Wild Wonders of Ecuador & the Galápagos: December 2027

From the vibrant streets of Quito to the wildlife-rich Galapagos Islands, this vegan adventure is packed with unforgettable experiences.

Explore Ecuador’s historic capital, connect with locals through a meaningful community tourism experience in Yunguilla, and learn about innovative sustainability initiatives.

Then journey to the Galapagos to encounter giant tortoises, blue-footed boobies, sea lions, marine iguanas, and sea turtles. Hike volcanic landscapes, snorkel crystal-clear waters, and discover one of the world’s most extraordinary destinations alongside like-minded travelers and an expert local guide.

Trip Details

Trip Length

10 days / 9 nights

Accommodations

Hotels

Group Size

max 16 people

Physical Activity

Moderate at times

Meals

9 breakfasts, 7 lunches, & 9 dinners are included

Trip Dates

December 5 – 14, 2027

Popular adventure
10 days

Quito

from $5,495 (USD)

Deadline to sign up is Sept. 20, 2027

Book a Call Contact Us
group of 15 adventurous vegan travelers traveling with the vegan company, veggies abroad through mainland ecuador
  • four large round bowls of bright yellow vegan ceviche with pops of orange and green
  • four vegan travelers on a boat during a ride to an island during a veggies aborad vegan galapagos tour
  • a large sea lion sleeping across multiple park benches on san cristobal island
  • a veggies abroad traveler standing behind a massive tortoise in the galapagos

Tour Itinerary

Check out the daily activities for this exciting itinerary. Please note, the itinerary is subject to change. We always have to remain flexible for weather, closures, and random things that are out of our control!

Check out essential travel details for this trip.

Destination: Quito
Meals Included: Welcome dinner

Hola! Welcome to Quito! The capital city of Ecuador is a treasure trove of historical and cultural highlights.

Tonight, we will have a welcome meeting around 6 PM, followed by dinner. Until then, the day is yours to enjoy and get settled.

Destination: Yunguilla
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, & Dinner

Wake up to your first day in Ecuador! Today you will enjoy a memorable city tour in the colonial part of Quito.

Quito, the capital city of Ecuador, is renowned for its well-preserved colonial center, a UNESCO World Heritage site, featuring beautiful architecture, historic churches, and vibrant plazas. Nestled in the Andes at an elevation of 2,850 meters, it offers breathtaking views and a unique blend of indigenous and Spanish cultures.

At midday, you will take part in a unique cooking class to learn how to prepare a traditional Ecuadorian dish. Taste local flavors and enjoy a memorable lunch.

After lunch, you’ll head to Yunguilla community, located in a valley northwest of Quito in the Chocó Andino cloud forest. Yunguilla is a vibrant village known for its commitment to sustainability and eco-tourism. Upon your arrival,
members of the community will be waiting to welcome you into their homes and give you a glimpse into their lives.

This evening, enjoy a traditional, homemade dinner and take the opportunity to get to know your host family.

Included Activities

  • Quito – City tour
  • Quito – Cooking class
  • Yunguilla – Local community experience

Destination: Quito
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, & Dinner

Early this morning, you’ll be immersed in the local way of life as you spend half of the day alongside your host family. You can engage in various hands-on activities such as organic farming, traditional handicrafts, or reforestation projects, and you might even learn to make jam. Whatever you get up to, the best part of today is simply spending time with the local family, getting to know their way of life, and learning about their culture. This is your chance to feel like a local and immerse yourself in the customs and cultures of this sustainable community high in the hills of Ecuador.

Later in the afternoon, you’ll say goodbye to your host family and make your way back to Quito, where you’ll have some time to settle in before this evening’s experience.

This evening, enjoy a unique sensory experience at the breathtaking Church of La Compañía de Jesús, one of Quito’s most iconic landmarks. During this immersive guided visit, you’ll explore parts of the church and its catacombs while sound, music, and sacred aromas help bring the experience to life in a completely different way. A live Danzante musical composition and the scent of palo santo create a reflective atmosphere that blends history, spirituality, and Ecuadorian culture into a memorable and deeply atmospheric experience.

Included Activities

  • Yunguilla – Local community experience
  • Sensorial Experience

Destination: Santa Cruz
Meals Included: Box Breakfast, Lunch, & Dinner.

This morning, you’ll head to the airport for your included flight to the Galápagos Islands (approximately 2 hours). Upon arrival in the Galápagos, your naturalist guide will welcome you and accompany you on your first day of exploration.

