Upon arrival, an English-speaking guide will greet you outside of Customs holding a sign with your name on it. This representative will direct you to your awaiting private driver and vehicle, and will also accompany you to your accommodation to assist with check-in.

As evening falls, Quito comes alive with colonial beauty, Andean culture, and vibrant neighborhoods. Stroll the illuminated plazas and cobblestone streets of the Old Town, browse artisan shops along Calle La Ronda, and sip a warm canelazo to the sound of live music. Ride the TeleferiQo for sunset views, sample street food and creative dining in La Floresta, visit a local craft brewery, or continue the evening with cocktails and nightlife around Plaza Foch.

Tour through the streets and main squares of Quito’s historic center – the first city in the world to be declared a World Cultural Heritage Site by UNESCO, recognizing the city’s unique architectural and artistic achievements which have been masterfully preserved and left relatively unaltered through the centuries – on this private guided tour. Journey past and through narrow, sometimes steep streets surrounded by outstanding examples of classic architecture and colonial style houses, graciously flowered balconies, charming squares and more than 50 monumental churches, convents, monasteries, cloisters and historic monuments while learning about the city’s fascinating history. Along the way you will visit the Church and Convent of Santo Domingo; this convent exhibits some of the finest architectural and religious art in the colonial city. Walk through the convents colossal doors and learn about the beautiful ceilings covered with oil paintings and gold leaf from your expert guide. Please note that when it is raining, the floors of Santo Domingo Church and Convent are quite slippery; please ensure you have appropriate footwear. Upon completion of the tour, you will be returned to your hotel.

Enjoy the convenience of pre-arranged car transfers and English guide assistance en-route to Zazu Restaurant. A Relais & ChÂteaux designated restaurant, Zazu invites you on an incredible epicurean journey, where a progression of rare and beautiful ingredients takes center stage. Chef Wilson Alpala creates contemporary cuisine with Latin American influences, transforming local ingredients into enticing, mouth-watering dishes. Please note: Tonight's meal is not included in the service and will be paid for in person.

Accompanied by your professional driver and private guide, depart Quito to visit an Andean hacienda. Surrounded by a spectacular landscape that climbs in altitude, make a stop at Los Fallones del Isco, a wall of rocks where Andean Condors live and are regularly spotted. Here you'll find endemic flora, including the chuquiragua, or the flower of the climbers. This place is home of many kinds of birds include guarros, blackbirds, partridges, turtledoves, curiquingues, and sparrow hawks. Witness rivers of petrified lava rising from the gorge which have resulted in the formation of lakes replete with trout. Spend the remainder of your day in and around an Andean hacienda where you will enjoy a three-course lunch before having the opportunity to explore the beautiful landscape. This full-day adventure concludes with a private transfer back to your hotel.

Transfer to Quito Airport with your private driver and an English-speaking guide.

Board a flight in Quito with direct service to Cuenca. Flight duration is approximately 45 minutes. This ticket is included in your tour price and is non-refundable.

Enjoy a private transfer between Cuenca airport and your accommodations alongside a professional driver. Please note, most drivers in Cuenca do not speak English fluently.

After a day of discovery, venture through Cuenca as evening unfolds, with illuminated colonial streets and lively riverside neighborhoods setting the scene. Stroll around Parque Calderon beneath the cathedral’s glowing domes, wander El Barranco along the Tomebamba River, or admire panoramic city views from Mirador de Turi. Continue along Calle Larga for riverside dining, artisanal breweries, cosy wine bars, and relaxed cafes featuring live jazz or acoustic music.

The towns of Gualaceo and Chordeleg, located 45 minutes East of Cuenca, are fascinating traditional settlements set in the beautiful Andean landscape. Today, set out with a private guide to meet a few families who are still making textiles the way the CaÑaris (pre-Inca inhabitants) did more than 500 years ago while admiring this wonderful region. You will also visit the workshops of a traditional jewelry maker, a guitar maker, and a Chola Cuencana who makes straw hats in the traditional manner. Along the way you will have the opportunity to visit a remarkable orchid farm that houses more than 2,000 species, one of the best collections in the world, as well as a shoemaker, additional jewelers and fruit market featuring the freshest produce in the area. Enjoy lunch in the countryside and return to your hotel in Cuenca.

