Self-Launched Ecuador & Galápagos: Quito to the Islands Independently

Land at Mariscal Sucre airport and take an authorised airport taxi or the Aeroservicios bus (~$8/£6) into the Centro Histórico. Check into a hostel or guesthouse around Plaza San Francisco or La Mariscal. In the afternoon, wander the colonial streets — Basílica del Voto Nacional, Plaza Grande, La Ronda — then book a small-group Ecuadorian cooking class through GetYourGuide or directly with a local cooking school (~£22-30) for the evening. Note: Quito is at 2,850m, so take it easy on day one and drink plenty of water.

🚌Airport taxi or bus to centre (~£6-8)

🛏Hostel/guesthouse in Centro Histórico or La Mariscal (private twin or dorm, ~£14-20)

• →Old Town self-guided walk
• →Ecuadorian cooking class (GetYourGuide / direct booking, ~£25)
• →La Ronda evening stroll

Join a free walking tour of the Centro Histórico (tip-based, ~£4-5 tip) covering La Compañía church, San Francisco Square and the Panecillo viewpoint. In the afternoon take a local bus or taxi to the Intiñan Solar Museum on the equator line (~£4 entry, ~£8 return transport) and do the hands-on equator experiments. Pair it with a visit to a locally-run cacao/chocolate workshop in the city for a tasting (~£10-15). Cheap eats: set lunches (almuerzos) for £3-4.

🚌Local bus/taxi to Mitad del Mundo area (~£8)

🛏Hostel/guesthouse, Quito (~£14-20)

• →Free walking tour of Old Town (tip-based)
• →Intiñan Solar Museum entry (~£4)
• →Chocolate tasting workshop (~£12)

Book a Cotopaxi day tour independently through GetYourGuide or a Quito hostel tour desk (~£35-45 including transport, guide and park entry), hiking to the refuge at 4,800m if the weather holds and walking Limpiopungo Lagoon. Alternatively take a public bus toward Latacunga and join a shared 4x4 tour from there. In the late afternoon, catch the bus from Machachi/Latacunga south to Baños (~£4-6, 2.5-3hrs) and check into a hostel with volcano views.

🚌Shared tour van to Cotopaxi; local bus to Baños (~£5)

🛏Hostel in Baños (~£12-18)

• →Cotopaxi National Park guided day hike (~£40)
• →Limpiopungo Lagoon
• →Evening orientation walk in Baños

Rent a bike or take a local bus along the Ruta de las Cascadas to the Pailón del Diablo waterfall (~£2 entry, bike hire ~£5/day). Stop at the Casa del Árbol swing above the Tungurahua volcano on the way. In the afternoon soak in the town's thermal pools (~£3-4) or, if you want adrenaline, book canyoning or rafting locally (~£25-35, self-bookable via Klook/GetYourGuide). Dinner at a local mercado or set-menu restaurant.

🚌Bike hire or local bus along the waterfall route (~£5)

🛏Hostel in Baños (~£12-18)

• →Pailón del Diablo waterfall (~£2)
• →Casa del Árbol swing (~£1.50)
• →Hot springs soak (~£4)
• →Optional canyoning or rafting (~£30)

Take the public bus from Baños to Tena via Puyo (~£6-8, 4-5hrs) and transfer to a community-run jungle lodge near Shandia on the Napo river. Book direct with a Shandia-owned lodge or a responsible-tourism operator — the equivalent of the G for Good stay, but you pay the community directly. Afternoon: a guided village walk, cacao plantation visit and hands-on chocolate-making (~£15-25 arranged at the lodge). Rubber boots and a dry bag are essential.

🚌Public bus Baños–Tena (~£7) plus local taxi/boat transfer (~£5)

🛏Community jungle lodge near Shandia, shared cabin (~£25-35 with meals)

• →Village walk with local guide
• →Cacao plantation visit & chocolate-making
• →Community bike ride

Full day with a local guide from the lodge: hike to the Pimpilala waterfalls (~£15-20 guide fee) for a waterfall and swim stop, then visit a traditional chacra (farm) to learn about Amazonian agriculture and try chicha. Many lodges bundle this day into the nightly rate — confirm when you book. Evening at the lodge with your hosts.

🚌Local transport to trailhead arranged by lodge (~£5)

🛏Community jungle lodge, Shandia (~£25-35 with meals)

• →Pimpilala waterfalls hike with guide (~£18)
• →Traditional farm visit & chicha tasting
• →Jungle night walk (optional)

Bus from Tena to Papallacta (~£4, 2.5hrs) and spend a couple of hours at the Termas de Papallacta public pools (~£10-12 entry) with volcanic views. Then continue by bus to Quito (~£3, 1.5hrs). If you're on a tight budget, the cheaper municipal pools in Papallacta village cost ~£3. Evening free in Quito — pick a local restaurant in La Mariscal or the old town.

🚌Public buses Tena–Papallacta–Quito (~£7)

🛏Hostel/guesthouse in Quito (~£14-20)

• →Papallacta hot springs (~£11)
• →Free evening in Quito

Fly Quito (or Guayaquil, cheaper fares) to Baltra (~£180-260 one way with LATAM/Avianca, booked well in advance). At the airport pay the Galápagos National Park entry ($200 / ~£160) in cash, and the TCT transit control card ($20 / ~£16). Bus to the ferry channel (~£4), public ferry to Santa Cruz (~£1.50), then a bus or shared pickup to Puerto Ayora (~£4). Afternoon: hike to Tortuga Bay beach, then a self-guided wander to the fish market and Playa de los Perros to see marine iguanas and pelicans.

