Explore Ecuador with WalkingWomen

SUMMARY

Further Afield with WalkingWomen

Dates: Monday May 19th to Friday May 30th – 11 nights/12 days

IMPORTANT TO NOTE: Arrival: Monday May 19th is to Quito and Departure: Friday May 30th could be from Guayaquil Quito depending where your return flights are from.  Let us know if you would like to stay on.

Guide: Local women guides

Walking Grade: 2 Goats and we class this as easy to moderate with basic hiking experience recommended. Due to the altitude we call this a 2 Goat rather than the strenuousness of the walks Max. altitude: 2850 m

Average temperature – Andes: Day 8 ºC to 24ºC, Night 5 ºC to 12ºC. 

Average temperature – Amazon: Day 20ºC to 35ºC, Night 18 ºC to 22ºC

Average temperature Galapagos Islands : expect around 25ºC to 28 ºC at sea level. 

Water temperature: During the warm season from January to May, water temperature hovers around 25ºC so beautiful for swimming 

Base: we will stay in different hotels and have 4 nights on board an exclusive yacht as we sail around the Galapagos.

We pick hotels because they are gay friendly and they offer a local experience. You can read more about them here and you will see they are recommended.

Nearest airport is Quito and there will be an airport transfer to the hotel approx 42 km and 45 minutes

DRIVING DISTANCES and times to travel between our accommodation: 

Hotel in Quito to Cuicocha crater lake: 2 h 30 min / 125 km

Cuicocha crater lake to Otavalo town: 30 min / 20 km 

Otavalo town to Hotel in Quito: 2 h / 105 km 

Guayaquil airport to hotel in Guayaquil and vice versa: 15 min / 6 km 

Price: £7000 per person for this exclusive trip – to have your own cabin does increase the price significantly ( if you bring a partner/friend and share a room/cabin the price is £5,500 per person)

Includes:

• All Excursions and all transfers as advertised in the itinerary 
• Airport shuttle service pick up and return to airports.
• All accommodation and meals as advertised in itinerary
• All internal flights required
• English speaking guiding throughout
• WalkingWomen Support with you at all times

Galapagos cruise

• Round-trip flights to the Galapagos Islands
• Galapagos National Park Entrance Fee, Transit Control Card

• Accommodation on board in a cabin with a private bathroom
• All meals (from lunch on the 1st day to breakfast on the last day), water, coffee and tea
• English speaking naturalist guide
• All transfers in Galapagos
• Towels

Amazon rainforest lodge

• Round-trip airfare to Coca

• All transfers in the Amazon rainforest
• Accommodation with a private bathroom and mosquito nets on each bed
• All meals, water, coffee and tea
• Daily excursions with English speaking naturalist and native guide
• Rain poncho and rubber boots

Not included:

• International Flights to Quito
• Travel insurance – a mandatory requirement of the trip.
• Tips and other personal expenses
• Activities not in the agenda
• Alcoholic drinks and soft drinks outside what is included.

DETAILS

One of the most diverse countries in the world, Ecuador is located in South America. The country owes its name to the equator, the imaginary line that crosses the country. Although Ecuador is one of the smaller countries in South America, the country fascinates with its four geographically different regions. The Pacific Coast with miles of sandy beaches and warm weather; the Andean highlands (“la sierra”), a region with majestic Andean mountains and rich culture in every corner; the Amazon region full of mysticism and breathtaking biodiversity; and the evolutionary wonder of the Galapagos Islands, which inspired Darwin’s theory of evolution. Like nowhere else you will find these four worlds in one country, very close together. This trip will give you an experience of each of these four worlds.

HIGHLIGHTS:

• First class and customized service
• Gay-friendly hotels and cruise ship 
• Hike around the picturesque Cuicocha crater lake and stroll through the indigenous market in Otavalo

• Colonial city Quito

• Amazon rainforest lodge run by a woman from the LGBTQ+ community
• Discover the enchanted islands with a cruise: the motor yacht Solaris invites you to enjoy the Galapagos Islands in a comfortable way. Look forward to a varied journey with detailed quality service
• Nature, white sand beach, snorkeling and up close encounters with endemic wildlife
• Gay-friendly staff and guides 

Join us on this memorable experience from May 19th to May 30th 2025  – Let’s GOAT!

ITINERARY

Itinerary subject to change depending on the weather and at the discretion of the guide.

IN BRIEF 

DAY 1 Monday 19th : Arrival in Quito 

Meals: – Evening Meal 

DAY 2  Tuesday May 20th

Secret Quito City Tour and Cookery Class 

Meals: Breakfast,Lunch

DAY 3  Wednesday 21st 

Quito – Amazon Rainforest

Meals: All meals

DAY 4 Thursday May 23rd

Amazon Rainforest

DAY 5 Friday May 23rd

Amazon Rainforest

Meals: All meals 

DAY 6 Saturday May 24th 

Amazon Rainforest – Quito – Otavalo Area 

Meals: Breakfast

DAY 7 Sunday May 25th

Cuicocha Crater Lake then to Quito

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

DAY 8 Monday May 26th 

Quito – Galapagos Cruise (Baltra) 

DAY 9 Tuesday May 27th 

Galapagos Cruise

Meals: All meals 

Accommodation:M/C Archipel

DAY 10 Wednesday May 28th

Galapagos Cruise

Meals: All meals 

DAY 11  Thursday May 29th 

Galapagos Cruise – return to Guayaquil

Meals: Breakfast

Accommodation in Guayaquil

DAY 12 Friday May 30th

Return to Quito for International Flights

Meals: Breakfast