 9-15, explore the ecological wonders of the Galápagos Islands aboard a 16-passenger small ship.
DAY 15 • Galápagos cruise • Farewell Dinner
Perhaps we'll visit Santa Fe (Barrington) today, where iguanas doze in forests of opuntia cacti, or San Cristobal (Chatham), the sleepy capital of the Galápagos province. Enjoy a Farewell Dinner aboard ship this evening.
Meals: B,L,D | Galápagos Small Ship
DAY 16 • Disembark ship • Quito • Return to U.S.
Fly to Quito, where we'll have the use of a day room. Then, fly home to the U.S, or begin your post-trip extension to Riobamba & Cuenca: Cultural Treasures in the Ecuadorean Andes.
Meals: B,D
See the full deck plan for the Galápos Small Ship on page 221.
Want to know more? Find the full itinerary and dates & pricing at www.oattravel .com/awg
OPTIONAL EXTENSIONS
Choose to maximize your discoveries and value when you add a pre- or post-trip extension-or both-to your adventure.
Best of Peru: Lima, The Sacred Valley & Machu Picchu
PRE-TRIP: 6 nights from $2,195
Delight in the timeless traditions of Peru, an Andean oasis packed with Incan history, Spanish influences, and indigenous customs. At the heart of your journey is a visit the country's crowning glory-Machu Picchu.
IT'S INCLUDED
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Roundtrip air transportation from Lima to Cuzco; and from Cuzco to Quito
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6 nights accommodation
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13 meals: 6 breakfasts, 5 lunches, and 2 dinners
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7 guided tours and cultural experiences
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Services of our local Trip Experience Leader
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Gratuities for local guides, drivers, and luggage porters
- All transfers
Learn more at www.oattravel.com/awg-peru-2026
Riobamba & Cuenca: Cultural Treasures in the Ecuadorean Andes
POST-TRIP: 6 nights from $1,495
Experience the Andean side of Ecuador, a region of snowcapped volcanoes and indigenous cultures. From traditional countryside markets to Spanish colonial Cuenca, uncover a wealth of cultural and natural diversity.
IT'S INCLUDED
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Air transportation from Cuenca to Quito
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6 nights accommodation
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15 meals: 5 breakfasts, 5 lunches, 5 dinners
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7 guided tours and cultural experiences
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Services of our local Trip Experience Leader
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Gratuities for local guides, drivers, and luggage porters
- All transfers
Learn more at www.oattravel.com/awg-ecuador-2026
ARRIVE EARLY
We recommend that you relax after a long flight or explore more in depth before your trip. Price shown includes accommodations and private airport transfer.
- Arrive early in Lima before your Peru pre-trip extension from $150 per room, per night
- Arrive early in Quito before your main adventure from $150 per room, per night