photo tour ecuador & galapagos

Photo tour Ecuador & Galapagos: Unique flora & fauna in the smallest Andean country

With the photo tour Ecuador & Galapagos, I invite you to experience a premiere together with me in 2024. Ecuador is the smallest Andean country, but that does not detract from its fascination. On the contrary, Ecuador is certainly one of the most versatile travel destinations in South America and the legendary Galapagos Islands are considered THE dream destination for nature photographers par excellence. It is therefore not surprising that we have planned a whole week to explore this natural paradise.

Thanks to its unique flora and fauna, the archipelago in the Pacific is one of the most fascinating photo destinations in the world. Due to its isolated location approx. 1000 kilometers off the coast of Ecuador in the Pacific Ocean, a flora and fauna has developed that is unique in its diversity and characteristics. It is therefore not surprising that Darwin’s theory of evolution, among other things, was significantly influenced by his visits to the islands.

During the land excursions, we will photograph the gentle giant tortoises, fearsome marine iguanas and land iguanas as well as numerous bird species, including the photogenic blue-footed boobies. While snorkeling, we dive into the fascinating underwater world off the coast of the Galapagos Islands. With a bit of luck, we may encounter penguins, sea lions and cormorants and who knows, we might even spot dolphins or even whales from the boat?

This photo tour is complemented by an attractive land program in Ecuador, which includes all the important highlights and sights. On the mainland, snow-capped peaks of the Andes, shimmering emerald green lagoons, mighty volcanoes and charming colonial towns await us. We will explore thundering waterfalls, immerse ourselves in mystical cloud forests and also go on some easy hikes in picturesque surroundings.

The program naturally includes the famous Cotopaxi National Park with the volcano of the same name and the mysterious lagoon landscape and untouched nature of the Caja National Park.

In Ecuador’s capital Quito, we immerse ourselves in the lively city life and are enchanted by the historic charm of the old town. The well-preserved city center from the colonial era with many churches from the 16th and 17th centuries is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Dream destination Ecuador & Galapagos: experience it now!

All in all, this 17-day trip offers an incredible variety of motifs and experiences that will make the hearts of wildlife and landscape photographers beat faster. The itinerary is carefully planned and designed with photographers in mind, thanks to the support of my travel agency partner who specializes in South America.

Would you like to discover the fascinating Ecuador & Galapagos with me and embark on an unforgettable adventure full of unique photo opportunities with a small group of like-minded people? Then sign up for the Ecuador and Galapagos photo tour right away and experience all the highlights of this photogenic Andean country.

How much does the photo tour Ecuador & Galapagos cost?

For all my photo tours, it is important to me to offer a comprehensive package tailored to the needs of photographers at a fair price. I am neither a fan of luxury travel at utopian prices, nor do I want to engage in price dumping at the expense of the local population and local partners or the safety of my participants.

Our photo tour through Ecuador and the Galapagos Volcanic Islands covers all the important highlights and sights and offers a high level of individual attention. As always, this trip is planned so that we have enough time to take photos. This is especially true for the visit to the Galapagos Islands, which is an absolute highlight for any nature photographer.

By choosing a small catamaran for the cruise to the Galapagos Islands, we guarantee exclusivity and, above all, sufficient time for wildlife photography.

The tour price for the two and a half weeks Galapagos Ecuador is € 6.749,- (US $ 7,399,-) per person in a double room for 9-10 participants. For 6-8 participants we have to charge a small group surcharge of € 350,- (US $ 400,-), the trip then comes to € 7.099,- (US $ 7,799,-) per person in a double room.

As with all my trips, “shared double rooms” are available on request, i.e. two travelers of the same sex can share a room and thus avoid the single room supplement.

Please note: On this trip, single rooms are only available on request and only during the land arrangement! Accommodation on the ship is exclusively in double cabins with en-suite bathrooms.

What services are included in the tour price?

The tour price includes carefully selected upper middle class standard accommodation with breakfast. Also included are all transfers, flights within the country, boat trips, day trips, entrance fees to the national parks, local tour guides and photographic support throughout the trip.

The 8-day cruise through the Galapagos archipelago is full board with water, coffee and tea. Soft drinks and alcoholic beverages are subject to a charge.

Not included are all other meals and the international flightas well as extra activities, tips, souvenirs and any costs for visas.

When does the Ecuador & Galapagos photo tour take place?