El Mercado Restaurant is a retro-chic restaurant that features a rotating menu of seasonal, traditional dishes that are considered among the best in the city. Found in the heart of Cuenca along a ravine that runs through the city, the simple faÇade of the restaurant betrays the wonderful views offered from the rear dining room. Reservations will be made in advance, and round-trip transportation in a private vehicle will also be provided. Please note: Your meal is not included and must be paid for on location. Reservations are confirmed at the time of booking and are subject to availability.

This morning, experience one of the greatest treasures Ecuador has to offer; incredible vistas. Beginning in Cuenca, nestled in the footsteps of the Andes, you’ll cruise through this impressive range while taking in spectacular sights as you head toward Guayaquil. Along the way you’ll stop to tour El Cajas, a sprawling National Park that features everything from cloud forest to seemingly lunar landscapes. However, it is the lakes - more than 200 of them - scattered among jagged peaks that best characterize the reserve. Most of El Cajas lies 9,840 feet (3,000 meters) above sea level, with grassland covering most of the rugged terrain. The frost and ice that can be found above 13,120 feet (4,000 meters) is a deterrent to most vegetation, but the tiny and hardy Quina tree clings to life here, higher than any other tree in the world. Keep a look out for these 200-year-old specimens tucked up against hillsides in pockets of primary forest, clothed in a green palette of mosses and ferns, fighting for sunlight. In El Cajas there is a good chance of seeing the wild llamas that were reintroduced to the park in the late 1990s. The park’s other animal inhabitants, such as the spectacled bear, puma, and tigrillo, are more elusive. The long list of birds that can be seen here includes hummingbirds, toucans and magnificent Andean condors. After exploring this spectacular park and enjoying lunch (included), you will be transferred to your accommodations in Guayaquil, continuing along one of Ecuador’s most impressive highways while relishing the remarkable views.

You will be privately transferred between Guayaquil Airport and your hotel by a professional driver and English speaking guide.

Board a flight in Guayaquil with direct service to Baltra Island. Approximate flight duration is two hours.

All visitors to the Galapagos Islands must complete the “Declaration of Goods” form online as part of the Galapagos National Park’s ongoing control measures to protect the islands’ unique ecosystem. Please speak to your Destination Expert who can share with you the online form and assist in the completion of it if needed.

All guests visiting the Galapagos Islands are required to have medical travel insurance. Proof of insurance is required upon entry to the Galapagos Islands, and your insurance policy must be valid for the duration of your stay. Medical Travel Insurance can be purchased through Kensington Tours or independently. Please speak to your Destination Expert for more information.

The mandatory Galapagos National Park entrance fee is included in your itinerary. Please Note: All Galapagos excursions are to be referenced as a guideline only - the route and program are subject to change according to National Park policies and regulations, weather conditions, seasonal changes, safety precautions and estimated wildlife encounters, etc. A fuel surcharge is applicable to all vessels cruising in the Galapagos and all flights to and from the Galapagos. These surcharges have been included in your trip price. Fuel Surcharges are subject to change without notice and additional fees may be applicable at time of travel.

The mandatory Galapagos tourist transit card is included in your itinerary.

Upon arrival to Baltra Airport, you will be greeted by representatives of the M/V Legend who will direct you to an awaiting coach which will transfer you and other guests to the ship.

After boarding the vessel, take some time to get settled in to your stateroom and to explore the ship. Soon, the M/V Legend will depart.

In the afternoon, it’s time to visit North Seymour Island, an important spot to see both magnificent and great frigatebird males courting the females by clicking, bill-clapping, shuddering and flapping their wings, all while showing off their inflated, bright red, gular pouch. Sea lions, swallow-tailed gulls, the crashing surf and distant views of the Daphne Islands cap off the afternoon’s expedition.

Following a wet or dry landing (based on conditions), take in what is arguably the most iconic landscape of the entire archipelago; the view from the top of Bartolome Island which overlooks the famed Pinnacle Rock and austere Santiago Island. To say the least, it is well worth the climb up the wooden boardwalk to enjoy this striking view. The volcanic scene along the way has often been likened to a lunar landscape, seemingly desolate, though a closer look reveals Sally Light-foot crabs, marine iguanas and lava herons. The subsequent snorkel off the shores of Bartolome may put you face-to-face with Galapagos penguins, white-tipped reef sharks and playful sea lions.

