Ecuador: Quito,
Cotopaxi and
Galapagos Island
Hopping 2017
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Day 1: Quito
Itinerary
On arrival in Quito we will be met for a
group transfer to our accommodation.
On a clear day we should be greeted
by the impressive sight of snowcapped Andean peaks in the
distance. We stay at the heart of the
colonial centre, the perfect location
for exploring.
Accommodation: Hotel Patio Andaluz
(1 night)
(Meals included: lunch and dinner)
Day 2: Quito - Cotopaxi National Park
Ecuador has history, fascinating
indigenous cultures, lush tropical
forests, spectacular snow-capped
volcanoes and some of the most
exciting wildlife on earth. You’ll
discover the World Heritage Site of
Quito, the largest nature reserve of
Cotopaxi National Park, and the
volcanic island archipelago of the
Galapagos.
Morning visit to colonial Quito, a city of
narrow cobbled streets lined with
whitewashed walls and, rising above,
the steeples and cupolas of the city’s
many spectacularly decorated historic
churches. The city has one of the best
preserved colonial centres in all South
America and its integrity was assured
in 1978 when the United Nations
declared Quito a World Cultural
Heritage Site.
Located 600 miles west of Ecuador,
the Galapagos Islands were created
five million years ago by undersea
volcanic eruptions. Their most
celebrated visitor was Charles Darwin,
who arrived aboard the HMS Beagle in
1835. The rare lifeforms he
encountered helped him formulate his
theory of evolution. The fame of this
theory highlighted internationally the
need to preserve this area, now a
national park and UNESCO World
Heritage Site. This is a unique and
unforgettable experience to stay on
these islands, giving you the
opportunity to experience the culture,
as well as the wildlife, long after the
day visitors have left.
We’ll walk through the Main Plaza,
where you’ll see the Government
Palace, the Cathedral, and some of
the most important churches built
during the 16th and 17th centuries,
including the monastery of San
Francisco which was started 5 days
after the founding of the city in 1534.
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Then we will visit La Ronda Street,
where we will learn about the
traditional jobs in colonial Quito. At the
end of the city tour we will visit the
Panecillo hill, where we will be able to
admire the famous Panecillo’s virgin
and spectacular views of Quito.
After a delicious lunch in the old town,
we will depart to Cotopaxi National
Park. We’ll break the journey with a
walk along the Pita river canyon; the
Pita river’s source is the glacial
meltwater of the giant of the park, the
Cotopaxi. The walk will take about 1.5
hours and will explore waterfalls, look
out for local birds, learn about plants
and the incredible rock formation of
this canyon. Continue the drive to
Chilcabamba Lodge. Maximum
Altitude: 3,470m. Walking time: 1.5
hours. Difficulty: Easy
This walk highlights the grandeur of the
Andes, offering you views over the
eastern side of Sincholagua as well as
Cotopaxi, the lord of the brilliant
grassy foothills that never ceases to
entrance hikers. Maximum altitude:
4,600m. Walking time: 4 hours.
Difficulty – Type of terrain: Grassland/
sand hills - Rocky / Moderate.
(Meals included: breakfast, lunch and
dinner)
Accommodation at Chilcabamba
Lodge (2 nights)
Day 4: To Santa Cruz
(Meals included: breakfast, lunch and
dinner)
We take a morning flight to Baltra
Island and transfer to Santa Cruz, to
begin our exploration of the
Galapagos Islands.
Day 3: Cotopaxi National Park
We will enter the northern getaway to
Cotopaxi National Park (only 6kms
from our lodge). Our first stop is
Limpiopungo lagoon, located at
3,800m above sea level. It has many
reeds in which you’ll find nesting
ducks, as well as Andean gulls and
other birds that fly around the lagoon.
Our first short walk is to the lava tunnels
of ‘Los Gemelos’, a giant pair of
volcanic craters. Afterwards we head
to the highlands for a walk at El Chato
Reserve. The walk will take approx 3.5
hours, and we should be able to spot
some of the following: giant tortoises,
short-eared owls, Darwin’s finches,
yellow warblers, Galápagos rails and
paintbilled crakes. After lunch we’ll
travel to Puerto Ayora and check into
our accommodation.
