Highlands & Islands

Quito itself is a delight to explore - stay if you can at one of the boutique hotels in the historic old town with its eclectic mix of colonial buildings and contemporary restaurants, bars and cafes - but I was soon heading east across the mountains and down to the Napo wildlife lodge in the heart of the Amazon rainforest.  You can see a huge array of flora and fauna here without actually moving from the lodge and its observation tower, but I would not have wanted to miss out on the jungle treks and river kayaking that Napo's team of wonderful local guides introduced me to.

The next few days were a whirlwind of activity - shopping in the beautiful Indian market town of Otavalo, hiking in the Cotopaxi National Park , birdwatching in the stunning confines of the Mindo Cloud Forest and driving through breathtaking Andean scenery to the city of Cuenca where panama hats outnumber the residents!

And finally west across the Pacific to the Galapagos.  Excited as I was by everything I had seen and experienced on mainland Ecuador , I cannot deny that the 4-day cruise aboard the wonderful Journey 1 catamaran was the absolute highlight of my trip.  Each day brought another island, another feast of incredible landscapes and seemingly endless encounters with tortoises, iguanas and birds that were captivatingly tame and inquisitive.  And as a qualified dive master, snorkelling at least twice a day with penguins, sea lions and Manta rays was for me animal therapy at its very finest.  Truly a life-changing experience that I would urge scientists, animal lovers and families with children that can swim to consider!

Costs for our 16-day 'Ultimate Ecuador ' tour start at £3,925 per person inclusive of a week's cruise in the Galapagos and flights from London .

Read more about holidays in South America