Ecuadorian Amazon Cruise Adventure
A fascinating 4-night river cruise in the Amazon basin, then colonial Quito & the indigenous market at Otavalo; optional extension to the Galapagos
Overview
| Style | Small Group TourTravel with a small, intimate group of no more than 16 likeminded travelers (and often much fewer), escorted by an English speaking guide and/or tour manager for some or all of your journey. (Some exceptions, including special promotional packages, may accommodate up to 30.) More of these packages
Dedicated tour escorts & guides throughout |
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| Departures | March 2025 – December 2026 | ||
| Themes | Active, Nature & Wildlife, River Cruises | ||
| Activity Level | Moderate | ||
| What to Expect | This fast-paced, locally hosted tour involves a significant amount of walking or hiking, often on uneven terrain, as well as getting in and out of boats including wet landings. Good physical fitness required to fully enjoy the trip. | ||
| Already booked? | Find everything you need to know before you go, including information about passport & visa requirements, flights, luggage, and more. | ||
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Ecuador is traditional villages and picturesque colonial cities nestled in the shadows of the Andes Mountains. It's the primitive rainforests and diverse wildlife of the Amazon and the windswept islands teeming with unrivaled endemic species in the Galapagos. It's the culture of indigenous tradition and European influence that weaves its way through the food and music, the art and architecture, and the traditional Sierra way of life like the strands of a straw basket or a rushing river through the lush, dense rain forest.
The wealth of experiences is incredibly diverse for such a small country; you will explore it all on our small group cruise tour. Cruise through the Amazon basin along the Napo River, a tributary of the mighty Amazon River, aboard the Manatee Amazon Explorer. Guided by an expert naturalist who knows the territory, take night walks through the Amazon, explore the river by guided canoes and kayak, search for pink river dolphins, anacondas, monkeys, caimans, turtles, and manatees, and enjoy the amenities of your beautiful river boat. After, explore the capital city of Quito and the quaint market town of Otavalo along the Avenue of the Volcanoes.
Why not complete your tour of Ecuador's world-renowned highlights with an optional extension to the Galapagos? Spend three nights exploring the islands and wildlife that inspired Darwin's theory of evolution before you return home with a newfound appreciation for this South American gem, with memories that will last a lifetime and a newfound appreciation of nature at its best.
Package includes
- Flights
- Cruise
- Coach
- Transfers
- Hotel
- Meals
- Guides
- Round-trip flights from Miami (MIA) or Fort Lauderdale (FLL) including taxes & fees
- All transfers, ground transportation & domestic flights
- 4-night cruise on the Napo River in the Amazon basin
- 3 nights superior class accommodations in Quito
- 17 Meals: 7 breakfasts, 5 lunches & 5 dinners
- Comprehensive sightseeing tours
- Entrance fees
- Galapagos Islands Extension includes Galapagos National Park Fee & Transit Control Card Fee
Optional add-ons
- Optional Galapagos Islands Extension
Why you'll love it
- Cruise the Napo River for 4 nights aboard the superior Manatee Amazon Explorer.
- Marvel at the Amazon basin's rich biodiversity including pink river dolphins, manatees, black caimans, and giant otters.
- Visit a Kichwa family and learn about everyday life on the banks of the Amazon's Napo River.
- Create delicious Ecuadorian cuisine during a cooking class hosted by the ship’s expert chef.
- Ascend a canopy tower and enjoy sweeping views high above the lush treetops of the Amazon rain forest.
- Discover the “Middle of the World” at Quito's Equatorial Monument.
- Browse through stalls full of handmade, multicolored sweaters, ponchos, hats, necklaces and more at the indigenous Otavalo Market.
- Enjoy breathtaking views of Peguche Waterfall, a spiritual site that inspired many tales, myths and legends among the people of Otavalo.
Itinerary at a Glance
Dates & Prices
Detailed Itinerary
Day 1 Depart USA/Arrive Quito, Ecuador
- Depart the USA for your flight bound for Quito, Ecuador
- Upon arrival in Quito this evening, meet our representative and transfer by hotel shuttle service to your hotel for check-in
Wyndham Quito Airport or similar
Full Day ItineraryThis evening, arrive in Quito (9,350 feet above sea level), and after customs formalities, you will be met and transferred by scheduled shuttle service to your hotel for check-in and overnight.
