At your arrival in Quito we will greet you and transfer you to your hotel in Quito.

Quito

Your adventures begin in Quito, where we will visit the old town with its beautiful narrow streets and the colonial churches of San Francisco, La Compañia, and may more interesting landmarks of the Colonial Center. This visit is followed by a short stop at the top of El Panecillo hill from where we get a spectacular view of the city. In the afternoon, we visit the Equator monument the Ethnographical museum, and a representation of the colonial towns or past centuries. Breakfast included. Read more

Quito

Departing from Quito, we will drive north to the city of Cayambe to try the famous “Biscochos” biscuits, and then continue to the city of Otavalo. After checking in at the hotel we continue to visit the beautiful Cuicocha Lake. We will have some free time for shopping in the nearby Cotacachi town, famous for its quality leather goods. Finally, we will visit the indigenous village of Peguche where we can meet the well-known Otavalo Indigenous people. Transport back to Quito in the afternoon. Breakfast included. Read more

Otavalo

This morning, we will depart towards the Amazon Rainforest. From Tena, the Capital of the Province, we will drive for approximately one hour and a half more until we reach the community of San Pedro de Sumino, a small jungle town located in the banks of the Napo River, one of the main effluents of the great Amazon River. We will get a chance to buy the last required things at the local shop (batteries, candy, snacks, etc.) before hopping in the fresh water canoe to head deep into the Yacuma Natural Reserve. A 20-30 minutes ride will take you to the small Chontayacu River, where Yacuma EcoLodge is located. Depending on the time of the year and the amount of water running through the rivers, the boat ride can turn into a fun activity, as collectively, we all push the canoe through sand banks and up river to get to the lodge. The Yacuma Forest Reserve totals 275 hectares of Primary rainforest, bordering the Chontayacu River next to the cabins, and going deep into the jungle surrounding the cabins. This natural heaven will be your home for the next few days, as you explore and connect with nature and the communities of the jungle. At the lodge, you will be welcomed with a glass of the traditional beverage called “Guayusa” this tasty beverage has a lot of caffeine and vitamins in much larger concentration than coffee, making it an ideal drink for the morning to have a very productive day in the jungle. After a short welcome talk, you will be taken into your comfortable traditional style bungalows. Solar panels provide hot water in the showers, as well as ambient lighting for the night. After a short rest, we will have a short navigation to the “hidden Lagoon”, where we will do a short hike ideal for bird watching in their natural surroundings, such as: King Fishers (martin pescador), Great Egrets (garzas de rio), Great Blue Herons (garzas reales), and perhaps one of the most strange and interesting birds of the amazon, the Hoatzin (Opisthocomus hoatzin), that have a blue face and a punk-hairdo. The smell is quite pungent, giving it the nickname of the stinky bird. In this place we will also try fishing for the legendary Piranha, which you can have for dinner at the lodge if you catch one! We will go back to the lodge, for dinner, and if everyone feels in good conditions a night walk for about 40 minutes can also be arranged after dinner. Breakfast and Dinner Included. Optional visit to the Papallacta hot springs! Read more

Yacuma Ecolodge

After a nice hearty breakfast we will begin a hike deep in the primary jungle of the Yacuma forest reserve. For this activity we have various alternatives. The first alternative is a short 2 hour walk in which the native guide will show us various species of birds, medicinal plants and their usage in shamanic healing rituals, and if we are lucky animals such as monkeys, tapirs, or capybaras. A second alternative of 4 hours across streams and different types of terrain will take us through various species of trees and plants with the objective of reaching the Tutapishco Cave, a.k.a. “the Bat Cave”. We will also get to see many species of plants used for healing as well as food and shelter within the deep primary rainforest. Within the cave, which has not been fully explored yet, a very interesting display of the inhabitants of the cave can be seen: The exiting dance of the amazon Bat (Saccopteryx Bilineata). This cave is considered sacred by the locals, and as the locations where the Shaman will come to renew energy for their sacred rituals. Many animal and birdlife can be observed in this walk, and with some luck, some very interesting mammals from the deep jungle such as monkeys, rodents, etc. exploring the primary rainforest is a very gratifying and fulfilling experience for all travelers. We will return to the camp for a delicious, locally produced lunch, and after resting for a short period, we will visit the home of one of the members of the Kichwa Chontayacu community, where we can appreciate their simple and calm lifestyle. During the walk travelers can learn interact and observe the various crops that grow within the jungle of secondary forests of The Napo Basin. Crops such as Coffee, Bananas, cacao, cassava, papaya, pineapple and oranges are some of the locally produced agricultural products that provide sustenance for the inhabitants of the jungle. Visitors can also observe and buy the locally produced handicraft such as vases, small pots, necklaces, bracelets and many more beautiful crafts. The traditional Chicha drink will also be explained and passed around for everyone to try. If time permits, we will do some fun water based activities such as kayaking or tubing in the river. Conversely we can head back to camp and have a nice bonfire with music and enjoyment after dinner. (Breakfast, lunch and dinner included) Read more

