From: £913
From: $1,215
Transfer to airport, flight to Manta. Arrive in Manta and drive to Puerto Lopez. Free afternoon.
Day trip to Isla de la Plata. Return in the afternoon to the Hosteria
La Isla de la Plata lies 37km off the coast, around 1.5 hours by boat.
It has colonies of three sorts of boobies, blue-footed, red-footed and masked, and you will see numerous other seabirds, such as pelicans, terns and frigate birds. There are sea lions on the island and you are likely to see dolphins, rays and whales (from June to September).
Take plenty of water and sun protection with you as it can be very hot and dry on the island.
On most tours you will spend 2-4 hours walking on the island.
Visit beach Los Frailes and/or Cerro Blanco. Overnight in hosteria.
Los Frailes is a series of gorgeous beaches and cliffs that you walk to along a 4km track, through dry tropical forest. It is one of the most beautiful parts of the park, just 10km north of Puerto López.
You travel there by taxi-bike, a novel and interesting journey to Los Frailes in itself.
We transfer you to the airport to catch your flight (1400 approx) to Quito or Guayaquil.
Local hosterias, with single, twin or double rooms. Mid-range standard, clean and comfortable with private bathrooms.
Hotel upgrades are available, please ask.
This trip is open to all ages and abilities.
Experience of swimming and snorkelling is beneficial for the trip to Isla de Plata.
There are no altitude issues for this trip.
The day hikes do require 2-4 hours of walking, depending on hike selected.
Almost all dietary requirements can be catered for – please ask us for more information.
Breakfasts at hotels will feature teas, coffees and juices to drink, plus cereals, fruit, eggs, toast and jams etc.
While out on tours, we either supply a packed lunch of sandwiches, snacks, soup, fruit etc, or we eat at a local restaurant. These are often buffet style with soups, rice, pasta, potatoes and then puddings/fruit.
Evenings are often free for you to choose to eat in a local restaurant or at the accommodation, depending on where we are.
Bigger towns have international and local Ecuadorian options.
Local, qualified Spanish-speaking guides lead the tours. English-speaking guides can be added at extra cost.
A once-in-a-lifetime honeymoon blending Inca heritage, Amazon wildlife, and unforgettable Galapagos exploration.
An unforgettable Ecuador and Galapagos journey filled with wildlife, culture, and breathtaking landscapes from volcanoes to sea.
Ecuador’s coast provides great whale watching as well as lovely beaches to relax, all within Machalilla National park.
The weather is warm throughout the year – June and the end of September is the best time to see humpback whales.
Even if out of whale watching season you can still visit Puerto Lopez, Machalilla national park, go bird watching, snorkelling and enjoy superb coastal scenery and playing in warm Pacific surf.
You fly in to historic Manta and then explore – see what the local fisherman have caught at sea, head to South America’s only dry tropical forest and investigate the pre-Spanish cultures.
Then travel south to the coastal area of Machalilla, a dry tropical forest with bizarre shaped kapok trees.
From: $3063 per person
Duration
8 days
From: $2515 per person
Duration
8 days
Landscapes vary from the drier south to the more humid north.
The Highlands, or sierra, encompass two Andean Cordilleras (the Central and Western), which run north to south through the country. Ecuador’s largest volcano is Chimborazo (6,310m) whose summit, because of its proximity to the equator, is the closest point on earth to the sun. Several of Ecuador’s volcanoes are still active, and it’s a great area for trekking.
Descending the steep, east-facing slopes of the eastern Cordillera, one passes through a transition zone comprising dense cloud forest and humid high jungle, before entering the Amazon lowlands.
This mainly primary rainforest covers a third of the country, accounts for 5% of the population and stretches across Ecuador, from its Colombian to its Peruvian borders.
The Galapagos Islands are simply unique. Lying 600 miles off the mainland, the archipelago comprises the summits of gigantic equatorial volcanoes.
The flora and fauna of the Galapagos, long separated from their continental cousins, have evolved differently. Charles Darwin used his observations there to develop his theory of Evolution.
Ecuador is the second smallest South American country, and one of the most varied.
