Let's start with the archipelago itself. For the greatest possible immersion into the Galápagos, we cannot recommend highly enough a post-cruise beachfront stay on one of the main islands.
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After a week of cruise schedules, for a few days you’ll have a lot more flexibility to explore at your own pace. You can hop on a bike, go for a hike or just choose to relax on the often deserted beaches.
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You'll experience the local Galápagueño culture, perhaps finding out what it's like to live side-by-side with such incredible diversity. The money you spend here also helps boost the local economy.
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And you can take small-group excursions to parts of the archipelago your cruise didn't visit. For example Kicker Rock, a world-class snorkel site where sharks, rays, sea turtles and sea lions abound.
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How to do it: Take a look at Our Ultimate Galápagos Vacation: Cruise & Island Stay for our most in-depth experience of the archipelago. If it sounds like your sort of thing, please do get in touch.
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Now for the rest of Ecuador, 600 miles away on the mainland. All of our Galápagos trips will spend at least a couple of nights in Quito, but oh boy is there much to enjoy if you can give it more time.
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The Galápagos has cheeky penguins, boisterous boobies and majestic albatrosses, but we think Mindo’s cloud forest is just as special. It is, afterall, among the most bird-rich ecosystems on earth.
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You can see toucans, quetzals, cock of the rocks, hummingbirds, woodpeckers and... well, the list of species spotted is over 400 long. And there's little crossover with the Galápagos.
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You need not be a dedicated birder to love it. Like many places in Ecuador, it all feels pre-historic, untouched for centuries, trees thick with lichens, mosses, ferns and bromeliads.
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Your base here is one of our favourite ecolodges, run by Tom and Mariela. Hummingbirds battle for nectar as you sip your morning coffee. At night you're lulled to sleep by the rushing river.
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If we then add in a few days deep, deep in Ecuador's Amazon Rainforest, you have yourselves the makings of what must surely be one of the world's great nature and wildlife vacations.
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Trees have buttress roots bigger than your average basketball player. There are frogs smaller than a fingernail, butterflies with wings bigger than a fist and tarantulas the size of a hand.
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An unforgettable Amazon experience is a jungle night walk. Vivid tree frogs, night monkies and otherwordly insects are cloaked in the still of the rainforest night, uncovered by flashlight.
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It’s not just the wildlife that captivates here. Devil’s Blood, Strangler Fig, Wandering Palm and the assassin-like Lemont Ant trees and their Devil’s Garden have stories as vivid as their names.
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How to do it: Please have a look at our Ecuador & Galápagos Wildlife Wonders Vacation, which can be enjoyed exactly as shown, made shorter or longer and tailored to suit you.
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For full on nature and wildlife, you have the forests of Ecuador. For a balanced combination of local culture, epic history, world class walking and exotic wildlife, you might also consider Peru.
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Machu Picchu is an extraordinary place - a citadel in the clouds, lost to the world for centuries. It's one of humanity's most precious treasures, a masterpiece from the age of great civilizations.
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If you've never been to South America, the idea of pairing Machu Picchu and the Galápagos might settle the argument there and then. But gives us a minute to finish flying the flag for Peru...
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The best way to reach Machu Picchu is on foot. For us, you simply cannot beat the feeling of arriving in the quiet afternoon calm having walked up through the valley on the one-day trail.
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Quite why few others seemed to have figured out the timing is beyond us, but we're happy they haven't. Look at this photo taken by one of our guests in 2019 - just try and spot the people!
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For local Andean flavour, Peru's Sacred Valley is hard to beat. We have friends there, lovely Mercedes in the chichería for instance, who share their lives with you in the most organic way imaginable.
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Nilda is another great character, the head of the female weaving co-operative that we take huge pride in sharing with you before you walk across the high plains and down towards Cusco.
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In Cusco, of course there's all the Inca heritage and glorious Spanish churches to explore. This place was, afterall, the capital of the Inca empire until the Europeans showed up.
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But we can also do some really fun things beyond the main Cusqueño sights, such as a private masterclass in preparing pisco sours and ceviche with Javier in his own reastaurant kitchen.
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Added to the Galápagos, you're looking at a trip of around 18 days. Of course, beyond the Sacred Valley Peru has much more to offer if you have more time - Amazon, Lake Titicaca, Colca Canyon...
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How to do it: Here's a trip we made earlier: Machu Picchu & Galápagos Vacation. As always, it's already an exceptional trip as shown, or we can tailor it to make it perfect for you. Let us know!
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