Ultimate Galápagos Exploration & Ecuador's Amazon Wilds (2012)

We did this trip in March 2012. The first week of the trip on the mainland of Ecuador was a disappointment as we have been to Costa Rica and Peru. The South American and Amazon's birds and animals were not in Ecuador. The lodge on the Amazon was dry with good food.

The best part of the trip was the 7 nights on the Tip Top 2 in the Galapagos with our guide Roberto. The birds and animals on the islands were great. The boat was OK, nothing fancy and it did have a few issues from time to time that the crew quickly corrected. The food on the boat was good, no one got sick on food for the entire two weeks! We really enjoyed the snorkeling from the pangas and hiking on the islands. Bring good foot wear (boots) and a walking stick as the hikes are tough. Water bottles were provided. Bugs were only a problem on the Amazon. We recommend you go when it is not hot or so humid. Our temperatures were in the 80s with very high humidity and we did have some rain so a rain coat is advised too. We did have one rough night in the boat, it was the last night returning to the portairport.

Traveler: Mcconnells from Erie, CO traveled on March 10, 2012

My husband and I went on this trip in January and had a great time. The Amazon Rain forest was very interesting, but I cannot imagine doing it without our local guide Juan. He is an amazing person and so involved with the Yachana Foundation. I would add that it is impossible to wash out underwear during this part of the trip. Well you can wash it out, but becasue of the humidity it is very difficult to get anything to dry!! Our Guide Paul suggested only taking one set of long tropic wear pants and a long sleeved tropicwear shirt to wear during the day and wear them every day. In the evening we changed into shorts and T shirts. This worked well, although I would suggest taking a clean pair of slacks for the journey back to Quito. The lodge provided wellington boots for all of us, including several men with quite large feet. I think they have enough variety of sizes for all people.

Once back in Quito all of your dirty clothes can be washed by a laundry that did an excellent job.

The time in the Galapagos on the boat was wonderful. Our Guide Gustavo was so enthusiastic and helpful. We were never bored. Again, you really do not want to be washing out underwear during this part of the trip as the water has to be discharged into the ocean and for environmental reasons, you do not want to discharge much soap. I would take enough underwear and socks to last the 7 - 8 days. Again we wore tropicwear long pants and long sleeved shirts for most of our trips off the boat and shorts and T shirts on the boat. We did have some down time during the middle of the day, often while the boat was moving to another landing place. We spent that time on the top deck watching the frigate birds, looking and seeing a shark one day, a whale one day and dolphins another time. I liked to be on the open but covered deck at times reading or looking through our guide books. It was so relaxing. We had trips to land twice a day and usually another time for snorkeling or swimming. I had never snorkeled before but our guide and some other travelers helped me to learn and it was fun.

In the Galapagos, you do not know in advance where you will go. All of this activvity is governed by the National Park who instructs each captain which islands to visit and which places to land. You do find this out once you are onboard. I think we had quite strenuous hikes so you do need to be fit and agile to climb on lava rocks, and steep trails. The animal life is incredible and we were very lucky to see a great variety of birds.

Traveler: Mary Bennett from Evansville, IN traveled on January 28, 2012

The trip was disappointing because there was much less "adventure" than we expected.
Based on your literature and our great experience on previous OAT trips, we completely misunderstood the scope of the tour and the tour activities.
There was far too little to do off the ship and way too much "rest" time on the ship.

Traveler: Colin Bass from Lecanto, FL traveled on February 08, 2012

The boat "Queen of the Galapagos" should be taken out of the water and have extensive work done. This boat caused me to give a "poor" rating.

Traveler: Sylvia Neuhaus from New York, NY traveled on February 01, 2012

This was a wonderful trip. While I signed up because of the Galapagos, I found the Amazon Basin to be a treat that I hadn't expected.

The Amazon Basin had many learning opportunities. Our naturalist took us on night hikes and found many frogs and insects to show us. He helped us capture them on film. The ground was muddy but the boots provided were perfect and mud was not a problem. We went on a day hike up to a vista with lessons along the way about snails, plants, tagua nuts, etc. It was fun and nicely paced, though it is steep and not for the unsteady.

I, also, enjoyed the morning we spent at the shamen's house. We enjoyed a variety of food that was prepared as we watched. The cleansing was calming and fun. Then we got to play with spears and blowguns in a very interactive way.

The Galapagos Island were outstanding. The boat was very comfortable, the food was great, and we had lots of hot water for showers. My big tip, do take a small umbrella. The island's don't have much shade and I was very glad that I carried some with me. The water was clear and warm so I really enjoyed snorkeling (I think temp of water varies with the time of year you go.)

The Galapagos Park determines where you go and what activities you may do and when you can do them. This was good in that, in the main, it felt like we had the whole place to ourselves. However, I had thought we would see the big land iguanas and we only saw one. However, it was egg laying season and we saw millions of marine iguanas digging holes and fighting for spots. That was something I hadn't expected. (As you may have guessed. I didn't read up ahead of time.

We had a terrific guide in Isabel. The last night we went to a museum for dinner that was closed accept for us. Isabel gave us a floor by floor walk through the floors of examples of arts, tools, musical instruments, weapons, clothing, necklaces and headdresses that was an intimate and stunning collection.

We had about two days in Quito. That was just about right for me. The home hosted meal was one of the best I have ever had. Our hotel was close to the street market and some fancy arts and crafts markets so I got my shopping fix.

I left on 2812 and returned on 22212.

Traveler: Pamela Dougherty from San Jose, CA traveled on February 08, 2012

I was disappointed in the Amazon portion of my trip. I really expected to see a lot of colorful birds, but if there hadn't been beautiful green parrots at the Yarina lodge, I would not have seen any. I did enjoy walking thru the rainforest, even though it was muddy. The Galapagos were truly amazing. The walks and the snorkeling were wonderful.I loved beeing on the Tip Top II. The crew was terrific. I took only carry-on luggage on this trip, a lot of clothing was not needed. Bring plenty of suntan lotion, though it can be bought in Quito. and sunprotective shirts, the sun is very strong. We had wonderful leaders, Enrique in the Amazon and Fabrizio in the Galapagos, both were super helpful and knowlegeable. I'm glad that I was physically able to do this trip. it was a fantastic adventure.

Traveler: Ursula Vollmer from Las Cruces, NM traveled on February 25, 2012

The overall pacing was odd, I believe due to trying to include too many destinations. Each time we changed location (Quito-Amazon-Quito-Galapagos-Quito) it took up an entire day. Result was that out of so-called 15 day trip, 6 days were devoted to travel, which to my mind leaves only 9 days of actual activity and sightseeing.

