Amazon and Galapagos Wildlife Holiday
14 days from £5,600 pp
This Amazon and Galapagos Wildlife Holiday is a private, 14-day tailor-made trip combining four days at a community-run jungle lodge in Ecuador’s Amazon with a week of land-based island hopping in the Galapagos. Prices start from £5,600 per person and include accommodation, flights within Ecuador, excursions and private guides. Perfect for wildlife lovers and families, who want both rainforest and islands, from parrot clay licks and giant otters to snorkelling with sea lions and hiking Sierra Negra volcano.
Trip Highlights
- Canoe to your Amazon lodge deep in the jungle
- Choose a volcano hike in Cotopaxi, bird-watching in The Cloud Forest, or both!
- Meet local legend Claudio Cruz, a descendant of the Galapagos Islands’ original settlers
- Swim alongside sealions, snorkel with white-tipped reef sharks and spot blue-footed boobies
Our Expert Tip
”Our land-based Galapagos island hopping is more affordable than a cruise, and gives you more time with the local families who live on the islands.”
Sam, Founder
Amazon & Galapagos Itinerary: Day by Day
Day 1: Quito
Your holiday begins in the capital of Ecuador, Quito. Stay in a comfortable airport hotel ready for your onward flight to the Amazon the next morning.
Day 2: Amazon
The wildlife adventure really begins here, with a combination of plane, boat and motorised canoe. Enjoy this exciting two-hour comfortable ride downstream on the Napo River, to reach your charming jungle lodge deep in the Amazon basin.
This majestic and peaceful ride along a narrow river leads to the Añangu Lake, where the lodge will appear in front of you.
Your base is Napo Wildlife Center, owned and run by the Kichwa Añangu community, who protect the surrounding rainforest. It offers a wide choice of guided activities.
Day 3: Amazon
Visit one of the most incredible nature spectacles you will ever see: the parrot clay licks. This is a spectacle of colours, with parrots, macaws and parakeets visiting the clay licks every day to feed on the minerals in the soil.
With your wildlife guide, hike along the forest trail to visit the Kichwa Añangu community and learn about their every-day-life routines, ancestral customs and traditions.
Hike through a Terra Firme forest to reach a second parrot clay lick, where you will enjoy a delicious lunch whilst watching the colourful spectacle unfold in front of you.
Day 4: Amazon
Head to the Canopy Observation Tower, a 36m high platform providing one of the most amazing views of the jungle. The bird-spotting up here is something to behold, especially when flocks of vibrantly coloured tanagers, blue-and-yellow macaws and large toucans fly past in the early mornings.
Lace up your walking boots and follow a trail deep into the forest to discover the beautiful and mysterious wildlife that hides in the interior. Look out for lizards, different species of monkeys such as the golden-mantled tamarin, rare and unique insects and even some snakes.
Visit the black water Añangu Lake and streams that are home to different species of fish and mammals such as the iconic giant otter.
Day 5: Quito
Return to Coca Airport, by the same adventurous route, looking out for rare birds, monkeys and if you are lucky a giant otter from your canoe. On arrival into Quito, transfer to Hotel Carlota then enjoy a guided walking tour.
Explore the old town, one of the best-preserved in Latin America, full of narrow cobblestone streets, whitewashed walls, and elaborately decorated churches. Highlights include a visit to the Main Plaza, Government Palace, La Compañía, and the San Francisco Monastery.
Day 6: Otavalo, Cotopaxi OR Cloud Forest
Choose from a private full day tour to either indigenous Otavalo, iconic Cotopaxi Volcano, or misty Bellavista Cloud Forest.
Otavalo is where the local Kichwa indigenous culture proudly thrives. Visit the famous market, filled with colourful handmade objects and expert craftwork, before continuing to the workshop of ‘Master Weaver’ Miguel Andrango. Drive to Cuicocha lagoon, a deep-blue crater lake on flanks of Cotacachi Volcano, for a short hike and stunning views.
