Cruises to Galapagos, Galapagos Tours, Travel Galapagos Islands - Metropolitan Touring Press

5/28/2013 FOOD TOUR Executive Chef Andrés Dávila leads guests through outdoor markets and food shops along the colorful streets of the Ecuadorian capital. Read more 5/28/2013 Architecture and interior design The approach: To create a contained and protective “cocoon” set amidst dense tropical cloudforest, declared a private protected reserve and part of a wider Municipal Reserve. Read more 5/27/2013 CASA GANGOTENA TAKES CENTRE STAGE We are proud to announce that Casa Gangotena, owned by the same holding group (Grupo Futuro) which owns Metropolitan Touring, has joined the world’s finest new hotels: it has made Condé Nast Traveler’s “Hot List” in both the US and UK editions and has also been included in Travel + Leisure’s “It List”. Read more 5/27/2013 MASHPI LODGE IS ‘NEW ECO’ Newly opened and brimming with life, the Mashpi Rainforest Biodiversity Reserve is a protected, 3,212-acre rainforest retreat and guest lodge set at 3,116 feet in the Ecuadorian Andes just three hours northwest of the historic Quito. Nestled in the “biodiversity hotspot” of Chocó that runs from Ecuador into Colombia, Mashpi unfolds as an ecological wonder harboring diverse flora and fauna: Hundreds of amphibian and reptilian species; tens of thousands of insect species; and, it is believed, some 500 species of birds – from Moss-backed Tanagers to Black-tipped Cotingas – more than is found in North America and Europe combined. Read more 5/27/2013 MASHPI RAINFOREST A DREAM DESTINATION FOR BIRDWATCHERS 310 bird species identified so far and many more to come across 2,600-acre reserve just 3 hours northwest of Quito, Ecuador Read more 5/27/2013 Casa Gangotena launches a unique Andean health treatment for its Quito hotel guests Rather than opting for Swedish or Thai foot massages, Quito’s Casa Gangotena hotel chose to stay close to its roots. It offers its guests an exclusive insight into the Andean world which surrounds this World Heritage-listed city, offering them a unique “Andean energy-equilibrium restoration treatment” employing herbs, flowers and natural essences, administered by a local expert healer, or curadora. Guests enjoy both a connection with the history and culture of the region, and end the treatment feeling revived and revitalized. Read more 7/6/2012 Mashpi Lodge The ‘Cocoon in the Clouds’ Mashpi Lodge soars to the top spot! Condé Nast Traveller 2013 Hot List: The Best New Hotels in the World “For the first time the natural wonders of Ecuador are within reach of eco-conscious travellers. Utterly sensational” Read more 7/4/2012 THE SANTA CRUZ ADDS A FOUR-NIGHT ITINERARY Metropolitan Touring, the pioneer of travel to the Galápagos Islands since the 1960s, is pleased to announce a change in the itineraries for its 90-guest M/V Santa Cruz, beginning on 21st July 2012. Read more 3/15/2012 Mashpi Lodge to open in private rainforest reserve near Quito, Ecuador Highly-original lodge in Andean biodiversity “hotspot” to entice nature lovers into the protected depths of the Ecuadorian rainforest. Read more 3/7/2012 Casa Gangotena, A New Boutique Hotel Overlooking Plaza San Francisco in Quito - Ecuador Address in newly restored historic mansion dazzles with Art Nouveau and contemporary design, modern technologies and quintessential comforts in UNESCO World Heritage city Read more 12/20/2011 Romance your Valentine in the heart of flower country with new "Flower Trail" tours from MetropolitanTouring Explore the beauty of cloudforests and countryside in Ecuador and experience the passion of those who grow the most stunning flowers in the world Read more 7/5/2011 Metropolitan Touring 2012: A Year More Extraordinary We expect continued praise and interest in our holding group’s Casa Gangotena, a new, landmark 31-room boutique hotel in the heart of Quito’s regenerated Old Town, which opened in October 2011. Read more 6/12/2011 Metropolitan Touring Announces New Galápagos Itineraries for 2012 Metropolitan Touring’s vessels in the Galápagos Islands will operate new itineraries approved by the Galápagos National Park from 20th January 2012. Read more 5/4/2011 Earth Day – Earth Actions! This year, Earth Day was themed A Billion Acts of Green: a people-powered campaign to generate a billion acts of environmental service and advocacy before Rio +20. Read more 5/4/2011 Galapagos Video Contest! Metropolitan Touring, Ecuador’s longest-established tour operator, is giving away 36 cruises worth $55,000 to the Galapagos Islands in the coming weeks and months. The company is