Traveler: Joanne Reed Euster from Seattle, WA traveled on October 28, 2011

Enjoyed Quito, a charming colonial city, could have spent at least another full day in the city.

The Amazon trip was absolutely amazing, enjoyed the Yachana Lodge where I celebrated my birthday. I was surprised with a beautiful and delicious cake baked by the lodge staff, which I thought was very gracious of them. Cake shared with another group in the lodge. Thanks to all of them.

The ride in the truck on the way to the amazon was great!! Beautiful birds and monkeys were seen from the truck. Then the walk in the jungle was needless to say a real adventure. Avel, our trip leader made it more enjoyable with his enthusiasm and knowledge. Great leader.

Galapagos trip was absolutely out of this world. The Archipell 1 was clean with great food and wonderful crew, polite, helpful and alwasy aware of our safety.The trip to the islands was a true adventure and watching all the animals in ther natural habitat was a delight.
For me just getting offon the boat to the pangas was was a real great experinece and adventure, not being a water person or very balanced person I'm proud to say I made it!!!

This being my 15th trip, I can truly say it was the most physical chanlenging trip of all and the best grop of people I have traveled with.

If you are afraid of leaving the comforts of your home, certainly this trip is not for you but if you enjoy adventure and challenges, then by all means go for it!!!

Last but not least, I must commend our two great trip leaders, Patricio, knowledgable, friendly and always attentive to our needs. Roberto, funny, charming, made the trip very enjoyable.

Overall, great, great trip.

Traveler: Eva Ortiz from Miami, FL traveled on January 31, 2012

The motorized canoe in the Amazon was a large boat holding all 16 of us in chairs. I had pictured a two person canoe , but this was very easy to get in and out.
The boats in the Galapagos were also large and confortable and with the help of the crew were also easy to get on and off. f
It was truly a wonderful trip

