Ecuador & Galapagos Tour For Families Under 8s

Arrive at Quito airport, where you’ll be greeted and transferred to your hotel.

Meet with our local representative for a welcome briefing.

Overnight Hotel Vieja Cuba.

Begin your exploration in Ecuador’s capital, Quito, perched at 2,850 meters above sea level, nestled in an Andean valley on the slopes of the Pichincha volcano.

Quito is one of South America’s oldest cities, and its historic centre boasts well-preserved colonial-era architecture. The colonial old town was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1978.

Today, we’ll explore Quito’s vibrant plazas and charming churches.

After lunch at a local spot (not included), take a Teleferico ride up Pichincha’s slopes, offering spectacular views. Kids and adults alike will enjoy the adventure!

Overnight Hotel Vieja Cuba.

This morning, we head north to explore Otavalo’s picturesque surroundings.

On the way, visit the Quitsato Museum and its unique sundial on the Equator—perfect for a fun photo op straddling the hemispheres!

Then, enjoy a short hike along the rim of Cuicocha Volcano, with wonderful views of its blue-green crater lake.

Later, explore Otavalo’s famous indigenous market and its colourful craft- great for some souvenir shopping!

Dinner and overnight in Hacienda Chorlavi.

Hacienda Chorlavi

This traditional hacienda has been in the hands of the Tobar family for six generations and is a great base for travelling with children.

It has ample space, lovely gardens (with hammocks), a heated pool and play areas such as a play park and a bicycle course. Plenty to keep the children happy during our time here.

Today, we’ll visit Peguche for a gentle walk to a beautiful local waterfall, followed by a visit to an Andean musician family’s home to learn about traditional instruments like the panpipes.

After lunch at a local restaurant, we’ll head to Condor Park, a sanctuary for Andean birds where you can observe Ecuadorian wildlife and the majestic condors up close.

Dinner and overnight in Hacienda Chorlavi.

An early start today as we journey into Ecuador’s lush cloud forest. In Pahuma, enjoy a walk through the forest in search of hummingbirds, orchids, and hidden waterfalls.

After a picnic lunch, we’ll continue to Maquipucuna Cloud Forest Reserve, where the lodge’s communal areas attract numerous hummingbirds.

After dinner, you can join an optional night walk to experience the forest after dark.

Dinner and overnight in Maquipucuna Lodge.

Explore the forest on foot with a guide to discover native wildlife and learn about plant uses.

]After lunch, head to a nearby waterfall, where you can take a refreshing swim in a natural pool.

Dinner and overnight in Maquipucuna Lodge.

On our way to Quito, we’ll stop by the organic gardens of Maquipucuna, where you can learn about locally grown crops.

Then  in the village of  Marianitas, we’ll visit a local school and might even join in a football game.

After lunch, bid farewell to the countryside and return to Quito to prepare for the next chapter of your adventure—the Galapagos Islands!

Overnight Hotel Vieja Cuba.

Upon arrival in Baltra, Galapagos, meet your local guide for a transfer to Puerto Ayora, where lunch awaits in a local restaurant.

In the afternoon, visit the Charles Darwin Research Center, where you’ll encounter various species of giant tortoises and land iguanas from different islands. The breeding programs here aim to restore populations impacted in the past.

Overnight in Hotel Dejavu.

Begin your day with a shared bay tour departing from Puerto Ayora’s main dock. Visit highlights like Caamaño Islet, home to a sea lion colony, where conditions might allow snorkeling. At Franklin Bay, enjoy snorkeling and spot unique vegetation. Disembark for a walk to Los Perros Beach and pass the Love and Shark Canals.

In the afternoon, a speedboat transfer takes us to Isabela Island. After inspection at the SICGAL booth, board a water taxi to the speedboat for the two-hour ride to Isabela. On arrival at Puerto Villamil, transfer to your hotel.

Overnight in Hotel La Laguna.

Ferry Speed Boat Crossings

Residents and tourist alike use this method of shared transport regularly between the main inhabited islands. Out on the open ocean, this is your best chance to see whales and dolphins. Each crossing takes about 2 hours. Less time if the sea is calm, more time if the sea is rough. Boats are usually 30-35 feet long and hold 20-30 passengers. If you’re prone to seasickness or not sure, bring some seasickness pills just in case.

Early morning pickup for a shared tour of Sierra Negra Volcano. After a 45-minute drive, start a scenic hike on the eastern flanks of Sierra Negra to “Los Jaboncillos,” pausing for a briefing before continuing to the Chico Volcano.

Sierra Negra boasts the second-largest caldera in the world and stands 1,500 meters high. Enjoy a boxed lunch during the five-hour hike.

In the afternoon, visit a nearby Giant Tortoise farm.

Overnight in Hotel La Laguna.

Volcano hike notes: You can walk 2-6 hours with frequent rest stops and a lunch break, depending on how active you wish to be.

From the National Park checkpoint, there’s about a 45-minute walk uphill to the rim of the volcano. The trail around the rim has only slight up and downs with a few short steep inclines, and is about 2 hours in total, round trip.

To extend your walk by 2-4 hours more in total, then head to the lava fields of Volcan Chico – paths are uneven and rocky in areas and more suited top older / more adventurous children.

Trek notes: The path in and out is dirt: if it’s been raining, it could be muddy. There’s one proper bathroom at the beginning of the trail. The majority of walking is on level terrain. If you have weak ankles, use athletic braces and wear hiking boots. If you have knee trouble, bring a hiking pole or two. This is a non-technical hike.