On the way to Puerto Ayora, you’ll stop at Los Gemelos, a pair of enormous volcanic sinkholes surrounded by lush highland vegetation. Despite the name, these aren’t true craters but collapsed lava chambers that offer a fascinating introduction to the islands’ volcanic origins and unique ecosystem.

Next, continue to Rancho Manzanillo for lunch in the peaceful highlands of Santa Cruz Island. This area is one of the best places to observe giant tortoises roaming freely in their natural habitat. Watching these incredible animals slowly wander through the landscape is often one of the most memorable moments of the trip.

Afterward, continue to your hotel and settle in. The rest of the afternoon is free to relax, explore Puerto Ayora, visit the beach, or simply soak in your first impressions of island life.

This evening, you’ll gather with the group for a special welcome dinner to celebrate the beginning of your Galápagos adventure.

Included Flight

  • Flight from Quito to Baltra (Galápagos)

Included Activities

  • Los Gemelos sinkholes visit
  • Tortoise reserve visit

Destination: Santa Fe Island
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, & Dinner

After breakfast, you’ll head out for a full-day excursion to North Seymour Island, one of the Galápagos’ incredible uninhabited islands, known for its abundant wildlife and unique landscapes.

During an approximately two-hour walk around the island, you’ll have the opportunity to spot some of the Galápagos’ most iconic residents, including blue-footed boobies, magnificent frigatebirds, sea lions, and both land and marine iguanas. Along the way, your naturalist guide will share insights into the ongoing conservation efforts to protect these incredible species, with a special focus on land iguanas and the preservation of their natural habitats.

You’ll learn about the challenges facing the islands’ delicate ecosystems and the work being done to protect them, all while observing wildlife in its natural environment. It’s a wonderful opportunity to better understand what makes the Galápagos so special and why protecting its biodiversity is so important.

After your walk, return to the boat for lunch before continuing to Bachas Beach on Santa Cruz Island. This beautiful stretch of white sand is an important nesting site for sea turtles and is home to a small lagoon where you might even spot flamingos. Enjoy some time snorkeling in the surrounding waters before returning to Santa Cruz.

Included Activities

  • Snorkeling
  • Hiking

Destination: Santa Cruz
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, & Dinner

This morning, you’ll visit the Charles Darwin Research Station, one of the most important conservation centers in the Galápagos Islands. During your visit, you’ll learn more about the ongoing efforts to protect the archipelago’s fragile ecosystem, including breeding and conservation programs for the iconic giant tortoises.

Next, you’ll visit Galápagos Conservancy for a special opportunity to meet with members of the conservation team and learn firsthand about their work protecting the islands’ incredible biodiversity. You’ll hear about initiatives focused on preserving the Galápagos’ land, marine, and birdlife habitats, along with the unique species that call them home.

This is a wonderful opportunity to go beyond wildlife watching and better understand the challenges facing the Galápagos, the people working to protect them, and why conservation is so important to the future of these extraordinary islands.


Included Activities:

  • Charles Darwin Station visit
  • Galápagos Conservancy visit

Destination: San Cristobal
Meals Included: Breakfast, lunch, & dinner.

Early in the morning, you will head to San Cristobal Island (2 1⁄2 hours ride approx.) via speed boat. Upon arrival, you will enjoy breakfast, and then the rest of the morning is free to explore the town at your own pace.

Later, you’ll have an excursion to Loberia, a scenic beach filled with large colonies of curious Sea-lions, Marine Iguanas, Frigate birds, and more. The waters around La Lobería are teeming with aquatic life, including sea turtles, colorful fish, rays, and occasionally reef sharks, making it a popular spot for snorkeling.

Afterwards return to your hotel for some resting time and prepare for your next day’s adventure.


Included Activities:

  • Swimming and snorkeling
  • Sea lion encounter
  • Breathtaking sunsets

Destination: Lobos
Meals Included: Breakfast, lunch, & dinner.

Your day kicks off with a brief 5-minute stroll to the port where a speedboat awaits. The boat features both indoor and outdoor social areas, as well as a restroom. Onboard, you will find water, coffee, and tea to keep you refreshed throughout the journey. Following a thrilling 45-minute cruise, you’ll arrive at Isla Lobos, stepping onto its shores to commence a guided walking exploration. The island’s main attractions are the iconic colonies of blue-footed boobies and magnificent frigates, emblematic bird species of the Galapagos.

