Ecuador Discovering The Andes Tour

During this tour you will have the opportunity to travel along the Ecuadorian Andes from north to south, discovering its beautiful volcanoes, indigenous markets, national parks, Inca ruins, colonial cities, and magical valleys.

DAY 1: ARRIVAL TO QUITO

Arrival in Quito, where you will be met at the airport by our guide and transferred to your hotel. Overnight.

DAY 2: THE BEST COLONIAL SITE IN SOUTH AMERICA & THE EQUATOR LINE

Quito, the capital of Ecuador, is one of the most beautiful cities in Ecuador. It is divided into the old or colonial city and the modern city. Colonial Quito is still reminiscent of how it was 450 years ago, even though it is a small island surrounded on all sides by a fast-growing modern city.

In colonial Quito are narrow cobblestone streets lined with whitewashed walls over which the steeples and cupolas of historic churches and cathedral sites. The integrity of colonial Quito was assured in 1978 when the United Nations declared the city a World Cultural Heritage Site.

This day you will visit the colonial site of Quito where you will walk through the Main Plaza. Visit the Government Palace, the Cathedral, and some of the most important churches built around the XVI and XVII centuries. After this visit, our guide will drive you to a local restaurant where a delicious typical lunch will be waiting for you.

Then you will continue to The Equator Line and some of the museums of this place. The Equator Line or Mitad del Mundo is located at just at 40 minutes north of Quito, this monument marks the closest point from where the Equator passes. Archaeological evidence indicates that the pre-Incan and the Inca civilizations recognized and worshiped the path of the equator as the marker of the equinox.

Finally, you will arrive at The Fungus Garden close to Calacali town, here you can learn about the production of five different organic fungi like shitake, white and pink oysters, and many others. Besides the owner will let you about all the medicinal properties and uses of the species of this magic fungus’s world and you can taste different kinds of fungus prepared in different ways.

After this visit, you will return to Quito overnight.

(B.L)

DAY 3: QUITO – ANTISANA ECOLOGICAL RESERVE – COTOPAXI

After breakfast, our guide will be waiting for you in order to depart to the east range of The Andes at the Antisana Ecological Reserve, where you will admire the beautiful Mica Lake and the Majestic Antisana Volcano (5,758 mts, 18,886.24 ft.).

This reserve is considered a hot spot for birdwatching, where you can find the Carunculated Caracara known as Caracara Curiquingue, This bird is famous because of its movements and characteristics and always in the local festivities you will find people dressed in costumes Caracaras, also there is a folkloric song about this bird. Besides Antisana is one of the best places to spot for Andean Condor in a Natural habitat.

Lunch in a local restaurant where usually you can see a couple of condors flying around the property and if you are lucky the amazing Andean Spectacled bear, and then you will depart to Cotopaxi Province to overnight in one of the most beautiful haciendas located close to the National Park, dinner and overnight.

(B.L.D)

DAY 4: COTOPAXI: FOLLOWING THE AMAZING PARAMO

After a delicious breakfast your horses will be waiting for you for a horseback riding trip visiting the surroundings of Hacienda El Porvenir, riding side by side with herds of wild horses and bulls, You will wear the typical clothes of the “Chagra” the person in charge of looking for the cattle like a cowboy. Also, you will enjoy the amazing landscape of the volcanic avenue.

In case you are not interested in horseback riding you will visit the hacienda and you will learn about the Chagras and their activities.

Return to the main house where a delicious lunch will be waiting for you and in the afternoon you will visit Cotopaxi National Park, where if the weather conditions permit, you can hike up to the Cotopaxi refuge (4,800 m. / 15744 ft). Late in the afternoon, our guide will drive you to a local hacienda where you will have dinner and overnight.

(B.L.D)

DAY 5: COTOPAXI: INDIGENOUS MARKET – QUILOTOA LAKE – BAÑOS

Early in the morning depending on the day of your tour you can visit an indigenous market, where you will see how the local people trade their products, (on Sunday and Wednesday: Pujilí Market; on Thursday: Saquisilí Market and on Saturday: Zumbahua market). Then you will visit Quilotoa Lake, on the route you can stop in Tigua a small town where you can find amazing handicrafts made from animal skins and beautiful and colorful masks that represent some local animals.

Then you will arrive at Quilotoa Lake, which is a water-filled caldera of 3 m (2 miles). This caldera was formed by the collapse of the volcano in an eruption that took place approximately 800 years ago. The caldera has since accumulated a 250 m (820 ft) deep crater lake, which has an extraordinary turquoise color as a result of dissolved minerals.

