Luxury Ecuador

Visit the Galápagos Islands, the Andean Highlands, and the Avenue of Volcanoes

Ecuador’s biodiversity is largely what makes it so special, and is all the more impressive considering the country’s small size. From cityscapes to volcanic highlands and the rainforest to the cloud forest, visitors will be in awe of the variety of landscapes and the critters who dwell in them. Ecuador is home to many high-end and luxury accommodations, and there are many special surprises that can be added to your Ecuador itinerary to elevate the experience. This 12-day Luxury Ecuador tour brings you to the beautiful and historic city of Quito, the expansive and cultural Andean highlands, and one of the most impressive natural wonders on Earth, the Galápagos Islands, and is full of luxury touches and cultural surprises.

Who is a Luxury Ecuador trip best for?

Travelers wishing to explore Ecuador without sacrificing on comfort and luxury amenities.

Day-to-day itinerary

Luxury Ecuador trip highlights

Arrive in Quito, a lively city and UNESCO Heritage Site with a beautiful and well-preserved historic center. Alongside your private guide, discover what makes it so special. Wander the city center admiring churches, courtyards, museums, and palaces. Sip a traditional hot cup of pinol, while people-watching in the busy Plaza Independencia.
Luxury highlights: Enjoy a special tasting lunch in the dome of La Compañia Church.
Sample Ecuador's famous To’ak chocolate, largely considered the best in the world, together with a chocolate specialist in Oswaldo Guayasamin’s private wine cellar.
Onward to Galápagos. Here, Darwin developed his theory of evolution, and you will observe prehistoric-looking animals, colorful birds, and volcanic islands. Stay at Pikaia Ecolodge, a Relais & Châteaux associated property widely considered the best in the Galápagos Islands. Pikaia is also one of the most advanced green lodges built in the world. The highest level of comfort and services are provided within the limitations of such a remote, restricted, and eco-sensitive location. In contrast to traditional cruises, the land-based tour programs offer arrival date flexibility, higher comfort, finer gastronomy, more privacy, and freedom.
Luxury highlights: Enjoy use of Pikaia's private luxury yacht, M/Y Vision, to cruise the islands of the Galápagos.
Enjoy private, naturalist guides throughout your stay, for land-based and yacht-based activities.
Dine privately in one of the Galápagos lava tunnels
Depart for the Andean Highlands, also called "Avenue of the Volcanoes," where gorgeous landscapes, cultural opportunities, and an array of adventure activities await. Stay at our favorite hacienda, a working farm called Hacienda Zuleta. A historic retreat in the Andean cloud forest, the adobe hacienda, built in 1691, is the centerpiece of a 4,000-acre working farm that includes a dairy, cheese factory, organic garden, tree nursery, trout farm, embroidery workshop, and condor-raising project. Hike, bike, or saddle up for a ride through pine, eucalyptus, and endemic forests and high-altitude grasslands to pre-Inca archaeological sites amid magnificent volcano views.
Luxury highlights: Take a horseback riding lesson with an Ecuadorian horse whisperer.
Receive a “Shamanic and Cosmological” ceremony to recharge your energies through a cleansing process with an experienced and well-known “Otavalo Shaman."
Farewell bonfire on the patio with Ecuadorian cocktails made by a local mixologist.
After a final country breakfast, a helicopter will be readied for you to fly 45 minutes down the Avenue of the Volcanoes, a moniker first dubbed by Alexander Von Humboldt during his 1800s exploration of South America. Fun fact: Ecuador has more than 85 volcanoes in its territory, four of them active. Arrive to Hacienda San Agustin de Callo. Built atop Inca ruins from 1480 and colonial ruins from 1530, this hacienda has a vast history behind its beautiful and cozy rooms. While here, visit Cotopaxi National Park and hike around the Limpiopungo Lagoon.
Luxury highlights: Helicopter ride through the Avenue of Volcanoes.
Deluxe picnic on the foothills of the Cotopaxi Volcano
Indigenous dance performance in the Incan courtyard of San Agustin

Price

Starting at $9,150 per person traveling in 2024. Contact us for pricing and to connect with your personal travel expert 

Easy extensions

Easily extend your trip by adding an extra night (or two!) at Hacienda La Danesa near Guayaquil for some post-Galapagos luxury. For those seeking more nature, the Amazon or Mashpi Lodge in the Cloud Forest are equally as impressive, in their own right, to Galápagos.

Luxury Ecuador map

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