Price for 12 nights in Ecuador starts at $9,700

The capital of Ecuador, Quito, boasts one of the most breathtakingly maintained colonial cities in South America, with its gorgeous cathedrals and cobblestoned streets. The site was added to the UNESCO World Heritage list in 1978. The Government Palace and the Monastery of San Francisco, which dates back to 1534, are among the notable buildings you will see during today's guided walking tour of the main plaza. The next stop is Panecillo Hill, also known as Little Bread Loaf Hill, where you may have a private picnic lunch while seeing the famous monument of the Virgin of Quito. A chocolate tasting will follow. On this tour of Quito's hip La Floresta area, you'll be driven to a tasting room where you may sample ten different kinds of chocolate while learning about their history and making process. As a delightful memento, a gift box is provided. 

The Casa del Alabado museum in colonial Quito offers a behind-the-scenes tour to Capital One cardholders. Over five hundred artifacts, of which 500 are on permanent exhibit, span nearly seven thousand years of indigenous Ecuadorian history and are housed in the museum's archeological collection. In addition, you will get knowledge about the local flora and how it has been passed down through generations of shamans for both medical and spiritual uses. These plants play an important role in indigenous peoples' daily lives.

Get out of Quito and head south for an hour to reach Cotoxpaxi National Park. Visit the Cotopaxi Interpretation Center with your guide to get a better understanding of the local vegetation, animals, and volcanic history. The next stop is the picturesque Limpiopungo Lake, where you can have a stroll before hitting the trails on horseback in the Ecuadorian highlands and Andes. Your guide, an Andean cowboy known as a "chagra," may show you local wildlife, such as wild horses and birds. Before your return drive to Quito, you will have lunch included.

Leaving Quito behind, your next stop should be the Galápagos Islands, a natural wonderland. Upon your arrival at Hotel Casa Gangotena, a driver will be waiting to take you to Quito Airport, where your flight to Galápagos Island Baltra will depart. After you arrive, you'll be taken to the 16-passenger Ocean Spray, where you'll stay in a double cabin for four nights. Please be aware that this is not a private charter and that there will be other passengers on board. The price already includes meals, however it does not cover tips or alcohol. Get on board the ship in the afternoon and head for Bartholomew Island, where you may see volcanic rock formations in shades of green, red, orange, and even black. If you're lucky, you might even see penguins while snorkeling on the beach. Minden Pictures RM/Getty Images

Darwin Bay, on Genovesa Island, is a white-sand coral beach accessible via a half-mile footpath that winds its way through mangrove streams. Keep your eyes out for some amazing wildlife, like sea lions, swallow-tailed gulls, red-footed boobies, and Nazca boobies. The walk ends in a spot where you can go kayaking or snorkeling. Hike the path to El Barranco (or Prince Philip's Steps) after lunch on the boat. The breathtaking views of the ocean are your reward.

Espumilla Beach is the perfect area to begin your exploration of Santiago Island because it is ideal for snorkeling and seeing marine iguanas and sally lightfoot crabs. Stop at Egas Port, sometimes called James Bay, after lunch on board. This breathtaking location is teeming with wildlife, such as Galápagos hawks and quick-footed lava lizards. Continue your snorkeling adventures in perfect tidal pools by hiking a path to the coast. Casa Gangotena graciously provides.

Today, you will have the opportunity to explore North Seymour Island, renowned for its desolate scenery, beaches exposed to the wind, and abundant birdlife. After lunch, you will be taken to Santa Cruz Island, where you can go hiking in the Santa Cruz highlands. These lush, verdant areas are dotted with scalesia trees. Exploring half-mile-long subterranean lava tunnels is another otherworldly experience. Also, be on the out for the enormous Galápagos tortoises that call this island home.

Mosquera Islet is one of the best places to see sea lions, so make sure to go there first thing in the morning. In the Santa Cruz Island highlands, at the small Galapagos Safari Camp, you can say farewell to the ship, take a car transfer, and settle into a double tent inspired by Africa. Please be aware that your stay includes all meals, but not tips or alcohol. Enjoy lunch on the property at a nearby farm in the afternoon while taking in the breathtaking Santa Cruz landscape, complete with lava tubes, pit craters, and scalesia forests. Also, you could get to see the Tortoise Reserve.

Using a motorboat, you can visit the nearby islands of Santa Fé, Plazas, Bartholomew, and North Seymour. Alternately, you may pay a visit to the Charles Darwin Research Station, a biological research station run by the Charles Darwin Foundation. Here, naturalists, volunteers, and scientists study and strive to preserve this extraordinary nature site.

Visit the Cerro Mesa Reserve, located in Santa Cruz Island's easternmost tip, for breathtaking views of the island's biggest crater, as part of a guided driving tour. Indulge in some downtime after lunch at Garrapatero Beach, a beautiful white sand cove with turquoise waters that is home to a lagoon teeming with flamingos. The hidden bays are perfect for a kayak ride as well.

Return to the mainland and Quito airport by transferring to Baltra Airport. The Hacienda Zuleta, a hotel in Otavalo, two hours north of Quito, in the Andean mountains, will be your destination from there. You will be staying in a standard room for two nights at this tiny hotel. It is run by the renowned Plaza-Lasso family and is nestled on a 4,000-acre working farm. Every day, you also have lunch and dinner, which include a variety of traditional Andean foods.

Riding a Zuleteño horse across the countryside is a great way to start your day. After lunch at the hacienda, you'll get the opportunity to explore the grounds on a horse-drawn carriage trip. Additionally, you can be taken to the Condor Huasi Project, which is dedicated to the restoration of the Andean condor.

Check out of the Hacienda Zuleta after breakfast and make your way to Quito to catch your trip back home.