The Self-Launched Galapagos and Amazon Adventure

Fly into Mariscal Sucre International Airport (UIO). Take the official airport bus (Aeroservicios, ~£2) or a pre-booked taxi (~£10) into central Quito. Check into a hostel in the Mariscal or La Floresta neighbourhood, both well-suited to solo travellers. Spend the evening exploring the streets, grabbing a bowl of locro de papa (potato soup) and getting an early night.

🚌Airport express bus ~£2, or taxi ~£10

🛏Hostal or guesthouse in Quito Mariscal district — e.g. Community Hostel or similar (~£15–20/night in a private room)

• →Arrive at Mariscal Sucre International Airport
• →Take airport bus or taxi into central Quito
• →Check in and explore the local neighbourhood

Spend the morning exploring Quito's UNESCO-listed Old Town — Plaza Grande, La Compañía de Jesús church and the colonial streets. Grab a traditional almuerzo (set lunch) for around £2–3. In the afternoon, take a local bus or taxi (~£5 return) to the San Antonio district to visit La Mitad del Mundo monument and stand on the equator. Head to Panecillo Hill (take a taxi for safety, ~£3) for panoramic sunset views over the city.

🚌Local buses and taxis ~£8

🛏Hostal in Quito (~£15–20/night)

• →Explore Quito Old Town — Plaza Grande, La Compañía church
• →Lunch at a local almuerzo restaurant (~£2–3)
• →Visit La Mitad del Mundo equator monument (~£3 entry)
• →Sunset viewpoint at Panecillo Hill

Take an early morning internal flight from Quito to Baltra Island (book in advance with LATAM or Avianca, ~£150–180 return pp including the Galapagos airport tax). On arrival, pay the Galapagos National Park entrance fee (£80/person). Take the free bus to the canal, then a short public ferry (~£0.80) to Santa Cruz Island, then a shared taxi (~£3) to Puerto Ayora. In the afternoon, visit the Charles Darwin Research Station (free entry), Los Gemelos volcanic sinkholes and the El Chato Giant Tortoise Reserve (~£3 entry).

🚌Internal flight ~£165, ferry + shared taxi ~£4

🛏Guesthouse in Puerto Ayora, Santa Cruz — e.g. Hostal Los Amigos or similar (~£20–25/night)

• →Fly Quito to Baltra (LATAM/Avianca, ~£150–180 return)
• →Pay Galapagos National Park entrance fee (~£80)
• →Public ferry from Baltra to Santa Cruz (~£0.80)
• →Charles Darwin Research Station (free)
• →Los Gemelos volcanic sinkholes
• →El Chato Giant Tortoise Reserve (~£3)

Join a half-day guided tour to the Santa Cruz Highlands including a visit to an organic coffee farm — book locally in Puerto Ayora (~£15–20). After lunch, arrange a mountain bike hire (~£10) and cycle the trail toward Cerro Mesa and down to Garrapatero Beach, a wildlife-rich stretch of sand with marine iguanas and sea birds. Swim, snorkel and relax before cycling or catching a taxi back to Puerto Ayora for dinner.

🚌Shared taxi to highlands ~£5, bike hire ~£10

🛏Guesthouse in Puerto Ayora (~£20–25/night)

• →Santa Cruz Highlands guided tour including coffee farm (~£15–20, book locally)
• →Mountain bike hire (~£10/day)
• →Cycle to Garrapatero Beach (~26km)
• →Swim and wildlife-watch at Garrapatero Beach

Rise early for the free hike out to Tortuga Bay (2.5km each way, sign in at the GNPS booth). One of the Galapagos' finest beaches — spot marine iguanas, lava lizards and herons. Kayaks can be hired on the beach (~£8/hr). In the afternoon, catch the public speedboat ferry from Puerto Ayora to Puerto Villamil on Isabela Island (~£25–30, book at the dock the day before). Check in and spend the sunset evening strolling the flamingo lagoon trail.