It comprises three main geographical areas: the coast, highlands and Amazon plus is home to the Galapagos Islands.
Because of its relatively compact size, it makes a great holiday destination as you can move from highlight to highlight fairly easily and rapidly.
Few backpackers spend much time in Manta, but generally prefer to head south to the coastal area of Machalilla. Passing through Portoviejo and Jipijapa the vegetation is unique, a dry tropical forest with bizarre shaped kapok trees.
Puerto López is a small fishing town of around 10,000 people. It has a very ramshackle appearance at first sight, but it’s quite charming and grows on you.
If you go down to the beach early you will see an amazing range of Pacific fish, of all shapes and sizes, including hammerhead sharks. Then buy your freshly cooked fish from the beach markets!
At Agua Blanca, the ancient capital city of Salangóme, there is a good archaeological museum.
There is also a guided trail around the reasonably well preserved and extensive site, where you can see a complex of terraces and platforms with adobe and stone walls.
Approximately 10km beyond Agua Blanca, further inland, after hiking through the dry forest you reach the humid tropical forest of San Sebastián. This is great for seeing orchids, birds and monkeys.
You will need at least a couple of days to appreciate this part of the park. Talk to the guards at Agua Blanca, they can arrange accommodation and horses. Take all supplies with you.
The port of Salango, 10km to the south of Puerto López has an excellent small museum with information on the intrepid sailors of prehispanic times. It contains artefacts from many of the different cultures that have inhabited coastal Ecuador from the Valdivia to the present day.
There is a decent restaurant here, Delfín Magico and you can walk along the beaches.
The humpback whale is a regular visitor to the Ecuadorian coast. The waters off the province of Manabí, now protected by the national Park of Machalilla, are breeding grounds for this magnificent whale.
There are frequent sightings from June to September.
Ecuador lies between latitudes 4º south and 2º north. Overall, climate varies according to time of year, altitude and region.
In the Ecuadorian highlands, there is little temperature variation by season as temperature depends largely on altitude.
In Quito, shade temperatures range from 6 to 10ºC in the morning and from 19 to 23ºC in the afternoon, with cool nights. In the lower basins between mountains, it gets significantly warmer.
Rainfall depends on whether an area lies closer to the eastern or western Andes. To the west, June-Sept is the dry period and Oct-May the wet (with often a short, dry spell in Dec or Jan).
The best period to visit Quito and trek and climb volcanoes such as Cotopaxi is the west Andean dry season of June-Sept and Dec/Jan. This is also Ecuador’s high season. During the Oct-May wet season, most rainfall is in the afternoons.
To the east, Oct to Feb are dry and Mar-Sept are wet. Overall, the southern highlands are drier than the northern highlands.
On the Pacific coast, rainfall becomes less from north to south. The coast can be enjoyed year-round, although from June-Sept mornings are often grey with the garua mists.
Jan-May is the hottest and rainiest time of year.
In Ecuador’s Amazonian region, rain can fall at any time, but Dec-March is usually the driest season and Mar-Sept is usually the wettest period.
Galapagos can be visited at any time of year.
The warm season is Jan-Jun, bringing calm, warm waters (around 70°F) and sunny days (72-9°F or 22-32°C), February and March being the hottest and sunniest months with blue skies and sunshine.
The islands receive slightly more rainfall during these months, occasional heavy bursts in the afternoon. Great for snorkelling and you can spend a lot of time in the water without wetsuits, with great, clear waters.
The dry ‘garua’ season is Jun-Dec an it’s a great time for marine life. August and September are the coolest when you may need a jacket in the evenings and the sea can be choppy and temperature drops around 15-24ºC on average.
There can be mist on the islands in the mornings (garua) which usually burns off by midday leaving overcast skies or a sunny afternoon.
Sea temperatures may drop to 60°F- 72°F (15-22°C) during this time and snorkellers will want a wet suit for prolonged periods in the sea.
A once-in-a-lifetime honeymoon blending Inca heritage, Amazon wildlife, and unforgettable Galapagos exploration.
An unforgettable Ecuador and Galapagos journey filled with wildlife, culture, and breathtaking landscapes from volcanoes to sea.
