Discovering The Andes Tour

ECUADOR DISCOVERING THE ANDES

9 DAYS / 8 NIGHTS

During this 9 days tour, you will have the opportunity to discover one of the most diverse countries on the planet. You will travel along the Ecuadorian Andes from north to south, discovering its beautiful volcanoes, indigenous markets, national parks, Inca ruins, colonial cities, and magical valleys.

ITINERARY

DAY 1: ARRIVAL IN QUITO

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

DAY 2: QUITO CITY TOUR AND THE EQUATOR LINE

Quito, the capital of Ecuador, is one of the most beautiful cities of Ecuador. It is divided into the old or colonial city and the modern city. The 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 a cathedral site. 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, you will lunch in El Theatrum, a beautiful restaurant located in one of the most important monuments of the city, the Sucre’s theater. In the afternoon you will visit The Equator Line and some of the museums of this place. The Equator Line or Mitad del Mundo is located just 30 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.

Late in the afternoon, you will return to Quito to rest and overnight.

(B.L)

DAY 3: QUITO – ANTISANA 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, there 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 dressing costumes of 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.

After a delicious box lunch, you will depart to Cotopaxi Province to overnight in one of the incredible haciendas located close to the National Park, dinner and overnight.

(B.L.D)

DAY 4: COTOPAXI: THE HIGHEST ACTIVE VOLCANO IN THE WORLD

After a delicious breakfast, your horses will be waiting for you for a horseback riding trip visiting the foothills of Rumiñahui Volcano, 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.

Return to Hacienda El Porvenir 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 climb up to the Cotopaxi refuge (4,800 m. / 15744 ft), and then you will walk to the amazing glaciers of this volcano. Late in the afternoon, our guide will drive you to Hacienda Hato Verde or Hacienda La Ciénega where you will dinner and overnight.

(B.L.D)

DAY 5: QUILOTOA LAKE

Early in the morning after breakfast 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 by animal skins and beautiful and colorful masks that represent some local animals.

Finally, you will arrive at Quilotoa Lake where if you want and if the weather conditions permit you can walk down from the border of the crater to arrive at the lake, time to visit the area and go back walking, or if you prefer it is possible to hire mules to return. You will enjoy a delicious box lunch on route.

Arrival at the top and then our guide will drive you to Baños where you will overnight in Hacienda Leito located in Patate a small valley close to Baños or in Luna Runtún or Isla de Baños Hotel located in the city. Dinner and overnight.

(B.BL.D)

DAY 6: THE WATERFALLS’ AVENUE – RIOBAMBA

After breakfast, you will visit Baños city where you can see how people extract delicious juice from the sugar cane, the production of Melcochas, and you can buy beautiful handicrafts made by balsa and tagua. Then you will visit the famous waterfall route where you can see beautiful waterfalls like Manto de la Novia waterfall, where you will 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 overnight in Hill Star Refuge located at the base of Chimborazo volcano, in Hacienda La Andaluza, or in El Troje Hotel

(B.L.D)

DAY 7: RIOBAMBA – CUENCA. DEVIL’S NOSE TRAIN – INGAPIRCA

Early in the morning, after breakfast, your guide will drive you to the Alausí train station located at 2 hours to the south of Riobamba, where you will take the train that goes through the old railroad that was built in the early nineteen hundreds to go to the famous Devil's nose*. This route got its name for its zigzags movements in the hills.

At the end of your train adventure, your guide will be waiting for you in Alausí town from where you will continue with your trip to the Ingapirca ruins, box lunch on route. These ruins are the best and most important Inca archaeological site in Ecuador, Ingapirca which means "walls of the Inca" 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.

*PS: please we have to take note that the Devils nose train only works from Tuesday to Sunday

(B.BL)

DAY 8: CUENCA CITY TOUR – QUITO

After breakfast, our guide will be waiting for you at the lobby of your hotel in order to explore the 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.

After that our guide will drive you to a local restaurant where you will enjoy a delicious typical lunch. Late in the afternoon, you will be transferred 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.L)

DAY 9: QUITO – NATIONAL OR INTERNATIONAL FLIGHT

After an early breakfast, your guide will meet you at the lobby of the hotel to transfer you to the airport for your international flight home.

(B)

END OF THE SERVICES

A NOTE ON THE ORDER OF THE ITINERARY:

Itinerary 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