Many people who visit The Galapagos add a pre- or post-expedition visit to Machu Picchu. This is something I don’t understand because one has nothing to do with the other.  To me, the logic is creating a “nature experience” combining the Galapagos with the Ecuadoran cloud forests and/or the Amazon Basin  does. And, to be sure, it has much easier logistics, which I will explain later.  Trust me on this!

As background, my first love (after my children!) is biology. I graduated from college with a Bachelor of Science in biology with honors, worked for the National Marine Fisheries Service and as an environmental attorney before the “requirement” that I earn a living came into play. But, alas, nature was, is, and will always be, my passion. I also have a passion for nature photography, so rest assured, all the nature photographs in this article are from my last visit to the Galapagos.

I wish I had the time to visit both the Ecuadoran cloud forests and the Amazon basin, but not this time.  After flying into Quito, Ecuador, I will be heading to the Ecuadoran cloud forest for three days before a too-short return visit to the Galapagos; this time as a guest of Metropolitan Touring Company and HX (Hurtigruten Expeditions) on Santa Cruz II, a 90-passenger ship.

That last trip to the Galapagos was in 2017 as a guest of Celebrity Cruises’ Celebrity Xperience (now Emerald Dream) as a consultant of sorts, as Celebrity was determining what aspects of a luxury product it should include in its new, yet unannounced, and now highly successful Celebrity Flora.  The ship was a bit rough, but the nature experience was outstanding.  Since then, the quality and quantity of the ships in the Galapagos have increased dramatically.  However, what hasn’t changed much is the basic itinerary; the same one used by many of the leading operators: 

• Fly to Quito, Ecuador.
• Overnight at the JW Marriott in Quito.
• Take a day tour of Quito after an included breakfast.
• Overnight again in Quito after an included dinner
• Take an early morning flight to Baltra, Galapagos.
• Board the ship in the early afternoon and immediately start your expedition.
• Sail a Loop over five or more days (Northern, Inner, Outer, Western, etc.)
• Fly from Baltra to either Quito or Guayaquil, Ecuador, and then continue your journey onward, possibly to Machu Picchu.

I know that years ago, some company decided it made sense to have it as a kind of “While you are already down here…” post-cruise trip to Machu Picchu. However, the reality is that it makes about as much sense as saying, “Let’s visit Italy because it’s on the way to my African safari.” The distance from Quito, Ecuador to Lima, Peru (forgetting the additional travel from The Galapagos Islands to Quito and then to Machu Picchu from Lima) is over 1,000 miles. Add in the additional logistics, and you are talking three full days of travel to get from one to the other. And then you are presented with two totally different experiences, which probably do not do justice to either of them. (Personally, a visit to Machu Picchu is something to be done in conjunction with exploring Cuzco, the Sacred Valley, and more, giving yourself enough time for cultural and culinary immersion while also acclimatizing to the altitude without rushing.)

For me, “While you are down here” means heading to a place of nearby nature, including one I have always wanted to visit: the Ecuadorian Cloud Forest, home to Mashpi Lodge, a small luxury resort offering hikes, birdwatching, butterflies, hummingbirds, waterfalls, and some aerial activities. 

I will discuss this in more detail when I am there, but to be honest, I am just as enthusiastic about my time in the Mashpi Reserve, which has over 400 species of birds, 200 species of butterflies, and more, as I am about revisiting the Galapagos. 

After arriving on my late-night flight to Quito, Metropolitan Touring Company will transfer me to the JW Marriott Quito and, in the morning, take me to Mashpi Lodge (a three-hour drive) for my three-night stay before returning me to the JW Marriott Quito for two nights (including the above-mentioned day tour) before flying to Baltra in the Galapagos to join its co-branded and minority partner, HX, and the Santa Cruz II. 

The Metropolitan/HX Santa Cruz II experience is all-inclusive: shore experiences, zodiac cruises, spirits, wine and beer, gratuities, and Starlink wi-fi. This casual dress ship offers one restaurant, two bars/lounges, a small fitness area, and two hot tubs.  It also provides guests with complimentary snorkel gear and light wetsuits.  All staterooms are oceanview (no balcony), with most being approximately 162 square feet. There are three suites (no balcony) that are 326 square feet. I won’t know what category I will be staying in until I arrive in Quito.

I will be sailing on the In Darwin’s Footsteps (Eastern Route). The scheduled itinerary is as follows:

•  Mosquera Islet – Home to one of the largest sea lion colonies in the archipelago.
• Cerro Colorado Tortoise Reserve – A breeding center for the endangered giant tortoise.
• Punta Pitt – The only site in the Galápagos Islands where you might see three species of boobies and an opportunity to snorkel.
• Santa Fe – Home to the endemic Barrington land iguana and a colony of sea lions, with more snorkeling or glass-bottom boat cruising
• South Plaza Island
• Santa Cruz Island – Charles Darwin Research Station, plus a mountain biking or sugar cane plantation visit.
• Española Island – Marine iguanas, Waved Albatross, and more, plus snorkeling or kayaking at Gardner Bay and nearby Osborn Islet 
• Eden Islet – Galápagos green turtles, rays, and reef sharks
• North Seymour Island – Marine iguanas, boobies, and sea lions

Remember what I said about doing a longer expedition or doing two loops? Well, I went back to look at where I visited on the Celebrity expedition, and the only island I had been to before was Santa Cruz.  Just imagine what I didn’t see and what different things I will. Add to that my last visit was in May, and this one is in October; the breeding cycle times are different, as is the weather (now being cooler and drier), and things will certainly be interesting!

Before I conclude, I would like to mention the breathtaking landscapes for those who are not as enthusiastic about wildlife.

While the Galapagos are often referred to as a “Once in a Lifetime” destination, just as with so many other places, it really shouldn’t be. And now, to be sure, you can see that extending your visit to Ecuador to explore cloud forests and the Amazon basin (and I have some great ideas for that, including some offered post-expedition packages) makes much more sense than flying over 1,000 miles and spending three days to arrive in another country, and quickly ticking off an entirely different experience, immersing in neither. (But if you want to do that, Goldring Travel will make it happen.)