Cotopaxi National Park is named after its picture-perfect snow-capped volcano. Learn about the history of this volcano’s major eruptions then spend the day hiking around Lake Limpiopungo under the gaze of the volcano.
If you choose the Cloud Forest, expect a bird-watching paradise. An incredible 170 species of birds have been recorded at Bellavista, including Giant Antpittas, Swallow-tailed Nightjars, Plush-capped Finches, Beautiful Jays, White-faced Nunbird, Plate-billed Mountain-Toucan, brightly coloured tanagers. Explore the mountainous forest on foot with an expert guide who will point out the cloud forest’s exuberant vegetation and bird life.
Struggling to choose between these three amazing options? Why not extend your holiday and include more than one. Take a look at our Slow Travel Ecuador In-Depth Holiday.
Day 7: Itabaca Channel, Galapagos
Days 7–12 follow our 8-day Galapagos Island-Hopping Adventure; see it for full detail. Fly to the islands and get straight into the water at the Itabaca Channel, kayaking or paddleboarding past mangroves, before meeting giant tortoises in the Santa Cruz highlands.
Prefer a boat? See our Galapagos cruises.
Day 8: Santa Fe, Galapagos
Spend the day at sea with a former fisherman, heading for Santa Fe and its large sea lion colony, with snorkelling among reef fish along the way.
Day 9: Floreana Island, Galapagos
Cross to Floreana, one of the least-visited inhabited islands, to stay with Claudio Cruz at Floreana Lava Lodge, snorkelling off Black Beach in the afternoon.
Day 10: Floreana Island, Galapagos
Walk Floreana’s highlands with Claudio, past pirate caves and settlers’ stories, and finish with lunch on his family farm.
Day 11: Isabela Island, Galapagos
Speedboat to Isabela to see young tortoises at the breeding centre, cycle to the Wall of Tears and snorkel at Las Tintoreras.
Day 12: Isabela Island, Galapagos
Hike to the rim of the Sierra Negra caldera through misty highlands, then spend the afternoon on the beach at Puerto Villamil.
Day 13: Quito
This morning enjoy more snorkelling before saying goodbye to the inspiring Galapagos Islands by catching a speedboat back to Santa Cruz and transfer by land to Baltra for your flight back to Quito.
Stay one final night in the capital, try some amazing restaurants, perhaps visit some markets and soak up the last of the South American atmosphere. Looking for more ideas? Browse our Galapagos wildlife holidays.
Day 14: Depart
Transfer to Quito airport for your flight home.
When to Go
Best time for an Amazon and Galapagos holiday
This trip works all year. In the Amazon, higher water levels from around April to July make it easier to explore by canoe, while drier months bring more wildlife to the riverbanks [check]. In the Galapagos, December to May brings warmer water and calmer seas; June to November is cooler, with richer marine life. Ask us which month suits the wildlife you most want to see.
Includes
- All accommodation
- Excursions
- Transport
- Private guides
Excludes
- International flights
- Travel insurance
- Visa cost
- Tips
Why Book With Travel Differently
Passionate and experienced
- Each member of the team has over a decade of experience in the industry
- Our 5* client reviews reflect our service & standards
- We are a fully independent & owner-run tour operator
- Our holidays include full financial protection & ATOL coverage
- We are destination experts, ensuring authentic & reliable advice
Committed and Responsible
Tailor-made and Personal
- No two trips are the same, our holidays are 100% bespoke
- We design personal, genuine cultural connections & experiences
- From planning to travel, you’ll have one dedicated point of contact
- Our support is available around the clock during your holiday
- We take care of the details, so you don’t have to
Need More Inspiration?
Want to combine multi-countries, take less flights, or include a hike in Patagonia? Thinking of a longer sabbatical holiday, or staying in some luxury yurts? It’s all possible; all our holidays are tailor-made with a focus on responsible travel. Take a look at more ideas below, and contact our experts.
