Honeymoon in Quito, the Amazon and the Galápagos
Frauke & Arvid
We usually organise our own holidays and enjoy having the freedom to do so. As this was to be our honeymoon and we were still exploring our options, we came into contact with Sapa Pana Travel ‘through the grapevine’. Our first conversation with Johan was an instant hit! It was brilliant that he took the time to listen to our personal wishes first: nature, the Amazon, the rainforest, the sea and a tropical setting. We initially settled on Costa Rica. By letting us talk things through, he also showed us Ecuador and the Galápagos Islands. We’d never even thought about these before, but this was exactly what we were looking for. So, together, we mapped out an amazing (honeymoon) trip. Every day was even more beautiful than the last; it was so relaxing not having to think about a thing, apart from setting your alarm on time!
Quito
On arrival, we checked into the Ila Experience hotel. We immediately felt the hospitality and warmth of these lovely people. We were pampered right from the start. We preferred to explore Quito on our own, without a guide. All the staff at Sapa Pana Travel were incredibly helpful. We followed the tips we received from Sapa Pana and explored at our own pace. Some really great tips for restaurants and places of interest!
Amazon
After a few days in Quito to recover from the wedding and the jet lag, we set off for the Amazon. Here, we stayed at the Napo Wildlife Centre. We’ve never seen anything so breathtaking; sometimes you just can’t put a feeling into words. The Napo Wildlife Centre is truly an unforgettable experience. The service you receive from the local people, their hospitality and the genuine smiles they give you every day – it was incredible. It’s amazing how such a beautiful place can be built right in the middle of the jungle. The guides were fantastic. They were walking encyclopaedias who know the jungle like the back of their hand. You paddle a canoe right through the jungle, and along the way the monkeys leap from one tree to another. The guides see and hear everything and explain anything you want to know about any animal or plant. We learnt an awful lot from our guides. Exactly what we’d been hoping for.
Galapagos
As we’re not really the boat-going type, we opted to stay on Santa Cruz Island at the Galapagos Safari Camp. Once again, the service is second to none and the food at the Galapagos Safari Camp is restaurant-standard. You’ll sleep in a beautiful safari tent with all the trimmings. You’ll be right in the heart of nature, and when you wake up, you might just see Harry the tortoise shuffling past your tent in search of food. He’ll give you a quick look and then calmly carry on his way. The birds chirp and hop along with you as you make your way to breakfast in the morning. The animals here aren’t afraid of people, so you can find yourself in the most comical situations every single day. We opted for day trips, so that we could still plan part of our journey ourselves. Taking a boat to other islands, snorkelling with sharks, rays, the most beautiful fish, penguins and sea lions. Visiting volcanic islands and seeing loads of iguanas of all shapes and sizes. And, of course, our favourite: the blue-footed boobies. Despite the day trips, we had the same guide at our disposal for the whole week. The funniest and most knowledgeable guide we’ve ever had.
“ It’s a wonderful collaboration between Sapa Pana Travel and the most beautiful accommodation and people. We’ll definitely be planning our next trip to South America with Sapa Pana Travel again. ”
Would you like to organise your own trip of Ecuador or another country in Latin America, and are you curious about the possibilities? Then do have a look at the itineraries we’ve put together for inspiration. You can book these tours directly, but we’d also be happy to put together a personalised itinerary based on your wishes and ideas.
Do you have a question? Please feel free to contact us. Call +31 73 610 62 04 or send an email to info@sapapanatravel.nl. We’ll be happy to help.