🚌Public speedboat ferry Puerto Ayora–Puerto Villamil ~£28

🛏Guesthouse in Puerto Villamil, Isabela — e.g. Hostal Rincon de George or similar (~£18–22/night)

• →Free hike to Tortuga Bay (GNPS sign-in required)
• →Optional kayak hire on Tortuga Bay beach (~£8/hr)
• →Public speedboat ferry to Isabela Island (~£25–30)
• →Evening walk along flamingo lagoon, Puerto Villamil

Book the Sierra Negra volcano hike locally in Puerto Villamil (~£25–30 including guide, mandatory for this trail). The hike takes around 5 hours covering 16km and ascends to the rim of one of the world's largest active calderas. Continue to the Lava Nueva landscape for otherworldly volcanic scenery. Back in Puerto Villamil by late afternoon for a dip in the sea and a seafood dinner at one of the harbourside restaurants.

🚌Included in tour/local taxi to trailhead ~£5

🛏Guesthouse in Puerto Villamil (~£18–22/night)

• →Sierra Negra volcano guided hike (~£25–30, book locally)
• →Rim viewpoint of the Sierra Negra caldera
• →Lava Nueva volcanic landscape
• →Swim and dinner in Puerto Villamil

Hire a bicycle in town (~£5–8/day) and ride out to Muro de las Lágrimas (Wall of Tears), the old penal colony site now inhabited by giant tortoises and flamingos. Continue to the Arnaldo Tupiza Tortoise Breeding Centre (free entry) to see five species of endemic tortoise up close. In the afternoon, snorkel at Concha de Perla lagoon — just a short walk from the dock, entry is free and the snorkelling is world-class (reef sharks, penguins, sea turtles). Spend the evening sampling Isabela's laid-back nightlife.

🚌Bicycle hire ~£6

🛏Guesthouse in Puerto Villamil (~£18–22/night)

• →Hire bicycle (~£5–8/day)
• →Cycle to Wall of Tears (Muro de las Lágrimas)
• →Arnaldo Tupiza Tortoise Breeding Centre (free)
• →Snorkel at Concha de Perla lagoon (free entry)

Book a morning boat tour to Islote Tintoreras (~£20–25, available from the Puerto Villamil dock). Cruise around the bay spotting Galapagos penguins, blue-footed boobies, sea lions and white-tipped reef sharks resting in the famous channels. Jump in for a snorkel session with turtles, manta rays and marine iguanas. In the afternoon, take the speedboat ferry back to Puerto Ayora, Santa Cruz (~£28). Final evening in the Galapagos — treat yourself to dinner and a walk along the waterfront.

🚌Speedboat ferry Isabela–Santa Cruz ~£28

🛏Guesthouse in Puerto Ayora (~£20–25/night)

• →Islote Tintoreras boat tour with snorkelling (~£20–25)
• →Spot Galapagos penguins, reef sharks, sea turtles and sea lions
• →Speedboat ferry back to Puerto Ayora, Santa Cruz (~£28)
• →Final evening on the Galapagos waterfront

Take the morning inter-island bus and public ferry from Puerto Ayora back to Baltra airport (public ferry ~£0.80, shared bus ~£3). Fly back to Quito on your return internal flight (included in your round-trip booking from Day 3). Afternoon free in Quito — relax, do laundry, or revisit a favourite neighbourhood. Good opportunity to stock up on snacks and gear for the Amazon leg.

🚌Public ferry + bus to Baltra ~£4 (return flight included in Day 3 booking)

🛏Hostal in Quito (~£15–20/night)

• →Ferry and shared bus from Puerto Ayora to Baltra airport
• →Return internal flight to Quito
• →Free afternoon to rest and resupply in Quito

Hire a shared shuttle or take the public bus from Quito toward Tena in the Amazon basin (~£6–8, around 4–5 hours). Ask the driver to stop at Papallacta (~£3 drop-off), where you can soak in the famous geothermal hot spring complex (entry ~£8–12). Continue down through the Andes cloud forests to Tena, the adventure capital of the Ecuadorian Amazon. Check into a jungle lodge or eco-guesthouse near Tena — several excellent options exist, including Hostal Limoncocha or budget lodges near the Napo river (~£20–30/night).

