Extend Your Galapagos Adventure

There are a variety of wonderful options to choose from, including the Ecuadorian Highlands, the Amazon, and Machu Picchu.

Consider Combining your Galapagos Islands Experience with another Remarkable Destination

It’s hard to top a dream wildlife adventure cruise in the Galapagos, but many choose to enhance their journey by adding day trips or longer 3-5 day excursions from Quito. Traveling to another incredible destination in Ecuador or Peru, with one of our Galapagos trip extensions, can add a completely different perspective to an already amazing vacation.

The Amazon rainforest, Andes Mountain region, the lively Ecuadorian coast, and the ancient cities in Peru all offer great adventures for guests of all ages.

A group of people cooking in an outdoor kitchen.

Hacienda Zuleta, Otavalo Market & the Highlands of Ecuador

Add to your adventure with an exploration of Andean villages in the Ecuadorian highlands and a visit to Otavalo Market, the largest in all of South America. Rest your head at the historic Hacienda Zuleta, a delightful country inn rated by Outside magazine as one of the world’s “Top Ten Finds”! Here you’ll have options to hike, ride horseback, mountain bike, visit a condor rehabilitation project, and be treated to excellent local cuisine at a working ranch in the Otavalo area. 2 or 3 days

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An aerial view of a river surrounded by trees and mountains.

Sacha Lodge & the Ecuadorian Amazon

If evolution’s laboratory got you revved up for even more great wildlife experience, you won’t want to miss the chance to visit one of our favorite jungle lodges—Sacha Lodge! Here you’ll explore the Upper Amazon with an expert naturalist guide, navigating meandering backwater streams and hiking an extensive network of jungle trails in search of the region’s plentiful and spectacular wildlife, including sloths, macaws, and monkeys. Plus you’ll enjoy a stunning toucan’s-eye view of the rainforest from high atop Sacha’s canopy tower, and from its 900-foot-long canopy walkway. Talk about ending your trip on a high note! 4 to 5 days

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Discover Mindo Cloud Forest

Birdwatchers and nature lovers will enjoy a day trip to the breathtaking cloud forests of Mindo. This is the realm of hummingbirds and the best place in the tropics to see them—both in quantity and diversity (between 10 and 15 species can be spotted)! Also look out for the Andean cock-of-the-rock, manakins, tanagers, small toucans, quetzals, trogons, wrens, antbirds and hawks. Start the day with a jungle hike among orchids and other endemic flora, enjoy lunch at a local restaurant, and visit two or three reserves during the day (depending on time). 1 day

Explore Machu Picchu & Cusco

Take in the magic of Machu Picchu, the mysterious Inca citadel, and explore UNESCO-listed Cusco—one of the most beautiful Spanish colonial cities in the Americas—on this legendary trip. Let local experts guide you through the mystical Inca ruins, high in the Sacred Valley; wander the fine stonework plazas of Cusco; and follow scenic trails to beautiful hilltop villages. MT Sobek has been leading trips to Machu Picchu for over 40 years! 4 or 5 days

Walk the Sacred Valley

Discover the top Inca sites and cultural landmarks of Peru, endign each day at a luxury hotel. The Sacred Valley is filled with the captivating remnants of the Inca civilization, such as Ollantaytambo and Pisac, where stone terraces cascade down the mountainside. The crown jewel of the journey is Machu Picchu, the iconic archaeological marvel perched atop a mountain ridge with panoramic views of the surrounding peaks.

Peru Sacred Valley