Traveler: Lorraine Banfi from Jackson, NJ traveled on February 08, 2012

We travelled on a pretrip to Machu Picchu on Nov 3rd, 2011 and spent 7 days there, then went to the Amazon for 5 days and then Galapagos Islands for 9 days. This was a fantastic trip and adventure. There were very few issues that came up and the guides were all superb. The Carmel Hotel in the Miraflores Disctrict of Lima was quite good. Not five star but clean, safe and comfortable. Internet was available as well.
The next morning, the first morning in Lima, we went to the Museo Larco. As we were on our own that day,we decided on this museum after looking at our guide books. It turned out to be a fantastic visit to a wonderful museum, not too large, containing a lot of Precolumbian art. Importantly for us, English was one of the languages used to describe each item. The pieces were quite unique. We ate lunch at the museum café and had an excellent meal only made better by the Pisco sours.
In the afternoon we did a city tour which allowed us to see Lima and some of the landmarks it had to offer. The tour was 30 dollars per person. That night, we went to Café Fresco, walking distance from the hotel; the walk took us through a part of the city with many bars open and people socializing. This restaurant was recommended by the hotel and has excellent ceviche. Be forewarned that this is a touristy place but the food was good (as were the Pisco sours) bu the walk was a great feature of the evening.
We flew the next day to Cusco, over the Andes and I will not soon forget the vista as we banked left and made a U turn into the valley in which Cusco sits. I was concerned that we would never find a flat spot in the hills and mountains below on which to land until we made that turn. It was pretty cool.
Edgar Hernandez met us in Cusco airport. He is a very knowledgeable and enthusiastic individual. He was well organized and had our interests at heart. Water bottles were always available. Restaurants and food was local and superb. At 12,500 feet, we were short of breath in Cusco and so our walks were mostly downhill when we could so arrange it. Coca tea helped with the headaches related to the altitude. Cuscana Beer was also helpful in that regard.
The guided tours of Cusco were excellent. We saw many of the highlights and were taken to weavers of alpaca wool where we learned how to differentiate wool from acrylic etc. In Cusco, we had a meal in the home of a local family and had the opportunity to try cuy, guinea pig. This and morchada were highlights of that meal. There was a lot of food, so do not fill up on the quinoa soup!
Edgar’s knowledge of the history of his country was profound. We really could relate to the Andean natives and Inca when the Spanish came. Because of the difference in living standards between Peru and the US, we understood how this part of the world underwent upheaval by the arrival of the Europeans in a way I found hard to understand in America.
The bus ride out of Cusco to the Sacred Valley was a terrific visual odyssey. We stopped to see the vistas of snow capped Andes and the Urubamba river. We rolled into Urubamba and stopped at an artists home in that town and toured his studio.
The village of Ollantaytambo was next and the name alone creates an aura unto itself. We wandered the streets , marveling at the water channels on the streets, the Inca style masonry and the fort high up on the hill. We arrived at the train station at the Urubamba and Edgar superbly organized the train trip to Aguas Calliente. The train was full but the trip not long. We had always plenty of water and good company and the ride along side the Urubamba was great with rushing water, Spanish moss, epiphytes everywhere
Edgars organizational skills were put to the test again as we got tickets for the bus to MP. And of course, MP was beyond our expectations. Photos do not do it justice. Edgar’s guided tour that afternoon, with MP shrouded in cloud, occasionally relieved by sunlight, was exceptional. The weather would have been terribly hot without the cloud cover so November for us was perfect.
The major disappointment on the entire trip was the hotel at Aquas Calientes. It was called Hanaqpacha Inn. We were able to tolerate it for one night. Others in the group had a similar experience and OAT has known about this dismal place for some time. I wonder why they do not charge a little more for a nicer place in that town. There were no elevators, the bathroom backflow valve was not working n our room so we had a bad odor for the night. The rooms were spartan. One night was tolerable however.
The next day we went at 5 am to take the buses back up to MP for the sunrise and hiked to the Sun gate. This is not a difficult hike but for people with certain conditions might be prohibitive. You need not do this hike. However, the vista from the top looking back over MP is superb. Of course then you have to walk back down! Many of us next went to the Inca Draw Bridge, a trip not for the faint of heart or for those with acrophobia…especially the small stretch of trail down to the end of the trail closest to the bridge where you have a rope bolted to the wall to hang onto!!
Edgar said our goodbyes the next day in Cusco and notified us that he had called the airport to make sure we sat on thecorrect (right) side of the airplane so as to have the better view of the snow capped Andes on our return. This was above the call of duty!
We then flew to Lima and transferred to Quito from Cusco. We were met there by the Guide of ALL Guides.. Patricio Fernandez Salvador. In a word……..if you get him for your tour guide, the trip will be worth worth every penny you paid. He is kind, he is organized, he is sincere, he is educated, he is more than anything one might wish for in a guide. He took us to the Hotel Reina Isabella which is centrally located, used by many tour groups, is comfortable and safe. Many of us wanted to see the Colonial city that evening so we all jumped into cabs (Patricio was off duty but he took us all the same) and we toured the district at night. We then returned to the hotel and went out to have Locro de Papas. Do not miss this soup!
The next day we explored Quito with Patricio. Again the education we received at the hands of Patricio was in depth and covered everything from easy to discuss topics to topics that generally are avoided in such a situation. There were no questions which he would not answer (or that we would not ask). All controversial topics were discussed in great detail.
The trip over the Andes to Coca was another interesting experience. Patricio took us to the airport where we went to, of course, VIP air. This was not in the main airport terminal but a side terminal. Here in the lounge, we had snacks and then boarded the plane, a turbo prop. Luggage weight was limited but as long as we all totaled 20 pounds per person we were OK. Some were over weight and some under but overall we did OK. We left the rest of our luggage in the hotel Reina Isabella and it was safe.
We landed in Coca and the humidity was immediately obvious. We found that the boat to take us up the Napo had been destroyed in a flood the week before so we took a bus. It turned out to be a delightful adventure. Oropendula, treacherous river crossings all added to the excitement. It was here that we had another delightful encounter. This was with our Amazon Guide Juan. I do not recall his last name but it was Juan K. Juan is the Renassiance Man of the Amazon. He grew up in the depths of the Amazon and is intimately in tune with its amazing powers and secrets. He is fit, he is handsome (many of the ladies on the trip so commented), he is educated and speaks English and Spanish very well. He also speaks 5 indigenous languages from different Amazon communities. Juan made the Amazon experience the surprise of this trip. I knew what to expect in Machu Picchu and Galapagos. I had NO IDEA what awaited us in the Amazon. Juan was so knowledgeable and answered and even anticipated our questions. The Yachana Lodge was really a treat , especially after being caught in an absolutely torrential rain while on the river. We walked liked drowned rats to the lodge where we found dry shelter. OAT recommends a waterproof duffel for this part of the voyage. It certainly was important as the rain was incredible and some on the trip had not brought a waterproof bag and the tarpaulins the crew used did not completely keep their stuff dry. During our stay at the lodge, we met Doug McKeenan, the owner of the lodge and we had a few interesting conversations with him and he was an alumnus of the University of Arizona.
The room we had was fine. Not luxurious but comfy beds, showers and all we needed. We were given boots at the lodge- these are used when walking off trail as it prevents chiggers and other nasties. We brought along boot inserts which made the walking better. At that time of year it was not terribly hot and humid. Insects were at a minimum. However in the mornings, with the fog, it was actually chilly.
Food at the lodge was great. We ate many different foods and tasted things like Guanabana etc. On the second day we went to visit the Shaman, Domingo, and his family- this was a great experience. We went to the giant Kapok tree- another highlight. We went to see birds and got photos of the Hoatzin and other birds. Our trip through the Primary forest was eerily beautiful. We learned about much of the flora and fauna of the area. However we did not see many animals (a few black mantled monkeys I think) nor birds overall but we did see a Blue Morpho butterfly in all its glory.
We did tube float down the Napo, a pleasant experience and a nice way to end the visit. That night we did a night walk on the grounds of Yachana Lodge which was quite good seeing varoius frogs and owls and insects.
The next day we flew back to Quito, spent the night washed clothes and repacked. Then we flew to Baltra in the Galapagos. We were met there by Daniel Gordillo who was a superb naturalist and guide. We drove across the island to the ship which was the Carina. The boat was a good size and clean. One of the rooms had been taken apart because previous passengers had put toilet paper and such in the toilet and it overflowed. By later in the day, the room was in perfect shape and no complaints were heard.
The crew on the boat was excellent. Captain Patricio Paredes and his crew were friendly and one could hear them singing in the galley as they prepared food. We felt that were very happy to be working on the vessel. The Panga drivers, Tito and Fabien were also helpful when we got on and off the pangas. At the time of year we went, November, the seas were not rough at all. It is wise to take Dramamine or equivalent just in case. Scopalamine patches might be worthwhile if you have great difficulty with any motion sickness. The rooms on the boat were a good size. There are wetsuits on board for rent (30 dollars for the week) and I would suggest that if you are thin, they might be worth renting. If you have enough body fat, a rash shirt should be adequate. The field trips and snorkeling was terrific. Daniel took great care and was always very observant, pointing out flora and fauna that were right in front of our noses yet invisible to us. We swam with sea turtles, sea lions, a myriad of fish, spotted eagle rays, and sting rays . We saw sharks swimming around the boat in the evening, sea turtle coming up for air, Galapagos penguins and on one occasion three immature Galapagos hawks treated us to a close up, interactive encounter that was phenomenal.
On the return to Quito, we were met at the airport by Patricio Fernandez Salvador who carried a rose for each of the ladies on the tour. The men were not left out…. he had an Ecuadorian chocolate bar for each of us! After going to the hotel, we went to the local Quito market and there we saw a panopoly of local foods including fruits and vegetables and meat. It was a market for the locals and we were the only tourists. Patricio had cards with one word written on it for each of us in Quechua. We were to scour the market for these items and return and explain to the group what we had purchased for one dollar. So we had to explain to the locals in Spanish what we sought, pay for it and get an explanation of what it was used for, It was a wonderful experience for all.
On the last meal of the trip, we went to a Museum named Mindalae which had been closed for us for the evening. We had a personalized tour of the museum then ate a wonderful repast in the lobby. We were with friends by this time as the gropup was close knit and it was a great finale to the vacation. The next day, Patricio made inummerable runs to the airport. We left in the evening and Patricio spent the day with use guiding around the town. He was not on duty with us but spent the time with us. He sought out a music store for us in order for us to buy a Cherango for our son. He was so patient!
Our trip back to the US was fine except that we took the overnight flight, landed in LA at 6 am and had a 6 hour wait for the flight to Arizona. This was in part our fault for not having looked over the intinerary very carefully at the last reiteration.
All in all this was an excellent trip. We were lucky to have great co-travellers and to have the superb guides that we did indeed have. I cannot express to you how Patricio, in Ecuador, was so outstanding. You had to be there.

