Rainforest & Evolution Adventure

First transfer to the airport for your flight (30 mins.) to Coca, the gateway to the Oriente, Ecuador's Amazon basin. You'll then drive for approximately 2 hours through jungle scenery to the Shiripuno river. Following a safety briefing about the jungle experience you head up river by morotized canoe. The boat trip is guided and you'll get a thrilling introduction fro your naturalist guide. Soon you'll enter Huaorani territory and reserve, land protected for the people.

It is afternoon by the time you arrive and a welcome committee from the community will be waiting to mark your arrival into the forest. This will be a chance to meet the Huaorani for the first time and introduce yourself them.

Jungle Camp – 3 nights (CC) (BLD) Camping is on fixed, covered platforms in the rainforest. There is a covered dining platform and separate toilet/bathroom hut. 

Today you head up river once more to another community deeper in the rainforest. As you travel further into the wilderness you enter the Yame Reserve, a 55,000 hectare reserve managed by the Huaorani Association as an eco-tourism initiative. You'll explore the reserve and learn about Yasuni National Park at Apaika's mini interpretation centre. In the village you can join in with some of their daily activities. The way home is down river and an exciting adventure in two person kayaks. Paddle silent along on the look out for wildlife on the river banks. Arriving in camp by kayak is the end of an incredible journey. (BLD)

After breakfast, transfer to the airport for the flight to the Galapagos Islands. On arrival you have to pay the national park entrance fee and transit fee ($110 per person). Afterwards, you will transfer to your accommodation on the island. In the afternoon you'll head out on mountain bikes. The terrain is easy but the scenery is unique, you'll head for the interpretation centre and on to Loberia, a great spot for snorkelling, where you may see a wide variety of Galapagos sea life. Large numbers of sea lions can also be seen here. Hotel - 1 night (AA) (B)

Still on Isabela, today it is time for a hike to the rim of Sierra Negra, the largest volcano of the archipelago. You'll pass amazing volcanic rock formations and learn about the geology of the islands and their fascinating and constantly evolving state. At the edge of the crater the views must be seen to be believed.  Isabela is the largest of the islands in the Galapagos, four times the size of Santa Cruz, the next largest. It is also one of the youngest islands in Galapagos. The three main volcanoes are where the rock which forms the islands starts, the further you are from Isabela, the older the rock you are standing on. It is a real eye opener to see how land masses are formed so close up. Budding geologists will be enthralled. (BLD)

There is no rush today. As you say goodbye to the islands, you transfer north across the highlands of Santa Cruz, through the misty highlands and onward to Baltra, a smaller island where the airport is located. You get there by road (30 mins) and a short ferry crossing (15 mins). When you get back to Quito you'll once again be transferred to your hotel in the city for your last night in Ecuador, where there is time to say goodbye to new found friends before you leave.

Ask the group leader for a restaurant recommendation as there are many atmospheric places for a final dinner in the old town. Hotel - 1 night (AAA) (B)