Explore with us this stunning diverse country on the equator line: from the tropical humid forest in the Amazon basin, up to the snow capped volcanoes in the Andean highlands and down again to the sandy beaches on the Pacific coast, and over to the enchanted Galapagos Islands.

Ecuador is one of the smallest South American countries, but with one of the greatest biological diversity of the world. Famous travelers and explorers like Francisco de Orellana, Charles-Marie de la Condamine, Alexander von Humboldt, Charles Darwin and Edmund Whymper were impressed of the rich diversity in the landscape and nature and left their footmarks in the country itself and in their books and descriptions of it.

Lying on the west coast of South America it shows a interesting blend of aboriginal cultures, colonial art and western life style and offers from the adventures explorations to all the cultural highlights, colorful Indian markets and from a impressive birding to the delicious local dishes, together with all of the modern commodities a incredible mixture for the nowadays traveler.

We offer trip solutions from three up to twenty days, depending of your travel time and wishes. All our land tours we operate with private transport, bilingual guides and good Hotels (3 to 4 stars) and Haciendas. We start the tours with a minimum of two people.

Please let us know your wishes and we will help you to organize your perfect itinerary and take care of all the reservations and the little details.

Here our favorite itinerary for a extensions into the Andes and the avenue of the volcanoes.

AVENUE OT THE VOLCANOES

A9 Days - 8 Nights
Arriving / Starting day every Thursday, Saturday and Monday

Day 1: Quito
Transfer In from your International flight to the Hotel and briefing of the next days.

Day 2: Quito City tour - Midad del Mundo
In the morning we visit the old town of Quito, which as Cuenca, belongs to the UNESCO world heritage. Quito is famous for its colonial buildings, gold covered interiors of the churches and monasteries, and picturesque small parks and places. We drive up the Panecillo with the Virgin of Quito and enjoy the views over the huge metropolis from the north to the south between the snow capped cordilleras. Lunch in a typical restaurant and in the afternoon visit to the Mitad del Mundo. Here it's possible to stand with one foot in the southern hemisphere and the other in the northern hemisphere. We walk through the small village with its museums and exhibitions.

Day 3: Quito - National Park Cotopaxi
Depart in the early morning from Quito to Cotopaxi National Park. Visit to the Limpiopungo Lake and start of a little hike. Afterwards we drive up to the parking lot of the refuge. Those who feel fit enough start to hike up to the refuge José Ribeira at 4800m and further on to the glacier. On the way, box lunch. We spend the night in one of the traditional Haciendas with dinner.

Day 4: Baños de Ambato
Early in the morning we drive to the small town Baños, also called the gate way to the Oriente. We leave our luggage in the hotel and have lunch in a cozy restaurant. The afternoon fro free disposition, we have the chance to visit the thermal bath and afterwards the little town with all its coffees and bars.

Day 5: Daytrip to Runtún and Tungurahua volcano
We drive uphill to the small village of Runtún. If the weather permits we enjoy a beautiful view on the active volcano Tungurahua. After the lunch we stroll back downhill to Baños.

Day 6: Ambato - Chimborazo - Riobamba
The road brings us back to Ambato, between the two mountains Carihuarirazo and Chimborazo, and through the Arenal, a desert-like region where we have the chance to observe the vicuñas, one of the three llama species in Ecuador. From the first refuge at 4800m we hike up to the second refuge at 5000m. The "taita" Chimborazo is the highest mountain in Ecuador at 6310m with a high snow-capped summit. Afterwards we visit a Hacienda where they breed bulls for the traditional bullfights of the country and enjoy there a typical meal of the region. Overnight stay and dinner in Riobamba.

Day 7: Train ride to the devils nose - Alausí - Ingapirca
Very early in the morning we start the famous train ride from Riobamba to Alausí, down to the devils nose, and again back to Alausí. During the ride on top of the train roof we enjoy the views of the landscape with its flora and habitants. On the way, box lunch. From Alausí we drive south to the Incan ruins of Ingapirca and overnight stay in the Posada Ingapirca.

Day 8: Ingapirca - Cuenca
In the morning, we visit the biggest Incan ruins in Ecuador and go on a little walk here in the Incan and Cañari mystical landscape. Lunch in the Posada and journey to the third largest city in Ecuador, Cuenca.

Day 9: Citytour Cuenca - Quito
We visit the old town with it famous flower market and the many different colonial buildings and cathedrals. Lunch in a cozy restaurant. Afterwards we drive up to the overlook of Turi with its splendid panoramic view, visit of the ceramic atelier Vega, and then visit the museum of the Banco Central with its interesting exhibition of all the different indigenous cultures of Ecuador. In the late afternoon we fly back to Quito.

Day 10: Optional
A) Transfer Out
B) Extension into the Amazon basin on our Yacht Jungle Discovery or to our Lodge Bataburo
C) Cruise in the Galapagos Islands on board of the S/Y Angelique or M/Y Spondylus