🚌Quito–Tena bus/shuttle ~£7, taxi to Papallacta ~£3

🛏Jungle lodge or eco-guesthouse near Tena — e.g. Hostal Christian's Palace or Cabañas Amazonicas (~£20–30/night)

• →Shared shuttle or bus from Quito to Tena (~£6–8)
• →Stop at Papallacta hot springs (entry ~£8–12)
• →Descend through Andes and cloud forest zones
• →Arrive at jungle lodge near Tena

Book a full-day guided rainforest hike through a local operator in Tena (~£25–35 including guide and entrance fees). Explore river estuary systems, spot wildlife along jungle trails and cool off in natural waterfalls — the Ushpayacu waterfall area is a highlight. Many local indigenous-run operators offer excellent guided hikes with naturalist knowledge that rivals any international operator. Ask your guesthouse for recommendations and book the evening before.

🚌Included in guided tour

🛏Jungle lodge near Tena (~£20–30/night)

• →Full-day guided rainforest hike with local operator (~£25–35)
• →Explore Ushpayacu Estuary and waterfall area
• →Wildlife spotting — birds, insects, mammals
• →Jungle viewpoint trek

Tena is one of South America's best whitewater rafting destinations — and you can book directly with local operators for far less than through a tour company. Book a Grade III rafting day trip on the Jatunyacu River with Aqua Extreme, River People or Ríos Ecuador (~£25–35 including guide, equipment and transport). The river descends from the Cotopaxi volcano glacier through stunning jungle scenery with remote beaches to relax on between rapids.

🚌Included in rafting day trip

🛏Jungle lodge near Tena (~£20–30/night)

• →Grade III whitewater rafting on Jatunyacu River (~£25–35, book with Aqua Extreme or Ríos Ecuador)
• →River beach stops and wild swimming
• →Rainforest scenery along river banks

Book a kayaking day trip on the Alto Misahualli river with a local Tena operator (~£20–30 including guide and equipment). Grade II rapids make this accessible for beginners, and guides provide full instruction. Return to the lodge for a rest in the afternoon. In the evening, book a guided night hike (~£10–15 through your lodge) to experience the Amazon after dark — frogs, insects, nocturnal birds and the sounds of the jungle at full volume.

🚌Included in kayaking day trip

🛏Jungle lodge near Tena (~£20–30/night)

• →Kayaking on Alto Misahualli River (~£20–30, book locally)
• →Grade II rapids with qualified river guides
• →Afternoon rest at lodge
• →Guided night hike into rainforest (~£10–15)

Final breakfast at the jungle lodge and soak up the last of the Amazon atmosphere. Board the public bus or shared shuttle back toward Quito (~£6–8). The journey retraces the climb through jungle, cloud forest and Andean highlands — ask to stop at a mirador (lookout) over the cloud forests for a final photo. Arrive in Quito by mid-afternoon. Spend the final evening in the Old Town for dinner with new travel friends, and perhaps a last pisco sour in one of the colonial plazas.

🚌Tena–Quito bus/shuttle ~£7

🛏Hostal in Quito (~£15–20/night)

• →Final breakfast and farewell to the Amazon
• →Bus/shuttle from Tena back to Quito (~£6–8)
• →Cloud forest mirador stop en route
• →Final dinner in Quito Old Town

Your adventure wraps up today. Take a taxi (~£10) or the airport bus (~£2) to Mariscal Sucre International Airport for your onward flight home. If you have time to spare before your flight, the Quito airport area has a decent food court, or check out the Inaquito market for last-minute souvenirs.

🚌Taxi or airport bus to UIO ~£2–10

• →Check out of accommodation
• →Transfer to Mariscal Sucre International Airport
• →Optional last-minute souvenir shopping