Things to consider
1. Bring a waterproof duffel for the amazon trip
2. Carry antibiotics and pain medication
3. Pack less than you think you need and take more money
4. In Ecuador, use NEW bills. Bills with tears are rejected.
5. Be careful of dust in your camera
6. Consider insoles for the boots in the Amazon
7. In the Amazon, they give you rubber boots to wear that come up to mid calf
8. Internet is available in hotels, at Yachana Lodge for a few hours a day, in the Harbor at San Cristobal
9. For Galapagos, we wore Hiking boots on the Island, had teva style water shoes for the wet landings which we wore on the Islands. Some Islands are pretty uneven and rocky so hiking boots offered more support
10. Hiking sticks- worth it for me on the Galapagos
11. School supplies are more appreciated than some other things
12. In November we did not encounter too many flying bugs in Amazon so insect repellant was used but not to excess.
13. Bring hand sanitizer
14. Medicatons in Peru and Ecuador do not require a prescription
15. I recommend reading the Mapmakers Wife…it is more than just a story about the wife.
16. I also thought River of Doubt was excellent as it discusses the Natural History of the Amazon basin and is an excellent story.
17. Consider buying Maps of the areas you will be visiting
18. Ecuador is more expensive than Peru
19. Wet suits are available with snorkel gear on the ship to rent for the Galapagos. I got by with a rash shirt in November
20. Sunscreen!

Traveler: Michael Habib from Tucson, AZ traveled on November 03, 2011

I've been on about 20 OAT trips and I rate this one as one of the best. We had a fabulous group (we were very lucky), and the trip leaders were really good. This trip is three amazing adventures. One is in Quito where we were very moved visiting the Sinamune Disabled Children's Orchestra school. We saw a presidential motorcade, visited a market and tasted lots of interesting fruit and had a chance to straddle the equator.
Two is the Amazon forest adventure, staying at the Yachama Lodge where there is a wonderful emphasis on educating the local people. We had the benefit of an extraordinary naturalist from the area, Juan, and a chance to spend part of a day with a local family, a shaman and his wife. Lots of good fun, including tubing on the Napo River.
Three is the Galapagos, probably the main reason most people go on this trip. The landscapes, snorkeling with all kinds of fish, sharks, sea turtles, sea lions and a huge Manta ray, and the amazing animals and birds on land make this a spectacular adventure. OAT is appropriately named!

Traveler: Mary Knudten from Waukesha, WI traveled on January 11, 2012

Plus Pretrip to Machu Picchu.

The OAT guides and assistant guides were outstanding. They made the trip. OAT procedures with the luggage and airline check-ins was excellent. Would suggest people check the Yachana Lodge website as there was no need for Yellow Fever or Malaria medications in January.
One area of concern and I would hope OAT would insist that it be corrected before any additional groups use the small ship Archipel II in Galapagos. 50 % of the staterooms on the boat had little or no air conditioning or hot water. The crew had no idea how to correct and it appeared they had the problem before and then after we left with no plans to correct the problem.

Traveler: James Stehlik from Landrum, SC traveled on January 11, 2012

This was an absolutely wonderful tirp;
it was the most physical we have ever taken with OATs, but while we can still engage in these activities, we thoroughly enjoyed each hike and snorkeling.
We highly recommend this trip to anyone who loves to hike and snorkel.
What fun! What wonderful things we saw.
Mary Farley & James Shelton

Traveler: Mary Farley from Littleton, CO traveled on January 14, 2012

This was a trip of a lifetime. We went to places we never would have found on our own, met local people and experienced their food and customs, witnessed the philanthropic work of OAT and the Yachana Foundation, and had the extraordinary expertise of a native Amazonian, a native of Quito, and a native Galapaguenian. The jungle was fascinating, and our experiences with the animals of the Galapagos were remarkable. If you have only one trip to take, take this one!

Traveler: Nancy Tripp from Andover, NH traveled on January 11, 2012

The Quito visit was fine, the Galapagos as incredible as hoped for, but definitely do not recommend bothering with the "Amazon" portion. Lodge was fine, sleeping in the jungle dark, serenaded by tree frogs and whatever other night animals was charming. However, slogging through mud in someone else's rubber boots, sweltering in a poncho, needing a walking stick to maneuver, and rushing across the landscape was not my idea of a fun vacation. If you like to run the Boston Marathon, sign up. Otherwise, don't bother. Incredible experiences and memories of the Galapagos, made even better by guide and boat crew. Definitely a life experience not to be missed!!

Traveler: Elizabeth W Bernhart from St Simons Is, GA traveled on January 03, 2012

This was another wonderful OAT trip that was well worth the time and money invested in it. Getting up-close-and-personal with all the Galapagos animals is just amazing, as are the photographs that even a rank amateur can take from close up.

The Yachana Lodge on the Napo River was delightful. The grounds were lush and beautiful, the food was good, and the staff quite attentive. The accommodations were comfortable even though the rooms are not air-conditioned. We were actually quite pleasantly surprised at how cool - or at least not too hot - it was at night. The main electricity was normally only turned on between 6:00 pm and 10:00 pm, long enough to recharge those camera batteries. The rest of the time, low-power LED lights illuminated the bathroom and the sink. We came well-stocked with DEET insect repellent, but we really didn't need it. We ran into a few moths and "no-seeums", but I saw only one mosquito in four days in the jungle. We were told that malaria is not a concern in this area of Ecuador. The Yachana Lodge provided complimentary rubber boots for slogging through the jungle, as well as walking sticks and ponchos.

The sights and sounds of the jungle are fascinating. Our naturalist, Avel, did a great job of pointing out and identifying all the many birds, monkeys, trees and other things we saw. Our morning with the shaman and his wife was great fun, including our lunch of yuca, fish and roasted - or raw - palm grubs. (They taste like bacon!!)

Between the Amazon and the Galapagos Islands, we spent one night in Quito . . . just enough time to have laundry done by one of Antonio's associates. For only $6.00, my wife and I had a large bag of shirts, socks, underwear, etc cleaned. It was a bargain!!

The week in the Galapagos was our primary reason for booking this trip, and we had a great time there. Our boat, the Tip Top II was just fine. The cabins were small and somewhat spartan, but they were comfortable and had plenty of room to store suitcases. (You’ll just LOVE the marine toilet.) The crew was friendly and helpful, especially Enrique, who ran the dining room and helped in many other ways. The food was good and plentiful. For those prone to motion sickness, wear your patch. There were a couple of rough, several-hour transits from one island to another. The boat is VERY casual, by the way. Most of us were in bare feet whenever we were on board, including during dinner, and no one seemed to mind.

