Ecuador & Galapagos Family Multisport
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 are 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.
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 to a local school - 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 for 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 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 an unforgettable day of activity and exploration, relax under brilliant starry skies while you're soothed by the gentle rocking of tropical waves.
GLORIOUS SURROUNDINGS: Premiere Inns
Hacienda Cusin (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 (2 nights): This beautiful 4,000-acre estate and working farm is open to only select groups. Features include a stable with horses for all riding abilities, a condor rehabilitation center and embroidery workshop.
Sea Man II* (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
Daily Mileage Options & Cumulative Elevation Gain
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
- 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
- Conclusion 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.
Routes 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 | Biking Average | Walking Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Level 1 | 2-3 hours | 10-20 mile | 2-5 miles |
| Level 2 | 2-4 hours | 21-30 miles | 5-7 miles |
| Level 3 | 3-5 hours | 31-40 miles | 7-9 miles |
| Level 4 | 4-6 hours | 41-55 miles | 9-11 miles |
| Level 5 | 5-7+ hours | 56-75+ miles | 11-13+ miles |
2010 DATES
FAMILY TRIPS
- 12/19-27Price: $6098 pp dbl. occ., (+ $2500 for sgl. occ.), Internal Air: $460
- 12/26-1/3Price: $6198 pp dbl. occ., (+ $2500 for sgl. occ.), Internal Air: $460
- 12/29-1/5Price: $5798 pp dbl. occ., (+ $2380 for sgl. occ.), Internal Air: $460
The trip you have selected is different from the one displayed. Here's how:
Trip Length: This trip is 8 days, 7 nights. Hotel Variation: On Days 5-7, we stay on Coral II, a modern yacht.
2011 DATES
FAMILY TRIPS
- 3/19-27Price: $5998 pp dbl. occ., (+ $2500 for sgl. occ.), Internal Air: $650
The trip you have selected is different from the one displayed. Here's how:
Hotel Variation: Days 1-2 we stay at Hacienda Zuleta, Days 3-4 we stay at Hacienda Cusin, and Days 5-8 we stay aboard the Coral II, a modern yacht. As a result, the order of activities will differ. - 6/19-27Price: $5998 pp dbl. occ., (+ $2500 for sgl. occ.), Internal Air: $650
The trip you have selected is different from the one displayed. Here's how:
Hotel Variation: Days 1-2 we stay at Hacienda Zuleta and Days 3-4 we stay at Hacienda Cusin. As a result, the order of activities will differ. - 7/16-24Price: $5998 pp dbl. occ., (+ $2500 for sgl. occ.), Internal Air: $650
The trip you have selected is different from the one displayed. Here's how:
Hotel Variation: Days 1-2 we stay at Hacienda Zuleta, Days 3-4 we stay at Hacienda Cusin, and Days 5-8 we stay aboard the Coral II, a modern yacht. As a result, the order of activities will differ. - 12/18-26Price: $5998 pp dbl. occ., (+ $2500 for sgl. occ.), Internal Air: $650
The trip you have selected is different from the one displayed. Here's how:
Hotel Variation: Days 1-2 we stay at Hacienda Zuleta and Days 3-4 we stay at Hacienda Cusin. As a result, the order of activities will differ. - 12/25-1/2Price: $5998 pp dbl. occ., (+ $2500 for sgl. occ.), Internal Air: $650
The trip you have selected is different from the one displayed. Here's how:
Hotel Variation: Days 1-2 we stay at Hacienda Zuleta and Days 3-4 we stay at Hacienda Cusin. As a result, the order of activities will differ.
Recommended Kids Ages
Minimum Ages:
Recommended minimum age for the trip: 9 years
Minimum age restriction to ride own bike: 9 years
No burleys or piccolos available on this trip.
General Info on Minimum Ages:
We strongly encourage families to join our Family Trips, designed with kid- and adult-friendly features. Please note that we have a minimum age requirement of 1 year for all Inn trips and 2 years for all Camping trips. Other than that, we do not restrict trips to a minimum age except in the rare case of a hotel age restriction. We do, however, recommend minimum ages based on the following criteria:
- 12+ cultural appreciation, difficulty/restrictions of activities and route
- 9+ several long adult dinners; difficulty/restrictions of activities and route
- 6+ several long adult dinners; parent may not be able to pull a Burley and/or there may be multiple activity restrictions
Please note that a trip may feature an activity with an older age requirement than the minimum age recommendation for the trip. Younger kids are still welcome on the trip and while they will not be able to participate in the activity, the leaders will suggest an alternate activity. For safety reasons, children under 7 may not ride their own bikes and are required to ride on a Piccolo or in a Burley. For certain destinations, children must be 9 or older to ride their own bikes.
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.- Bellaire, TX
I loved the part of the trip in the Highlands of Ecuador - both haciendas were wonderful. Our leaders were enthusiastic, helpful, flexible and kind, and the food was excellent. The scenery and contact with the local people was superb, and I loved the hiking and biking!- Cherry Hill, NJ
Backroads planned an amazing and rich trip, and executed it with polish and good humor. We were extremely impressed and will travel with Backroads on all our future organized travel. Guides were wonderful with guests, kids, dietary and medical restrictions, and at keeping everything moving smoothly. By the end of the trip, we felt our family had grown to include the leaders and other guests.- Berkeley, CA