🚌Domestic flight (~£180-260), airport bus + ferry + bus (~£10)

🛏Hostel or budget guesthouse in Puerto Ayora (~£20-30)

• →Tortuga Bay hike (free)
• →Fish market & Playa de los Perros wildlife spotting (free)

Take a local taxi or shared pickup to El Garrapatero Beach (~£15-20 return) for a morning of snorkelling in calm water and flamingo-spotting at the lagoon (bring your own mask or rent on site, ~£5). On the way back, visit an organic coffee farm in the highlands (~£10-15). In the afternoon walk to the Charles Darwin Research Station (free entry, ~£5 donation appreciated) to see the giant tortoise breeding programme. Optionally add the highlands lava tunnels and Los Gemelos craters (~£15 by shared taxi).

🚌Shared taxi/pickup (~£20)

🛏Hostel or budget guesthouse, Puerto Ayora (~£20-30)

• →Garrapatero Beach snorkelling
• →Organic coffee farm visit (~£12)
• →Charles Darwin Research Station (entry by donation)
• →Los Gemelos craters (optional ~£15)

Public ferry from Santa Cruz to Isabela (~£25-30, 2hrs, often choppy — take motion sickness tablets). Check into a guesthouse, then book the Las Tintoreras boat and snorkel trip directly at the pier (~£30-40) to see whitetip reef sharks, marine iguanas, blue-footed boobies and pelicans. Late afternoon, walk or hire a bike to the Humedales wetlands trail (~£2-5) for flamingos and mangrove lagoons. Note: Isabela's national park sites must be visited with a licensed local guide — arrange at the pier or your guesthouse.

🚌Public ferry Santa Cruz–Isabela (~£28)

🛏Guesthouse in Puerto Villamil (~£18-28)

• →Las Tintoreras boat & snorkel tour (~£35)
• →Humedales wetland walk (~£3)
• →Flamingo Lagoon (free)

Choose your big day: the Los Túneles snorkelling tour (~£110-125, half-day boat trip through lava arch formations with turtles, seahorses and rays) or the Sierra Negra volcano hike to the Volcán Chico sulphur fields (~£35-45 with licensed guide). Either can be booked at the pier or via GetYourGuide the day before. In the late afternoon join a short ceviche cooking class at a local restaurant (~£15-20) and eat your handiwork for dinner.

🚌Boat or trailhead transfer included in tours

🛏Guesthouse in Puerto Villamil (~£18-28)

• →Los Túneles snorkelling (~£115) or Sierra Negra hike (~£40)
• →Ceviche cooking class (~£18)

Take the inter-island boat from Isabela to Floreana (~£45-60, book through a Puerto Villamil tour agency, often with a Floreana stop added). Have lunch at one of Floreana's family-run community restaurants in Puerto Velasco Ibarra (~£10-15) and walk to the black-sand beach. Then board the afternoon boat to San Cristóbal (~£40-55). These inter-island hops run on fixed schedules and sell out — book two to three days ahead. Evening free in Puerto Baquerizo Moreno.

🚌Inter-island boats Isabela–Floreana–San Cristóbal (~£90 total)

🛏Hostel or guesthouse in Puerto Baquerizo Moreno (~£20-30)

• →Floreana community restaurant lunch
• →Black Beach walk
• →Cocktail/beach time on Floreana

Book a Kicker Rock (León Dormido) snorkel tour via GetYourGuide or a local dive shop on the Malecón (~£110-130, half-day) — one of the best wildlife experiences in the islands, with sharks, turtles and rays in the channel. Alternatively, the gentler Isla Lobos snorkel trip (~£70-85) gets you sea lion pups and blue-footed boobies. Afternoon: visit the San Cristóbal Interpretation Centre (free) and walk to Playa Mann to watch the sea lions.

🚌Boat trip included in tour

🛏Hostel or guesthouse, Puerto Baquerizo Moreno (~£20-30)

• →Kicker Rock snorkelling (~£120) or Isla Lobos (~£78)
• →San Cristóbal Interpretation Centre (free)
• →Playa Mann beach (free)

Morning at leisure — hire a bike to Playa Lobería or do the Cerro Tijeretas walk for frigatebirds and views over the bay (free). Fly San Cristóbal back to Quito via Guayaquil (~£150-220). Remember the $20 TCT card and to keep enough cash for the departure. Evening in Quito with a final almuerzo or market meal at Mercado Central.

🚌Domestic flight San Cristóbal–Quito (~£150-220), airport taxi (~£6)

🛏Hostel/guesthouse in Quito (~£14-20)

• →Cerro Tijeretas walk (free)
• →Playa Lobería (free)

Breakfast, last-minute souvenir hunting at Mercado Artesanal or La Ronda, then head to Mariscal Sucre airport for your international flight. Allow three hours — note the airport occasionally closes for runway maintenance, so double-check your airline's schedule before booking.

🚌Airport taxi or Aeroservicios bus (~£6)

🛏None (departure day)

• →Mercado Artesanal souvenir shopping
• →Old Town coffee stop