Galapagos cruise on the Yolita II

Take a private guided walking tour of the highlights of Quito. Your guide shows you the city's highlights, such as colonial temples, monasteries and plazas. They'll also help you unravel the grand architecture of the Church of San Francisco. The tour lasts three hours, ending at a viewpoint over the city. In the afternoon, you're free to keep exploring Quito at leisure. We recommend visiting one of the city's museums, such as the pre-Hispanic art museum Casa del Alabado.

A private transfer will take you to the airport in time for your two-hour flight to the Galapagos Islands. Upon arrival, you're met by crew members who will take you to the Yolita II. After being welcomed aboard and given a safety briefing, you'll set sail to Las Bachas, a beautiful beach area, to start your Galapagos experience. You'll begin excursions in the afternoon.

Genovesa Island is a highlight of many Galapagos trips, with the collapsed volcano formation playing host to large populations of frigates and the unforgettable red-footed booby. You'll spend the day walking the paths of Darwin Bay and El Barranco and snorkeling in the sunken caldera.

The cruise continues to Bartolomé Island, where you'll hike to the summit, which offers panoramic views over Pinnacle Rock. Afterwards, you'll experience the volcanic rock of Sullivan Bay, which makes way to a white coral sand beach, home to Sally Lightfoot crabs and sea lions.

This morning, visit Isabela Island's tortoise breeding center to see and learn about the Galapagos tortoise. In the afternoon, you take a guided hike to the top of Sierra Negra Volcano. It's a steep climb, but the views from the crater rim (the second largest in the world) are expansive.

Continuing up the western coast of Isabela, the ship will stop at Elizabeth Bay for a panga ride to explore the mangroves, spotting sea turtles and penguins along the way. The afternoon will be spent at Urbina Bay, a reef that was raised out of the water from tectonic movement. You can snorkel here and spot land iguanas, sea turtles, rays and flightless cormorants.

The morning visit to Tagus Cove will allow you to walk this former whaler and pirate shelter, with stunning views of Darwin and Wolf volcanoes in the distance. The afternoon visit to Punta Espinoza will get you up close to the largest marine iguana colony in the Galapagos. The beauty of this remote part of Isabela puts the amazing wildlife into perspective.

Today, you'll visit Rabida Island for a walk along the red sand beaches created by unusually high iron deposits. Sea lions are typically abundant here, and the trails will take you past an interesting lagoon surrounded by palo santo trees. After lunch, you'll be able to relax at Playa Espumilla, one of the Galapagos' most beautiful beaches, with snorkeling options available to explore the coast.

The trip finishes with a visit to Daphne Island where the blue-footed boobies, frigatebirds and finches will wish you farewell. You'll then transfer to the airport in time for your flight back to mainland Ecuador and your connection home.