Your local guide on tour - Fabian Bucheli
During your time in Ecuador your local guide will be Fabian Bucheli. Fabian, aged 50, was born in Quito and holds a PhD in Enviromental Risk Management.  He is also a rainforest naturalist, a Galapagos National Park land and underwater naturalist.
As your guide he will explain the history, geology, evolution and biodiversity of  both the Galapagos Islands and mainland Ecuador.
 

Day 1 / 28 October 2011
Adelaide – Sydney
Depart Adelaide with Qantas, arriving into Sydney late afternoon.

Flight:        QANTAS AIRLINES – QF774
                Depart Adelaide Airport at 5.45pm
                Arrive Sydney Domestic Airport at 8.05pm
                Economy class
                Flying time:    1hr 50mins
                Non-stop

Overnight at the Mercure Hotel Sydney Airport and have an evening meal together at the hotel and relax.

Day 2 / 29 October 2011
Sydney – Quito
This morning we check in at Sydney International Airport for our LAN Chile flight to Quito flying via Auckland and Santiago.

Flight:        LAN CHILE AIRLINES – LA800
                Depart Sydney international Airport at 9.55am
                Arrive Santiago Airport at 12.10pm
                Economy class
                Flying time:    14hrs 45mins
                Transit stop in Auckland

Flight:        LAN CHILE AIRLINES – LA1446
                Depart Santiago Airport at 2.55pm
                Arrive Quito Airport at 8.50pm
                Economy class
                Flying time:    6hrs 15mins
                Transit stop in Guayaquil

On arrival into Quito we will be met and transferred to our hotel. 

Day 3 / 30 October 2011
Quito - Cotopaxi
After breakfast, our guide will be waiting for us and will take us on our Quito City Tour.  On this tour we will go to the colonial part of Quito, where we can walk through the Main Plaza.  We will see the historical Government Palace, the Cathedral, the Mayor Palace and the Archbishop Palace. We will visit one of the most amazing churches in South America, the La Compañia Church as well as some of the most important churches built around the XVI and XVII centuries.  After a visit to these monuments of the Colonial History we will drive to Theatrum Restaurant for lunch.

After lunch we will drive through the avenue of volcanoes (Approximately 2 hours drive) to Hacienda El Porvenir the main hacienda of Volcano Land where you can relax or enjoy a walk around the grounds. You will overnight in Hacienda El Porvenir

Meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner

Day 4 / 31 October 2011
Cotopaxi - Cotopaxi National Park - Quito
After breakfast we will be taken to visit the foothills of Rumiñahui Volcano.  After lunch in the hacienda, we will drive  to the Cotopaxi National Park to view the amazing glaciers of this volcano.   We return to Quito in the late afternoon.
 
Meals: breakfast, lunch

Day 5 / 1 November 2011
Quito – Galapagos (Las Bachas - Santa Cruz Island)
This morning we are transferred to the airport for our flight to the Galapagos Islands. Lunch is normally served on the flight. On arrival at Baltra Airport in the Galapagos you must pay the US$100 arrival tax for entry to Galapagos National Park. This is best done using cash, as using credit cards can be a time consuming process. We are met in the arrival hall of the airport and transferred to the 'San Jose'. Once settled on board, our cruise departs for Las Bachas. The sandy, white beaches on the north shore of Santa Cruz Island are a nesting site for the Pacific green turtle, and marine iguanas are also commonly seen. The rocks provide a great snorkelling experience and are the perfect habitat for the Sally Lightfoot crabs, which are plentiful on the island.

Meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner

Day 6 / 2 November 2011
Galapagos (Rabida Island - Santiago Island)
The volcanic rocks of Rabida are covered with palo santo trees, opuntia cacti and low, scrubby bushes. Sea lions abound on the red sand beach and there is a lagoon inhabited by flamingos. There are also several species of Darwin finches. The shoreline of Puerto Egas on Santiago is an ancient lava flow and the beach is a breeding ground for large numbers of marine iguanas. The beach provides a home to many shore birds including ruddy turnstone and American oystercatcher. Sugarloaf Mountain serves as a magical backdrop to the area and a natural bridge leads to the inlets where endemic fur seals are found on the rough lava shores.

Meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner

Day 7 / 3 November 2011
Galapagos (Sullivan Bay - Bartolome Island)
Bartolome is a relatively new island in the chain and traces of its volcanic past can be seen everywhere, as evident by the amazing lunar-like landscape. The Pinnacle Rock is one of the most photographed sites in the Galapagos. Here we can hike to the top of a once-active volcano and enjoy superb views across to Sullivan Bay, on nearby Santiago Island. Later in the day we visit the bay, which will be of great interest to those keen on geology. We see much evidence of a violent volcanic past with pahoehoe lava, ropy lava and gigantic lava tubes seen everywhere.

Meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner

Day 8 / 4 November 2011
Galapagos (Santa Cruz - Puerto Ayora - Charles Darwin Station - Highlands)
Today we visit Santa Cruz, the second largest island in the Galapagos. The small town of Puerto Ayora is the economic centre of the archipelago, whilst the island is home to the Charles Darwin Research Station. There will be time to explore the station and observe the tortoise research and breeding programs. We also head up into the highlands for a total change of scenery. Here it is a lush humid zone containing miconia bushes, scalesia and inactive volcanic cones. We can visit a pair of large pit craters called 'Los Gemelos' (if lucky, we may spot a vermilion flycatcher) and the largest lava tunnels found in the Galapagos. Santa Cruz has more endemic plants than any of the other islands and we may even see Galapagos giant tortoises in their natural habitat.

Meals included: 1 breakfast 1 lunch 1 dinner

Day 9 / 5 November 2011
Galapagos (San Cristobal Island)
The town of Puerto Baquerizo Moreno on San Cristobal is the capital and administrative centre of the Galapagos Islands. There is a good interpretation centre here that is well worth a visit. The centre focuses primarily on the history and geography of the archipelago, from its volcanic origins to the present-day ecosystem. We pass through Leon Dormido (Kicker Rock), which is a magnificent rock in the middle of the sea, set in a shape resembling a sleeping lion. The rock rises 150 metres above the surface and is divided into two parts by a narrow channel navigable by small vessels. We also visit Cerro Brujo, where there is a chance to go hiking, swimming and snorkelling. The sandy beach is home to Sally Lightfoot crabs, brown pelicans and blue-footed boobies.

Meals: 1 breakfast 1 lunch 1 dinner

Day 10 / 6 November 2011
Galapagos (Espanola – Bahia Gardner - Punta Suarez)
Today we cruise to the island of Espanola - the southernmost island of the Galapagos. Because of its remote location this place has a large population of endemic fauna. It is the breeding site for nearly all of the world's 12,000 pairs of waved albatrosses and also home to colonies of blue-footed and masked boobies. We also visit the beautiful white sandy beaches at Bahia Gardner, which are great places for swimming and relaxing. The rocks off the coast provide excellent snorkelling opportunities, with reef sharks, turtles and many species of tropical fish, including surgeon and angelfish, often seen. The small white-tipped reef sharks are also often spotted resting under the rocks. We also pay a visit to Punta Suarez, one of the most attractive locations in the Galapagos and home to large and varied wildlife population.

Meals: 1 breakfast 1 lunch 1 dinner

Day 11 / 7 November 2011
Galapagos (Floreana - Post Office Bay - Punta Cormorant)
Our destination is the island of Floreana, where we go ashore at Punta Cormorant. Here, the sand is made up of fine olivine crystals, a glassy volcanic mineral, giving the beach its olive-green colour and it is the best place to we see Galapagos sea lions. Today is also our best opportunity to see pink flamingos and other water birds wading in the lagoons, including pintails and stilts. Devil’s Crown is an old eroded volcanic cone and a popular roosting site for seabirds such as boobies, pelicans and frigates. Red-billed tropicbirds can also be seen nesting in the rocky crevices. The centre of the cone is an outstanding snorkelling spot, full of sea lions and colourful fish. Floreana is also home to Post Office Bay, where 18th Century whalers used a barrel as an unofficial mail drop. This custom continues to this day with visitors to the Galapagos!

Meals included: 1 breakfast 1 lunch 1 dinner

Day 12 / 8 November 2011
Galapagos (Caleta Tortuga Negra - Baltra) – Quito
Today we take an early morning excursion to Caleta Tortuga Negra (Black Turtle Cove) - a mangrove swamp on the north shore of Santa Cruz Island. In the smaller corners of the cove we paddle a dinghy for a wonderfully peaceful journey through this beautiful and unique area. This is often an excellent place to see green turtle, golden ray and Galapagos shark. There is also abundant birdlife, such as yellow warbler and lava heron. It is not uncommon to see turtles mating. This is our final excursion before we return to the airport in Baltra for our flight back to Quito.  Upon arrival in Quito Airport you are transferred back to our hotel for an overnight stay.

Meals: breakfast


Day 13 / 9 November 2011
Quito – Amazon (Napo Wildlife Centre)
After breakfast we transfer to the airport to catch our flight to Coca.  This flight takes approximately 35 minutes, flying over the Eastern Andes Mountain Range, crossing the equator and looking into snow capped volcanoes over 5,790 meters above sea level (18,991 feet) to reach the headwaters of the Amazon Basin near the Napo River at only 250 m.a.s.l (820 feet).

At Coca's airport, a representative of Napo Wildlife Centre will meet us and transfer us to the pier where a motorized canoe will be waiting. We will travel on the Napo river for approximately 3 hours to reach a creek where we are then transferred to different dugout canoes. In this small canoe we will travel through the creek and cross the beautiful lagoon of Añangu. We will be supplied a box lunch on route and arrival at the lodge with time to rest before our first activity in this magic jungle.

