Ecuador
May 23 - May 31, 2025 (9D8N): After flying into Quito, we kicked off our Ecuador adventure with a 5-day, 4-night cruise through the Galápagos Islands—an unforgettable journey filled with hiking, snorkeling, and wildlife encounters. We even celebrated Wes’s birthday while swimming alongside sea lions and spotting dolphins from the boat. After the cruise, we headed to Cuenca, a charming colonial city nestled in the Andes, where we spent two relaxing nights soaking in the culture and cobblestone streets before flying home via Guayaquil.
* Highly recommended food & hotel
Day 1 (Quito/Puerto Ayora)
Early morning arrival at UIO from JFK (via Avianca)
Middle of the World (via Uber ~45 mins & $25):
Monument & equator line ($5; weekdays: 9 am-5 pm & weekends: 9 am-6 pm)
Local chocolate wine tasting @ Haku Andean Chick
Coffee @ Calima*
12:21-1:30 pm flight to GPS/Baltra Airport (via LATAM):
Purchase the Transit card at the domestic departure terminal ($20 cash only)
Sala VIP National @ UIO
DIY Transfer to Puerto Ayora (Airport bus $5 + ferry crossing $1 + taxi $30 OR shared mini bus to Terminal terrestre de Puerto Ayora $5pp & 20 mins walk - cash only; budget 1.5 -2 hours)
Check-in @ Posada del Mar*
Charles Darwin Research (8 am-6 pm; $10 for the guided tour to see the breeding center; suggested duration ~1.5 hrs)
Playa de la Estacion (hang out with sea lions & crabs on the beach, great for snorkeling)
Shop @ Angelique Art Gallery
Dinner @ Laguna Beach*
Ice cream @ Helados Tato
Day 2 (Galapogos - Santa Cruz)
Walk around Puerto Ayora:
Saint Francis Park (sea lion spotted)
Pelican Bay Plaza (next to Hotel Solymar Galapagos, a great place to relax and watch iguanas sunbathing)
Fishing piers (sea lion stealing a piece of fish from the pelicans & iguanas wandering around)
9:30 am-10:45 am: DIY Transfer to GPS (via Taxi)
Noon: Board Galaxy Orion* @ Mulle de Seymour
Bachas Beach (nature exploring & snorkeling)
Day 3 (Galapogos - Bartolome/Santaigo)
8-10 am: Dry landing for the steep walk (372 steps)
10:30-11:30 am: Deep water snorkeling (shark & sea turtle spotted)
3-4 pm: Deep water snorkeling
4:30-5:30 pm: Dry landing at Sullivan Bay for a walk over lava fields in Santaigo island (penguin sighting)
Day 4 (Galapagos - South Plaza Island/Santa Fe)
8-10 am: Dry landing for a hike (yellow land iguanas, sea lions, gulls)
2-4 pm: Deep water snorkeling & kayaking (swim with sea lions & sea turtles)
4:30-6 pm: Dry landing for a hike (sea lion colonies)
Day 5 (Galapagos - San Cristobal)
7:30-10 am: Zodiac ride & wet landing at the beach for snorkeling (the most pristine beach on San Cristobal)
Dolphin sighting
2-3 pm: Deep water snorkeling (swimming with baby sea lions)
4-6 pm: Wet landing and hiking to the top (island goats, blue & red footed boobies)
Day 6 (San Cristobal/Cuenca)
6:30 am: Cruise arrives @ Puerto Baquerizo Moreno
Bus pickup to Galapaguera de Cerro Colorado
Flight to CUE/Cuenca (layover in GYE via LATAM)
Magma Lounge @ SCY
Sala VIP @ GYE
Check-in @ Hotel Boutique Los Balcones (via taxi)
Dinner @ La Placita Centro*
Day 7 (Cuenca)
Breakfast @ hotel
Pumapungo Museum (T-F 8am-5pm & weekend 10-4pm; free; suggested duration ~1 hr)
Juice & smothie @ Panaderia Taita*
Lunch @ Paccari*
3:30-6:30 pm: Cuenca, Ecuador Free Walking Tour
Museum of Modern Art (free; a former jail/orphanage/senior center/women’s wellness center)
La Casa del Coco (French-style house) / Paccari (a socially responsible chocolatier)
Casa de la Lira (free; preservation of old city canals)
Toquilla straw hat factory (entrance fee $1 p/p; rooftop coffee shop)
Corpus cafe (for the sweet tooth, where you can find bees buzzing around)
Coffee @ Cafe De La Sucre*
Mirador de Turi (via taxi $5)
Viewpoint
Dinner @ Cuenca View 360 (food was average, but the view was amazing)
Rooftop cocktails @ Negroni*
Day 8 (Cuenca/Guayaquil)
Breakfast @ hotel
Old Cathedral of Cuenca (6 am-5 pm; serves as a museum today)
Ex Corte Superior de Justicia (beautiful interior courtyard)
Plaza de los Geranios Colgantes (secret garden)
Catedral de la Inmaculada Concepción (6:30 am - 3:45 pm; $5 to climb the tower)
Piedra de Aqua (via taxi $5; suggested duration ~ 3 hrs; Club Thermal 2 for 1 promo: $90+VAT - a must!!)
Evening flight to GYE (via LATAM; ~50 mins)
Salsa Vip TAME
Check-in @ DoubleTree by Hilton Guayaquil* (via Uber $7; 15 mins)
Walk around Malecon 2000:
La Perla/Ferris Wheel ($3.53-$5.04; ~15 mins ride)
Dinner/cocktails @ 800 V Terrace Lounge* (DoubleTree rooftop)
Day 9
Uber to airport (~10 mins; $5)
Late morning flight to JFK (layover in Bogota via Avianca):
Sala VIP @ GYE
Copa Club @ BOG
El Dorado x AMEX @ BOG
Other points of interest & food:
Isla Santa Cruz:
Swim/snorkel @ Galapagos Up las Grietas, Tortuga Bay, La Ratonera
Coffee @ Chococoffee Cafeteria y Pasteleria
Lunch @ Galapagos Deli
Cuenca:
Lunch @ Mercado 9 de Octubre
Dine @ Raymipampa Restaurant, Tiesto's Cafe Restaurant, Bistro Yaku
Guayaquil:
Cocktails @ Juliana, Nicanor Casa de Bebidas, Puná Terraza Bar
Iguanas sighting @ Parque Seminario
Tips:
Cruise vs. DIY island hopping: We considered visiting Santa Cruz, Isabela, and San Cristóbal on our own and joining day trips, but with limited time, the cruise offered a far more efficient way to see diverse wildlife and remote sites without juggling inter-island ferries and logistics.
We booked our Galapagos cruise via Columbus Travel, where the tour planner was very responsive and offered a range of options that met our needs. It’s advisable to book at least 3–6 months in advance.
Uber was affordable and reliable in Quito and Guayaquil. In Cuenca, local taxis are the only way to go; they are very inexpensive but only accept cash.
While credit cards work in major tourist sites on the mainland, small vendors in the Galápagos prefer cash (USD).
Take it easy with the high altitude in Quito and Cuenca.