Lunch in a local restaurant and then our guide will drive you to Baños where you will overnight in a local hacienda located in Patate a small valley close to Baños or in a hotel in the city. Dinner and overnight.

(B.L.D)

DAY 6: BAÑOS: THE WATERFALLS’ AVENUE – RIOBAMBA

After breakfast, you will explore Baños City where you can see how people extract delicious juice from sugar cane and produce Melcochas, and you can buy beautiful handicrafts made of balsa and tagua. Then you will visit the famous waterfall route where you can see beautiful waterfalls like Manto de la Novia waterfall, you can cross the Pastaza river by a rustic lift, hanging for more than 200 mts above the river, Pailon del Diablo, Agoyán and others.

After this visit, our guide will drive you to a local restaurant where a delicious lunch will be waiting for you.

In the afternoon you will continue with your trip to Chimborazo province where you will have dinner and overnight.

(B.L.D)

DAY 7: RIOBAMBA – CUENCA. PAQOCHA PROJECT – INGAPIRCA RUINS

After a delicious breakfast, you will depart to the south of our country in order to visit a couple of local indigenous communities located in Chimborazo province where you can experience the process of the textiles with the Paqocha project. One of them is Jatari Campesino where you can see how skillful women obtain the wool of lamas and alpacas, and then you can know about the process of spinning the wool.

Box lunch en route and then you will continue to Cuenca, You will stop in Ingapirca ruins, these ruins are the best and most important Inca archaeological site in Ecuador, Ingapirca means "walls of the Inca" and is located in the province of Cañar, about 1 hour and 45 minutes from Cuenca. In the afternoon you will depart to Cuenca, time to rest and walk close to your hotel, overnight.

(B, B, L)

DAY 8: CUENCA CITY TOUR: THE ATHENS OF ECUADOR

Cuenca is also known as the Athens of Ecuador because of the numerous artists, novelists, poets, and other lettered people who were born in the city.

After breakfast, you will have a full day to explore the wonderful Cuenca city. You will walk through magnificent churches, beautiful old buildings with wrought iron balconies and carved wooden doors, flower and handicrafts markets, art galleries, workshops, and all the wonders that Cuenca, with its colonial style and pleasant atmosphere, offers to its visitors.

You will also ride along the Tomebamba River admiring the ancient houses perched on the riverbank above. Also, you can visit some modern neighborhoods and enjoy a panoramic view of the city from the vantage point of Turi. Return to your hotel, time to rest or walk in the surroundings. Overnight.

(B.D)

DAY 9: CUENCA: GUALACEO & CHORDELEG VILLAGES – RETURN TO QUITO

After breakfast, your guide will be waiting for you at the lobby of your hotel in order to visit the Craft-making & orchid villages (Gualaceo & Chordeleg). Cuenca is surrounded by villages where skilled artisans work wonders. Among these is Gualaceo, with its markets that are especially crowded on Fridays & Sundays, where you can see hand-woven shawls, ponchos, and lots of fruits and vegetables on sale. You also visit Chordeleg “Chorro de oro” (waterfall of gold), a village specializing in jewelry - mainly gold and silver - with fine filigree work; hand made ceramic pottery, and the chance to observe people weaving Panama hats and other items made of toquilla straw.

One of the highlights of this trip is the visit to Ecuagenera, the most important orchid-growing laboratory in Ecuador, whose aim is to study and preserve the different species that exist through time. In the afternoon you will return to Cuenca City, and transfer to the airport in order to catch your flight back to Quito. At Quito’s airport, our driver will meet you and transfer you to your hotel where you will overnight.

(B)

DAY 10: QUITO – GALAPAGOS EXTENSION OR INTERNATIONAL FLIGHT

After an unforgettable experience in Ecuador, you will be transferred to the airport to catch your extension to the Galapagos Islands or international flight home.

(B)

END OF THE SERVICES

A NOTE ON THE ORDER OF THE ITINERARY:

The itinerary is subject to change based on local conditions. It could be flexible according to the client’s interests.

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B- Breakfast; L-Lunch; D-Dinner; BL-Box lunch

PRICES INCLUDE:

Private transportation, transfers airport-hotel-airport, bilingual naturalist guide, accommodation based on double rooms in all hotels (single supplement under request), lodges and haciendas included in the itinerary, all excursions described in the itinerary, meals as described in the itinerary, entrance fee to churches and museums in Quito and Cuenca, Middle of the world, the Fungus Garden, Antisana ecological reserve, horseback riding, Cotopaxi national park, Quilotoa lake, waterfalls and lifts in Baños, Ingapirca ruins, local flight Cuenca – Quito.

NOT INCLUDED:

Travel insurance, meals not specified, soft and alcoholic drinks, tips, and personal expenses.