Amazing vacation in Ecuador! - From the moment Carolina started planning our itinerary for us, I knew it would be the trip of a lifetime for our family! My husband, me and our three kids (17, 11, 11) flew into Guayaquil and spent two nights there touring and enjoying the city. From there we flew to Baltra and joined the group we would be cruising with on the Isabela II. The entire experience was magical! The naturalists were so knowledgable and helpful, the staff amazing and the food and service was incredible. We saw so many of the Big 15 animals of the Galapagos and were amazed by the scenery. After the Galapagos cruise, we headed to Quito for the night then drove to Mashpi Lodge - what special place! Again, our naturalist, the eco lodge, the expeditions, food and service were top notch! We were sad to leave, two nights was not long enough! From there we went back to Quito for a few nights at Casa Gogentena, a beautiful hotel in the heart of Quito. We did some tours with wonderful guides, ate amazing meals and ended our 11 day vacation so happy with what we had done and experienced in Ecuador. The planning and attention to detail by Carolina was amazing. We felt so taken care of the entire time, knew what to expect, had all our questions answered and truly enjoyed ourselves instead of navigating and making arrangements and reservations. We will definitely use Metropolitan Touring for other vacations and have been recommending them to our friends!

Perfect Galapagos Vacation - Our second trip on La Pinta was every bit as wonderful as the first. Everything associated with the trip was first rate. Life on the boat was very comfortable and the off boat excursions were fun, adventurous and educational. Plenty of opportunities to take advantage of great snorkeling. Already thinking about a third trip on La Pinta to the Western Galapagos Islands.

Once in a lifetime experience - We visited the Galapagos islands in January to celebrate multiple birthdays in the family. Diego helped us plan the trip, and Stephany kindly helped with some very last minute changes to the itinerary. The 5 day cruise aboard the Isabela II was wonderfully planned and executed. Although it was a short trip, there was so much packed into each day. We went snorkeling with sea lions, penguins, rays, and tons of cool fish. We also got to see pelicans, frigates, hawks, boobies, and iguanas. Alex, Alexis, and Umberto led us on short hikes around different islands, and patiently answered every single question we asked. They effortlessly adapted the activities to the capabilities of each group. The chefs prepared delicious meals every day, and even baked special birthday cakes for us one night. We felt well-cared for throughout the whole trip, and we created beautiful memories during our time in the Galapagos Islands. Thank you!

Amazing Galapagos & Mashpi Cloud Forest - Trip of a lifetime! My husband and I are frequent travelers and this expedition cruise and adventure at the Mashpi Cloud Forest is in our top 2. Melissa was our travel specialist with Metropolitan Touring and she was instrumental to helping us plan an itinerary that included both the Galapagos expedition cruise on Isabella 2 and our wondrous time at Mashpi Lodge. We started at Quito for 2D2N at Casa Gangotena - beautiful villa turned hotel- in the old city square. Did a half day city tour on our 2nd day with Patricia who gave us an introduction of Ecuador and the way of life there as well as showed us all the must-see sites in and around Quito. GALAPAGOS - Flew to Baltra (with a stopover in Guayaquil) then took a bus and ferry ride to Isabel. We were met by our 3 Naturalists at the airport. We were together with several families (total of 36 people) that were on Isabella 2. Tour started right after a nice lunch to see the huge Tortoises. Then we went to Puerto Ayora where we got on boats that brought us to the Isabella 2 yacht. We were in a classic cabin with an ensuite bathroom. The cabin was clean (they do it twice daily while we are out doing activities) and had everything we needed. Meals and snacks were all great seat down delicious meals (you can choose your courses) except for buffet breakfasts. The 5 days were filled with daily hiking and snorkeling. It was nice to have a few hours of rest between lunch and the afternoon activity. We did both wet and dry landings on the different islands. Every evening before dinner we have a briefing of the next day's schedule so we can be prepared. MUST snorkel every time you can! The ship will provide you good quality wet suits, snorkel gear and fins. We saw sharks, sea turtles, rays, penguins, sea lions and colorful fishes. The animals on the islands don't fear you and go about their business. We have so many beautiful pictures! The families we were with were such a fun group of people. MASHPI LODGE - after flying back and an overnight stay in Quito, we were picked up for the 2 and a half hours ride to the cloud forest. We had the Mashpi Lodge Executive Chef Luis Cordova with us on this trip as he was just returning from his days off. So we had precious cargo with us! =) Our 4D3N were amazing as well. We were in a Wayra room at the end of the building so we had 2 glass walls overlooking the gorgeous views of forest trees. You can hear the sound of birds especially in the mornings. Every meal was excellent as well as the service. Estuardo was our guide and he was very knowledgeable and patient with our group of 5 people. Long rubber hiking boots are provided. We had hikes to waterfalls where you can swim and go under, hiked down to a butterfly research area, drove to the hummingbird sanctuary where the birds literally come to your hand to feed from the sugar water. We did the dragonfly which is an open gondola going through the top of the trees and also did the sky bike where the person in the back pedals for the bike to move through the top of the trees. The most memorable and exciting was the walk IN the river for over an hour! We had to maneuver through rocks, tress and of course the running river water. There are a lot of hiking up and down steps and forest grounds for hours so I can say it is quite strenuous and it will be hard for anyone that has mobility issues to navigate the hikes. On our last evening we had a full body stone massage at the Spa and it was just what we needed after 10 days of physical exertion. We are grateful to be able to have had the opportunity to do both the Galapagos islands on the Isabella 2 and the Mashpi Lodge cloud forest as they both have different amazing experiences.