The Ecuador photo tour will take place for the first time in November 2025. It lasts 17 days and includes an 8-day cruise to the southwestern island groups of the Galapagos archipelago as well as a one-week land program with all the highlights worth seeing in this topographically, culturally and climatically diverse country.

The current date of the Ecuador & Galapagos photo tour is: Nov, 22nd to Dec, 10th 2025

 

We also offer you an optional extension to the Amazon rainforest. The focus is on animal observations in the Yasuní National Park with its incomparable biodiversity. The main focus is on exotic animal species in the rainforest habitat. Monkeys, sloths, caimans, giant otters and, of course, numerous birds such as parrots and toucans can be observed and photographed.

If you would like to book the trip, please fill out the contact form below. If you are interested in extending your trip to the Amazon, please let us know in the comments and we will be happy to make you an offer.

Please note that both the travel organization and the payment are handled by my travel agency partner Andean Expeditions and the terms and conditions of the tour operator apply.

The itinerary of the photo tour Ecuador in detail:

(Legend: B= breakfast, L= lunch, D= dinner)

Day 0: Departure from the US. The flight has to be booked individually.

Day 1: Arrival in Quito and transfer to the hotel. Then free time & evening lecture on landscape and wildlife photography. (B)

Day 2: City tour in the historic center of Quito. We marvel at the magnificent buildings from the colonial era, including the Basilica of San Francisco, which is the most important part of the Franciscan monastery El San Francisco. (B)

Day 3: Visit to Cotopaxi National Park & hike Limpiopungo lagoon. (B)

Day 4: Drive to Chimborazo volcano. (B)

Day 5: Visit to the Comunidad Moya and the ruins of Ingapirca. (B)

Day 6: Guided tour of the historic center of Cuenca, one of the most beautiful colonial cities in South America. (B)

Day 7: Excursion to the Cajas National Parks & guided tour in Guayaquil. (B)

Day 8: Extra day (detailed program to be confirmed). (B)

Day 9: Transfer to Guayaquil airport & flight to Baltra + transfer to boat and first excursions. (B, D)

Day 9 to day 15: Exclusive cruise from San Cristobal on the catamaran Archipelago I through the southwestern archipelago of the Galapagos Islands with its unique animals and plants. We will visit the islands of Santa Fe, South Plaza (with the famous marine iguanas), North Seymour and Isabela, among others. In addition to the shore excursions, kayak trips and snorkeling with sea lions are planned. With a bit of luck, we may also see penguins, reef sharks and rays. We will also visit the Charles Darwin Research Station in Santa Cruz. After the cruise flight back to Quitó. (B, L, D)

You can read more about the planned route and the content of the cruise here.

Day 16: Departure from Quito or onward journey for individual extension. (B)

Day 17: Arrival in Europe / USA

What is included in the photo tour Ecuador?

  • 9 nights with breakfast in upper middle-class hotels
  • 7 nights with full board during the cruise through the Galapagos Islands
  • 2 domestic flights: Guayaquil - Baltra | Baltra - Quito
  • City tour in Quito
  • All transfers (mostly private) & excursions
  • Entrance fees to the national parks
  • Local tour guide
  • Lecture on landscape photography and photography support throughout the trip.

What is NOT included in the Ecuador & Galápagos photo tour?

  • International flight (USA - Quito | Quito - USA)
  • All meals and drinks not mentioned in the tour description
  • Insurance (we recommend an international health insurance, as well as travel cancellation insurance)
  • Any vaccinations (no special vaccinations are required for Ecuador, but up-to-date protection against tetanus is strongly recommended)
  • Any costs for visas
  • Souvenirs and other personal expenses
  • Tips for local guides, drivers tour leader

Notes on camera equipment

Like all my photo tours, my photo tour Ecuador is open to everyone. Accompanying persons are welcome to participate as long as they understand the needs of photographers. This means that we often stay in one place for a longer period of time to get the best possible shot of a subject and often set off early to take advantage of the beautiful morning light.

Wildlife and landscape photography is the main focus of this trip and I will do my best to help you improve your photography skills significantly during the trip.

