Amazon cruise and The Galápagos Islands

Begin your holiday in relaxed style as you enjoy complimentary airport lounge access before your overnight flight to Quito.

Arrive in Quito, Ecuador's historic capital set in the shadow of the Andes Mountains. On arrival at Quito's international airport, you'll be met for a private transfer to your hotel in the city's historic centre – itself a UNESCO World Heritage site. Spend the rest of the day at leisure.

Stay: Hotel Mama Cuchara (Superior)

Spend this morning on a private tour, exploring Quito in the company of your local guide. Highlights include the World Heritage-listed old town, which is packed with historical buildings, including monasteries, museums and churches, and is regarded as the largest and best-preserved colonial quarter in South America. Next, you'll head out of the city, again in the company of your guide, to the Equatorial Monument, located 16 miles north of Quito, where you can stand with one foot in each hemisphere at 0º latitude. Visit the fascinating Ethnographic Museum, which is located inside the monument and charts the history of the different Native American groups living within Ecuador. Spend some time exploring the small colonial town next to the moment, where you'll find a small square, a post office, a bullring, several cafes and restaurants, and a number of gift shops selling local handicrafts and postcards.

Stay: Hotel Mama Cuchara (Superior)

Depart Quito on a 30-minute flight to the frontier town of Coca. On arrival you'll transfer to the dock where you'll board a motorized canoe, which will take you around one hour down stream to MV Anakonda and the start of your four-night Amazon adventure along the Napo River. Spend some time relaxing as you begin your journey down river, exploring the many features of the cruise ship and settling in to your private cabin. Later on you'll enjoy a guided evening walk, giving you your first taste of forest at night.

Stay: MV Anakonda

After breakfast on board you'll disembark for your first daytime rainforest experience, learning about the symbiotic relationship between the animals and plants of the Amazon, keeping your eyes peeled for signs of wildlife among the thick jungle foliage as you go. Then, after lunch, your cruise ship will navigate through one of the most pristine and unexplored regions of the Ecuadorian Amazon, home to pink river dolphins, black caiman and anaconda, along with several species of monkey, river turtles and the primitive Hoatzin, a bird locally known as "The Stinky Turkey". You'll explore a section of this lush jungle world by canoe, the only way to truly explore this amazing river ecosystem.

Stay: MV Anakonda

Today you'll visit a local school located on the banks of the Napo River. Here you'll have the chance to interact with the children and learn about the education system in this remote jungle community. Then, in the afternoon, you'll rejoin the MV Anakonda and relax as the ship navigates upstream. Whilst on board you'll have the chance to enjoy a lecture and documentary screening. If time permits, you'll also be able to learn about and make some traditional handicrafts. Later you'll disembark to explore one of the largest river islands in the Napo River.

Stay: MV Anakonda

Visit a 100 metre-high observation tower, built against a majestic kapok tree. Climbing to the top, you'll be treated to breathtaking views of the rainforest canopy and the vast scale of the Amazon Basin. Enjoy a delicious lunch on board before heading to the Limoncocha Biological Reserve, a protected area home to 478 bird species and several species of monkey. Stay here until the evening time when you'll be able to spot black caiman with the aid of flashlight.

Stay: MV Anakonda

Disembark the MV Anakonda after breakfast for motorised canoe trip to Coca, where you'll board a flight back to Quito. On arrival in the capital, a private transfer will see you to your hotel. Spend the rest of the day at leisure.

Stay: Hotel Mama Cuchara (Superior)

Take a private transfer back to the airport this morning and board a flight to Baltra Island in the Galápagos where you'll board the your luxury vessel. If you are departing in 2022, you will embark the sleek modern MV Santa Cruz II, designed perfectly for wildlife expeditions, with spacious interiors and exceptional on board service. Departures in 2023 will board the MV Isabela II. Equally as impressive, it features a lavish inside, coupled with on-board hot tub and fine dining opportunities.

Stay: MV Santa Cruz II (departures in 2022) or MV Isabela II (departures in 2023)

Over the next three days, you will embark on a real wildlife adventure, sailing around several of the famed Galapagos islands. Making regular stops, your programme will include visits to numerous parts of the archipelago, with many opportunities to disembark and explore the unique volcanic islands. You will have plenty of time to admire the abundance of spectacular endemic wildlife, from large colonies of marine iguanas and tropical sea lions to remote colonies of nesting birds and the Galapagos’ famed giant tortoises. Further highlights will include forest hikes, visits to tropical beaches and a wide range of activities including swimming among Galapagos penguins, kayaking along the rugged coastlines, snorkelling the crystal-clear tropical waters and glass-bottom boat trips, all making for a truly memorable journey.

Stay: MV Santa Cruz II (departures in 2022) or MV Isabela II (departures in 2023)

Your Ecuadorian adventure comes to an end. After a leisurely morning, return to town and transfer to the airport in time for your flight to Guayaquil and onwards to the UK, arriving on day 14.