A short easy walk around the lake will
warm us up for a longer hike towards
Rumiñahui Mount, named after a
famous Inca general and known as
the park’s entry. This will take us right
into the heart of the grasslands,
passing small waterfalls before arriving
at the stone plains.
Accommodation: Villa Laguna (1
night)
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(Meals included: breakfast, lunch and
dinner)
Accommodation: Floreana Lava
Lodge (2 nights)
Day 5: To Floreana
(Meals included: breakfast, lunch and
dinner)
Early morning we take a stroll (1.5
miles/2.5km) to the spectacular white
sand beach at Tortuga Bay where we
can swim, snorkel, or walk on the
beach amongst marine iguanas, and
sea turtles.
Day 6: Exploring Floreana
Today we explore Floreana’s
highlands in our characterful open-air
bus. We learn about the island’s
wildlife and the colourful history of
some of Floreana’s first inhabitants.
Upon reaching Asilo de la Paz (Peace
Haven), we enjoy a walk which visits
this historic site, pirate caves, and the
freshwater spring that provides water
for the entire island. Watch out for
giant tortoises lumbering around in the
vegetation or even on the trail.
Leaving Asilo de Paz, we walk down
through the fields to see how the
locals cultivate their crops. Back at the
coast we take time to watch the
frigate birds who ‘dance’ as they
wash their salty wings in the fresh
water. With a little bit of luck, we may
be able to see the males puffing up
the red pouches on their chests in an
attempt to attract females.
We visit the Charles Darwin Research
Centre, where we learn about
Darwin’s theory of evolution. After an
early lunch we drive to Puerto Ayora
where our private speedboat waits to
take us on a two hour journey to
Floreana, also known as Santa Maria
island. We check in at our lodge
overlooking the Galapagos’ most
beautiful and secluded bay. From
here we take a short walk to La
Loberia, a sea lion breeding ground,
where we can snorkel or swim with sea
turtles, sea lions, spectacular rays and
lots of shimmering fishes.
We continue by Chiva down towards
Las Palmas. On the way we will have
spectacular views of the shoreline,
and we’ll enjoy lunch. This afternoon
we return to the lodge where there’s
free time to do a little more exploring,
to snorkel or swim in the bay, or just
relax in this stunning setting.
(Meals included: breakfast, lunch,
dinner)
Day 7: To Isabela
After an early start we enjoy our final
exploration of Floreana. Our short
journey to Cerro Allieri affords us far4
reaching views of the island, before
we begin our walk exploring the area.
The walk is approx 2 hours and
introduces us to some of the endemic
vegetation of the island. It’s also a
good place to spot Darwin finches,
and among them, the medium tree
finch, a critically endangered species.
truly awesome sight. Our walk then
takes us up to the crater of Sierra
Negra, the second largest in the world,
and then on to Volcán Chico (little
volcano) at the eastern rim of the
crater.
At Volcán Chico you can see in
miniature the process that formed the
Galapagos. Two recent eruptions
have laid bare the geology of the
islands: massive lava flows; small cones
and miniature tunnels can all be easily
viewed and explored. We picnic on
the top of the volcano and enjoy truly
spectacular views over the central
and northern parts of Isabela, as well
as Fernandina, Pinzón and Santa Cruz
Islands before returning to our hotel.
We journey by boat to our next island,
Isabela, where we’ll have lunch. The
journey will take approx 2 hours.
Isabela is the largest, and arguably the
most interesting of the islands in the
Galapagos. Here you’ll be able to get
a close look at the very source of the
spectacular history of the Galapagos –
visiting Sierra Negra, and its myriad of
wildlife.
(Meals included: breakfast, lunch and
dinner)
After settling into our accommodation,
we take a short walk (0.75 mile/1.2km)
to the Giant Tortoise Breeding Centre,
passing three lagoons along the way
where we’re likely to see flamingos.