Meals: breakfast, boxed lunch, dinner

Day 14 – 15 / 9-10 November 2011
Amazon (Napo Wildlife Centre)
We will be divided up into two groups, and lead by a local Añangu guide, who is also an official Yasuni Park Ranger & expert on the forest's secrets including medicinal plants and other useful items of the rain forest; and an excellent bilingual naturalist guide with great deal of knowledge in tropical forest biology and birdwatching.

One of the highlights at Napa Wildlife Centre is going out on a very early excursion to reach two of Ecuador's most accessible parrot clay licks. They are located within the lodge territory and can be reached by travelling in a dugout canoe and following the Giant Otter creek downstream. Species include: Mealy, blue headed, yellow crowned parrots, cobalt winged, dusky headed parakeets, orange cheeked parrot, scarlet shoulder parrot let and scarlet macaws. In good weather conditions more than 800 birds can be spotted.

There is a 15 metre tall observation tower on a 13 metre hill. High enough to get great views of possible troops of spider or howler monkeys passing by and immense tropical scenery. From here the avid professional and amateur birdwatcher can spot a great number of species. The area holds over 560 different kinds.

Napo Wildlife Centre has a large lake with two creeks that can be easily explored whilst quietly sitting in a dugout canoe paddled by an expert guide eager to spot and show us the unique wildlife. Thanks to the pristine habitat of the area other large species like woolly monkeys can be found as well as groups of giant otters. Creeks are densely vegetated with large trees overhead and calm flowing waters. No one knows exactly what awaits in a flooded forest with anaconda or a gentle easy moving three toed sloth.

Hikes along a variety of forest types are possible by visiting different trails. One can appreciate the tropical forest richness, discover new plants and colourful or well camouflaged insects. This is the territory where anything is possible – expect the unexpected! The largest mammals such as jaguar, puma, tapir, giant anteater and giant armadillo have been spotted in the area.

We can also be involved in an optional experience where we join the Añangu Kichwa community on their daily activities.  They harvest bananas, coco, manioc, a starchy jungle root, staple food for Amazonian people, maybe helping prepare chicha, a traditional drink based on cooked and fermenting manioc. If you like to fish, try to catch your own in the Amazon river - helped by the locals using their particular techniques.

Meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner

Day 16 / 12 November 2011
Amazon (Napo Wildlife Centre) – Quito - Otavalo
Before our flight back to Quito we will have our last early morning opportunity to enjoy the colourful birds of the rainforest.

When we arrive into Quito our guide will pick us up from the airport and drive us to the north of Quito to a town called Otavalo. On the way we will visit Cuicocha Lake in Cotacachi Cayapas Ecological Reserve, stopping in a town called Cotacachi which is famous for its leather handicrafts.

Late in the afternoon we will reach Hacienda Pinsaquí where we will be staying the night.

Our accommodation - Hacienda Pinsaquí was constructed as far back as 1790, but has been restored after a disastrous earthquake that shook the region in 1867. The building originally housed a textile workshop, employing nearly one thousand local weavers and spinners. In the late 1800s, the unique creations of these workers became internationally renowned, when the "bayetas", a special fabric typical of Pinsaquí, arrived at the World's Fair in Chicago.

Meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner

Day 17 / 13 November 2011
Otavalo – Fabians Farm – Santiago
Early in the morning we will visit an animal market where the native people offer and buy their animals, here it is possible to find small animals like guinea pig or  chicken and larger ones like cows and horses. After this fantastic experience you will arrive at the Otavalo market, also known as the Ponchos market.  This market is considered the most important indigenous market of South America; here we can find different and colourful handicrafts like rugs, tapestries, clothes jewellery and much more. 

After the markets we travel to Fabian’s farm where a delicious typical lunch will be waiting for us.  In the afternoon we will have the opportunity to walk around Fabian’s farm and learn about the dry forest where you can see many flora including medicinal plants, over 42 different species of birds including peregrine falcons, hummingbirds and giant sparrows, and 10 types of amphibians and reptiles. 

Tonight we will fly to Santiago to catch our flight home.
           
Flight:        LAN AIRLINES – LA1447
                Depart Quito Airport at 9.40pmm
                Arrive Santiago Airport at 5.10am (the next morning)
                ** Transit stop in Guayaquil
                Economy class
                Flying time:    5hrs 40mins

Day 18 / 14 November 2011
Santiago
Arrive into Santiago at 5.10am.  You will be transferred to your hotel where you will have day use and a day tour of Santiago.

Flight:        LAN AIRLINES – LA801
                Depart Santiago Airport at 11.10pm
                Arrive Sydney International Airport at 7.30am (22 Oct)
                Economy class
                Flying time:    16hrs 50mins
                Transit Stop in Auckland

Day 19 / 15 November 2011
Travelling Day
Because of the time difference Friday will be a travelling day.

Day 20 / 16 November
Sydney –Adelaide
After our long flight we arrive into Sydney at 7.30am.  After going through customs we will board our Qantas flight going to Adelaide.

Flight:        QANTAS AIRLINES – QF741
                Depart Sydney Domestic Airport at 9.45am
                Arrive Adelaide Airport at 11.25am
                Economy class
                Flying time:    2hrs 10mins
                Non-stop