Your hike’s duration is flexible, typically spanning about an hour, walking through rocky and sandy terrain that reveals the island’s unique wildlife. Returning to the boat, a security briefing precedes an exhilarating snorkeling session with the island’s playful sea lions. All necessary gear—masks, fins, snorkels, and life jackets for non-swimmers—is provided, ensuring a safe and immersive experience in the crystal-clear waters, surrounded by these majestic creatures.

Later, as you savor a tasty lunch aboard the boat, you’ll cruise through the awe-inspiring Galapagos archipelago toward your next destination, Playa Ochoa. Travelers prone to seasickness are advised to carry necessary medications for comfort.

Included Activities:

  • Guided wildlife trek
  • Snorkeling

Destination: Quito
Meals Included: Breakfast & Dinner

Your last day in San Cristobal includes a visit to the Interpretation Center, which takes you through the history and settlement of the islands. Visitors can enjoy expositions on natural history, human history, and conservation.

The natural history explains the different natural facts, such as the volcanic origin of the islands, the distance between the mainland, its currents, the special climate, the arrival of different species, etc. The exposition room of
Human History gives a chronological overview of the discovery and colonization of the Galapagos. The second section describes the reality of today’s Galapagos: the problems and the struggle of several institutions
and individuals to conserve Galapagos.

After that, you will head to the airport for the flight back to Quito (2 1⁄2 hours approx.), followed by our farewell dinner.

Included Fight

  • Flight San Cristobal to Quito

Included Activities:

  • History and evolution of the Archipelago at the Interpretation Center

Destination: Quito
Meals Included: Breakfast

You’re welcome to leave at any time today or extend your trip if you’d like to enjoy more of Ecuador or South America.

map of a vegan tour through ecuador and the galapagos

  • I recently went to the Galapagos with Veggies Abroad. 

    It was truly the trip of a lifetime! The days were packed with all kinds of fun excursions, but we also had some time for our own relaxation and exploration. The meals were all delicious. It was great to taste the local cuisine- made vegan friendly — without having to worry about ordering specialty meals with a language barrier. It was a phenomenal experience overall, and the group of travelers were amazing!
    – Laurel (Ecuador u0026amp; Galapagos traveler)

  • My trip to Ecuador and the Galapagos was simply AMAZING!

    Rebecca planned everything perfectly, she was also such fun to be with. All of our guides were so knowledgeable and friendly! The airport pickup was seamless for someone who is not used to international travel. I don’t even know what to say because it was just the trip of a lifetime! Oh and of course the food! So good and loved not having to worry about finding vegan food!
    – Julie (Ecuador u0026amp; Galapagos traveler)

Tour Highlights

  • Watch Galápagos giant tortoises roaming freely in their natural habitat on Santa Cruz Island.
  • Explore crystal-clear waters alongside playful sea lions, sea turtles, rays, and colorful tropical fish.
  • Stay with local families and learn about sustainability, organic farming, reforestation, and daily life in rural Ecuador.
  • Learn to prepare traditional Ecuadorian dishes and discover local flavors with expert guidance.
  • Enjoy a one-of-a-kind sensory experience Quito’s stunning La Compañía Church through music, aroma, and storytelling.
  • And, so much more!

Is This Tour For You?

This tour is perfect for travelers who love wildlife, adventure, and meaningful cultural experiences. The itinerary is active and covers a lot of ground, so expect some early mornings, long days, and multiple speed boat transfers between islands.

Quito sits at high altitude, so travelers should be comfortable spending time above 9,000 feet and may wish to arrive early to acclimate. In the Galápagos, you’ll spend time hiking, snorkeling, and exploring in a warm equatorial climate where the sun can be intense.

Accommodations are comfortable, clean, and locally owned, but some island properties are more simple than luxurious. If you’re seeking a Four Seasons-style experience, this may not be the right fit. If you’re excited by incredible wildlife encounters, authentic local connections, and the adventure of exploring one of the world’s most unique destinations, you’ll feel right at home.

a group of 16 people traveling with the vegan travel company veggies abroad in a hotel lobby after a dinner hosted by quinti travel
  • multiple little bowls of vegan ceviche with strips of plantain sticking out
  • a group of veggies abroad travelers posing for a selfie in quito
  • a single blue footed boobie standing on a gray rock in the galapagos
  • an isolated white sand beach with volcanic rocks in the galapagos islands

Ready to Join the Adventure?

