DAY 1 SATURDAY AUGUST 22: (D) Transfer into Guayaquil and City Tour. Hotel check in at the 5 star Grand Hotel Guayaquil. Welcome to Ecuador Dinner in the evening.
Our first Ecuadorian City is Guayaquil.
In Duran you will have sometime to explore the old railroad workshops.
DAY 2 SUNDAY AUGUST 23: (B-L-D) Coach transfer across the river from Guayaquil to the Duran workshops. After exploring the workshops we will board our charter Railcar as we depart through the streets of Duran. We continue on through a flooded area of rice plantations and marshlands which will give you a very good example of how the people live in this region of the country. We continue on to the historic town of Yaguachi and on to the town of Milagro. Here we can find several traditional sugar mills that begun operating during the steam era. We leave our railcar at Milagro and
Transfer to the New Montubio Culture Hotel located just outside of Bucay. This new
Hotel was built with a "Ecuadorian Coastal Cowboy Culture" flare.
As our our charter railcar runs across the flatlands out of the Guayaquil area we will run
through the center of a number of small towns. You will be able to see the local folk selling their goods
and will get a very good feel the Ecuadorian life.
DAY 3 MONDAY AUGUST 24: (B-L-D) In the morning we head out to nearby Bucay located on the edge of the coastal plains at 1000 feet elevation. You will have the chance to visit the old Bucay railway workshops and see many of the steam engines that are based here. This is where the lowland locomotives where exchanged for the powerful "Andes Class" mountain engines to begin the steep climb up the Andes. We board our charter train pulled by engine No 58, which is still in operation and head directly into the rugged Andes and Chan
Chan River Gorge where there are no road access at all. This part of the system has not seen regular steam pulled trains since 1997. The vegetation changes from tropical to cloud forest as we gain altitude on our climb to Huigra at 3900 feet. Huigra is the site of the old headquarters of the Guayaquil &Quito Railroad and also where John Harman, the builder of this railroad is buried. We continue our ride from Huigra to the famous Devil's Nose Switchbacks on our charter steam train. This section of the line was closed due to a landslide that buried over 2600 feet of railway in 1998. The Nose comes to view, an immense natural obstacle that was surmounted by building two spectacular zigzags high on a mountainside. We will make a photo stop here and you are welcome to watch and photograph our train making the climb up the rock face and the switchbacks from a point where you get a panoramic view of this engineering
wonder with Sibambe Station deep in the gorge below. Once we all reboard after our photo stop we continue climbing the Andes on grades steeper than 5% until we reach the town of Alausi in the late afternoon. Transfer to the La Quinta
Hotel.
OUR STEAM TRAIN WILL CLIMB THE FAMOUS DEVIL'S NOSE SWITCHBACKS
 
DAY 4 TUESDAY AUGUST 25: (B-L-D) In the morning we will stage some photo run-bys of our train running down the middle of the cobblestoned streets of colonial Alausi and the spectacular steel bridge on the edge of town. After completing our special photo run-bys we board our train and continue climbing up into the Andes as the rail line hangs high above the Chan Chan River Gorge.
The air gets thin as we arrive at Palmira Summit at 10,491 feet. We continue northbound with spectacular views of high Andean Plateaus to the wonderful town of Guamote. This is a very traditional and very colorful indigenous town where it seems the way of life has not changed for hundreds of years. We leave our train here and transfer to the Hotel Abraspungo near Riobamba.
As we climb higher and higher the views become more spectacular
DAY 5 WEDNESDAY AUGUST 26: (B-L-D) In the morning we return to Guamote to continue our journey on the railroad. Today we will have another charter railcar as we travel across the Ecuadorian Highlands north towards Riobamba. We climb through many spectacular landscapes, Indian villages and the Colta Lagoon. From here we get the first spectacular views of the snow capped Chimborazo Volcano, which raises to 20,656 feet into the sky. Soon our charter railcar drops down into the Riobamba Valley and on into the city of Riobamba, a major town located in the centre of the country with a rich colonial history. Riobamba also has the busiest workshop on the Guayaquil & Quito Railroad. We transfer back to the Hotel Abraspungo
DAY 6 THURSDAY AUGUST 27: (B-L-D) Before we rejoin our charter railcar we will offer you a short tour of Riobamba . Back onboard we run out of the city on the streets of this busy town before we continue our journey northwards through the Avenue of the Volcanoes. We climb through open moorlands and indigenous communities all the way to Urbina summit, the highest train station in Ecuador at 11,841 feet. The Urbina Station lies right at the base of the 20,656 foot Chimborazo Volcano, the highest mountain in Ecuador. After a little time to explore the station and surrounding area we have some highland tea that will be served to us inside of the station. We then continue by railcar descending the Chimborazo slopes through a scenic ravine known as Devil's Ear and on to Mocha station. Mocha is known for the preparation of the traditional Guinea Pig. A stop is in order at a classic Guinea Pig BBQ . Everyone needs to try a sample of tasty Guinea Pig. North of Mocha the rail line is still closed so we will transfer to our charter motor coach to the town of Latacunga and check-in at the La Cienega Hotel.
In the morning we visit downtown Riobamba. Spectacular views of the active volcanoes can be seen from this city.