Our shore excursions were frequent and delightful. Andres, our naturalist and guide, did a terrific job pointing out and identifying everything, as well as providing history and context. I found tennis shoes to be perfectly adequate for hiking around the islands. Many of trails are rocky or lava covered, however, so if you are a bit unsteady, you might want to consider hiking boots. When hiking, it's easy to step in sea lion andor iguana poop, so the Tip Top II requires you to leave your shoes in the back of the boat, (so you don't track poop all over the boat, thereby making the aforementioned barefoot walking considerably less inviting).

Snorkelers will have a great time on this trip. We had snorkeling opportunities virtually every day, and had great fun swimming with sea lions, turtles, rays, white tip reef sharks and, of course, zillions of fish. My wife and I brought our own snorkeling gear, but the boat provides masks and fins if you need them. I brought my own light-weight, wet suit, and was glad to have it. The water was just a bit on the cool side. Your can rent a wet suit, ($35 for the week), if you wish.

By the way, OAT repeatedly and strongly encourages travelers to bring plenty of sun screen. BELIEVE THEM !!

The trip wasn't perfect . . . they rarely are, but my wish list as pretty short. My most frequent gripe with OAT is with flights. They insisted that we fly from Atlanta to Quito through Miami, even though Delta Airlines has a direct Atlanta-Quito flight. I was especially irked when I learned that one couple in our group, who booked well after we did, were put on that direct Delta flight.

Overall, the Tip Top II was a clean and comfortable boat, ideally suited for Galapagos exploration. It carries two motorized Zodiacs, plus a backup motor. During our week, however, two of the motors died, leaving us with only one functional Zodiac for a couple of days. Also, one of the three sea kayaks had a hole in it, making it unusable. We easily managed to work around all these problems, but it was annoying and made me wonder about other routine maintenance on the Tip Top II.

One final, minor annoyance: The daily itinerary OAT provided us didn't match the dates of their hotel accommodations. They were only off by a day or two, but it meant that we had given family incorrect contact information. This had never happened to us on any other OAT trip we've taken, so I guess we were spoiled.

Overall, the pluses on this trip far outweighed the negatives. While there are shorter, (3-4 day), less expensive ways to see the Galapagos, I'm glad we had the full week with OAT. There is simply too much to see and do in only four days. I would encourage anyone interested in visiting the Galapagos Islands to strongly consider OAT's Ultimate Galapagos Exploration. You'll be glad you did.

Traveler: John Molnar from Clarkesville, GA traveled on January 01, 2012

Four friends, my husband and I travelled the day after Thanksgiving. We weren't too happy with our initial flights from Seattle, but new flights were issued later, and the final flights were fine.

We were a bit confused by seemingly conflicting info in the brochure, guide emails and then verbal instructions as to what to bring and where. But we muddled through. It's like 3 trips - Quito, the Amazon and then the Galapagos.

The guides were great, perhaps a bit rushed at times. The internal flights were fine, but I hated to get to the small Galapagos airport 3 hours ahead of time. It was completely unnecessary.

The Amazon was amazing. The boat trip to the lodge was replaced by a bus. Unavoidable since the boat had been wrecked while docked in high water. There were very few bugs or creepy crawlies. The visit to the shaman and raft ride were wonderful

The Galapagos were impressive as well. Good snorkelling, available almost every day. We had a great naturalist, and cooperative birds and animls. FABULOUS. The boat crew was great, but the motors are noisy and fumes can be an issue.

My only complaint of the trip was the very same day we got a letter and pin from OAT as a thank you for our numerous trips, we also got assigned the one room on the boat that had an ugly bathroom stink. This situation continued and couldn't be fixed, it seems. We survived and eventually a deodorizer was provided. However it took quite a bit of nagging on my part.

The crew ogf the booat and the lodge were helpful, food good, and all the boat transfers (dugouts, zodiiac, small ship - boat to boat and boat to land) were facilitated by strong crew and lodge personnel. Thanks for that, and for finding the dolphin pod for us!

My only general recommendation to OAT is that it would be great if you priced with tips included. It's more realistic and less of an issue with everyone involved. I have been on trips like this, and it's BETTER.

Traveler: Helen Rector from Port Townsend, WA traveled on November 25, 2011

We thoroughly enjoyed our time in Quito and the Amazon. Patricio was fantastic! He is very knowledgeable about all kinds of topics and is extremely helpful. He was there for us 25 hours a day (his words). Patricio gave us coca tea to drink to help with altitude sickness. We had a reaction to the altitude medicine we got from our doctor so the tea was very helpful. Our local guide in the Amazon, Robert, was fantastic as well. All the staff at the lodge was very helpful and friendly. We learned a lot about the culture and lives of the people in Quito and the Amazon. Patricio did a wonderful job teaching us about the country. We had a lot of fun in the market trying to speak Spanish to the shopkeepers to find the items Patricio had
told us to buy.

The internal flights we took in Ecuador were all very good with little problems with boarding passes and luggage. Our buses and drivers in Quito were very good.

We were disappointed in some aspects of our trip to the Galapagos. We felt the way we had to get in and out of the dinghys in the wet landings was very hazardous at times. Our group ranged in age from the 60's to 80's and some had problems getting in and out of the dinghys. Our guide in the Galapagos didn't seem to check on the group as much as we thought she should. The islands are very rocky and it was hard to walk alot of the time.

We commend GCT and OAT for always having some type of activity where we get to meet the people of the countries to interact with them and really learn how they live. All of our trips are a learning experience along with being a wonderful vacation.

Tips: We read several reviews before we went on this trip and they were very helpful. We were confused before we went about the size of our luggage and all the different packing. Of course, we took too much. If you are big shoppers you might want to take a fairly good size suitcase to put your purchases in that you could keep at the hotel in Quito. Otherwise, the small duffel for the Amazon and a small suitcase (or the same duffel) would work for the Galapagos. Most of us wore the same clothes over and over again. Patricio was wonderful about getting our laundry done for a good price after we got back from the Amazon. You are provided rubber boots in the Amazon and they have a wide range of sizes so you should have no problem. One thing for the Amazon, don't forget your flashlights. That's the only way to see to get from the dining area to your room and also in your room before daylight.

