16 Days - 15 Nights
Starting Day: Monday
From the highest snow capped mountains to the evergreen rainforest we explore this multifarious country. We visit historical places, colonial old towns belonging to the UNESCO world heritage, walk on the eternal ice of the glacier, visit traditional markets, bike downhill the Cordillera and enjoy afterwards a bath in the hot springs.
Day 1 Monday: Quito City tour - Midad del Mundo
In the morning we visit the old town of Quito, which as Cuenca, belongs to the UNESCI 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.
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Day 2 Tuesday: 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 3 Wednesday: Indian market Pujilí - Chugchilán
After breakfast we drive to Pujilí to its traditional Indian market, where the Indians from the small settlements around gather once a week.
Then we drive on to Sigchos. On the way we stop for a little walk in this lovely scenery of the patchwork fields and with great views in to the deep Río Toachi Canyon. Box lunch on the way and overnight stay with dinner in Chugchilán.
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Day 4 Thursday: Day hike in the vicinity
Today we go on a hike in this amazing Andean landscape, from many seen as the most impressive. The local habitants plant their fields on the slopes up to 4000m. We walk trough small villages and visit one of the local cheese factories.
Day 5 Friday: Quilotoa crater - Zumbahua - Ambato
After breakfast, depart to the Quilotoa volcanic crater on a badly maintained road. We hike down from the rim to the emerald lake. For the way up it's possible to rent mules. Afterwards on way over Zumbahua to Ambato, visit of the little museum of Tiga with its colourful naive paintings on sheep skin. Lunch on the way and in the early evening we arrive in Ambato.
Waterfall of the "Pailón del Diablo" |
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Day 6 Saturday: 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 7 Sunday: 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 8 Monday: Bike tour down in direction of Puyo
Today we change to the bikes and start to follow the Pastaza Canyon downhill on a adventurous ride. On the way we visit the famous waterfall of the "Pailón del Diablo". We enjoy lunch in a cosy restaurant in Rio Verde . On the way we can see several more waterfalls, deep gorges and when the valley widens also the climate changes and it gets hot and more humid. Our transport brings us back to Baños. It is also possible to drive the whole way in bus.
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Day 9 Tuesday: 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 10 Wednesday: Train ride to the devils nose - Alausí - Cuenca
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.
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Day 11 Thursday: 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 12 Friday: Citytour Cuenca
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.
Day 13 Saturday: Sígsig - Chordeleg - Gualaceo
After breakfast we drive to the village Sígsig to visit the women cooperative where we see the fabrication of panama hats. Furthermore, we drive to Chordeleg, famous for its crafts in wood, silver and gold filigree, and pottery. Here we enjoy a typical lunch. Afterwards we go to the thriving little town of Gualaceo with its woolen goods and weaving ateliers, famous for the Ikat dyed shawls. Return journey over the green Paute to Cuenca.
Day 14 Sunday: Cajas National Park - Quito
After breakfast we drive to the Cajas National Park with its more then 250 mountain lakes. We hike the whole day trough the páramo vegetation and the mystic polylepis forests, enjoying a unique landscape. On the way, box lunch and in the afternoon we return to Cuenca and fly back to Quito.
Day 15 Monday: Market Otavalo
Early in the morning we drive to Otovalo to the famous Indian markets. First we visit the lively livestock market, then change to the colourful vegetable and fruit market, and finally to the "poncho" craft market. Here the Otavaleños sell their textiles and all kind of handicrafts. After a typical lunch we drive on to the collapsed crater lake Cuicocha. We can take an optional boat trip around the two islands in the lake or go on a short hike. On the return journey we visit the village Cotacachi, famous for its leather crafts. Overnight in Otavalo.
Day 16 Tuesday: Pululahua Crater
We drive back in direction to Quito and enter in to the Pululahua crater. Here we have two options, either to explore it by horse or on a hike. The crater is a geobotanical reserve and has it's own warm micro-climate. Box lunch during the activities and in the early evening we drive back to Quito.
At the end of our program, the possibility exists to start one of our programs to the Galapagos Islands or into the Amazon rainforest.
| Active – Tour | Classic Land Tour |
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