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ITINERARY FOR WOMEN’S QUEST GALAPAGOS AND HIGHLANDS ADVENTURE
APRIL 13-23,2023
Pre Retreat Please arrive at least one day early – April 11 or 12. We recommend staying at the Casa El Eden. www.casaeleden.com
DAY 1 April 13- ARRIVAL AND TOUR OF QUITO
Luggage at the lobby at 9am. Bring a hat, sunscreen, and walking shoes.
9:00 AM – All day Tour around Quito with our wonderful guide Meche
12:00 – Lunch in Quito – on your own
1:30 – Depart Quito
3:00 – Museum of the Center of the World
6:00 – Arrive The Granobles Lodge – Meche’s family lodge where we will spend the next 5 nights
7:00 – Dinner at the Lodge
DAY 2 April 14- CUICOCHA LAKE HIKE
Bring sunscreen, backpack, water – hydration pack, good trail shoes, walking sticks – optional, camera, raincoat and layers and a great attitude for the altitude.
7:00 – Yoga on the patio
8:00 – Breakfast by Meche’s mom and aunt – incredible cooks!!
9:00 – Leave for Cuicocha Mountain, in the occidental range of the Andes at 3068 m. The hike starts with the amazing view of the crater of a volcano which has converted into a lake. This is a formed part of the Cotacachi volcano (4944m) which we will see if there are clear skies. We will follow in the lake for 4 -5 hours where we will explore the different vegetation of the mountain.
1:00 Bag lunch with spectacular view
3:00 -Finish the hike- and visit town of Cotacachi, which is known for its nice cafes for latte or ice cream. The town is also known for beautiful leather handicrafts.
7:00 Dinner back at our Lodge.
DAY 3 April 15– HORSEBACK RIDING Hacienda Zuleta
Bring riding pants (or tights), any shoes are ok, water, – they give us panniers to store our things, raincoat, change of clothes if it is raining, money for lunch.
7:00 Yoga
8:00 Breakfast
9:00 – Leave for horseback riding at one of the oldest haciendas in Ecuador. Our horses will carry us through the eucalyptus forest to a beautiful waterfall. We will then proceed to the valley of the Condors. For those not wanting the horse experience, there will be a hike to the waterfall.
2:00 – A delicious lunch at the hacienda will await us on our return – on your own. This is a meal you will not forget.
4:00 – Visit the milk plant and the cheese cave on the property. We will also have time to visit a few shops in the local town on our way home.
7:00 Dinner at our lodge
DAY 4 April 16- OTAVALO MARKET AND GIVING BACK
Bring hat, raincoat, money for the market and for “Giving Back”, good shoes as we will be digging holes for the plants, change of clothes, water, sunscreen.
7:00 YOGA
8:00 Breakfast
9:00 Leave for Otavalo market. We will visit the homes and studios of 3 artists
Hat maker, textile artisan and designer of musical instruments
1:00 Lunch
2:00 – philanthropic project which will transform the local playground by planting flowers, shrubs and trees for the local community, A $50-$100 donation for the flowers and plants would be appreciated.
6:00 – dinner in one of the best restaurants in the area to enjoy delicious Ecuadorian cuisine – on your own.
DAY 5 April 17– FUYA FUYA HIKE
Bring sunscreen, water, raincoat, backpack, raincoat
7:00 Yoga
8:00 Breakfast
9:00 – Leave for the Fuya Fuya hike, with its 4290 m elevation is the highest peak in the Mojanda range. We will have lots of options for this hike – walk two hours to the summit of Fuya Fuya. (This is an out and back) or around the lake.
1:00 bag lunch
3:00 Free afternoon
7:00 – Final dinner at the Lodge
DAY 6 April 18– FAREWELL TO HIGHLANDS AND HELLO GALAPAGOS – SANTA CRUZ AND THE GIANT TORTOISES – DARWIN RESEARCH CENTER
Dress for higher temperatures. Bring water, walking shoes, $100 cash for the entrance, backpack.
5:00 – have your bags pack and ready to go – breakfast.
5:30 – Depart.
7:00 – Meet at UIO in front of the Galapagos Info desk. We will be met by Claudia Vazquez, our hostess and local tour guide.
9-10:30 – Avianca flight to Galapagos
10:30 – We will be landing on the island of Balta – at the Seymour Ecological Galapagos Airport. We will be met by Katherine Cellery, our Galapagos naturalist guide.
12:00 – We will visit “El Chato” Ecological Reserve and their lava tubes. The Giant Tortoise is the symbol of the Galapagos Islands.
13:00 – Lunch at the ecological Reserve
3:00 – We’ll visit the Darwin Research Station – an interpretation center, which makes for a great introduction to the archipelago’s volcanic origins and unique species, as well as a giant tortoise breeding program.
Rent Wetsuits for the next four days.
5:00 – Check into The Shangri-La and Blue Heron Inn – we have to take a small water ferry to our homes for the rest of our adventure.
7:00 – Dinner Local restaurant – Isla Grill
DAY 7 April 19 BARTOLOME ADVENTURE
Bring hat, sunscreen, backpack water, Trail shoes, swimsuit and wetsuit.