Also we were told we couldn't take plastic water bottles in the Galapagos so several of us bought bottles to refill. Patricio gave us water bottles at the beginning of the trip and we used those instead of those we bought. We always had purified water available to us

We were disappointed that we only had 4 hours of electricity in the Amazon. I get hot very easy and it was hard to get to sleep. Also, we had a couple of mornings we had to get up before daylight and we couldn't see to get dressed.

For those contemplating taking this trip, you should really think about the information provided by OAT about the physical capabilities of the travelers. I think they should use alot stronger language to let people know how hard the trip is. We travel with a couple who are in their 70's and 80's that are in pretty good shape and they felt this trip was alot more challenging than they thought it would be. Walking in the Amazon and the Galapagos was very challenging with muddy slopes in the Amazon and alot of rocks and uneven terrain in the Galapagos. Also getting in and out of the dinghys in the wet landings was hard even for the younger, better fit of us.

All in all, we enjoyed the trip, our Quito and rain forest guides and the other people on the trip. We thoroughly enjoyed getting to see all the different birds and wildlife.

Traveler: Kenneth Goby from Newman, IL traveled on November 23, 2011

This was a wonderful trip for those of you that enjoy nature and all the little surprises that you find around every corner. Quitos was a delightful city, but the altitude was hard to take for some of us.

The trip into the rainforest was fantastic. Our guide Abel gave so much more of his time than required. The night walks were amazing. We saw so much wild life that you don't see during the day time. It can make for a long day, but it was well worth it.

The snorkeling in the Galapagos was speculator. The numbers of different fish, penguins, eels, blue footed boobies was amazing. If you are not a snorkeler this is not the trip for you. If you like the water, it is fantastic. I am glad that I took my wet suit along as the water was about 60 degrees. The Islands and land animals were amazing, but the snorkeling made this a fantastic trip. I felt sorry for those that did not join us. I have snorkeled all over the world, and this ranks as some of the best in terms of variety of fish, turtles, sharks, and birds that I have seen. If you like the water, this is a wonderful trip. Our guide Franklin did a wonderful job and we saw all the animals and birds on the list of things that can be seen in the Galapagos. Great trip!

Traveler: Elna Brendel from Birmingham, AL traveled on October 29, 2011

I was prepared to be blown away by the Galapagos Islands, my reason for taking this trip. And I was, but what captured my heart was the culture and people of Ecuador. The planned events with local families and schools and getting to know the guides and boat crew were the best parts of the trip. Speaking a little spanish helped me to make real and lasting connections with the locals.

Of course the amazing geology, ecology, and wildlife of both the Amazon and the Galapagos were beyond description. I am looking forward to going back to Ecuador.

Traveler: Jill Hansen-Twardoski from Hamilton, MT traveled on September 14, 2011

I was on the 921-1052011 trip.
The guides were teriffic. Knowlegeable, friendly, easy to understand and very supportive. The accomodations were comfortable, clean and ggracious. What I saw was mindboggling. All the various species of birds, turtles, iguanas, sea lions and everything else was very educational. You don't usually see these varieties on a daily basis. I found the experience a little more strenous than I had expected, but all-in-all, an experience of a lifetime. I am thrilled that I was able to all of this to my other travels.

Traveler: Edward Baker from Boynton Beach, FL traveled on September 21, 2011

Since this trip was in effect 3 trips in one; the sites and sounds of a large city, Quito; the Amazon tropical rainforest and a natualist's fantasy, the Galapogos Islands; we will touch on one memorable moment in all 3 adventures, though there are many more. However, future travelers taking this trip will undoubtedly bring back their own memorable moments.

In Quito we were treated to a concert along with folk dances performed by the students of the Sinamune Disabled School. The performance brought smiles to our group as the students performance was on a par with professional musicians.

Leaving Quito we fly over the Andes to Coca and a 3 hour boat ride up the Napo River to our home in the Amazon. Yachana Lodge is located on on beautiful spot overlooking the Napo River. Be prepared for very hot, humid conditions. Only have electricity from 6:00 pm to 10:00 pm so no airconditioning.

One of the activities we participated in was a visit to a local Sharman who performed a cleansing ceremony on the group to balance our energy and to ward off any evil or harmful energy. While there we helped prepare lunch (had to pick some of the food) and learned about the local ways of hunting. Whenever we went out on an excursion we needed to wear long pants and rubber boots which the lodge supplied.

Galapagos - Fantastic. Wildlife amazing. Can walk among the giant tortoises, sealions and birds and they never move. They are not afraid of humans. We were able to snorkel every day and swam with the turtles and sealions. Saw different types of coral.

Since we needed different types of clothing for the trip, we did not have to take everything with us to the different locations. Our hotel in Quito stored our larger bags and arranged for laundry service. Really needed this service upon return from the Amazon.

Since this trip used different locations, we had 2 guides - Patricio for the Amazon and Quito and Luis for the Galapagos. Both were great - very knowledgable, helpful and organized..

Traveler: Betty & Tom Trivisone from Matawan, NJ traveled on August 18, 2011

We were amazed at every part of this trip. Traveling over 3 hours up the Napo River to the Yachana Lodge was an experience. The lodge setting was outstanding and the staff took good care of us. I enjoyed having the young people from the school perform for us with their dances. Being a retired teacher, I was so impressed with the Sinamune Disabled Children's Orchestra in Quito. I could picture some of my former students benefiting from this school. The Galapagos Islands were amazing. We were so close to all of the animals and they just gazed at us. Our boat crew was fantastic. I would like to compliment our guide, Isabel Ramos, for being outstanding.

Traveler: Bonnie Metcalfe from West Linn, OR traveled on September 07, 2011

We saw a lot of wildlife on this trip, both in the jungle and Galapagos. And I highly recommend the extension to the Avenue of the Volcanoes, if you haven't spent much time in Ecuador, as you'll see the "real" Ecuador then.

One of the hardest things to figure out on this trip was what to pack. For Quito and the Avenue of the Volcanoes, I used pants and either short sleeve or long sleeve shirts, plus a fold-up rain poncho and light polartec jacket. You'll want a cardigan or another layer, plus a scarf, for the trip up to 13,500 feet. I wore walking shoes the entire trip. And binoculars and a flashlight are useful for the entire trip.