Day 2 Quito, Coca & Napo River
- Transfer to the airport for your flight to Coca
- After a short transfer to the dock, board a motorized canoe
- Journey down the river to reach the Manatee Amazon Explorer
- Experience the sounds and aromas of the forest during a night walk
Manatee Amazon Explorer or similar Breakfast & dinner
Full Day ItineraryAfter breakfast, transfer to the airport for your short flight to the Amazon city of Coca. Upon arrival, drive to the dock and board a motorized canoe, which will take you to your riverboat on the Napo River. Relax and enjoy your first experience of the sights and sounds of the Amazon!
After settling in, expert local naturalist guides will join you and provide a brief and informative introduction to the Ecuadorean Amazon. Then, you can discover the different features of the ship, such as the observation deck, where you can admire the changing rainforest landscape as you glide down the Napo River.
After dinner, immerse yourself in the Amazon during a guided nighttime forest walk to observe the nocturnal activity and experience the thrill of the vivid sounds from such biodiversity.
Day 3 Yasuni National Park
- Take a motorized canoe to explore the islands
- Visit Yasuní National Park, the habitat of the legendary pink river dolphin
- Visit the Secoyas community
Manatee Amazon Explorer or similar Breakfast, lunch & dinner
Full Day ItineraryEarly this morning, take a motorized canoe to explore one of the large islands where you can see eagles, oropendolas, woodpeckers, and many other bird species. Return to the Manatee Amazon Explorer for lunch onboard while you enjoy the ever-changing scenery.
Later, visit Yasuní National Park, a pristine and relatively undisturbed region of the Ecuadorian Amazon and home to the legendary pink river dolphin! The area is also home to anacondas, river turtles, and various primate species, as well as the colorful Hoatzin, a unique bird known locally as the "stinkbird" due to its foul odor.
Near Yasuní live the Secoyas, a minority community. Here, you can visit the community, learn about their lifestyle, and share in their traditions.
Day 4 Kichwa family & life on board
- Visit a local Kichwa family
- Participate in a cooking class and a lecture with a local guide
- Enjoy the amenities of the ship
Manatee Amazon Explorer or similar Breakfast, lunch & dinner
Full Day ItineraryStart the day by visiting an authentic local Kichwa family on the banks of the Napo River. Immerse yourself in the culture as you learn about life in the Amazon directly from local community members.
Then, return to your ship for lunch and leisure time as you sail upstream. Enjoy a cooking class with the ship’s expert chef, who will share recipes and techniques for preparing delicious Ecuadorian food using fresh, organic ingredients.
You will also have a chance to try your hand at making traditional crafts and attend an ancestral cultures lecture with one of our local guides. Or, enjoy any of the onboard facilities: be pampered at the Rainforest Spa, soak in the scenery from the hot tub on the observation deck, sip a delicious cocktail at the bar and lounge, or admire the sunset and the night sky from the observation deck lounge.
For those looking for something more active, you can explore the surrounding nature by kayak!
Day 5 Forest adventure & canopy observation tower
- Visit a canopy tower for a breathtaking view of the Amazon basin
- Walk through the forest to look for various plants and animals
Manatee Amazon Explorer or similar Breakfast, lunch & dinner
Full Day ItineraryEnjoy a leisurely morning aboard your ship.
Then, visit a canopy tower built against a giant Kapok tree. Walk up the observation tower in the rainforest canopy, which offers astonishing 360-degree vistas. The perspective at the top of this observation tower is truly glorious, looming above the lush treetops and providing a view of the sheer vastness of the Amazon Basin.
Later, explore the forest on foot, discovering many plants and animals endemic to the Amazon basin. A kayak activity is also available to explore this area.
Day 6 Coca & Quito
- Return to Coca by motorized canoe
- Fly to Quito and transfer to your hotel for check-in
Swissotel Quito or similar Breakfast
Full Day ItineraryYour river adventure ends as you return to Coca by motorized canoe. Transfer to the airport for your flight to Quito. Upon arrival, you will be met and transferred to your hotel for an evening of leisure
Day 7 Quito
- Enjoy a city tour of Quito
- Visit the Equatorial Monument at the Middle of the World, Latitude 00.00´.00
- Ride the gondola to approximately 13,285 ft above sea level for a breathtaking view
- Enjoy a interactive dinner with your fellow travelers
Swissotel Quito or similar Breakfast, lunch & dinner
Full Day ItineraryToday, enjoy a city tour of Quito. Arguably one of the loveliest South American cities, Quito offers a spectacular setting surrounded by mountains and several snow-capped volcanoes, including the still-active Mt. Pichincha.