Day 9: Isabela - Shark Canal and Wall
of Tears
Accommodation: Isamar Hotel (3
nights)
This morning we will head to the
Tintoreras islands, a Galapagos in
miniature. Here we’ll see white tipped
reef sharks, sea lions, turtles, rays and
penguins. There’s also the chance to
snorkel in the clear, turquoise waters of
the bay.
(Meals included: breakfast, lunch and
dinner)
Day 8: Sierra Negra Volcano
Today it’s time to stretch our legs. We
visit Sierra Negra, the largest crater of
all the Galapagos volcanoes, and a
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Extension Andes Lodge to Lodge trek
Day 10: To Otavalo
Upon reaching Quito you will be
transferred to our accommodation in
the Andes (approx 2 hrs drive) (1
night). If we’ve time this afternoon,
we’ll take a guided walk to the
Taxospamba waterfall
Accommodation: Casa Mojanda,
Otavalo (1 night)
After lunch we’ll walk the Wetlands
Trail on Isabela, through the
mangroves and marine iguana
colonies, to the Wall of Tears, built in
the late 1940’s by WWII prisoners
housed at the island’s US base. These
are the most extensive wetlands in the
archipelago and have been
recognized as a globally important
site.
Casa Mojanda is an ecolodge which
provides a fitting finale to your holiday
and the staff here provide the perfect
introduction to the warm and
welcoming Andean culture. The
accommodation looks out over snowcapped volcanoes and the Casa’s
lovingly kept gardens. It is at an
altitude of 2943m above sea level.
(Meals included: breakfast, lunch and
dinner)
Day 10: To Quito
Today we say goodbye to the
Galapagos as we return by
speedboat to Santa Cruz and a short
journey across the Itabaca Channel
returns us to Baltra for our flight back
to Quito. This afternoon we have time
to explore the city a little further, and
to stock up on souvenirs before our
final evening in Ecuador.
(Meals included: breakfast, lunch and
dinner).
Day 11 Walks in the local area
We walk down to Otavalo town to visit
its food market. We will explore the
market and learn about the different
crops which are produced in the
surrounding farmlands which we will
be exploring today and tomorrow.
We'll then visit the famous craft
markets before our guide takes us on
a fascinating tour of the nearby
villages, introducing us to the local
artisans and their methods of making
the colourful textiles and crafts that
you see displayed in the town.
Accommodation: Hotel Patio Andaluz
(1 night)
(Meals included: breakfast, lunch and
dinner)
Day 11: Departure day
Return flight back to the UK.
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This afternoon we'll explore a more
rural area as we hike above these
communities learning about smallscale agriculture, an important part of
life in the valley. Meet people that
continue to farm their land and learn
about the products you saw earlier in
the market, especially grain crops, like
quinoa. The scenery is gorgeous and
from this vantage point in the foothills
of Imbabura, you can see all the
places we hiked through in the
morning. If it's a clear day you can
even see Cotacachi Volcano.
Sacha Ji is at an altitude of 3938m
above sea level.
(Meals included: breakfast, lunch and
dinner)
Day 12: Time with the Zuletenos
An optional Yoga session (payable
locally) an early breakfast and the
morning is spent trekking through the
communities of Zuleta. This agricultural
area is famed for its traditional
embroidery, dairy products, alpaca
farming and highland crops such as
wheat, maize, potatoes, lentils and
quinoa. “Zuletenos” and “Zuletenas”
are known to keep their culture and
traditions - keep an eye out for the
way the locals dress here and how
different it is from the traditional
Otavalo clothing.
At the end of the trail, our supporting
vehicle will be waiting for us for a
quick transfer to the lodge, Sacha Ji.
Accommodation: My Sacha Ji (1
night)
Sacha Ji is a wellness and spa retreat
built in a 100% sustainable fashion and
offering the upmost in comfort. Sacha
Ji’s unique combination of scenic
magnificence, personalized service,
beautiful accommodations, delicious,
fresh and healthy Ecuadorian
gastronomy, along with an array of
wellness, natural and cultural activities
and experiences allow for much more
than your usual tour or even special
vacation. We highly recommend the
Jacuzzi that overlooks the valley!