For the jungle, our guide Patricio had great suggestions for what to bring. En route, we wore the pants we'd wear each time we went into the jungle, plus the same long-sleeve shirt we would wear each time into the jungle. For the time at the lodge when we weren't in the jungle, I wore long hiking pants and a T shirt. To make things easier for me, I discarded the T shirt I wore just in the lodge versus paying $1kilo for laundry service. I also brought 3 pair of old sox for similar disposal. (These sox had to go up over the tops of our pants.) We were also told to bring old tennis shoes for the jungle in case we couldn't find our size in the big rubber boots that were provided. I discarded a pair of tennies at the jungle lodge too., as I'd retrieved them from the pile I'd planned to donate to Goodwill. Other necessities to bring for the jungle included a insoles for the jungle boots, a hat, baby powder, bug repellent, and shampoo. I used Ex-Officio anti-insect pants and shirt sold by LL Bean for the jungle, and had no insect problems. I stuffed my clothes into an airtight travel bag before putting everything in a duffel, per Patricio's suggestion to keep everything in plastic to avoid having all the clothes continually damp from the 80% humidity there. (The temperature I saw was always between 74 and 86 degrees and it was always humid.)

For the Galapagos, keep in mind that whatever shoessandals you wear on island excursions are not to be worn on the boat. I used my walking shoes plus water shoes (there are lots of wet landings) for the islands, then had a pair of sandals just for the the boat. The Galapagos were quite warm in June, and I wore capris or shorts plus a T shirt all the time. Beware of wearing light green or yellow T shirts on islands that have wasps! I was surrounded by wasps that like that color, and painfully stung 3 times. Figure out what clothes you'll need for the 7 days on the boat, as they don't want you washing out clothes there. They do supply soap and shampoo. And it was suggested that your own snorkel gear would be better quality than the gear supplied by the boat. Don't hesitate to take the Dramamine they supply on the boat. I didn't need it for seasickness, but I took one a few times in the middle of the night when the boat's engines and the heavy seas woke me up. I also used a waterproof bag for my camera on the wet landings, but the crewis very adept at hauling the passengers out of the zodiacs.

Patricio arranged for laundry service each time we were in Quito, but my clothes washed and dried pretty quickly at the Quito hotel. And we used duffels for each of the trip segments away from Quito, so we could leave a bag or two at the hotel. (For internal Ecuador flights, I believe the poundage limit for bags to the Amazon was 20 lbs and the limit for other flights was 40 lbs. And we were allowed a backpack and purse on those flights.)

The highlight of the jungle portion of the trip was several visits with a 500-lb female tapir. She even hiked with us! We also saw lots of birds and interesting jungle trees. The visits to a local school and home were great.

The Galapagos portion featured sea lions on every island, lots of birds, and an unusual sighting of a tortoise on one of the islands during a hike. Our weather was in the 70s or higher continually in the Galapagos.

The Avenue of the Volcanoes featured two long bus rides, but we stopped at an animal market, a couple towns, an old hacienda, and several other places. And we saw lots of vicunas at the higher altitudes. Cuenca is a beautiful city featuring a lot of old Spanish architecture.

Patricio was our guide for most of the trip, and has vast knowledge about the jungle and Ecuador, in addition to being extremely well-organized, warm, and funny. Andres was our guide for the Galapagos, and was very knowledgeable and enthusiastic.

It's very convenient that Ecuador uses the same electrical current and money that the US does. Bring lots of singles, fives and tens, as stores usually don't have much change.

I used Malarone anti-malarial meds and had no unpleasant side effects. Pepto Bismol tablets were helpful for the altitude adjustment, and Patricio gave us coco tea to help with that as well.

Traveler: Janet Murphy from Battle Creek, MI traveled on June 12, 2010

This is a long review but this was such an amazing trip it would be difficult to condense it more than I have already. Should you choose not to read it all, you may want to skim through it to the end for some tips which you may find useful.

We never would have thought that Ecuador would offered so much. What a pleasant surprise! Quito has been declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO and has an elevation of 9,186 feet. It is a big city and while we didn't really have a chance to explore a lot of it, what we saw, we liked. We felt safe walking around although we never did venture much more than 4-5 blocks from our hotel. The museums are quite impressive and we saw everything from original Inca pottery and jewelry to authentic shrunken heads. We stood on the Equator with one foot in the southern hemisphere and one in the northern hemisphere. The interior of Ecuador holds a lot of promise for future trips as we only scratched the surface. I would love someday to go back and see more of the interior of this beautiful country. I have made the suggestion to OAT that a trip similar to Affordable Costa Rica but for Ecuador should be developed.

One of the highlights of our time in Quito was a visit to a music school for special needs children. This may have well been the highlight of the trip. A well known Ecuadorian musician, Edgar Palacios started the school in 1993 for children with developmental problems ranging from down syndrome to other mental and visual disabilities. The school is partly supported by the Grand Circle Foundation. They have an orchestra and dance group that played music and danced with us. Afterward the smile and the hug they gave us, took our breath away. More than one tear was shed by us as they waved good bye to us.

From Quito we flew to Coco, a small town in the Ecuadorian jungle where we traveled by motorized canoe for an hour along the Napo River until we reached a very small river, the Mondura River which took us to the Yarina Amazon lodge. We spent 3 nights in a thatched roof cabin, almost totally open air. We had doors and screens on the windows but the door had a two inch crack underneath it and the walls were made of bamboo with open cracks everywhere. Lets say it was well ventilated. We slept under mosquito nets and for the most part had little problems. We enjoyed falling asleep to the sounds of the jungle and the evening rains.

A large tree opposite our lodge dining room was the stage for viewing an incredible variety of bird life and several troops of monkeys who were feeding on the berries. We observed white chested toucans, accaris, parrots, chacalacas, hawks and other tropical birds.

One afternoon we went to an isolated lagoon where we boarded canoes and paddled around the lagoon while it was dark. When it became dark and everyone was quiet, we could hear the sounds of insects, frogs and who knows what else. The jungle comes alive at night and the sounds we could hear were amazing. Several times we would spot the yellow eyes of caymans. On one occasion, we paddled over to one who didn't move and rested with his head on top of the water. Our canoe was two feet away from it and we snapped photo after photo of it as it graciously posed for us.

