Quilotoa – Baños of Ambato – Coast
 9 Days and 8 Nights
Starting every Wednesday
Day 1 Cotopaxi National Park, the highest free standing active volcano
Depart in the early morning from Quito to the Cotopaxi National Park. Visit to the Limpiapunga 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 lunch or box lunch. We spend the night in one of the traditional Haciendas with dinner.
Day 2 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.
Day 3 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.
Day 4 Baños of Ambato
After breakfast depart to the small town of Baños de Ambato, also called the gateway to the Orient. We leave our luggage in the hotel and drive on to the famous waterfalls of “Pailón del Diablo”. We enjoy lunch in the nice setting of the restaurant “Pequeño Paraiso” in Río Verde. Return journey to Baños and visit to the famous thermal baths and the small town with its attractive outdoor cafés and bars.
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Day 5 Daytrip to Runtún and Tungurahua volcano - Ambato
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 and drive on to Ambato.
Day 6 Chimborazo – Guaranda – Montechristi – Portoviejo
The road brings us between the two mountains Carihuairazo and Chimborazo, and through the Arenal, a desert-like region to the “Rome of Ecuador” or the small town of Guaranda build on seven hills. With luck we have some great views on the highest mountains in Ecuador, Chimborazo. In earlier times this was the normal route between the highlands and the coast. We drive on in this colourful Andean country side and then start to go down to the coastal lowland. From Quevedo we drive on to Montechristi where the most famous Panama hats are made. After the visit of a fabrication atelier we go on to Portoviejo.
Day 7 Puerto Lopez
Today we arrive after a short drive on the Pacific coast. In Puerto Lopez we bring our luggage to the Hotel and in the afternoon we enjoy the most beautiful beaches of Ecuador: “los frailes”, in the Machalila National Park.
Day 8 Isla de la Plata
After a boat ride we arrive on the island “Isla de la Plata” in front of the coast with its diverse avifauna almost as on the Galapagos Islands. In the month between June and October exists the possibility to observe the humpback whales who arrive here in search of their new partners.
Day 9 National Park Machalila – Portoviejo - Quito
Today we can choose between horseback riding and hiking in the dry forest of the Machalila National Park or to enjoy again the lovely beaches.
In the early evening return flight from Portoviejo to Quito.
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