Isabela is perfect for a free day; enjoy the beach, hire bikes, kayak, walk or just relax.

Some tours can be booked up locally, while others are subject to availability.

Tuneles (Tunnels) and Tintoreras are two we recommend pre-booking, which we can book for you (not included in price).

Overnight in Hotel La Laguna.

This morning, transfer to the dock for the return boat to Santa Cruz Island.

Upon arrival, transfer to your hotel and enjoy another free day of exploration.

Places of interest include the Highlands, or Tortuga Bay or perhaps some souvenir shopping.

Overnight in Hotel Dejavu

Transfer to Baltra airport for your flight back to mainland Ecuador, either to Quito or Guayaquil. From here, connect with an evening flight home or extend your stay.

Please note: This trip is an outline and can be tailor-made to suit your preferences and ages of children.

Ecuador is the second smallest South American country, and one of the most varied.

It comprises three main geographical areas: the coast, highlands and Amazon plus is home to the Galapagos Islands.

Because of its relatively compact size, it makes a great holiday destination as you can move from highlight to highlight fairly easily and rapidly.

These magical islands comprise of 50 volcanic islands of varying shapes and sizes, which lie 1,000 kilometres off the coast of Ecuador.

Here, unlike anywhere else on Earth, you can enjoy a thousand close encounters with a weird and wonderful variety of ‘friendly locals’, including giant tortoises, fur seals, sea iguanas, frigate birds and blue-footed boobies.

Read our Galapagos Islands Guide and more about diving.

In 1535, Tomás de Berlanga, Bishop of Panama, floated into this archipelago and named it Galapagos after the giant tortoises he encountered. Pirates used the islands for refuge and to bury their stolen treasure after that.

The islands’ most celebrated visitor was Charles Darwin, who arrived aboard the HMS Beagle in 1835. The rare life forms he encountered helped him formulate his theory of evolution, which he published in The Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection.

It wasn’t until 1959 when it became part of Ecuador’s national park system that this fragile ecosystem with its rare and endemic species came under protection.

In 1979 the Galapagos archipelago was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Landscapes vary from the drier south to the more humid north.

The Highlands, or sierra, encompass two Andean Cordilleras (the Central and Western), which run north to south through the country. Ecuador’s largest volcano is Chimborazo (6,310m) whose summit, because of its proximity to the equator, is the closest point on earth to the sun. Several of Ecuador’s volcanoes are still active, and it’s a great area for trekking.

Descending the steep, east-facing slopes of the eastern Cordillera, one passes through a transition zone comprising dense cloud forest and humid high jungle, before entering the Amazon lowlands.

This mainly primary rainforest covers a third of the country, accounts for 5% of the population and stretches across Ecuador, from its Colombian to its Peruvian borders.

The Galapagos Islands are simply unique. Lying 600 miles off the mainland, the archipelago comprises the summits of gigantic equatorial volcanoes.

The flora and fauna of the Galapagos, long separated from their continental cousins, have evolved differently. Charles Darwin used his observations there to develop his theory of Evolution.

Ecuador lies between latitudes 4º south and 2º north. Overall, climate varies according to time of year, altitude and region.

The Sierra 

In the Ecuadorian highlands, there is little temperature variation by season as temperature depends largely on altitude.

In Quito, shade temperatures range from 6 to 10ºC in the morning and from 19 to 23ºC in the afternoon, with cool nights. In the lower basins between mountains, it gets significantly warmer.

Rainfall depends on whether an area lies closer to the eastern or western Andes. To the west, June-Sept is the dry period and Oct-May the wet (with often a short, dry spell in Dec or Jan).

The best period to visit Quito and trek and climb volcanoes such as Cotopaxi is the west Andean dry season of June-Sept and Dec/Jan. This is also Ecuador’s high season. During the Oct-May wet season, most rainfall is in the afternoons.

To the east, Oct to Feb are dry and Mar-Sept are wet. Overall, the southern highlands are drier than the northern highlands.

The Coast

On the Pacific coast, rainfall becomes less from north to south. The coast can be enjoyed year-round, although from June-Sept mornings are often grey with the garua mists.

Jan-May is the hottest and rainiest time of year.

The Amazon

In Ecuador’s Amazonian region, rain can fall at any time, but Dec-March is usually the driest season and Mar-Sept is usually the wettest period.

The Galapagos Islands

Galapagos can be visited at any time of year.

The warm season is Jan-Jun, bringing calm, warm waters (around 70°F) and sunny days (72-9°F or 22-32°C), February and March being the hottest and sunniest months with blue skies and sunshine.

The islands receive slightly more rainfall during these months, occasional heavy bursts in the afternoon. Great for snorkelling and you can spend a lot of time in the water without wetsuits, with great, clear waters.

The dry ‘garua’ season is Jun-Dec an it’s a great time for marine life. August and September are the coolest when you may need a jacket in the evenings and the sea can be choppy and temperature drops around 15-24ºC on average.

There can be mist on the islands in the mornings (garua) which usually burns off by midday leaving overcast skies or a sunny afternoon.

Sea temperatures may drop to 60°F- 72°F (15-22°C) during this time and snorkellers will want a wet suit for prolonged periods in the sea.

Official name: Republic of Ecuador

Country population: 15,000,000

Capital city: Quito (2.51 million)

Largest cities: Guayaquil, Quito, Cuenca, Machala

Languages: Spanish (official), Quechua

Latitude/Longitude: 2º S, 77º 30 W

Official currency: US dollar

Major industries: bananas, shrimp, oil, gold, roses

Time zone: GMT-5 (Galapagos GMT-6)