Dry landing on the northern part of the South Plaza Island. The walk begins with an impressive cactus forest surrounded by land and marine iguanas. As you reach its highest point, be on the lookout for tropicbirds, Nazca and blue-footed boobies, swallow-tailed gulls. In South Plaza there is a large colony of the smaller sized land iguanas. The population is approximately 300 individuals. They feed on all kinds of vegetation, but during the dry season survive on the fruits and flowers of Opuntia cacti. Due to their proximity with marine iguanas, this is the only place on Earth where you will find the Galapagos hybrid iguana.

Sea lions laze and play in the sand as you make a wet landing at Pitt Point. Here, lucky guests will set their sights on all three of the booby species; red-foots are found perched in small trees, Nazca’s sit on the cliffs, while blue-foots are found inland. Frigatebirds are also frequently seen as you hike on the rocky terrain. After a demanding hike, take the time to enjoy some time in the water, snorkeling or kayaking off the shores.

In the afternoon, board a panga for another wet landing, this time at Cerro Brujo on San Cristobal Island. On the ride over, take in the immensity of “Sorcerer’s Hill” before arriving at the sandy beaches of Cerro Brujo, where you’ll then have a chance to relax on the beach or walk to a nearby lagoon where you may find black-necked stilts, ruddy turnstones, whimbrels and white-cheeked pintails.

Found in the highlands of San Cristobal, the giant tortoise breeding center iLa Galapaguerai is the ideal place to witness the most iconic creature of the archipelago in the various stages of life. Here, tortoises wander in a semi-natural habitat which lends itself to good photo opportunities, while employees of the reserve work to restore populations of the threatened San Cristobal tortoise and then release them back into the wild. After your hour-long visit, you’ll have the opportunity to stop in town to purchase local handicrafts and souvenirs.

This morning you'll disembark from the ship and bid a fond farewell to the crew.

A shared coach will transfer you to the airport ahead of your outbound flight.

Board a flight on San Cristobal Island with direct service to Guayaquil. Approximate flight duration is two hours. Please note: Flight rates are subject to change without prior notice.

Set inside a historic mansion that represents the exquisite style of Quito from the early 20th century, Illa Experience Hotel & Spa offers a unique cultural experience for guests visiting Quito’s warmest and most welcoming traditional neighborhood, San Marcos. For generations, the district has been home to artists, writers and musicians and its present-day charm owes much to this tight-knit community. It’s the perfect setting for an exclusive, 10-room experience hotel in the heart of historic Quito, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and is set amid the colorful architecture of peaceful Junin Street.

The Mansion Alcazar is a graceful manor house in Cuenca, just a few blocks from the town square. It is an authentic, grand home that is unlike any other, and blessed with a wistful allure that is seen in each of its 14 rooms. Well-maintained, each room reflects a personality that was built for an age-old era of faded aristocracy and chic, while still promising necessities like cable TV and Wi-Fi connection. Boutique Hotel Mansion Alcazar is a beautiful sample of the unparalleled Ecuadorian Republican luxury style. The 19th-century house was restored to its original splendor and has been designed to be a home for visitors with an atmosphere that is unbeatable.

Hotel del Parque, an eye-catching and lovingly restored 19th century property nestled into a tropical oasis in the heart of the city, is the premier boutique property in Guayaquil. Hotel del Parque is where the past meets the present, where nature meets comfort, where service meets passion, and where guests can enjoy a silent and restful sleep next to Parque Historico. Ideal for travelers who enjoy the performing arts, Teatro Sanchez Aguilar is less than a mile away, as is one of Guayaquil’s most popular restaurants, Noe Sushi Bar. Combining colonial elegance with modern necessities, Hotel del Parque is an excellent option for premium accommodations while in Guayaquil.

Sail aboard the M/V Galapagos Legend, an expedition vessel designed for an immersive journey through the Galapagos Islands. With 57 cabins for up to 100 passengers, the ship offers ocean-view staterooms and spacious suites with boutique touches. Enjoy local flavors, curated island experiences, a library, fitness center, pool, hot tub, bar, and a panoramic lounge, while younger travelers have their own space at the kids’ corner. Evenings bring folkloric music, tropical dance lessons, and lively onboard gatherings.