Top 10 things to do in Galapagos & Ecuador with your family

Treat your family to an extraordinary wildlife adventure holiday in the Galapagos and Ecuador. It’s a place you’ll likely visit just once so be sure to do it well. We have access to the finest yachts, lodges and expert guides. This way your family can visit remote islands in comfort and privacy encountering amazing wildlife.

Originally dating from the 18th century, Casa Gangotena was rebuilt in the 1920s following a fire and therefore has a distinctly Art Deco feel. An aristocratic and elegant place that feels intimate and personal, it is the ideal base for exploring Quito.

Built in 1859, Santa Lucia Hotel is one of Cuenca’s most notable buildings, having been the previous home of the provincial governor. It is the perfect place from which to venture out to see the highlights of vibrant Cuenca and return for great food and elegant ambience.

Formerly the home of one of Ecuador’s most prominent families (including two former presidents), and also once the base for explorer Alexander von Humbolt, this hacienda was built on the site of both an Inca palace and Augustinian monastery. To spend time in original Incan rooms, complete with metre-thick walls, is an unrivalled experience.

Mashpi Lodge is a superb boutique hotel set in breathtaking rainforest surroundings, giving its guests an unrivalled Ecuadorian experience. Encounter exotic species, explore magical waterfalls, and completely unwind in your private suite.

With more ecological diversity per acre than almost the whole of North America, the ecological reserve surrounding Sacha Lodge is teeming with opportunities for experiencing the Amazon at its very best. Spot coppery tamarin monkeys, giant otters, boa constrictors and more than 600 species of birds as you trek through the rainforest with the lodge’s expert guides.

Being completely owned by the local community, you could not ask for a more authentic Amazonian experience than the Napo Wildlife ecolodge. It is the perfect location to be immersed in the ecology and anthropology of the Yasuni National Park.

With a gloriously isolated location right in the midst of the Ecuadorian Amazon, and benefiting from strong ties to the local indigenous people, La Selva Lodge is a place where you can immerse yourself in the nature and culture of this abundant ecosystem.

At 2,850 metres, Quito is the second-highest capital city in the world. The natural landscape lends an easy beauty, but the UNESCO-designated historic city centre is not to be missed.

The Cajas National Park dominates the highlands of Ecuador and is rich in wildlife. Many of the species found here are endemic, including the majestic Andean condor. Combine the park with a stay in Spanish-influenced Cuenca.

Ecuador’s Avenue of Volcanoes runs 200 miles south of Quito, creating a dramatic landscape of valleys and peaks, some of which soar to heights above 5,000 metres. It’s a lovely range for hiking and horse riding.

The Andean Cloud Forest stretches across Bolivia and Peru into Ecuador, enveloping the slope of the northern Sierra region with its dense frees. Both the Bellavista Cloud Forest Reserve and the Chocó-Andean Forest are rich in biodiversity.

Of the four main regions in Ecuador, the Amazon is by far the largest and most biodiverse. This splendid rainforest is protected by four national parks, the largest of which is Yasuni National Park and Biosphere Reserve.

Without doubt, the great advantage of Hotel Itza is its centrality. All the wonderful opportunities of stylish Cuenca are right on its doorstep; a fact that you will appreciate if you spend time surveying the panorama from its rooftop.

At an altitude of 3,320m, Hostería La Andaluza is on the south eastern slopes of the mighty Chimborazo volcano, the highest point on the equator. It is about a ten minute drive from Riobamba, in the valley of Guano.

Discover wildlife and adventure in the Galapagos Islands and beyond

Hacienda Zuleta is a perfect place for anyone who wants to experience the real Ecuador of the Andes through its history, landscapes and traditions. A farm dating back to 1691, stylishly converted for guests but still actively working, this place is an authentic taste of rural life.

As the location of a plot to assassinate the president in 1875, this hotel near the centre of Quito is, without doubt, a historic and cultural gem. You will love the arty vibe, and relish the rooftop views.

The charm of Hotel Illa Experience is that it is a small and personal space where guests are enthusiastically encouraged to engage with the fascinating artistic inhabitants of the neighbourhood. You are also in the same building as one of Quito’s most renowned restaurants.