Lunch will be prepared in a local’s
home with a cooking lesson before we
make our way back to Quito and our
return flight home. (Breakfast and
lunch included).
Day 13 – Arrive UK
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Accommodation
We stay in comfortable hotels of
mainly 3-star standard, all with en-suite
facilities and fantastic locations. All of
the hotels have swimming pools.
On the first and last night of the
holiday, we stay in the colonial centre
of Quito. Our accommodation is in the
converted historic hacienda, Patio
Andaluz, only two blocks away from
the main plaza. Rooms are all en-suite
and tastefully decorated in keeping
with the building's colonial style.
www.hotelpatioandaluz.com
Our next island's accommodation is
the Red Mangrove Lava Lodge (2
nights) on the island of Floreana. The
accommodation is individual airconditioned cabins with en-suite
bathrooms and their own private
porches. http://floreanalavalodge.
destinationecuador.com/index.html
We spend 2 nights in the Chilcabamba
eco-lodge, close to the Cotopaxi
National Park. This hotel does not have
a swimming pool but it does offer
rustic charm and a cosy welcome. The
lodge is situated at 11,400ft
surrounded by higher volcanoes.
http://chilcabamba.
destinationecuador.com/
On Isabella, the final island of our
holiday, we stay at the
welcoming Isamar hotel (3 nights). This
hotel is located on the beachfront in
the sleepy fishing village of Puerto
Villamil. Its location gives guests
sweeping views of sandy beaches,
swaying palm trees and boats
bobbing on the water. Bedrooms are
comfortable with mediterranean style
decor, and are fully equipped with
wifi, safety deposit box, air
conditioning. Restaurant, bar are
located right next to the hotel.
Villa Laguna Hotel on the island of
Santa Cruz (1 night) is our first hotel on
the Galapagos Islands. This is a small
hotel with comfortable modern rooms,
offering us 3-star facilities, and an
excellent introduction to the islands.
www.villalaguna.com.ec
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The chance to stay on the islands and
experience island life is one of the
many highlights of this holiday. Once
the crowds of the cruise boats leave,
we have the islands to ourselves.
Almost all hotels have hairdryers.
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Suggested Kit List
Before your
holiday
Please try to keep luggage to a
minimum as you will need to carry it
yourself at airports and between your
transport and your hotel.
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We hope you find this information
comprehensive – if not please visit our
website for more details or contact us.
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All details correct at time of writing
(Feb 2017). Passport and visa
requirements are subject to change;
please check with your consulate
before you travel.
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We would advise that you check your
government’s travel advisory before
travelling. For UK travellers, please
check www.fco.gov.uk
In all instances during your holiday,
your first point of contact should be
your HF Holidays’ leader or local
leader. If for any reason this is not
possible, HF Holidays’ emergency
contact details are as follows:
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Mon - Fri 9am - 7pm
Tel +44 (0)345 470 7558
or +44(0)20 8732 1250 ( from overseas)
Fri - Mon 7pm - 9am
Tel +44 (0)7918 737777
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Airport parking and accommodation
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If you require airport
parking or
accommodation
before your flight, we
recommend our partner Holiday
Extras. Call 0871 360 2750 and quote
HX031 or book online at
www.holidayextras.co.uk/hfholidays
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Walking boots – (worn in) with
good ankle support and spare
bootlaces
Walking socks
Walking sandals
Lightweight fleece
Lightweight waterproof trousers
and jacket
Shorts
Long trousers and long-sleeved
light coloured shirts with collars
to protect from the sun − your
clothing should ideally be pretreated with insect repellent and
in-built sun protection (available
from specialist clothing stores
such as Rohan, Cotswold
Outdoor)
Warm fleece, hat and gloves
Towel
Head torch
Sun hat
Scarf/buff
Comfortable clothes and shoes
for evenings and sightseeing
Sun protection – sunglasses, high
factor sunscreen and lip
protection
Water bottle – at least 2 litre
capacity
Lightweight survival bag
Small/medium rucksack (30 litre)
– a bin liner will keep contents
dry if it rains
Soap and hand sanitizer gel
Insect repellent
Universal adaptor plug
Universal sink plug
Personal first aid kit including:
personal medication, tissues,
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plasters, blister kit, painkillers,
antiseptic wipes, Imodium,
rehydration sachets
Passport (and copies); booking
confirmation; insurance cover
note; HF Holidays’ registration
form
Travel insurance
If arranging your own travel insurance,
please ensure it is adequate for your
specific itinerary. This should cover
walking at altitudes over 2,000m.
