Dental Study Tour to Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands

Itinerary at a glance

• 4 Sept (Fri) Quito: Arrive Quito and transfer to the Hilton Colon Hotel. Settle in before a welcome dinner in the evening
• 5 Sept (Sat) Quito: Morning tour of colonial Quito. Visit Independence Plaza - flanked by the Cathedral and Archbishop’s Palace - La Compania Church and San Francisco Monastery. In the afternoon visit Quito Dental Teaching Hospital and learn about approaches to dental education, or at leisure. Enjoy dinner at Urku – a modern Ecuadorian restaurant
• 6 Sept (Sun) Quito / Mindo: Drive to the “Centre of World.” Continue to the rim of the extinct Pululahua Volcano. Lunch by the crater with spectacular views. Continue to Mindo for a nature walk and in the evening hear a professional talk by tour leader Ashok Sethi
• 7 Sept (Mon) Mindo: Early morning birdwatching, including the humming bird feeders. Visit the Mariposario Mindo Butterfly Farm.Travel by cable car across the Rio Nambillo over the cloud forest valley below. Take a nature walk to the Mindo Waterfalls. In the evening take a night walk to see spiders and other nocturnal creatures
• 8 Sept (Tues) Mindo B/ Papallacta: Early morning birdwatching, including the humming bird feeders. Drive to high Andean paramo and forest to see the polylepis tree – one of the oddest and rarest trees on the planet. Continue to Papallacta and check into the Termas de Papallacta thermal resort. In the evening hear a professional talk by tour leader Ashok Sethi
• 9 Sept (Wed) Papallacta: Visit the Antisana National Park in the Andes to see condors and spectacular views of the surrounding snow-capped volcanoes. Walk in the park. Enjoy the hot springs in Papallacta. Visit the Guyango Lodge for dinner followed by a nocturnal nature walk
• 10 Sept (Thurs) Papallacta: Visit the weekly traditional Sangolqui market. Return to the resort and in the afternoon visit the Centro Medico in Papallacta and learn of rural dentistry in the Andes
• 11 Sept (Fri) Papallacta / San Cristobal Island, Galápagos: Transfer to the airport to fly to San Cristobal Island in the Galápagos and board the MY Solaris private yacht. In the afternoon visit the Interpretation Centre. Cruise to Kicker Rock, a nesting site for many sea birds. Optional snorkelling. Cruise onto Cero Brujo to walk on a white sand beach, and observe sea lions, brown pelicans, marine iguanas and blue footed boobies. Options for swimming, snorkelling or kayaking
• 12 Sept (Sat) Espanola Island: Wet landing at Gardener Bay and walk along the beach to see sea lions. Take a panga ride around Osborn Inlet and the islets of Gardner to see sea lions, corals and colourful fish including parrotfish. Land at Punta Suarez and see marine birds, including the nesting waved albatross
• 13 Sept (Sun) Floreana Island: Visit the historic site of Post Office Bay and the ruins of the house of Baroness Eloisa von Wagner. Visit the Devil’s Crown, a submerged volcano and the best site for snorkelling in the Galápagos. Continue to Point Cormorant and see the Flamingo Lagoon. Onto La Picona beach to see marine turtles. Options for swimming and snorkelling
• 14 Sept (Mon) Santiago Island: Visit Sullivan Bay on Santiago Island, which is located next to Bartolome Island. This bay features an interesting recently formed lava field. We will snorkel in the bay’s calm waters. Visit Bartolome Island, which has spectacular views and interesting formations, such as the parasitic cones, formed by prior lava eruptions.
• 15 Sept (Tues) Santa Cruz/ Quito: Visit Black Turtle Cove, a mangrove estuary on Santa Cruz Island, naturally protected and virtually untouched by man, Black Turtle Cove is home to some truly remarkable species of animals and plants. Transfer to airport for flight back and transfer to the Hilton Colon Hotel. Farewell dinner in the evening
• 16 Sept (Wed) Quito: At leisure before transferring to the airport, or take the Amazon extension.

Extension in the Amazon

• 16 Sept (Wed) Quito /Sacha Lodge, Amazon: Transfer to the airport for flight to Coco. Transfer by river to Sacha Lodge. Nocturnal guided tour in the evening
• 17 Sept (Thurs) Sacha Lodge, Amazon: Take dugout canoes past bromeliads and palm trees, looking for wildlife such as the pygmy marmoset, the ocelot and puma. Trek through pristine forest, with 150-foot kapok trees and roots forming huge buttresses. Look out for the crest owl and howler monkeys. Optional night walk
• 18 Sept (Fri) Sacha Lodge, Amazon: Motorised canoe along Napo River to visit the traditional Yasuní community. See the parrot disco on the clay lick. Take the treetop canopy walk. Optional night canoe trip to see caiman
• 19 Sept (Sat) Sacha Lodge / Quito: Transfer to Quito and check into the Hotel Hilton Colon. Rest of the day at leisure
• 20 Sept (Sun) Quito: Transfer to the airport