ECUADOR & THE GALÁPAGOS
Where evolution is still happening.
The Galápagos will do something to you that very few places can: it will make you feel like a guest on someone else's planet. The animals here didn't evolve a fear of humans, which means a blue-footed booby will look you directly in the eye and find you completely uninteresting. Marine iguanas will pile up around your feet like they've been there longer than you have, because they have. It's disorienting in the best possible way.
But Ecuador proper is doing something just as remarkable, and most itineraries treat it as an afterthought. The Avenue of the Volcanoes, the cloud forests of Mindo, the markets of Otavalo, the Amazon basin dropping away east of the Andes: this is a country of extraordinary ecological range compressed into a space small enough to actually explore in a single trip.
We design itineraries that treat both halves seriously. The Galápagos piece involves careful decisions: which islands, which yacht, how many people on board, how much time in the water versus on land. The Ecuador piece is where the cultural and ecological depth lives, and where the trip can become something more than a wildlife checklist. Together, they make an argument for this part of the world that's hard to walk away from.
Itinerary inspirations
Each of these itineraries is a starting point — a canvas awaiting your colors. We’ll tailor every detail, from rhythm to route, until your journey feels unmistakably yours.
Ways to explore
Think of these as a glimpse of what’s possible. Together, we’ll design a journey that reflects your style and spirit.
SNORKEL WITH SEA LIONS
In the Galápagos, wildlife doesn’t keep its distance. Slip into turquoise water to swim alongside curious sea lions, marine iguanas, and sea turtles grazing the shallows. It’s not adrenaline that makes this unforgettable—it’s the ease of coexistence, where humans become quiet observers in an ancient marine ballet.
BIODIVERSITY HIKES
Ecuador’s Mindo Cloud Forest hums with life—orchids, tanagers, and waterfalls stitched together by mist. Guided hikes reveal a vertical world of ecosystems, where each elevation feels like another planet. Stay in eco-lodges that balance sustainability with serenity, listening to the forest’s pulse just outside your window.
VOLCANIC ORIGINS
Walk lava trails on Isabela Island, where molten rock met the sea to create life’s improbable cradle. Hike through stark volcanic fields softened by cactus forests and vibrant finches. It’s an encounter with deep time—where evolution and geology remain visible, tangible, and utterly alive.
CULTURAL THREADS OF THE ANDES
Beyond the archipelago, Ecuador’s highlands pulse with human connection: artisan markets in Otavalo, centuries-old haciendas, and the quiet dignity of mountain communities. These encounters offer grounding—context for the islands to come—reminding travelers that the richness of place begins with the people who call it home.
Where you'll stay
We don't book beds. We select base camps. Every property here was chosen because it earns its place in the landscape and adds something to the journey that a different property simply couldn't. Some are remote. Some are remarkable. Most are both.
HACIENDA ZULETA
A 4,000-acre colonial working ranch at 9,600 feet above sea level, two hours north of Quito, owned by the descendants of a former Ecuadorian president for over a century. Named one of the world's "Top Ten Finds" by Outside magazine and one of the best Ecuadorian hotels by National Geographic Traveler. Nineteen rooms, each with its own fireplace, filled with family antiques and hand-embroidered linens. The cheese factory, condor rehabilitation center, and horseback rides across the surrounding valleys are the activities. The family dinner, where Fernando or another family member joins guests by the fire to share stories about Ecuador's history, is the experience that most guests mention last when leaving.
CASA GANGOTENA
In the heart of Quito's historic center on the iconic Plaza de San Francisco, the city's only Relais & Chateaux property, recognized with 1 Michelin Key and named Ecuador's Leading Boutique Hotel and Heritage Hotel by the World Travel Awards. A beautifully restored mansion that blends the charm of Ecuador's rich history with modern sophistication. The third-floor terrace offers panoramic views over the Old Town, the bell towers and spires, Panecillo hillside, and Pichincha Volcano. The right place to begin a journey through Ecuador's contrasts, and one of the strongest boutique hotels in South America.
LA SELVA LODGE
On the shores of Lake Garzacocha, 70 kilometers into the Yasuní Biosphere Reserve, accessible by flight to Coca and then two hours by motorized canoe down the Napo River. Nineteen suites including family suites with plunge pools and hammocks, a restaurant serving Ecuadorian and international cuisine from locally sourced ingredients, and a canopy observation tower that puts guests at eye level with macaws and toucans. The premier eco-lodge in Ecuador's Amazon basin, with English-speaking naturalist guides who lead every excursion from blackwater creek paddling to parrot clay lick visits on the Napo. No roads. That's the point.