Highest point on this tour is 4600m
(Cotapaxi region)
Optional: trekking poles, camera,
umbrella, binoculars, swimming
costume, snorkelling gear (also
available locally)
Health advice
This is subject to change and we
would highly recommend that you
consult your doctor before travelling.
For further information on country
specific advice, visit
Please ensure you have access to
emergency funds should you need
them; carrying a credit card is
probably the most convenient
method.
www.fitfortravel.nhs.uk or
www.traveldoctor.co.uk
Please note that your HF Holidays’
leader reserves the right to refuse to
take any guest on a walk should they
consider that a lack of suitable
clothing/footwear may affect safety.
Hepatitis A, Typhoid, Tetanus and
Diphtheria vaccinations are
recommended. Malaria, Rabies and
Yellow Fever prevention is sometimes
recommended too.
Baggage allowance
The Ecuadorean Ministry of Tourism
requires all travellers to the Galapagos
to provide the following mandatory
information before travelling to the
islands:
 Blood type (if you don’t already
know your blood group you
may have to pay for this
information)
 Pre-existing medical conditions
and/or allergies
 Emergency contact information
 Medical/Holiday insurance
information
 Advance Passenger Information
1 piece checked-in luggage (max
23kg) for your international flight.
Domestic flights in Ecuador have a
limit of 20kg total (checked baggage
and hand luggage). Extra luggage
can be left in Quito.
Please check details of your airline’s
baggage allowance, as shown on
your e-ticket. Remember to also check
any connecting flights you may have
booked.
Passports & visas
Passports must be valid for at least six
months. Visas are not required for UK,
Australian, Canadian, US passport
holders. Other countries should consult
the embassy for advice.
Please note: the use or possession of
some common prescription or overthe-counter medicines is banned in
some countries. If you will be carrying
medication, please check with the
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country’s embassy/ consulate prior to
travel. As an extra precaution:
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Keep your medication in its
original packet
Take a copy of your prescription
too
If possible, ask your chemist to
write the name of your
medication in the language of
the country that you’re visiting
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Dietary requirements
Please contact us as far in advance as
possible if you have any specific
dietary requirements. We will do our
best to accommodate you. If you
require a specific meal on the flight,
please let us know as soon as possible,
and no later than 96 hours before
travel.
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Travel tips for a comfortable flight
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We’ve put together a few simple tips
to help make your flight as
comfortable as possible, ensuring you
begin your holiday in tip-top shape.
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experience problems, speak to
a member of the cabin crew
Drink plenty. Ask a member of
the cabin crew if you are thirsty.
Avoid alcohol, tea, coffee or
carbonated drinks as these will
dehydrate you. Instead, try to
drink plenty of fruit juices or
water
Eat light. Avoid heavy meals
and foods – air expands at
altitude and heavy meals will
result in that bloated feeling
Moisturise. Your skin, especially
your lips and nostrils, may feel
dry so moisturising creams may
help. If you wear contact lenses,
always carry your glasses with
you, as your eyes may feel dryer
than usual
Stay loose. Wear loose fitting,
comfortable shoes and clothes
Flight socks are recommended
to help prevent DVT on longhaul flights
Lost/damaged luggage
If your bag or its contents are
damaged or lost while in the airline’s
care, this should be reported to the
baggage service agents at the
airport. They will assess the damage
and in some cases the airline may
decide to settle your claim
immediately. You will be given a
reference to quote to your insurance
company if settlement cannot be
reached. In many cases baggage
claims can only be accepted in
writing. A baggage claim form must
be obtained from the airport.
