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Route Rating Level 1 to Level 3

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RESERVE THIS TRIP!

Premiere Inns
Trip Price:
  • $5,998 pp dbl. occ.
  • (+$2,500 for sgl. occ.)
  • Internal Flights:
    $460

Special Kids Prices

9 DAYS, 8 NIGHTS
ROLL OVER DATES BELOW FOR SPECIFIC PRICES
2010 DATES
FAMILY TRIPS
TRIP NOTES

All meals included.

Cancellation Policy

View cancellation policy

Meet / Depart

Quito, Ecuador

Special Interest

Boat, Cruise, Culture & History, Exotic Adventure, Geological Wonders, Horseback Ride, Kayak, Mountain Bike, Natural Beauty &/or Wildlife, Sail, Snorkel, Swim, Tropical/Winter Sunshine, Water Activities

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Call: 800-462-2848
or 510-527-1555
Fax: 510-527-1444
E-mail us

801 Cedar St.
Berkeley, CA 94710

Business Hours:
7 days a week
from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., Pacific Time

Or contact your travel agent

Ecuador Family Multisport

Ecuador & Galapagos Family Multisport

Biking, Hiking & Kayaking Highlands & Islands

Pack your sense of adventure and join Backroads in Ecuador, a country of contrasts, diverse terrain, fascinating history and remarkable natural beauty. The impressive volcano-studded highlands and pristine Galápagos Islands present the ideal playground for your family’s active explorations. Hike and mountain bike through the Andean highlands, stopping in mountain villages to enjoy traditional music, arts and crafts. Then explore the incomparable marine sanctuary of the Galápagos as we sail from island to island, and walk, snorkel and paddle among giant tortoises, blue-footed boobies, sea lions and iguanas. Unique cultural experiences plus multisport activities equals a truly one-of-a-kind trip for the whole family.

View the Classic Premiere Inns Itineraries.

View other trips in Latin America

Days 1-2 San Pablo del Lago

Meet in Quito  Hike to the beautiful open meadows of Rinconada Valley Visit the bustling market town of Otavalo and rub shoulders with the indigenous Otavaleños, renowned for musical talents and woven crafts   Practice your Spanish as you bargain with the locals Kids dive into a market scavenger hunt Pedal to Peguche and enjoy the spirited serenading of local musicians playing handcrafted instruments Meet Señor Miguel Andrango, one of Ecuador’s foremost master weavers, and tour his studio.

Days 3-4 Zuleta

Take in views of snowcapped Volcán Cayambe on your walk a local school, where, if class is in session, you can interact with the kids!  Settle in at 17th-century Hacienda Zuleta, a 4,000-acre working farm and your magnificent backyard for mountain biking, hiking and horseback riding amid volcano views and pre-Inca ruins  Tour the property with our host Fernando Polanco, grandson of a former Ecuadorian president, to see cows milked and cheese made  Bike to the condor huasi (house), created to reintroduce Andean condors to the wild Savor gourmet family-style meals featuring organic produce from the hacienda.

Days 5-9 Galapagos Islands

Fly to the Galápagos Islands, an isolated sanctuary home to a stunning array of unique plants and animals  Accompanied by a park naturalist, view wildlife such as blue-footed boobies, giant tortoises, hammerhead sharks, sea lions, iguanas and possibly even penguins in their natural habitats  From our private motor yacht, sail from island to island with plenty of stops for snorkeling, swimming and hiking After the day’s otherworldly experiences, relax under brilliant starry skies while you're soothed by the gentle rocking of tropical waves.

Guest Trip Reviews

I knew this would be a great trip but I didn't expect it to be so wonderful and fabulous! Ecuador was an unexpected gem. What a beautiful country with wonderful people! We just loved the hiking and mountain biking.
Sue Floyd - Bellaire, TX

More Reviews of this Trip

All Guest Reviews

For 30 years, Backroads has been perfecting the art of active travel. We are the Ecuador tour experts. For multisport tours in Latin America, trust our in-depth connections. To see all our Latin America multisport tours click here. For our selection of award-winning Latin America biking tours click here. For our selection of award-winning Latin America walking and hiking tours click here.

Ecuador & Galapagos Family Multisport

GLORIOUS SURROUNDINGS: Premiere Inns

Hacienda Cusin
Hacienda Cusin

San Pablo del Lago (2 nights)

Located in the Ecuadorian sierra, this restored 17th-century Andean estate offers guest rooms with beamed ceilings, garden views and Colonial-style tranquility.

Hacienda Zuleta
Hacienda Zuleta

Zuleta (2 nights)
This beautiful 4,000-acre estate and working farm is only open to select groups. Features include a riding stable with horses for all riding abilities, a condor rehabilitation center and embroidery workshop.

Sea Man II*

Galápagos Islands (4 nights)
Float in style aboard this modern 90-foot motor catamaran, featuring large comfortable cabins with outside views, a dining room, lounge, library, bar, observation deck, sundeck and a gracious crew including a bilingual naturalist guide.

*With 4 semi-luxury yacht nights on the Sea Man II

Ecuador & Galapagos Family Multisport

Route Rating: Daily Mileage Options & Cumulative Elevation Gain

Trips For All Abilities

Every Backroads trip is designed to appeal to a wide variety of interests and fitness levels. We know your pace may vary from one day to the next-and your traveling companion's may differ somewhat from yours. So we present a range of mileage options, and each day you decide exactly what and how much you want to do.

Activity Level Average Time Average Distance
    Biking Walking
& Hiking
1 2-3
hours
10-20
miles
2-5
miles
2 2-4
hours
21-30
miles
5-7
miles
3 3-5
hours
31-40
miles
7-9
miles
4 4-6
hours
41-55
miles
9-11
miles
5 5-7+
hours
56-75+
miles
11-13+
miles
Day 1
  • Level 1  2 Route Options Available
  • Hiking 2.6 miles
  • 700 feet elevation gain
  • Biking 2 miles
  • 300 feet elevation gain
Day 2
  • Level 1  3 Route Options Available
  • Biking 6, 9, 17 miles
  • 0 - 1500 feet elevation gain
Day 3
  • Levels 1 to 3  4 Route Options Available
  • Walking 3.1, 4.7, 4.9, 7.4 miles
  • 0 - 1000 feet elevation gain 
Day 4
  • Level 1  3 Route Options available
  • Biking 7, 9 miles
  • 0 - 500 feet elevation gain
  • Optional Walking 2.2 miles
Day 5
  • Travel to Galápagos
  • Level 1  1 Route Option available
  • Hiking 1.5 miles
  • 0 - 500 feet elevation gain
Day 6
  • Snorkeling, walking, wildlife viewing
Day 7
  • Snorkeling, walking, wildlife viewing
Day 8
  • Snorkeling, kayaking, walking, wildlife viewing
Day 9
  • Conculsion of trip 

On this Family Trip, our routes follow gentle terrain with no significant gain or loss in elevation. Liberal van shuttling is incorporated into the itinerary to facilitate our activities and mileage is kept moderate to enable you to spend more time exploring on your own.