March 26, 2019
Day 1, Wednesday: arrival Quito
Arrival Quito, Ecuador, where we will be met by staff from Shai Bar Ilan Geographical Tours at the hotel. Quito is without a doubt the prettiest city in South America. It’s located at 2850 meters above sea level, 22 Kilometers from the equator, and enjoys a great spring climate and a magnificent view all around. The scenery is ruled by mountains and a number of snowy volcanoes that can be seen from a distance. The city itself lies at the feet of Mt. Roca Pichincha, which rises to a lofty 4,700 meters. Architecturally, Quito holds vast colonial treasures, and construction in the modern city is under strict supervision ever since 1978, when UNESCO placed Quito on the list of World Heritage Sites. After Arrival, transfer to hotel.
Day 2, Thursday: Quito, Mindo Cloud Forest
The western slopes of the Pichincha volcano are dressed with a wonderful dense ecosystem: the cloud forest, where is located Mindo. The cloud forest is perhaps the ecosystem that holds the greatest variety of birds and plants in the world. It includes birds and plants from the rain forest, some from the highlands, and others that have evolved in this unique ecosystem. Some of the most impressive bird species of the cloud forest are: Cock of the Rock, an abundance of Hummingbirds, Tanagers, Mountain Toucans, Cotingas, Manakins, among others.
Our group in Quito
Day 3, Friday: Colonial city tour
Explore the bustling streets and plazas in the largest colonial town of the Americas and first UNESCO’s World Heritage Site. Enjoy a super eclectic architecture ranging from the modern quarters to impressive colonial facades on churches and private residences decorated with beautiful balconies; a superb sample of the architecture of the last five centuries including parks like El Ejido and Alameda, the monument of Simon Bolivar, the gothic Basilica. Of the Heart of Jesús, Independence Square flanked by the Presidential ant the Archbishop’s palaces, the Metropolitan Cathedral and unique churches such as La CompañÃa de Jesús, El Sagrario or San Francisco, which display a rich sample of artistic and cultural heritage. Overnight at Hotel Swissotel Quito.
Day 4, Shabbat: Quito
After prayers and breakfast, we shall go for a walking tour of Quito. Today you will visit the Central Bank Museum, which has permanent collections of archaeological, ethnographic, colonial and republican art, as well as old photographs.The art covers pre-Columbian and Inca art all the way to contemporary works. You will be able to view gold artifacts, sculptures, paintings, utensils and three dimensional models of life in Ecuador. In the evening, you will enjoy the Chiva Quiteña night City tour. Overnight at Hotel Swissotel Quito.
Day 5, Sunday: Quito, Quilotoa Lake
The Quilotoa is one of the most beautiful places in the Ecuadorian Highland due to it is a lagoon inside a crater, just like Cuicocha. Quilotoa comes from two quichua words, “Quiru†that means tooth, and “Toa†which is queen. The lagoon has elliptical shape and its diameter is about 2 miles. From the superior border to the lagoon there are 1310 ft approximately. The lagoon is mostly green, but its color varies according to the luminosity, it can change to blue and even yellow. The water has a great mineral composition like sulphur hydrogen and carbonic gas which makes the water not for human consume, however people from the zone use this water for animals. In a sunny day you can see from here some of the Andes Range like the Illinizas to the north. Visit to Local Market in Pujili Village on the way.
Days 6-9, Monday– Thursday:
GALAPAGOS ISLANDS CRUISE 4D/3N IN THE GALAPAGOS LEGEND LUXURY BOAT
Morning Flight to the Islands.
Quito – Galapagos Islands – Quito.
Today we fly out to the Galapagos Islands for a fascinating cruise around the Islands. This is a volcanic group of Islands that rose from the ocean approx 4-10 million years ago. Man discovered the islands in the year 1535, and just like any other place, started destroying his surroundings. The animals, that weren’t yet familiar with humans, didn’t run away, and the sailors massacred them mercilessly, both for food and for pleasure. In addition, they also unleashed goats, cats and dogs that destroyed the area. The sailors took the giant tortoises back with them on the ships as a supply of fresh meat. Later they butchered the tortoises too for their fat. For these reasons and others, dozens of unique species became extinct.
DETAILED CRUISE ITINERARYÂ
Monday – Baltra Airport – Highlands Tortoise Reserve (Santa Cruz Island)
Departure from Quito to Baltra (2 ½ hours flight). Passengers are picked up at the airport by our naturalist guides and taken on a ten minute bus drive to the pier to board the M/V Galapagos Legend.
