Our trip begins in Quito, the capital of Ecuador, surrounded by the peaks of the Andes. During our full-day tour, we will be chauffeured in air-conditioned, luxury coaches and escorted by professional, English-speaking guides. Lunch featuring local fare is included.

Almost due south from New York, Quito is about 15 miles from the Equator. Although the city is about 9,000 feet above sea level, this wanderer-- who has the vices of smoking and some extra pounds--was pleasantly surprised that altitude sickness was nonexistent. Everyone is different, but allow yourself to acclimate, and, if you do not try to run a marathon the first day, you should be fine. The weather is also quite mild. Ecuadorians say they have only two seasons: rainy (October to early May) and dry (May through September). Both are temperate.

Quito was first settled in pre-Columbian times, when ancient Indians built an empire ultimately ruled by the Incas. Around 1526, the natives destroyed their own city rather than surrendering to the invading Spanish, and after the fires, the only remains were stone foundations of Incan temples, which the Spanish used to build their own churches, convents, and monasteries. Despite earthquakes, Quito is one of the best preserved Latin American cities, and our tour takes you to the best the city offers.

Quito is home to extraordinary colonial Spanish architecture referred to as Latin American Baroque. In Casco Colonial, the old town of Quito, historical multi-colored buildings, iron balconies, and red-tiled roofs offer examples of this beautiful style, which in part earned it World Historical Site status by the United Nations in 1978.

One of the finest examples of Latin Baroque is the 16th-century La Compañia de Jesus, a Jesuit church that took 163 years to build and is considered the most beautiful in South America. Its interior is coated in over a ton of pure gold leaf and lavishly painted with religious art, giving rise to its nickname, Quito's Sistine Chapel. We will also visit the historic Virgin of Quito and The Plaza and Monastery of San Francisco, as well as La Basilica, which was finished in the early 20th Century. Although one would not know by looking, the Basilica--decorated with hundreds of turtle-, iguana-, and dolphin-shaped gargoyles--is entirely concrete.

Next, we will visit Mitad del Mundo (Middle of the World), where you can take the ubiquitous snapshot of yourself straddling the Equator, simultaneously standing in both hemispheres. The entire park is nestled at the foot of the immense Andes Mountains, so there are stunning views in every direction. The granite monument tower, topped with a brass globe, houses a museum and an observation deck, and the boulevard running down from the tower is lined with bronze busts of the French explorers who mapped the area in the 18th Century.

After our active day, we will retreat to the J.W. Marriott, one of Quito's premier hotels.

Reminiscent of an Incan-stepped temple, the J.W. Marriott is modern and attractive, with a vast atrium lobby, two restaurants, and one of the finest sushi bars we have ever experienced. (In general, seafood in Ecuador is outstanding.) The hotel is elegant and yet country club in feel; there's no need for jackets or ties. Fresh roses are everywhere. There is a sundry shop, but it is best to bring the toiletries and other items you are used to. The outdoor pool area resembles a tropical lagoon. Rooms are spacious, with marbled baths and deep tubs, 110V power, and best of all, breathtaking views of the Andes.

Some tips: Bring comfortable, casual clothes, and good walking shoes. Be sure to brush your teeth with bottled water, since the water supply, while purified, may disagree with your system. The currency of Ecuador is the US dollar (so you will not need to exchange money), and we will have access to an ATM and a small upscale mall.

If you're considering going out in the evening: Gay life in Quito and Ecuador is in its infancy. Only recently have laws prohibiting discrimination due to sexual orientation been passed. Unfortunately, we are not able to recommend any venues, since it would be less than conducive to our safety. The few existing hotspots are in terrible neighborhoods.

