We won’t leave the Andes without a visit to Cuicocha (a Kichwa word meaning “lake of guinea pigs” due to its largest island’s shape), a crater lake within a caldera beneath the dormant Cotocachi Volcano (16,200 feet). We’ll hike around the rim and get to know the area’s flora, which lives in extremely nutrient-rich soil due to the volcano’s eruption more than 3,000 years ago. (Don’t forget your camera—this is an extremely beautiful area!) The next day, we’ll visit Otavalo’s famous market named Plaza de los Ponchos; in fact, this is Ecuador’s largest and are known for their bright and vibrant homemade goods, clothing, and crafts. We’ll visit the Parque del Condor, a bird sanctuary for rescued predators like condors, owls, vultures, sparrow hawks, eagles, and falcons. We’ll even attend a condor flight show! 

Accommodation: Mountain lodge

Today we’ll experience one of the highlights of the trip: a summit attempt of the 13,986-foot-tall Fuya Fuya Volcano! This mountain is actually part of a two-volcano massif (the other being Mojanda). Fuya Fuya collapsed about 165,000 years ago, leaving behind rocky twin summits. At the top, we’ll see surrounding crater lakes like the familiar Cuicocha, San Pablo, and Laguna Mojanda and neighboring volcanoes like Cotopaxi and Cayambe. Before we head out to the Galápagos, we’ll straddle the equator at the Quitsato Sundial, literally standing on two continents at once.

Accommodation: Mountain lodge and hotel

It’s time to fly to the Galápagos Islands! We’ll land on Baltra Island, the largest in the archipelago. Isabela’s formation (six volcanoes collided to form the island) is unique among its Galápagos counterparts and contributes to its extraordinary wildlife. We’ll see wild tortoises, spotted eagle rays, penguins, marine and land iguanas, pelicans, hawks… the wildlife list is endless! The island’s wetlands, a vibrantly green area, is home to pink flamingos and the Tortoise Breeding Center, where we’ll watch turtles lay eggs in the sand.

Up next is a stroll through the lava moonscape of Sierra Negra, one of the volcanoes that formed Isabela. We’ll sea kayak on calm waters among white-tipped reef sharks (don’t worry—they’re not scary!) in the Las Tintoreras islet; many penguins nest here, and it’s common to see youngsters at play. Our epic five days of getting up close and personal with Galápagos wildlife concludes at the fascinating Charles Darwin Research Station on Santa Cruz, which is dedicated to preserving the fauna and flora that inhabit the islands. Then we’ll head to the famed Tortuga Bay, where we’ll likely see more giant tortoises, reef and tiger sharks, crabs, brown pelicans, and beautifully colored tropical fish. 

Accommodation: Hotel