DAY 7 FRIDAY AUGUST 28: (B-L-D) In the morning we transfer to the recently rehabilitated Latacunga station to board a different charter railcar. We ride through the Inter-Andean valleys and begin our ascent to Cotopaxi Station. The line runs within Cotopaxi National Park through a beautiful pine forest. Here you can get awesome views directly across to the highest active volcano in the world standing at 19,3445 feet. Watch closely as the volcano will through up a wisk of small from time to time. In Cotopaxi we transfer to a waiting charter train pulled by Baldwin steam locomotive No. 18. This engine has just been
repaired in 2008 after spending some 20 years out of service at the Duran Station since it last operated. We leave our charter railcar here and ride behind steam as we continue towards Quito. From Cotopaxi we descend to the Machachi Station through a rich agricultural valley where we find many beautiful colonial haciendas rich in History. We run through the town of Tambillo before entering Quito, finally arriving at the beautifully refurbished Chimbacalle Station. Late afternoon we will visit the Chiriyacu railroad workshops. Then we transfer to the 5 star Alameda Real hotel for check-in.
DAY 8 SATURDAY AUGUST 29: (B-L-D) Morning city tour of Quito's colonial center, includes colonial houses, churches, sculptures and carvings, designated by UNESCO as a World Cultural Heritage site. From Quito we transfer by charter motor coach to the Imbabura Province in northern Ecuador, home to lakes, lush valleys, volcanoes and traditional indigenous towns and markets. Otavalo is Ecuador's best known Indian market which offers a good selection of tapestries, jewelry, ceramics and wood carvings. After visiting the Otavalo Market we transfer to the 4 Hotel Charlavi for check
In and dinner.
DAY 9 SUNDAY AUGUST 30: (B-L) In the morning we arrive at the Ibarra workshops on the remote San Lorenzo Railroad and starting point of the line that used to reach San Lorenzo, a natural port in the Pacific Coast. This line was built in the 1960s, but only operated for about 20 years before it was interrupted by landslides. Today only the first 25 miles from Ibarra to Primer Paso is open. However this is a spectacular railway filled with tunnels and bridges which descends through a unique subtropical ecosystem in the Salinas Valley. We board our charter railcar for our tour down to Salinas and Primer Paso where we use an old Armstrong type turntable to turn around our charter railcar for our trip back to Ibarra. Upon arrival back in Ibarra we return to Quito in the late afternoon. Check in at the 5 star Hotel Alameda Real
Did we mention...If you would like some extra excitement you are most welcome to ride on the roof for a birds eye view of your spectacular train ride.
GALAPAGOS ISLANDS EXTENSION: 5 DAYS/4 NIGHTS ABOARD M/V LEGEND
DAY 10 MONDAY AUGUST 31: (B-L-D) We have a mid morning flight from Quito to Baltra Island . Passengers will be picked up at the airport by our guides and taken to the pier to board the M/V Galapagos Legend cruise ship.
After our flight to Baltra Island in the Galapagos we board the MV Galapagos Legend cruise ship
Bartolomé Island Dry landing. Passengers will see volcanic formations like lava bombs, splatter, and cinder cones. After a hike to the summit you'll be impressed by the view of the surrounding islands, including the eroded tuff cone of Pinnacle Rock. During the hike to the summit, travelers will often see colonies of marine iguanas, lava lizards, tiquilla, and various cacti. Visitors will be able to snorkel and see the Galapagos penguin, sea turtles, and white tipped sharks from a safe distance.
DAY 11 TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 1: (B-L-D) Isabela Island (Urbina Bay) Wet landing. Passengers will visit the fossil beach and coral area. Depending on the season you may be able to observe giant tortoises, land iguanas and flightless cormorants. After the walk we will have time for snorkeling.
Fernandina Island (Espinosa Point) Dry landing. Visitors will see the biggest marine iguanas mingling with sally-light foot crabs, as well as flightless cormorants nesting sites, Galapagos penguins, Galapagos hawks, and sea lions. Among the flora and volcanic formations observers will spot brachycereus cactus, and "pa-hoe-hoe" lava and "AA" lava formations. Numerous mangrove beds extend into the sea.
DAY 12 WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 2: (B-L-D) Santiago Island (Egas Port) Wet landing on a dark sand beach. Most of the landscape is tuff-stone layers and lava flows. You can observe hunting herons, great blue herons, lava herons, yellow crowned night herons and oystercatchers. Passengers will see marine iguanas grazing upon algae beds alongside red sally light-foot crabs. There is a colony of fur-seals swimming in deep
pools of cool water. Here you can swim and snorkel and find octopuses, sea horses, starfish. Rábida Island (Jervis) Wet landing. The volcano-formed beach is dark red and frequented by sea lions. It's considered the geographic center of Galapagos because it has the most diverse volcanic rocks on the Islands. You'll hike to a salt-water lagoon, where flamingos can sometimes be found. July through September is a good time to observe brown pelicans nesting in the salty bushes. Boobies and 9 species of Darwin's finches can also be observed. You can take a dinghy ride by the reefs, as well as snorkel.
DAY 13 THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 3: (B-L-D) Santa Cruz Island (Charles Darwin Research Station) Travelers will visit the Charles Darwin Research Station, staffed with international scientists conducting biological research and conservation projects. Here you can admire the giant tortoises that are part of the breeding program. Visitors can also admire the prickly-pear cactus forest and many land birds. Later on, you'll have some free time to walk around town and shop for souvenirs. (Highlands) Travelers can trek through the highlands of Santa Cruz and visit Cerro Chato, where you'll be able to observe the famous giant tortoises. Additionally, travelers can walk inside the dormant lava tubes.
DAY 14 FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 4: (B-L-D) Santa Cruz Island (Bachas Beach) Wet landing. This beach is located on the north side of Santa Cruz Island. Here you will encounter many sea birds, marine iguanas, sea turtles, and have the opportunity to swim on the white sand beach. Return to the Galapagos Legend, check out and transfer to the Baltra's airport. Return flight to Quito via Guayaquil. Transfer to the 5 star Hotel Alameda and check-in.
Note: Itinerary subject to change due to weather conditions or National Park regulations and policies
DAY 15 SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 5: (B) Transfer to the airport for flights back home.
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