To get the most out of this trip, I recommend the following equipment:

  • A camera that allows manual settings (ISO, aperture, shutter speed).
  • A standard zoom that covers a focal length range from slightly wide-angle to slightly telephoto. With full-frame cameras, for example, we are talking about a 24 - 120 mm lens, with APC this would be approx. 16 - 85 mm focal length.
  • A telephoto lens with a focal length of at least 300 mm for wildlife
  • Various filters: polarizing filters, ND- filters (ND64 and ND1000), possibly graduated ND-filters and UV filters (to protect the lens) for the standard lens mentioned above should not be missing in your camera bag! When buying screw-in filters, make sure you have the right thread size!
  • Lens hoods for all lenses
  • A cleaning set with bellows, brush and cleaning cloths
  • A tripod for shooting with ND-filters and any long exposures
  • Spare batteries
  • A remote shutter release for long exposures (alternatively, your camera's self-timer will do)
  • A power bank for charging
  • Sufficient memory cards (I recommend several 32, 64 or 128 GB cards)
  • A sturdy camera bag or rucksack. In contrast to the Patagonia photo trip, no multi-day hikes are planned and the weight plays a subordinate role (nevertheless, observe the hand luggage regulations on the plane!).

If you would like to purchase a filter or two before your photo trip to Ecuador, you will receive a 5% discount on your purchase with my discount code “NOWNISI” at nisioptics.at.
Free shipping to Austria and Germany!

Important additional information about the photo tour Ecuador

The photo tour Ecuador & Galapagos has a proud price. This is mainly due to the 8-day cruise through the Galapagos Islands. Most providers offer a maximum of 5 days or only visit the islands as part of day trips. We, on the other hand, booked a catamaran with a total of only 8 cabins. This means that more than half of the boat is reserved for our group and we spend 7 nights / 8 days on the boat to visit the most beautiful places in the south-western archipelago. The program includes numerous shore excursions, snorkelling trips and kayak tours.

Of course, there would also have been larger, cheaper ships. But for photographers in particular, it makes a significant difference whether a boat with 100 passengers or just 16 docks on an island. This allows us to concentrate fully on our photography without having to compete with selfie-takers for the best spot.

By choosing this boat, we have more exclusivity, more time and more peace and quiet to photograph and observe the animals. You can find more information about our boat here.

In addition, the 7 nights on the boat are full board including drinks such as water, coffee and tea. As with all South America trips, the size of the group is limited to 10 people, which ensures an intimate travel experience among like-minded people.

About tour leader:

Lisa Profilbild

Lisa has been intensively involved in digital photography since 2008. In recent years, she has attended countless courses and photo workshops and has also expanded her knowledge through self-study on numerous trips around the world. She has now successfully completed a diploma course in photography and regularly photographs for companies in the travel and tourism industry. Since 2019, she has been leading photo tours in small groups around the globe.

She started this travel blog together with her brother Philipp in 2014, initially with the idea of having a platform to share her travel photos with friends and family.

Over time, however, the part-time blog imprintmytravel.com developed into one of the most successful Austrian travel blogs, which now has over 50,000 page views per month and is growing rapidly.

About the travel agency partner:

Andean Expeditions Dirninger S.A.
Represented by the Austrian Michael Dirninger and his Bolivian team. Michael’s fascination with South America began about 15 years ago on a trip through this unique continent. Since then, it has never let him go! Michael knows the world-famous cultural highlights and natural spectacles that you have to see on a trip to South America.

And he also knows the secret places, off the beaten tourist track, that you should visit if you really want to experience South America in all its diversity.

Booking form photo tour Ecuador

Are you convinced?
I’m already incredibly excited and very much looking forward to traveling with you to fascinating Ecuador and the natural paradise of the Galapagos Islands.
I am aware that booking a trip is a matter of trust, so transparency and openness are of utmost importance to us. If you have any questions or concerns or if something is unclear, please send me an email and I will get back to you as soon as possible.

Book the photo tour to Ecuador & Galapagos

The next travel date for the photo tour Ecuador is Nov 22nd to Dec 10th 2025

To register for the Ecuador & Galapagos trip, please fill out the form below carefully.
If you have any questions in advance, please feel free to contact me by email or phone (What’s App, Facetime for international calls).

As soon as the minimum number of participants has been reached, we will inform all participants and a deposit of 25% of the tour price will be due. The remaining amount must be paid into the account stated in the booking confirmation no later than 21 days before the start of the tour.
The general terms and conditions of the travel agency partner apply.
Your data will of course be treated as strictly confidential.

At the moment there are 7 spots available. The minimum number of participants is 8 people.