About the tour
Starts
Ends
Quito, Ecuador
Guayaquil, Ecuador
Highlights
Discover the wild paradise of the Galapagos as well as local life on mainland Ecuador
Visit local communities living in the mountainous highlands around Otavalo
Stay in hotels on Santa Cruz and Isabela Islands and search for iconic Galapagos wildlife
Itinerary
Wildlife encounters and volcanic landscapes define the 'Volcanoes and Galapagos' tour, a 15-day guided journey from Quito to Guayaquil. Designed for experienced travelers, this trip offers a perfect mix of Ecuador’s vibrant mainland culture and the extraordinary natural wonders of the Galapagos Islands.
Start by visiting indigenous communities near Otavalo, delving into local traditions and colorful markets. Explore the lush Mindo Cloud Forest, alive with hummingbirds and butterflies, before heading to the coast for a week-long adventure across Santa Cruz, Isabela, and Santa Fe Islands. Here, you’ll get up close with the Galapagos’ unique wildlife—think playful sea lions, ancient tortoises, and a parade of rare birds.
Unlike traditional cruises, this tour lets you experience the Galapagos from land-based lodges, providing a deeper connection with the islands and their communities. Guided walks, snorkeling, and plenty of opportunities for wildlife photography round out the experience.
The unique selling point of this trip is its land-based approach to the Galapagos, offering more immersive, flexible encounters with both people and wildlife, all within a comprehensive active and outdoor tour package.

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Customer Reviews
Really good trip! The leader was very knowledgeable and nice but he should have spent more time with us such as coming with us for some meals and suggesting and joining us during some of our free time. The hotels were pretty good but in Quito it would be much better to stay in the historic district.
Excellent trip well organised. The Explore guide Tierra (Dario) was excellent and very knowledgeable. It sorted any issues out immediately.
A well organised and varied tour. There was plenty of opportunity to mix with local people and get a taste of their lifestyle. Wildlife was abundant and especially in Galapagos was surprisingly visible.
Some admin problems before but this was a brilliant trip. The places I visited were excellent and I saw and learned so much. There was such diversity between Ecuador, the Galapagos and the Ecuadorian Amazon and they each had their own beauty. We met a lot of Indigenous people, both as local guides and families we met , learning a huge amount about their different cultures. The only downside was, because of flight changes, we did not arrive in the Amazon until after dark and missed the activities of Day 1
Ecuador is a small country with surprisingly good infrastructure, especially roads. Restaurants are inexpensive compared to the UK. Our leader Fabian is experienced and made the whole trip run smoothly and did the bureaucracy on our behalf when possible. He left us alone most evenings but provided suggested restaurants that previous groups had used and this worked well in practice. On the Galapagos a local guide is required and most of these added to the experience. The itinerary lies within the area considered safe by the FCDO and so there is no problem travelling. Nevertheless one lady had her mobile phone snatched and so a high degree of caution is required. This trip is very good for a person who wishes to visit Ecuador and get a taste of the Galapagos in a single trip and at a reasonable cost.
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