6:30 – Yoga on the upper deck of Shangri-La
7:30 – Breakfast at the Shangri-La with our private chef
8:30 – Take the water taxi to main dock – The tour begins with a 45-minute car ride from Puerto Ayora to the Itabaca Canal north of Santa Cruz Island. take a boat where we will take a boat to Bartolome Island
11:00 – Once we reached Bartolome, we’ll disembark and begin hiking on a path to the best view of all the Galapagos Islands. We’ll climb 115 meters above sea level, around 400 steps, but the reward will make it totally worth it! From the top, we will observe the famous Galapagos pinnacle, the entire Bartolome Island and part of the Santiago Island. After our hike, we’ll descend to enjoy and relax on the north & south beach. South Beach is a protected area where turtles nest. North Beach will be our swimming spot and if we’re lucky, we may watch Galapagos penguins.
1:00 Lunch will be served on the boat.
3:00 – Snorkeling time in North Beach, we can see different species of fauna such as dry cleaners, sea lions, fish, rays and turtles.
5:00 – Return to Puerto Ayora.
7:00 – Dinner at local restaurant – Los Kioskos local experience – Trattoria di Pipo
DAY 8 APRIL 20 : TORTUGA BAY and MAGICAL HORSE EXCHANGE
Morning – bring backpack, water, sunscreeen, swimsuit, beach attire.
7:00 Yoga
8:00 Breakfast
9:00 – Divide into small groups for 45 min hike to surfing, kayaking, beach time amongst the marine iguanas.
1:00 – Lunch at La Cevicheria by Isla Grill
3:00 – Transfer to Galapagos Horse Friends – 20 min
A deep experience with a Local Herd of horses, Yoga surrounded by Horses and Meditation with an amazing sunset! Galapagos Horse Friends, www.galapagoshorsefriendsofficial.org.
6:00 – Head back to our homes
7:00 – Dinner – Bahia Mar
DAY 9 APRIL 21: SANTA FE ADVENTURE – Pawkar Raymi!!
Bring hat, sunscreen, backpack, water, Trail shoes, swimsuit and wetsuit.
6:30 Yoga
7:30 Breakfast
8:30 Water taxi to main dock – our adventure to Santa Fe Island – 40 min boat ride – site is a wet landing located in Barrington Bay on the northeastern side of the island. On landing you will appreciate sea lions resting on the beach around you, we will continue for a short walk where we will see two species of land iguanas found only within this island
12:00 Lunch on board wonderful afternoon of snorkeling. Wetsuits are an option to enjoy the swim a little more.
2:00 – Wonderful afternoon of snorkeling. The bay is an excellent swimming and snorkeling place where Sea turtles, rays, fish, and the clear water.
4:00 – Return to Puerto Ayora.
7:00 – Dinner – Al Mar
Ceremony
Day 10 APRIL 22: NORTH SEYMOUR – BACHAS BEACH ADVENTURE
Bring hat, sunscreen, backpack, water, Trail shoes, swimsuit and wetsuit
6:30 – Yoga
7:30 – Breakfast
8:30 – Water taxi to main doc – Catch a ride to our bus and then boat to North Seymour. We’ll walk along the approximately two-kilometer-long trail, which goes through some of the largest frigate colonies in the archipelago. Fantastic Spot for frigates, blue-footed boobies, seagulls, land iguanas, marine iguanas, and a colony of sea lions.
12:00 – Lunch on the boat.
1:00 – We will head to the beach known as Bachas, located in the north of Santa Cruz Island, snorkel chilling time! This beach is an excellent place to observe wildlife, including Flamingos, Zayapas (Galapagos crabs) and many marine birds.
4:00 – Head back to our home
7:00 – Closing dinner at Finch Bay – CLOSURE CEREMONY
DAY 11 April 23 – FARWELL – Have bags packed and ready to go by 9am
6:00 – Yoga
7:00 – Breakfast
8:00 – Our last adventure…. A short walk-in with small groups of 5 to Las Grietas. It is the best swimming hole on Santa Cruz Island.
9:00 – We will head back and pack up – Pick Up our Deli Box Lunch
10:00 – Transfer to Itabaca – Catch water ferry then bus to Baltra
13:35 Flight back to Quito arriving at 5:40 pm.
* Itinerary may vary due to climate, fortuitous cases or force majeure. Kenu’s educators will keep you safe at all times!
PLEASE ARRIVE AT LEAST ONE DAY BEFORE THE RETREAT STARTS
Extra costs
- 2 lunches and 1 dinner on your own
- Donation to community for trees, shrubs and flowers – suggested $50-$100.
- $100 entrance fee for the Galapagos – this must be US$ cash.
- Snorkels and masks are free on the boats but if you want a wetsuit – around $20 per day x3 days.
- Suggested Tips for our guides and naturalist
- Meche – $15-20/day – 5 days
- Claudia $15/day – 5 days
- Katherine $15/day – 5 days
- Jax $10/day- 11 days
- Suggested Tips for our boat crews
- $5-10/day – 3 days