The Galapagos were everything and more than we expected. In addition to the natural beauty of the islands we were within a few feet (in some cases inches) away from nesting blue footed boobies, Nazca boobies, frigate birds, wave albatross and a variety of other birds. There were marine iguanas and land iguanas everywhere. Sea lions were everywhere and once when we were returning to our boat, we found a large sea lion asleep on the boarding platform. We watched a pacific green turtle finish laying her eggs and go back into the ocean. On most days we snorkeled twice a day. If you don't want to snorkel, you could option for kayaking, taking a dingy ride or simply staying on board to indulge yourself in the beautiful scenery. Either way, you won't be disappointed. Often you would have an option for snorkeling from the beach or take the dingy for deep water snorkeling so beginning or advanced snorkelers are well taken care of. Either way, the dingy was always close by keeping an eye on us. While snorkeling we saw sea lions, white tip reef sharks, marine iguanas, rays and penguins plus an amazing variety of tropical fish.

I would recommend the post-trip extension for the Andes & the Devil's Nose experience. However be prepared to be bussed to as my understanding is that the Devil Nose train is pretty much hit and miss, probably more miss from what I understand. OAT did advise of us this a few weeks before our departure but we opted to take the extension anyway as did 13 of the 15 people on our trip.

The extension consisted of a 2 day bus trip through Chimborazon Cotopaxi National Park. Each day was 6-7 hours in the bus although stops were made frequently. Most of the volcano and national park were obscured by clouds and rain, but still it was a good experience as seeing the landscape, towns and markets along the way is worth the trip. No one in our group felt cheated by having missed the train and all agreed it was an excellent extension.

The valleys of the Andes are green and the high hills are quilted with farmland. In is so steep in places that farmers have to plow by hand as oxen cannot do it. We stopped and watched a man plowing his land the old fashioned way, with an ox and hand held wooden plow. We visited a couple of market places and in one we watched the native people in their colorful dress and hats trading or selling lambs and pigs. We spent close to an hour there, but I could have easily spent an entire day. Talk about learning and discovery!

We ended up spending two days and nights in Cuenca, the 3rd largest city in Ecuador and also a World Heritage site. What a beautiful city with incredible colonial architecture. We would love to go back and spend more time there.

Everywhere we went, the people we saw are hard working, gentle and for the most part seemed happy although they looked at our cameras with a degree of suspicion. The mode of dress of the various indigenous people of the Andes is beautiful. We often felt like we were in the pages of National Geographic magazine.

Was it our best trip ever? Probably, although it is as hard to compare a European capital with the jungles of South America as it would be to compare apples to oranges. Each locale has its attraction. But for us, this trip will not be soon forgotten. My recommendation is that you move the Galapagos Islands and the Amazon Rain Forest to the top of your bucket list. It is that good of a trip!

If we could do this exact trip again, we would and there is not one thing we would change!

Trip Leaders:

OAT and GCT have an terrific training program for their trip leaders. This was out 6th trip and in each case the trip leaders have been excellent and seem to exceed our expectations time and time again. It was no different this time. In the Galapagos we had Andres Vergara. He was professional and knowledgeable. He kept us informed with daily briefings and on our daily excursions. We loved his lectures on the Galapagos. When we snorkeled he was in the water with us keeping an eye on us while pointing out things to look at.

On the mainland of Ecuador we had Patricio Fernandez. He was such a professional. What an encyclopedia of knowledge! He gave incredibly good information during lectures and during our times on the bus. He is passionate about his work and looked over us like no one has before. For example, in the town of Riobamba, a couple wanted to go to mass in town and were going to take a cab from our hotel. Patricio insisted on accompanying them, waiting for the service to be over and then accompanying them back to the hotel. He was remarkable and we miss his good nature, laugh and wealth of knowledge. When we left him, he told us we would always have a friend in Ecuador. We know he means that.

TIPS:

In the cities, vendors selling umbrellas magically appear whenever it rains. Cost is about $3 for an umbrella. I suspect that many of the shops you will walk by will have them for sale as well. Buying one here might save you the trouble of packing one. However, a rain poncho or light water resistant jacket with a hood is generally all you will need.

The currency used in Ecuador is the U.S. Dollar. However, it is difficult if not impossible to change large bills. Keep your money to $20's and less.

A couple of us visited a small Cuban restaurant directly across the street from the the Reina Isabel Hotel in Quito where we stayed. Cost of the full lunch including juice and desert was $2.00 each and it was very good! If you stay at the Reina Isabel, you may want to try it.

ATM's are readily available in Quito, Puerto Ayora on Santa Cruz Island in the Galapagos, which you will visit mid-way through the Galapagos portion of the trip and in Cuenca.

In the Amazon, Ponchos, wooden walking sticks and knee high boots are provided. When selecting boots, get one a size larger as getting them on and off is challenging. In the Galapagos, wooden walking sticks are provided by the boat in the Galapagos.

In the Yarina Amazon Lodge, power is provided by generator from 6 pm until 10 pm. So bring flashlights to get around your cabin and the lodge grounds. Bring a book light if you plan on doing any night time reading.

Laundry service at a reasonable cost is provided upon the return from the Amazon and again from the Galapagos. So, don't over pack. Your hotel in Quito will be your headquarters. You will take only what you need for the Amazon and Galapagos in a small duffel. The rest will be stored safely at the hotel in Quito. We found that the clothes that we used in the Amazon laundered, were basically the same clothes we took to the Galapagos. We only had to add swim suits.

In the Galapagos the sun is relentless, so having light weight long sleeve shirts and light weight long pants for day excursions is a very good idea. Plan on swimmingsnorkeling with at least a t-shirt. Some in our group wore their long sleeve shirts and zip off long pants so they were completely covered from the sun. Mask, snorkel and fins are provided for snorkeling.

If you have a bald head like I do, you may want to bring a swimmer's type cap or some other type of covering to cover the top of your head while snorkeling. I didn't and got burned.

Traveler: Joe Guasch from Springfield, OR traveled on April 10, 2010

Our trip to the Galapagos was a "dream come true." It started with our trip to the Amazon Basin with our wonderful tour guide, Antonio. Being a "birder", he could help us identify the beautiful birds we observed from the porch of the Yarina Lodge. Bring binoculars for this part of the trip. Our days in the Galapagos were enriched with our young and enthusiastic guide, Josie, who shared her knowledge of all the flora and fauna of the area. Each day was a new adventure as we beat other groups ashore on all the islands. We snorkeled every day which added to the "undersea adventure." Our day in Quito was filled with everything Antonio could tuck into one day to see his city! Each site was a wonder. My favorite parts of OAT trips are the visits to schools and homes. This makes OAT special to me. You may e-mail me if you would like to ask me specific questions about the trip: adriennestrandberg@yahoo.com

Traveler: Adrienne Strandberg from Midlothian, VA traveled on March 23, 2010