Walks and hikes were easy, but we struggled with rain and at times strong wind kayaking in a two-person “cruiser” up and down Malbaie River. Â
Itinerary
Quebec City ➜ Parc National des Hautes ➜ Gorges-de-la-Rivière-Malbaie ➜ Parc National du Fjord-du-Saguenay ➜ Parc Marin du Saguena ➜ Riviere Saint Laurent ➜ Parc National des Grands-Jardins ➜ Quebec City
21-day trip to Ecuador and ☞ Galapagos Islands. We hiked 10-km Quilotoa rim loop and to 5000 masl at the edge of Cotopaxi glacier after grueling acclimatization walk in Chugchilan. We enjoyed watching ☞ hummingbirds and relaxing visit to ☞ Quito Botanic Garden.
Itinerary
Chicago ➜ Quito-Hostal Casapaxi-Parque la Alameda-Iglesia de San Francisco ➜ ☞ Galapagos ➜ Quito ➜ Yanacocha ➜ Bellavista Cloud Forest Reserve ➜ ☞ Alambi Cloud Forest ➜ Quito ➜ Machachi-Toacazo-Sigchos-Chugchilan ➜ Laguna Quilotoa (rim trail) ➜ San Jose de Poalo/Latacunga ➜ Hostel Valhalla/Machachi ➜ Laguna de Limpiopungo ➜ Cotopaxi Refugio and glacier ➜ Quito-Jardin Botanico/Orchid House-Passo la Muerte/Volcano Pichincha ➜ Lago Agrio-Tierras Orientales-Rio Aguarico ➜ Rio Cuyabeno/Rio Aguas Negras-Dracaena (lizard) Lodge ➜ Quito ➜ Otavalo-Lago de San Pablo-Parque Condor ➜ Quito ➜ Chicago
9-island Galapagos 8D/7N cruise, part of ☞ Ecuador 2008 trip. We had a wonderful cruise on 14-person Samba (steel-hulled motor yacht, converted fishing boat) with multiple landings and snorkeling stops, and naturalist guide Juan Manuel Salcedo (now with ☞ Cheesemans Ecology Safaris).
Itinerary
Quito ➜ Baltra-Airport-Samba Motor boat ➜ Plaza Sur Santa Cruz-Charles Darwin Research Station-Puerto Ayora-Giant Tortoise Reserve-Los Gemelos ➜ Espaniola-Gardner Bay-Punta Suarez ➜ Floreana-Punta Cormorant-Post Office Bay ➜ Isabela-Punta Moreno-Elizabeth Bay-Urbina Bay ➜ Fernandina-Punta Espinoza ➜ San Salvador -Puerto Egas ➜ Bartolome ➜ Santa Cruz-Black Turtle Cove ➜ Baltra ➜ Quito
Three days. Itinerary: Sturgeon Bay ➜ Eagle Bluff Lighthouse – Peninsula State Park ➜ Cana Island ➜ Washington Island ➜ Rock Island âžœ Cave Point State Park.
We walked around quite a bit. And made one full-day hike, loop around Rock Island.