Secure your spot today with a $500 deposit — The Galapagos is calling, and you don’t want to miss this unforgettable plant-powered journey. 

Trip FAQ’s

Yes, the single supplement is $820. We can also try and room you with another single passenger if you’d like to save you some cash.

Veggies Abroad partners with Intrepid Travel to help operate many of our signature vegan tours around the world. While Veggies Abroad designs and curates the experience, from the itinerary and vegan focus to the ethical travel philosophy and community feel, Intrepid provides the on-the-ground logistics and operational support that help make each trip run smoothly.

Since 1989, Intrepid has specialized in locally led, small-group travel experiences and became a certified B Corp in 2018, reflecting a commitment to responsible tourism that closely aligns with our values around sustainability, community impact, and ethical travel.

Together, this partnership allows us to create thoughtfully designed vegan group trips that combine immersive local experiences with the support of an experienced global operator. All Veggies Abroad tours are custom-created specifically for our community and are only available to book through Veggies Abroad.

We intentionally leave some meals open to give you the flexibility to make the most of your free time (when possible). Whether you’d like to wander into a cozy café, revisit a favorite restaurant, relax on your own, or join fellow travelers for a spontaneous meal, you’ll have the freedom to choose what sounds best in the moment.

On some days, we’re also in transit or exploring areas where a fixed group meal isn’t practical. Leaving those meals open allows for more flexibility.

And don’t worry — you won’t be left on your own! Even when a meal isn’t included, we’ll always provide recommendations and guidance on where to eat, and your tour leader is there to help. In our experience, many travelers who initially plan to do their own thing end up grabbing a meal together anyway.

Some of our tours, particularly safari itineraries in Africa, where we’re staying at remote lodges, include all meals because there are few or no alternative dining options.

Travel insurance is highly recommended for all of our trips, and we’re happy to provide you with a recommended company and/or quote. It’s essential to have a policy that provides cancellation, medical, and emergency repatriation coverage. It’s also best to get the policy after making the deposit. If you decide to forego travel insurance, you will be required to sign a travel insurance waiver that states you’re taking personal responsibility for any costs due to cancellation, trip delay, emergency medical, and repatriation should they arise.

We prioritize ensuring that vegan options are the focus for all included meals. Many places will have non-vegan options but those would be available to them at an additional cost. There are also a few meals that aren’t included and your friend could choose whatever they like then!

While all meals included in our tours are vegan, we can’t accommodate strict no-oil, no-salt, or no-sugar diets at this time. Because we work with a variety of local restaurants and suppliers, we can’t guarantee we can prepare meals without these ingredients, especially when coordinating dining for a group.

Americans, Australian, Belgians, British, Canadians, Dutch, Germans, and New Zealanders do not currently require a visa for Ecuador for stays of approximately 90 days or less. For all other nationalities, please reconfirm your visa or entry requirements with the Ecuador consulate in your home country.

A non-refundable deposit of $500 is due by September 6, 2027.

No, the deposit is non-refundable.

– Round-trip international airfare
– Airport ground transportation
– Additional activities that aren’t included that you might want to do on your own
– Additional meals that aren’t included
– Beer/wine/cocktails
– Gratuities
– Travel insurance

Unfortunately, this itinerary isn’t suited for young kids. The age requirement is 16 years old and up.

This will be a small group of only 16 passengers plus a guide(s) throughout the trip. Yes, there is a minimum, we must have at least 5 passengers for the trip to keep the pricing as is.

We do our best to ensure that all trips are confirmed; however, if we’re unable to meet the minimum number of travelers, you’ll have the following options:

  • Re-evaluation: If the group is close to the minimum, we’ll review the pricing and let everyone know of any changes. You’ll then have the choice to move forward or opt out.
  • Private Departure: Continue with a private trip for you and your travel companion(s). There may be adjustments to the itinerary or pricing, but we’ll do our best to keep it as close to the original experience as possible.
  • Transfer Your Deposit: Apply your deposit toward another Veggies Abroad trip.
  • Refund: If none of the above options work for you, we’ll happily refund your deposit.

December Final Balance:
Final balance is due September 20th, 2027

Cancellation by the traveler:
Cancellation before the final balance deadline will only incur the $500 non-refundable deposit. If additional trip payments were made prior to final balance deadline, they are refundable, less administrative fees.
Cancellation after the final balance deadline, the full trip is non-refundable.
No shows will be treated as a cancellation and are non-refundable.