Located 600 miles west of the coast of Ecuador, the 19 islands of the Galapagos Archipelago are famous for the window they provided into the workings of evolution. The youngest of the islands is estimated to be about four million years old, and the oldest, though now submerged, almost nine million years. Due to their complete isolation, the flora and fauna have evolved into species found nowhere else in the world, with unique adaptations to the individual environments of the islands. There are over 1,900 species of animals and plants endemic to the Galapagos. The most amazing result of this isolation is that the indigenous animals have no natural predators, and as a consequence, almost no fear of humans. You literally will be stepping over and around snoozing sea lions and nesting blue footed boobies as you hike the islands.

When Charles Darwin reached the archipelago from England in 1835 aboard HMS Beagle, the islands were deemed "worthless." Darwin and the crew surveyed the islands, creating maps so accurate they were used well into the 20th Century. This view into a unique, untouched eco-evolutionary system spurred his evolutionary theory, which triumphed with his 1859 tome The Origin of the Species. The Galapagos Islands were placed on the World Heritage List by UNESCO in 1978.

Due to the sensitive ecosystem, Xpedition does not dock at any of the islands; you will be tendered by Zodiac. These small, comfortable, inflatable craft are equipped with high-powered engines and hold about 16 passengers. Tours are offered in three intensities depending on your physical ability. High-intensity tours are longer hikes, usually two or more miles, over the roughest terrain. Medium-intensity tours are shorter in length, but over the same rugged terrain, and low-intensity tours are usually beach walks or Zodiac tours around the islands. During our last visit, a woman in her eighties and walking with a cane completed the high intensity tours without much problem.

No one is allowed on the islands without a guided escort. All tours are limited to 16 people and are conducted by Galapagos National Park Naturalist-Guides. The guides are highly educated, having accredited biology degrees, and are experts in the flora and fauna of the Galapagos. They provide insight on the islands' history, animals, plants, and geology. The guides are some of the nicest people, with deep personal interest in the conservation and culture of the islands. Smoking and littering is forbidden on the islands. Once you see this unique, pristine land you will understand the motto, "Leave only footprints and take only memories".

The flight from mainland Ecuador lands on the island of Baltra, where we will be greeted by park guides and staff from Xpedition. (Luggage will be sent directly to the ship.) As you approach by air, observe the rocky plateau of Baltra emerging from the blue waters of the Pacific. The terrain is flat and arid, specked with red volcanic rock and sparse growth of cactus.

The airport is your first taste of the isolated, unspoiled, out-country--it's a former WW2 military airstrip set up by the US to guard the Panama Canal during the war. You will have some time to browse the small village's shops before one of island's three buses will pick you up for transfer to the Zodiacs, which will deliver you to Xpedition.

A short sail away is North Seymour, the first island we will visit. After lunch onboard while we reposition, we will be briefed on the afternoon's tours and head toward the Zodiacs awaiting you at the Beach Club deck aft. Don your life jacket, grab the bosun's arm with a sailor's handshake, and get comfortable for the short ride to shore.

At the rocky landing, we will climb a small cliff and be immediately immersed in the animals of the Galapagos. Sea lions romp in the water and sun on the rocks. Female boobies will be nesting right along the trails, remarkably nonchalant about human presence. Galapagos mockingbirds provide the music as you take it all in. Our guide will explain the mating rituals, and if we are lucky, the males will be strutting for the females. Male frigate birds pump their red throats to entice the ladies, while blue-footed boobies wobble comically like circus clowns. Note: With all animals we encounter, WE need to step around them, NOT the other way around.

Known in English as Hood Island, Isla Espanola is the southernmost part of the Galapagos.The Zodiac will glide into a protected cove, and if we're lucky, sea lions will be bodysurfing in the waves and swimming around the boat to welcome us. On our last trip, one small pup was not happy to see us but lost interest and swam away after a lot of barking and posturing.

The terrain across the island is highly diverse. The hike will begin on the jetty, where the immediate terrain is low, flat savannah, slightly sloping up from the shore, with low grasses and plants and sandy beaches dotted with smooth rocks. You will be amazed at the colorful sally lightfoot crabs and sunning marine iguanas covering the rocks. The trail slowly is rockier toward the ocean side of the island, where enormous waves crash huge cliffs.