Yacuma Ecolodge

For those interested in bird watching, an early start is offered to catch the different species of birdlife rising for the day. At 5:30 am we will go up to the viewpoint close to the lodge to observe the jungle come alive. An impressive view of the amazon jungle from the same levels of the canopy is also very grand from this location. We will return to the lodge for breakfast. Afterwards, our transport will take us to the towns of Puyo and Baños. This trip offers plenty of fantastic views of the rugged landscape of the Pastaza Canyon. We shall also visit the impressive “Devil’s Caldron” waterfall and admire the high jungle region. We will head south until we reach our hotel in Baños. Breakfast included. Read more

Baños

We will have a free morning in Baños to enjoy in many of the optional activities that are found in or around the city. In the afternoon, we will transport you up to the highlands of the imposing Mount Chimborazo (6310m) which is the highest and largest mountain of Ecuador. Here we can observe the gracious vicunas wondering on the high plateau. In the late afternoon, we drive down to Riobamba city to head into our hotel. Breakfast and Lunch Box Included. Read more

Riobamba

This day you can enjoy (optional) one of the most exciting train journeys in the world: the famous Ecuadorian train ride down to the “Devil's Nose”. From here, where our bus will take us through wonderful Andean landscapes, headed towards Cuenca city a nice colonial city of the Andes. On the way, we will visit the interesting Inca ruins of Ingapirca. Breakfast and Lunch Box Included Read more

Cuenca

In the morning we will have a city tour in Cuenca to explore one of the nicest colonial cities in South America. In the afternoon, we will have free time to explore on our own. Breakfast Included.

Cuenca

In the morning, we make a short visit at El Cajas National Park, one of the most beautiful and important national Parks of the country (optional 2 hours hiking tour). We continue afterwards towards the city of Guayaquil, the biggest port of Ecuador. Breakfast and Lunch Box Included.

Guayaquil

In the morning, we will enjoy a visit to Guayaquil´s new “Malecon”, to see the modern entertainment center of the city, followed by a visit to the interesting Historic Park of Guayaquil. In the Afternoon, we will continue our journey travelling to Pto. Lopez, which is a small fishing town located on the shores of the Pacific Ocean. Breakfast Included. Read more

Puerto Lopez

Today we can enjoy some free time at the beach, join in an optional tour (optional tour to visit Isla de la Plata – “The small Galapagos”), or explore the area on your own. Breakfast Included.

Puerto Lopez

Early in the morning we will travel to Santo Domingo de los Colorados, an area is home for the Colorado Indians who still are maintaining their old traditions. Here we will make a visit to one of these interesting Indigenous communities, famous for the shamanism. Then we will continue our drive up to the highlands arriving late in the afternoon to Machachi town, where we will overnight in a small local hacienda. Breakfast included. Read more

Machachi

From Machachi, we travel southwards along the Pan-American Highway to see the slow and constant activity of the legendary Cotopaxi Volcano, one of the tallest in the world. We will head towards one of the best spots for photography where we might be able to get some truly amazing shots if the weather permits. Then we continue our drive along scenic highlands of the western Cordillera de los Andes and towards the Sigchos town. From Sigchos we continue driving for about 40 minutes to finally arrive to Chugchillan town where we will overnight. Breakfast and dinner included. Read more

Chugchillan

On the second day of our tour and after breakfast, we will drive east making a short journey to the Quilotoa Volcano where inside is located a beautiful lagoon. Here we will enjoy a hike to go down to the shores of the lagoon or go around the rim of the crater while enjoying amazing views of the Andes. Afterwards we will drive to Zumbahua, one of the most unspoiled highland areas of Ecuador and which offers nice views of the area and the enjoyment of the Indigenous Market (which runs every Saturday). Later on, and passing the village of Pujili (Indian market runs every Wednesday), we continue our drive north in our way back to Quito where we arrive late in the afternoon. Read more

Quito

Depending on your flight schedule, we will transfer you to the airport. Breakfast included.