Volcanoes and Galapagos

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.

Alrhough with a wildlife focus, there was plenty else to enjoy to get a feel for Ecuador's history and culture. The wildlife in the Galapagos was amazing with sorkling with turtles the highlight. Fabian was a great tour leader. Informative and helpful whilst leaving the group with time and space to do their own thing. And for chocoholics, the chocolate factory experience was someting to indulge in!

My first experience with Explore and I could not have asked for anything more. Fantastic itinerary jammed packed with so many different experiences. The local guides just made the whole holiday with their knowledge and passion and enthusiasm just shone through. Fabian, the tour leader was such a lovely person whose organisation skills were impeccable. How difficult it must be get 13 people on buses, ferries, zodiacs and planes must be near impossible but he managed to get to every destination with ease. His explanations of each activity and accommodation was so informative we didn’t have to worry about anything. Throughly excellent. I will be booking again.

Wonderful trip! A really nice mix of activities & site seeing. Enjoyed exploring Ecuador……Otavalo was charming, the opportunity to see the Condors up close, some hiking & snorkelling, cultural experiences with locals, hummingbirds feeding from your hand, and the amazing Galápagos Islands! What more could one ask for?

Diego was a great tour leader. He was very knowledgeable. he made sure everything was well organised for us. he thought ahead so everything was in place.

Two great trips combined into one, as Ecuador mainland and the Galapagos offer such different sceneries and climates (each with its own endemic fauna and flora). The itinerary was well planned, and the pace of the trip good, with a lot of visits and activities packed in, and a fair amount of traveling, but it never felt too hectic, as we also had some time off. Our guide Diego was extremely knowledgable and passionate about his country, and very attentive to our well-being at all times. I would strongly recommend this trip.