Begin your day with a visit to the neo-gothic Basilica of the National Vow, noted for its gargoyles in the form of native Ecuadorian animals such as iguanas, armadillos, and Galapagos tortoises. Next, see the exterior of the Presidential Palace, Independence Plaza, the Cathedral, and the Archbishop's Palace, where history, nature, and the authenticity of the people of Quito merge. Then, see the La Compañía de Jesús, which has an ornate and richly sculptured facade and interior with colored columns, 10-sided altars, and gilded balconies. The tour will end at the Monastery of San Francisco, Quito's oldest church and the most significant colonial building constructed in Latin America. After appreciating the works of art from the colonial era that this building contains, you will visit the upper part of the main entrance of the temple, where you can observe the square and the surrounding buildings and the domes of other churches or monasteries.
After lunch, drive north of Quito to the Equatorial Monument, the Mitad del Mundo ("Middle of the World"), commemorating the exact place where Charles Marie de la Condamine established the Equator, where you can stand with one foot in the northern and one in the southern hemisphere. Climb to the top of its symbolic monument. You can visit either the Ethnographic Museum to journey through Ecuadorian culture or the Inti Ñan museum to learn about the phenomena created in this magical place. It is said that "Something magical that happens in the Middle of the World is to experience the sensation of being in the northern and southern hemispheres simultaneously; it is to be standing in the middle of the world, Latitude 00.00´.00".
For those interested in seeing a spectacular panoramic view over Quito and the snow-capped surrounding volcanoes of Cayambe, Cotopaxi, and Chimborazo, take a ride on the TelefériQo. This gondola lift transitions to approximately 13,285 ft above sea level for a breathtaking experience. Those who opt out of the TelefériQo can enjoy visiting the Quito National Museum.
This evening, enjoy an interactive dinner where you will help prepare a portion of your meal, learn about new foods, work with ancestorial tools, and take in fresh aromas, textures, and colors.
Note: The TelefériQo experience reaches high altitudes and may not be suitable for all passengers. Warm clothes are suggested.
Day 8 Quito & Otavalo
- Explore the Otavalo Market
- Visit the Peguche Waterfall
- Transfer back to Quito and check in to your airport hotel
Wyndham Quito Airport or similar Breakfast & lunch
Full Day ItineraryAfter breakfast, travel to Otavalo, the land of the "Otavaleños" Ecuadorian community, where all families speak Quichua as their first language and Spanish as their second. See women in colorful embroidered clothing and men in broad-brimmed hats with blue ponchos.
Explore the Otavalo Market around the Plaza de Ponchos, Ecuador's most famous indigenous market. The Otavaleños travel to the town to sell a multicolored variety of handicrafts, including sweaters, ponchos, hats, necklaces, and other handmade products.
Following lunch, visit the Peguche Waterfall. The area includes a park with a hiking trail and several bridges, which offer good views of the falls.
Later today, transfer to your hotel near Quito Airport.
Or, take advantage of your already included international airfare and extend your trip to the Galapagos Islands.
Day 9 Depart Quito/Arrive USA
- Transfer back to the airport for your early morning flight home
Breakfast
Galapagos Islands Post-Tour Optional Extension
Why not take advantage of your already included international airfare to visit the Galapagos Islands, one of the world's most spectacular natural wonders? You'll return to the U.S. 4 days after the return dates shown.
Day 9 Quito, Baltra Island & Santa Cruz Island
- Transfer via hotel shuttle to the airport for your flight to the Galapagos Islands
- Fly from Quito to Baltra Island, the gateway to the Galapagos
- Take a short ferry ride to Santa Cruz Island
- See Los Gemelos lava chambers
- Explore a 600-acre private giant tortoise reserve
- Continue to Puerto Ayora for check-in and a welcome drink
Hotel Solymar or similar Breakfast & lunch
Full Day ItineraryAfter breakfast, transfer to the airport for your flight to Baltra, the gateway to the Galapagos Islands. Next, take a short ferry across the Itabaca Channel to Santa Cruz Island, then drive through the various microclimates on your way to the village of Puerto Ayora on the island's south side.
Today, see Los Gemelos (The Twins), two enormous collapsed lava chambers - an awe-inspiring visual reminder of the power of nature. The path to the lava chambers is an excellent introduction to the incredible biodiversity of the Santa Cruz Highlands, teeming with endemic flora and fauna, including a Scalesia Forest, draped in liverwort and mosses, as well as numerous birds such as Darwin Finches.
Afterward, drive to a 600-acre private reserve where giant Galapagos tortoises freely roam, graze and sleep. Feel free to mingle with these gentle giants. But, as prehistoric as these creatures look, wait until you hear what they sound like! Galápago is Spanish for tortoise, and the islands were named for these fantastic creatures. If conditions are muddy, there will be a selection of field boots for your use.