running four different contests, each with great chances of winning a trip-of-a-lifetime. Read more 4/11/2011 Fundación Galápagos-Ecuador receives grant from Globus/Tourism Cares Quito-Ecuador April 2010 -- Tourism Cares, the tourism industry’s premier charitable organization for preservation, conservation, restoration and education in tourism, has selected the Galápagos Islands as one of four world treasures to receive grant funding. Read more 4/11/2011 Ride the Rails in Ecuador with the "Spirit of the Andes" Metropolitan Touring, Ecuador’s largest tour operator with nearly 60 years’ experience, has launched a new itinerary through the Ecuadorian Andes which includes the famous “Devil’s Nose” section of track – one of the most difficult engineering feats in history and one of the most dramatic railways in the world. Read more 2/8/2011 Metropolitan Touring Announces Summer 2011 Special Family Departures Metropolitan Touring, Ecuador’s longest-established tour operator, has just released two special, family-orientated departures to the Galápagos Islands featuring a host of great activities for children of all ages, as well as an attractive discount. Read more 10/4/2010 Metropolitan Touring launches new tours for new Lan flights Metropolitan Touring has been quick to take advantage of the new flights introduced by LAN airlines – Lima-Puerto Iguazu and Lima-Easter Island – by creating two new exciting tours combining Peru and Chile. Read more 9/28/2010 Metropolitan Touring´s new offices in Brazil Metropolitan Touring’s new offices in Brazil have received quite a bit of media coverage in Brazil. Read more 9/21/2010 Metropolitan Touring Announces New Offices in Brazil and Colombia Metropolitan Touring, the South American tour operator with headquarters in Quito, Ecuador, announces the beginning of its operations in Colombia with the opening of Metropolitan Touring Colombia and in Brazil with the creation of Metropolitan Touring Brazil. Read more 9/21/2010 New LAN Flights open up great possibilities LAN recently took the important step of opening new ‘leisure travel’ routes with their announcement of flights from Lima to Easter Island in Chile, and Lima to Puerto Iguazú in Argentina. Read more 8/24/2010 Metropolitan Touring receives honorable mention from Condé Nast Traveler´s World Savers Awards Metropolitan Touring an Honorable Mention in the category of Poverty Alleviation as part of the World Savers Awards 2010. The event’s listing is in the magazine‘s September 2010 issue. Read more 6/9/2010 Metropolitan Touring launches a new tour through the art and history of World Heritage-listed Quito, Ecuador Ecuador´s capital has been enjoying a renaissance to rival many cities. Its historic center - the largest and least-altered in the Americas - has benefited from $250 million in investment over the last decade. Its spectacular architecture and dramatic setting amid the high Andes convinced UNESCO to name it the first World Heritage Site city in 1978. Read more 5/13/2010 Spirit of the Andes Following months of intense research and design, Metropolitan Touring is delighted to introduce a brand new Ecuador programme: “Spirit of the Andes”. The 4-day/3-night programme brings together the best experiences guests can enjoy in the Ecuadorian Andes: a journey full of breathtaking landscapes, cultural discoveries, ethnic encounters and culinary delights. It takes guests through the heart of the “Avenue of the Volcanoes”, from Quito the capital to Cuenca in the south, Ecuador’s third-largest city. Read more 3/9/2010 Yacht ISABELA II in the Galápagos Islands Offers half-week expeditions on selected dates in 2010 The Galapagos Islands – January 2010. Metropolitan Touring’s 40-passenger yacht ISABELA II is the classic expedition vessel in the Galápagos. Operating since 1988, ISABELA II has shown the best of Galápagos to nature enthusiasts from all parts of the world. Built in Pensacola, Florida, the yacht is large enough for comfortable sailing along the archipelago, but small enough to ensure a familiar atmosphere. Read more 3/9/2010 The Famous Devil´s Nose - the main attraction of the Ecuadorian Railway - is closed for maintenance Quito, Ecuador – March 2010 –Metropolitan Touring’s Rail & Road Journeys in the Ecuadorian Highlands will have an irregular operation in the next months due to intense maintenance in the area of the Devil’s Nose – the main attraction of the railway route. Read more 3/4/2010 Metropolitan Touring´s Finch Bay Eco Hotel in the Galápagos Incorporates new Yacht SEA LION for day island exploration THE GALAPAGOS ISLANDS, ECUADOR (MARCH 2010) - Starting March 1st, 2010, Metropolitan’s Finch Bay Eco Hotel, on Santa Cruz Island, will have a second yacht to operate day tours in the Galápagos. This new addition increases the capacity of the Finch Bay Eco Hotel’s Land & Sea Programs. Read more 11/13/2009 Metropolitan Touring obtains two important lata awards at the annual event during WTM in London For the second consecutive year LATA recognized Metropolitan Touring as the Best Ground Agent in South America and the company’s expedition yacht LA PINTA, operating in the Galapagos Islands, also obtained the award for Best Expedition Cruise. Read more 11/11/2009 Metropolitan Touring Starts Operations in Argentina Roque Sevilla, President and CEO of METROPOLITAN TOURING, is delighted to announce the company’s expansion -- with its own ground services operations-- to Argentina. This new venture is in partnership with EXPLORA, via the acquisition of Argentinean tour operator CUATRO RUMBOS. Read more 11/11/2009 Metropolitan Touring Ecuador Finalist for Tourism for Tomorrow Awards We are proud to announce that Metropolitan Touring Ecuador is a finalist in the Tourism for Tomorrow Awards of the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), in the Global Tourism Business Category. Read more 11/11/2009 Metropolitan Touring´s Yacht La Pinta receives the Smart Voyager Certification Metropolitan Touring’s expedition vessel Yacht La Pinta has just completed all the requirements needed to obtain its SmartVoyager Certification. Read more 11/11/2009 Lata Award as Best Ground Agent 2008 presented to Metropolitan Touring at WTM We are delighted to share the news with you that Metropolitan Touring was presented by LATA with the certificate as winners in the category of Best Ground Agent in South America 2008. This is the result of the company's in-depth knowledge of the destination and its background of over 50 years in providing guests with unique, unforgettable and quality travel experiences. Read more 11/11/2009 Condé Nast Traveler World Savers Metropolitan Touring Ecuador Honored by Condé Nast Traveler as a finalist in the Magazine’s 2008 World Savers Awards - Category Wildlife Conservation. Metropolitan Touring has incorporated an Environmental Policy to its company philosophy, a set of practices that, over time, will improve our environmental footprint. Read more 11/11/2009 International Orchid Expo in Quito - February 2009 The Quito Orchid Expo will take place in the capital of Ecuador from February 4th to the 8th, 2009. The show is organized by the Orchid Society of Quito and the city’s Botanical Garden featuring many of the 4,000 orchid species of Ecuador. Exhibitors from other countries in the world are also expected. Read more 11/11/2009 Metropolitan Touring presents its new full day tour of the city of Quito Metropolitan’s new full day experience in Quito is a chronologic narrative and a journey along the history of the city: its ancient pre-Columbian origins, its foundation, the Colonial and Republican periods. An immersion into the spirit of the city, its architecture, art, cuisine, religiousness and music – its cultural heritage. Read more 11/11/2009 Metropolitan´s Vessels in the Galapagos obtain Smart Voyager Certification Metropolitan’s expedition vessels in the Galapagos, the 90-guest MV SANTA CRUZ and 40-guest Yacht ISABELA II have obtained the SmartVoyager Certification granted by Conservation and Development, member of America’s Sustainable Certification Network. Read more 11/11/2009 Tulipe: Ancient Sun Culture in Ecuador, the Center of the World At the heart of an exuberant subtropical forest to the northwest, very close to Quito the capital of Ecuador, lays Tulipe, the ceremonial center of the Yumbo culture. Bordering a river of crystal-clear waters, this is a unique energetic site where ceremonial practices of this pre-Hispanic society took place to honor the sun, their highest deity. Read more 11/11/2009 Young Pirates Program in the Galapagos Islands Metropolitan Touring has introduced its Young Pirates program for young Galapagos Explorers. This program is aimed at children ranging between ages 7 to 12 years old. It showcases a fun and exciting way of absorbing Galapagos kids’ style. Read more 11/11/2009 Metropolitan Touring Ecuador introduces Ecuadorian Gastronomy Tours Three different hands-on encounters with Ecuadorian gastronomy have been developed to provide our guests with unique and memorable experiences to discover the scents and flavors of Ecuador’s diversity. Read more

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