Afternoon – Dry landing. In the mountains of Galapagos is possible to admire different kinds of birds, such as tree and ground finches, vermillion flycatchers, paint-billed crakes, yellow warblers, and cattle egrets (usually standing on the tortoises’ shell). The journey to the reserve offers great opportunities to see the contrasts that the island offers in reference to the variety of ecosystems. The road goes from the coast through the agricultural zone and straight up to the dense humid forests. Often, Galapagos Giant Tortoises are also seen on the way, wandering through pastures in the paddocks. This spot is a bird watchers’ haven since almost every land bird present on the island lives or migrates here.
Our ship as seen from one of the islands
Tuesday– El Barranco, Prince Philip’s Steps – Darwin Bay (Genovesa Island)
Be marveled at the variety of sea life that uses the crevices of the lava cliffs for shelter. Red-billed Tropicbirds fly overhead, switching between their nests and the bay, and a small colony of fur seals may be found near the landing site. You will be dropped off at a steep stairway that begins on rocks at the foot of a path that leads through a seabird colony full of Nazca and Red-footed Boobies. At the plateau, the trail continues inland allowing you to see more nesting booby colonies in the thin Palo Santo forest. Near the end of the trail, over a rocky lava plain, Wedge-rumped Storm-Petrels can be observed flying in all directions. Afternoon – Disembark onto a small sand and coral beach. A short trail heads west along a tidal lagoon and then up a rocky hill that leads to a point overlooking the cliffs and Darwin Bay. Along the trail near the tidal lagoon, visitors will see pairs of Swallow-tailed Gulls, Lava Gulls, Yellow-crowned and Lava Herons. The trail continues through Palo Santo trees, Opuntia cacti, and Saltbushes inhabited by Great Frigate birds and Red-footed Boobies. This is one of the few places in the islands where visitors are guaranteed to see Red-footed Boobies. It is estimated that more than 200,000 Red-footed Boobies live in the trees and bushes of Genovesa.
Blue-footed booby feeding her chick
Wednesday – Dragon Hill (Santa Cruz Island) – Santa Fe Island
Dry landing. Walk by a brackish lagoon to see flamingos. The trail leads across typical dry zone vegetation. Keeping up until Dragon Hill, see an important nesting ground for endemic land iguanas, offering lovely views of the anchored boats and neighboring islands. The forest is home to mockingbirds, Darwin’s finches, yellow warblers, and Galapagos doves.
Afternoon – Wet landing. Santa Fe shows white sand beaches surrounded by sea lion colonies; through the island path, an endemic cactus forest is passed, home the Santa Fe land iguanas (the largest in the islands). This island is the habitat for a number of species, including the Galapagos hawk, Galapagos snakes, rice rats (one of the few endemic Galapagos rodents), a variety of finches and one of the four mockingbird species of the archipelago.
A sea lion with a great view
Day 9, Thursday: Galapgos Islands – Quito – Otavalo
Today we will fly back to Quito. Arrival Quito and transfer to Otavalo , capital of Otavalo Canton, is a largely indigenous town in the Imbabura province of Ecuador. We will visit San Pablo Lake that lies 5km from Otavalo. This wonderfull lake is located on the feet of the Imbabura Mountain and refuges on its borders many small indigenous communities. Overnight at Hotel La Mirage.
Day 10, Friday: Otavalo, Cotacachi Village, Cuicocha Lake
Today we will visit Cotacachi Village A small town nearby Otavalo, its narrow streets is full of stores that sell a great variety of leather goods. We will continue to Cuicocha Lake, located on the south side of Cotacachi Mountain has in its middle two islands surrounded by water. an impressive landscape of deep blue waters surrounded by hills.After the tour we will go back to the hotel to prepare for Shabbat. Tfilot and Shabbat dinner. Overnight at Hotel La Mirage.
Day 11, Saturday: Otavalo
After prayers and breakfast, we shall go for a walking tour of Otavalo.The most famous indigenous market in Ecuador is held here. Overnight at Hotel La Mirage.
At La Mirage (yes, the peacocks are real)
Day 12, Sunday: Otavalo –Parque Condor – Back home
Today we will visit Parque Condor, a rocky outcropping above Otavalo. But the stone pathways are not natural, they were laid to connect the numerous aviaries built to house condors, falcons, eagles, and hawks. The stone amphitheater is site of daily flight demonstrations that awe visitors. The condor is an Andean symbol, as identifiable to Ecuadorians as the bald eagle is to North Americans. And like the bald eagle before it, the condor has lived under threat of extinction. Estimates place the wild population in Ecuador between 40-60 birds. But despite their rarity, several condors can be found in captivity at Parque Condo, which is also home to 27 species of raptor. After dinner, transfer to the airport of Quito and flight Back home.
For prices and conditions visit the Kesher Web Site
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