Mainland Ecuador

Every flight out to the islands departs from mainland Ecuador, either Quito or Guayaquil, so you will need some time on the mainland regardless. The only question is whether you stay a little longer, before or after your island time, to see more of it. Ecuador is a fascinating, friendly country, and we would love to help you make the most of it. Here is what most of our travellers add on.

Quito

We generally recommend at least two days in Quito before your flight out to the islands, for three reasons. It gives you and your luggage some leeway if international flights are delayed, since most flights from Europe land in Quito in the late afternoon while flights to the islands leave early the next morning, and catching up a missed connection out to the Galapagos is genuinely difficult. It also gives you a day to recover from jet lag before an expensive trip of a lifetime. And Quito is a genuinely nice place to spend time in its own right, with spots like the "Middle of the World" monument close by.

Our Short Galapagos Cruise builds Quito time straight in, pairing time in the capital with a cruise.

The rainforest

The Ecuadorian Amazon makes a wonderful addition to a Galapagos wildlife trip, precisely because the flora and fauna is so completely different; the contrast between the two wildernesses is a large part of the appeal. Allow a minimum of four days, given the logistics of getting there. Expect to stay in a rustic lodge on the Rio Napo, looking out for macaws, parrots, monkeys and even giant otters, with river cruises available too if you want to continue the theme from your Galapagos cruise.

Our Amazon Rainforest & Galapagos holiday joins the two together in one itinerary.

The cloudforest

Sitting between the Andes and the rainforest, the cloudforest is a hilly, misty landscape of creeping lianas, excellent birdlife and even the occasional spectacled bear. It is the best habitat in the country for hummingbirds, and easy to reach, only about two hours' drive from Quito.

Our Luxury Cloudforest & Galapagos holiday features it.

The Andes

The spine of the Andes runs the length of Ecuador, and it would be a shame not to experience it. Whether you stay in a traditional hacienda, a country inn or a smart hotel with a spa, you can walk in genuinely beautiful highland scenery or take a train ride through dramatic swathes of upland and mountain.

Our Otavalo & Galapagos holiday is built around exactly this, based at a 16th-century Andean hacienda near Otavalo.

Trips that combine the Galapagos with the mainland

Four of our itineraries already pair island time with the mainland, so you do not need to plan the join yourself: the Short Galapagos Cruise, Luxury Cloudforest & Galapagos, Otavalo & Galapagos and Amazon Rainforest & Galapagos. If you would rather add mainland time to a different trip, just ask, since almost any Galapagos holiday can be extended this way.