Welcome to Ecuador! We will pick you up from the airport and drive you to your hotel.
Depending on time of arrival we would have a brief meeting to get to know each other and explain to you the next few days.
2
Day 2: Quito city tour + Middel of world
Today we discover colonial downtown Quito by visiting first local shops that make traditional desserts.
Then we continue into discovering the arquitecture of colonial Quito.
We will be described the materials, shapes, and conidtion of several churches, plazas and traditional building in colonial Quito.
We also have time to intereact with local people, try some local cuisne. In the afternoon we will visit the Middle of the World Monument and the Intiñam musem where we will experience some experiments that prove we are indeed at 0 latitude.
At the end of the day we return to our hotel in Quito (40 minutes drive between Quito and Middle of World Monument).
Meals included (B - D)
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Day 3: Cooking and Dancing Class
After breakfast you will visit the local market where we will have the opportunity to try local fruits and vegetables.
We will do our shopping to later continue to a very cozy ecuadorian-french restaurant located in downtown Quito, where we will have a private cooking class with the ingredients we previously bought at the market.
We will prepare local ecuadorian dishes and have a tasty lunch.
Afternoon we will go to a tropical dance school, where we will practice some of the traditional latín moves (salsa, merengue, bachata among others).
By the end of the day we will return to our hotel.
Meals included (B - L)
4
Day 4: Drive north in the Andes
Today we leave Quito and start driving north in the Andes.
On the way we will have a stop at a shop where they produce local biscuits called “bizcochos”.
We will have the opportunity to prepare some and of course have a good traditional snack.
Arrive to the city of Otavalo around mid-late morning. Here we will have time to visit the local handicraft market, where you will experience a variety o textures, scents and materials with which local talented indigenous manufacture their typical handicrafts. We will be at the market approx 1 hour.
After the visit we will go to our boutique hotel nested in the Peguche village. For the rest of the afternoon we have shedule a short hike to the Peguche waterfall to explore the nature and vegetation typical of this area.
Return to the hotel mid-late afternoon.
Dinner at hotel.
Meals included (B - D)
After breakfast we will drive towards the Cotacachi-Cayapas Ecological Reserve.
Ecuador has approximate 20% of its territory protected.
We will learn most important and interesting facts about this ecological reserve by the rangers in charge.
Then we will have a 2 hour hike around the Cuicocha lake, which is a lake that lies in a crater.
The hike starts at approx 3000 meters and gets as high as 3400 meters. We will do it very slowly, enjoying the sound of nature.
You do not need to be a proffessional hiker or be at an excellent physical condition to do the hike.
After the hike we will have lunch at Cotacachi town and have the opportunuty to visit some leather shops which is traditional from this town.
By mid-late afternoon we will return to Peguche village where we will visit an indigenous music instrument shop to listen to some traditional music instruments of the Andes as well as manufacture our own instrument.
Return to hotel by end of the afternoon. Dinner.
Meals included (B - D)
Today we leave the Andes.
After 2,5 hour drive, we will have stop at a termal hot springs resort which is located at 3200 meters above sea level.
The spot is beautiful as hot pools are outside surrounded by mountains and nature.
Of course we will assist you to go inside the pools. After we have a refreshing and relaxing time at the pools, we will have lunch and continue driving into the amazon.
We will drive for approx 2,5 hours until we reach Huasquila Amazon Lodge.
Check in at the lodge. Dinner.
Meals included (B - L - D)
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Day 7: Amazon hike + Indigenous community
Morning will be about adventure as we go inside secondary rain forest.
This is a good opportunity to smell, try, feel the different medicinal platns that grow naturally at the amazon.
We will try at least 10 medicinal plants as we continue to go deeper into the amazon rain forest.
Along the way we will have the opportunity to go into a waterfall, to experience the healing power of water falling right into your shoulders……according to indigenous believes this has a lot of benefitial properties.
After a tasty lunch at the lodge we will visit an indigenous community located 4 km away from the ldoge.
The idea of the visit is to interat with local indigenous people, learn their main traditions, dances, meals and the way they have live their daily lives.
Return to the lodge for dinner.
Meals included (B - L - D)
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Day 8: Amazon river tubbing
Today we drive for approx 1 hour to the Napo river, which is the biggest alfuent of the Amazon river.
Once at a location called Puerto Ahuano, we will embark long wood canoes to explore the river.
We will take the canoe for approx 20 minutes. Here we will have the opportunity to go “tubbing” as locals called it, which is float on the river by holding on to flotation devices. This is a unique opportunity to experience the calm of the Amazon from within.
Right after we will have a ecological pic-nic lunch.
On our way back to the lodge, we will stop at the city of Tena, to interach with local people, visit its main park, and simply enjoy a typical afternoon at this cozy town in the Amazon.
Arrive to the lodge before dinner time. Last night at the amazon.
After dinner we will have a presentation of how to make chocolate from the local cacao plants that grow at the amazon.
Meals included (B - L - D)
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Day 9: Drive back to Andes
Today we leave the Amazon and start driving back into the Andes.
We will drive for approx 4 hours until we reach the cozy town of Baños de Agua Santa, nested on the bottom of the active Tungurahua volcano.
On our way we will have a stop at the Pailón del Diablo waterfall, which has a fall of more than 80 meters.
We will have a short hike to get to a location where we can experience the power of the water.
Check in at our hotel mid-late afternoon.
Dinner on your own.
Meals included (B - D)
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Day 10: Cotopaxi National Park
After breakfast we will drive again north across the Andes, until we reach the Cotopaxi National Park.
This is a region that host the active snow capped volcano Cotopaxi.
We will check in at a local hacienda/ranch type hotel, where we will be able to experience the “paramo” atmosphere (over 3500 meters altitude, typical vegetation, cold weather).
We will have some hot drinks available and after check in, we will have a quick horse bak ride tour around the property.
If you dont feel comfortable riding a horse, dont worry as there are always the option to simply hike around the property 😊
For dinner, we will have traditional highlands meal plus hot chocolate or tea
Meals included (B - D)
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Day 11: Cotpaxi National Park
Today we visit and indigenous town, where we will learn with local people some traditional farming activities, such as potato and/or bean harvest, cow milking.
After this we will have a visit to the Cotopaxi volcano where we will aim to reach 4500 meters.
The hike around this condition is amazing in terms of experiencing sounds, vegetation and wind.
We will return to our hotel and have the rest of afternoon to enjoy your last day in Ecuador.
Farewell dinner.
Meals included (B - L - D)
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Day 12: Drive back to Quito
According to your flight Schedule we will leave Cotopaxi area and drive towards Quito airport (1,5 hour drive).
If your flight is at evening, we can plan an activity to do on the way to Quito airport.
Meals included (B)
About the tour:
- Ecuador is a program that combines a bit of nature, culture, adventure and leisure.
- It is an all-inclusive basis tour. Transportation, accommodation, certified bilingual guides on all tours, and activities included (meals according to program).
- The hotels we have chosen for you are very cozy.
- Assistants or help: We can provide additional assistance to join the tour. However this are normally tourism students who are passionate to learn, provide services but not proffessional assistants. They will have the best attitude to assist, are billingual (english-spanish), but are not certified accompanions. This comes at an addtional cost.
- All activities are desinged in a way you can enjoy at its fullest
- Tour can be arranged for 2 people or for groups up to 14 people.