Next, you'll have the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to explore the remnants of an illuminated lava tunnel. Created by ancient lava flows, the tunnel is 1350 feet long with a ceiling nearly 20 feet high in most places, adorned with stalagmites and stalactites, mineral-colored walls, and a rippled lava floor. Visit the Charles Darwin Research Station before continuing to Puerto Ayora to check into your hotel.
Day 10 North Seymour
- Sail aboard a yacht from Itabaca Channel to North Seymour Island
- Hike along the trail to one of the largest sea bird colonies on the Galapagos
Hotel Solymar or similar Breakfast & lunch
Full Day ItineraryEarly this morning, head to Itabaca Channel to board your yacht to beautiful North Seymour.
This flat, arid island is perfect for hiking, swimming, and snorkeling. Admire the unique vegetation, consisting primarily of palo santo (incense stick), cactus, and saltbush, and keep your eye out for various seabirds, including blue-footed boobies, swallow-tailed gulls, and frigatebirds. You may even spot sea lions playing in the waves!
Enjoy lunch on board the yacht as you return to Santa Cruz Island and your hotel.
Note: Due to Galápagos National Park regulations and weather conditions, alternative islands such as Santa Fé, Plazas or Bartolomé may be substituted.
Day 11 Tortuga Bay
- Hike to the beach at Tortuga Bay for a chance to observe marine iguanas, sea turtles, and pelicans
- Return by speedboat to Puerto Ayora
- Enjoy the afternoon at leisure
Hotel Solymar or similar Breakfast
Full Day ItineraryTake a leisurely hike along a comfortable footpath for about 45 minutes to reach Tortuga Bay. Here, you can relax on the beach, rest on the white sand or swim. You may also encounter iguanas, sea turtles, and pelicans in this area. Return by speedboat to Puerto Ayora and enjoy the rest of the day at leisure.
Additional full-day trips to other islands are available locally.
Day 12 Galapagos & Quito
- Fly from Baltra airport to Quito
- Transfer to your hotel
Wyndham Quito Airport or similar Breakfast
Full Day ItineraryAfter breakfast, drive back to Itabaca Channel, cross by ferry to Baltra Island, and take your flight back to Quito.
Transfer to your hotel in Quito.
Day 13 Depart Quito/Arrive USA
- Transfer back to the airport for your early morning flight home
Breakfast
Hotels & Ship
Hotels
Experience the warmest of welcomes when you visit the 4-star Wyndham Quito Airport hotel. With a prime location at the Mariscal Sucre International Airport (UIO), the Wyndham Quito Airport is your top choice for an overnight stopover or day-room in transit. From the moment you step into the lobby, you will find impeccable services and amenities. Relax in your well-appointed room, indulge in the finest international dishes at the onsite restaurant or meet up with friends at the lobby bar for a signature cocktail.
Swissotel Quito is one of the city’s top luxury hotels, located in the commercial and residential area of the Floresta neighborhood. Feel re-energized with a swim in the indoor or outdoor pool. Enjoy the fitness rooms and Sports area, offering the latest exercise equipment, free weights, spinning room, as well as racquetball, squash and tennis courts. Relax at the Wellness Area with whirlpool, sauna and polar pool to soothe and restore.
Hotel Solymar is centrally located on Puerto Ayora's main street and within walking distance of a variety of cafes, restaurants, and shops. The hotel features ocean access on Pelican Bay, and a beautiful patio for guests to enjoy the nature of the Galapagos. Hotel Solymar also provides a luxurious jacuzzi, pool, and bar with an open view of the bay. Sit back and relax on an open lounge chair. You may befriend the local seal who likes to join in on the fun in the pool. There is no doubt you will be able to live your best life while at Hotel Solymar.
In the unlikely event that a particular hotel is not available, a similar or better hotel may be substituted.
Cruise Ship
The Manatee Amazon Explorer provides a beautiful way to explore and discover the Ecuadorian Amazon. With cruises from Coca, on the Napo River, this expedition vessel allows you to reach many parts of the jungle that would otherwise be inaccessible, and discover the vast biodiversity that inhabits this part of the world’s largest rainforest. The Manatee offers many spaces to relax and feel reinvigorated, including a spa, a cozy reading room, an observation deck with an outdoor hot tub, and an al fresco lounge. The small fleet of motorized canoes allow you to reach deep into remote, otherwise inaccessible places on excursions that will bring you close with the wildlife of the Ecuadorian Amazon.
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