Day 1 – Land in Quito, cab drops you at a creaky colonial hotel, tiles cold under bare feet. Quick stroll to Plaza Grande, church bells clang, kids chase pigeons, smell of roasted corn drifts. Early night, altitude sneaks up, head swims after two pisco sours.

Day 2 – Old town deep dive, guide meets at 8, weaves you through gold, leafed churches, one altar took 7 years to carve. Coffee on a balcony, volcanoes peek over rooftops, clouds snag on Pichincha. Lunch locro soup thick with cheese, then cable car up to 4,000 m, lungs gasp, view stretches to snow caps. Evening free, hit a peña bar, guitar strums, locals clap off, beat.

Day 3 – Equator detour, minivan north, traffic crawls, radio blares cumbia. Mitad del Mundo hits at 10, yellow line painted bold, tourists straddle for selfies, you do it too, grin cheesy. Water swirl demo, north clockwise, south counter, two meters apart, mind bends. Quick pic with the globe, then zip to Intiñan museum, real GPS 0°00’00” a block away, less crowds, llama munches grass nearby. Back to Quito by 4, nap hard.

Day 4 – Fly to paradise, 6 am airport shuffle, plane banks over Andes, Pacific glints. Baltra landing, bus to canal, sea lions flop on the dock, stink of guano welcome. Board the catamaran, cabin tiny, bunk sways gentle. Afternoon snorkel at Mosquera, white sand, pups spin around you, one nibbles fin, playful. Dinner fish ceviche, stars pop one by one, equator moon fat.

Day 5 – Isabela magic, dawn cruise, lava tunnels black as ink. Flamingos wade pink in lagoon, legs like straws. Hike Sierra Negra, sulfur crust crunches, crater swallows the horizon, guide says equator slices right through. PM snorkel Los Tuneles, arches of rock, turtles graze, white, tip sharks cruise lazy. Sunset from the boat, volcano silhouette, cold beer reward.

Day 6 – Fernandina & Isabela, early zodiac to Punta Espinoza, marine iguanas stacked like bricks, sneeze salt, gross cute. Flightless cormorant dries wings, awkward on land, grace underwater. Afternoon Urbina Bay, land iguanas yellow as lemons, giant tortoises lumber slow. Snorkel again, penguins zip, water 22 C, teeth chatter but worth it.

Day 7 – Santa Cruz highlands, dock Puerto Ayora, bus up to misty forest, tortoises roam free, mud to the ankles. Lunch at a farm, coffee fresh, beans roasted on site. Charles Darwin Station, baby tortoises in pens, Lonesome George’s empty saddle hits sad. PM free, hit Tortuga Bay, white sand squeaks, marine iguanas sunbathe, you swim alone, waves gentle.

Day 8 – Island hop day, speedboat to Floreana, Post Office Bay, leave a postcard, take one for Jersey, weird tradition works. Snorkel Champion Islet, sea lions tornado around, playful chaos. Afternoon Devil’s Crown, current rips, coral drops sharp, parrotfish crunch loud. Back to Santa Cruz, legs jelly, ceviche round two.

Day 9 – Fly back mainland, morning flight, clouds part, islands shrink to black specks. Land Quito, van to Otavalo market, wool ponchos, bead necklaces, haggle for a hat. Lunch trout from the lake, grilled whole, eyes stare, tasty. Drive to hot springs, steam rises, soak till pruny, mountains circle dark.

Day 10 – Homeward, last coffee in the plaza, watch the light shift on basalt walls. Airport by noon, security line slow, mind replays blue, footed booby dance, tortoise yawn, equator selfie. Plane lifts, Andes drop away, you’re already sketching the next loop before touchdown.

Tips quick, flights book early, catamaran 4, night minimum, tip crew solid. Pack seasick pills, reef, safe sunscreen, dry bag, binoculars. December to May warm water, June to November cooler air, pick your vibe. Cash dollars, small bills, ATMs fickle. Move fast, sleep hard, Ecuador squeezes the line into ten perfect days.