Amaizing Experiance - The cruise on Isabela II to Galapagos was an amazing experience. We saw many endemic species in their natural habitat. The guides explained the fauna and flora very well and competent. We were always save brought save to land and back to the Yacht by the zodiacs. Also, the life onboard was just great. Good food and a nice atmosphere on board. I highly recommend a trip to Galapagos on Isabela II.

Trip to Quito, Ecuador, Galápagos Islands (northern itinerary on Yacht Isabella 2), and Machu Picchu - Melissa at Metropolitan Touring put together a fabulous trip for two couples to Quito, Ecuador; the Galápagos Islands (northern itinerary on Yacht Isabella 2); Lima, Peru; the Sacred Valley; and Machu Picchu. The trip was seamless with representatives meeting us and guiding us at all stages of the trip. The guides were enthusiastic and very knowledgeable and contributed greatly to our experience. The accommodations were excellent and the included meals were delicious and focused on local specialties, which we enjoyed. I would highly recommend Metropolitan Touring to anyone wanting to tour this area.

The best cruise : Isabella 2 - This trip is impressive. I never imagined going to a place like Galapagos. Neither crying to leave. This is a lifetime trip. Money comes back, but memories do not, best decision I've ever made.

Wonderful experience and great service on board. - This was supposed to be a once in a lifetime, but we are already planning our next trip on the Isabela II. Granted, the boat was not full to capacity, but we could not have been better looked after. The cabins were clean and functional, and regularly serviced, and the food quality and service was superb. The naturalist guides were passionate and very knowledgeable and really made each activity a delight. On top of this there was a short information lecture each evening on the conservation and management of the islands. Equipment was provided for activities such as snorkelling, kayaking and paddle boarding. Full information was provided each day on what to expect and what to bring on each excursion/adventure. All the boat crew worked so hard to make the whole trip as seamless as possible. All we had to do was turn up each day at the prearranged times provided, with our cameras at the ready, and enjoy. Fabulous boat and crew and would highly recommend for any trip around the Galapagos.

Don’t Miss This Opportunity! - Our tour guides Dennis, Nancy and Luis were incredible! They all shared their extensive knowledge of the fauna and flora on the islands, made sure we had the opportunity to see all the islands have to offer and snorkeled with us among sea lions, turtles, penguins and sharks! The ship and staff were equally wonderful- delicious meals, drinks and snacks after each excursion - and our ship’s manager went above and beyond to help us retrieve jackets that we left behind at our hotel in Quito. This adventure is one of the top three trips of my life and Metropolitan Touring staff are the best!

Experience of a lifetime - It was such a wonderful adventure with our awesome naturists Dennis, Luis & Carla who were so informative and helpful as we navigated dinghies & islands seeing the incredible inhabitants among the islands. The whole Isabela II crew made our cruise a treasured memory while touring the Galapagos.