On Isla Espanola, blue-footed boobies, Nazca boobies, Galapagos hawks, and warbler finches are only a few of the birds we will encounter; the island also is home to the waved albatross. These birds can weigh as much as 40 pounds and are fantastic flyers. Their crash landings, however, are less than graceful--they come down like bags of soggy clothes thrown hard across the meadow. Farther around the island is its famous blowhole. The basalt rock at the sea edge has cracked, creating a fissure that, at high tide, fills with pressurized seawater. The resulting geyser can reach 75 feet in the air. Photo opportunities here are outstanding.

For the remainder of the trip, we will sample the finest of the Galapagos. Below is the approximate itinerary, which varies depending on weather, season, and marine conditions.

Puerto Ayora Highlights:
Tourist souvenirs, art galleries, Bahamian pintail ducks, flamingos, fly catchers.

Cerro Dragon Highlights:
Hiking tour, land iguanas, saltwater lagoon, and view from top of Cerro Dragon (Dragon Hill).

Isla Bartolome Highlights:
Galapagos penguins, marine iguanas, sally lightfoot crabs, sharks, Pinnacle Rock, lava fields.

Las Bachas Highlights:
White sand beaches, Pacific green turtle nesting grounds, pelicans, frigate birds.

Caleta Tagus Highlights:
Volcanic craters, lava flows, Darwin Volcano, saltwater lagoon, Galapagos penguins, flightless cormorants, Galapagos hawks.

Isla Fernandina and Punta Espinosa Highlights:
Marine iguanas, lava lizards, mangrove forest, Fernandina Volcano, caldera.

Puerto Egas Highlights:
Fur seals, yellow-crowned night herons, lava herons, marine iguanas, fur seal grotto.

Isla Rabida Highlights:
Brown pelican nesting sights, lava spatter cones, sharks, manta rays.

Isla Santa Maria a.k.a. Floreana Island Highlights:
Blacks Beach, snorkeling, Devil's Crown, lava tube, bull sea lions.

Isla Santa Cruz/Darwin Station Highlights:
Charles Darwin Research Station, Academy Bay, Lonesome George and Galapagos tortoises, and Pelican Bay.

After Darwin's studies and surveys, the Galapagos Archipelago remained untouched except for occasional landings for water and meager supplies mustered from the uninhabited islands. Many tortoises were taken for food and oil.

Unknowingly, these ships left behind non-indigenous animals like rats and cats. This, along with human settlement and the further introduction of non-indigenous animals like goats, pigs, and dogs, had a devastating effect on many native species. Once-domesticated animals escaped and became feral, and the islands suddenly were overrun with predators never seen before. They competed for available food, eating tortoise eggs, baby iguanas, and the plant base, which led to massive erosion and overall . The Galapagos tortoises are still in danger of extinction. Just ask "Lonesome George," the last of his particular species in the world, who's estimated to be 150 years old.

In 1930, an expedition from the US arrived to create a wildlife sanctuary for the entire archipelago, and finally, in 1935, the first laws were passed to protect these islands. In 1959, the Ecuadorian government declared the Galapagos a national park, the catalyst needed to promote scientific research, restoration, and preservation of the ecosystem. That year saw the creation of the Charles Darwin Foundation, which funds the Charles Darwin Research Station on Santa Cruz. Eradication of all invading species, capping or reduction of human population, and perhaps even stronger limits on tourism may be the future of the Galapagos Archipelago as scientists work to save this spectacular place and return it to its pristine, natural beauty.

Awake refreshed and enjoy the complimentary breakfast. Coaches will transfer you to the airport for your return flights home from this fantastic place.

Join us for ROmanCE VOYAGES' Galapagos Adventure and get more than just a vacation. Our customers say that ROmanCE VOYAGES is the best vacation they have ever taken as a couple.