Ecuador & the Galapagos Islands

Continuing with my trip down memory lane to reminisce on past vacations, one amazing trip I got to take was to Ecuador and the famed Galapagos Islands. My apologies in advance for 2014 camera technology, but Ecuador is gorgeous and definitely a trip I would recommend. Here are some photos of the amazing scenery and wildlife I experienced while there:

We began our journey in Quito, Ecuador’s capital city, where we stayed at the Casa Gangotena Hotel Boutique. This elegant boutique hotel is situated in Quito’s charming Old Town on the San Francisco Plaza (pictured below). The hotel was once the residence of many wealthy families throughout the Colonial Period. When a fire burnt down much of the mansion in 1914, the Gangotena family rebuilt it, living in the home until the mid-2000s, at which point it was purchased by its current owners to become a top-notch hotel. The Casa Gangotena is even recognized as part of the city’s cultural heritage, and with reason. The property is beautiful, and we had a wonderful stay.

We then flew to the Galapagos Islands, where we partook on an 8-day trip on the Ocean Spray luxury catamaran with Haugan Cruises to explore the islands. We got to see unique wildlife, found nowhere else in the world. Through hikes, snorkeling, and visits to island beaches, we got to see everything the islands have to offer. Our trip ran on a tight schedule, as the islands have strict restrictions regarding who can visit them and when, but if you do not shy away from full days of adventure, then this trip is for you.

After our boat trip, we went to the Galapagos Safari Camp in the highlands of Santa Cruz Island, where we relaxed and explored the island some more. At the camp, we stayed in luxury tents (more akin to hotel rooms than usual camping accommodations), which was