Move about. Change position
and avoid crossing your legs.
Immobility poses the greatest risk
in the development of clotting
disorders. Get out of your seat
and walk around as regularly as
possible to improve circulation
No pills. Unless advised by your
doctor, do not take sleeping
tablets on the flight; this will
reduce your mobility and make
you feel sluggish
Protect your ears. If you
experience discomfort due to
the cabin pressure changes,
suck a sweet, chew, or hold
your nostrils and gently blow
through your nose; this should
equalise the pressure. If you still
HF Holidays’ with-flight guests
For those travelling on our HF Holidays’
group flight, please proceed to the
arrivals hall once you have passed
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through passport control, customs and
baggage reclaim, when you arrive at
your destination. Your local leader will
assemble the group in the arrivals hall.
Look out for the HF Holidays’ sign.
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Independent travellers
If you are arriving ahead of the group,
and are meeting them at the first
hotel, please leave a message at the
hotel reception for the HF Holidays’
leader or local leader, detailing your
room number, and a mobile
telephone number if possible. The
leader will contact you once the
group arrives. If you are arriving after
the group, a message will be left for
you at the hotel reception, welcoming
you and giving details of the time and
place to meet the group. If your flight
arrives before the group flight and you
would like to join the transfer to the first
hotel, please contact our Abroad
Administration team on (0)20 8732
1271. They will have a list of the
relevant transfer costs.
In the unlikely event that your leader is
incapacitated, please use any
emergency kit in their rucksack and
call emergency services on 911.
Please then call our emergency
number (see page 10) and let us know
there is a problem.
General health and safety: The sun is
very strong in Ecuador, you are on the
equator, please wear sun hats and
strong factor suncream. If you plan to
snorkel, wear a t-shirt for extra
protection, and remember to use
suncream on any exposed skin.
Tipping
Tips have been included in your
holiday price for key services such as
local guides/ driver/restaurants. Any
additional tips are at your own
discretion. Tips have not been
included for the extension tour.
Safety on your holiday
Once you have made your booking,
you will receive a pre-holiday
questionnaire where we ask for details
of next of kin, and insurance details.
We need to have this from you at least
4 weeks before travel.
Climate
Please also inform us of any medical
situation which may affect your
enjoyment of the holiday
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you are, the leader will retrace
their steps to find you
Each leader carries a first aid kit
but is not allowed to supply any
medication including aspirin,
paracetamol, antihistamines,
and antiseptic cream. You may
wish to bring these items with
you
Ecuador’s varied topography results in
a variety of climate zones that are
encountered on this holiday. Around
Quito and the surrounding Andean
peaks and valleys temperatures are
pleasant and spring-like year round,
with temperatures dropping in the
mountains at night. The Galapagos
Islands experience hot days and
nights, due to the proximity of the
Equator, although showers and cloudy
periods can sometimes occur.
Please listen to any safety
instructions from the leader
Keep group members in view,
especially if weather or visibility
is poor
If you become separated from
the group, please stay where
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Local currency & money matters
US Dollars (US$). Please take some
cash in smaller notes (<U$20). Major
credit/debit cards are accepted in
most businesses. ATMs are available at
most banks in urban areas.
On the Galápagos Islands, currently
only Mastercard is accepted. Cash
withdrawals from ATMs should be
done in Quito (Visa is most widely
accepted). Traveller’s cheques are
not advised.
Suggested reading and maps
Lonely Planet Ecuador & the
Galapagos Islands 2015
Julian & Daniel Fitter Wildlife of the
Galapagos 2016
Maps can be obtained in advance
from The Mapshop
www.themapshop.co.uk
Electricity
110V, North American 3 pin plugs
(2 flat & 1 round pin)
Group size
Group size will be maximum 17 guests
plus local guide/s
Time difference
Ecuador mainland GMT/UTC -5 hours,
Galapagos GMT/UTC – 6 hours
HF Holidays Ltd, Catalyst House, Centennial
Court, Elstree, Borehamwood, WD6 3SY, UK
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