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individual trips

Enjoy the natural experience

Travel as a couple or alone to the most beautiful places in the country. Ecuador offers an incredible variety of landscapes and cultures in a small area. From the Amazon rainforest to the tropical cloud forests to the Andean highlands, to the Pacific coast, all within a day’s travel. Whether you want to be active, with hiking, biking, horseback riding, rafting, etc., or take it a little slower, whether you want good middle-class hotels or upscale accommodations and particularly beautiful haciendas; we have the ideal trip for you! We are also happy to create a customized tour to suit your needs.

Itineraries

On this individual trip, you will get to know the colonial old town of Quito, known as the most beautiful capital of the Americas. Afterwards, you will travel to the Amazon region and take part in a 4-day jungle excursion in the “Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve“. Deep in the tropical rainforest, you will see many monkeys, toucans, parrots, river dolphins, caimans, and other animals in the wild, also you will learn a lot about medicinal plants and their usefulness, and visit a village of the Siona indigenous people. Back in the Andes, you will visit the Cotopaxi National Park and then travel to the “Province of the Lakes”, Imbabura, where you will gain a deep insight into the culture and cosmovision of the Andean people with Indigenous host families from a local tourism project. You will go on a hike around the “guinea pig lagoon”, a mountain climb at the enchanted lagoons of Mojanda, and visit various rural Indigenous village communities. The last part of the trip takes you to the Galapagos Islands. During a 9-day island hopping tour, you will get to know the 3 most important inhabited islands. From the sea lion island of San Cristobal, you will travel to the main island of Santa Cruz and then to the largest and probably most beautiful island of Isabela. During day and half-day tours, you will learn about the flora and fauna of the “enchanted islands” and also have enough time for activities on your own and for swimming and snorkeling at the dream beaches of the archipelago.

Day 1 - Arrival in Quito

Flight to Quito, the capital of the small Andean state at 2800 m. Arrival in the afternoon. You will be picked up at the airport and driven to your hotel located in the new town, the transfer will take around 1 hour. You will be served Ecuadorian specialties and international dishes in the hotel’s excellent restaurant.

Overnight at Ikala UIO Hotel.

Your private guide will pick you up at the hotel at 9:00 am and take you on an interesting city tour, during which you will get to know the most important historical sights of the old city center, which has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. You will visit the Carmelita monastery, the Jesuit church “La Compañía“, the “San Francisco” monastery and the neo-Gothic “Basilica” Cathedral. The rest of the afternoon is at your leisure for further exploration. At 10:30 pm you will be taken to the meeting point of the tourist bus, which will take you to the Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve in the Amazon region.

Overnight at Ikala UIO Hotel. Included: Breakfast.

Early in the morning you will arrive at the entrance of the Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve. A motorized canoe will take you deep into the tropical rainforest where you will see many birds, monkeys and other wildlife. After settling in at the lodge, take an exciting night walk through the jungle to see glowing insects, colorful poison frogs and other nocturnal animals.

Overnight at Jamu Lodge. Included: breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Today we travel to a village community of the Siona indigenous people. You will learn how to make one of their staple foods, cassava bread, and visit a shaman. After lunch in the village, return to the lodge. On the way keep an eye out for the river dolphins that live here. As dusk falls, the daily jungle concert begins, with weaver birds, toucans and toads competing in song, at the end of the day you will go out again by canoe to observe the black caimans

Overnight at Jamu Lodge. Included: breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Together with your English-speaking guide, who knows the jungle like the back of his hand, you will go on a 3-4 hour hike through the untouched rainforest. You will see giant trees, stilt roots, plank roots, aerial roots, many medicinal plants and hopefully many animals. In the afternoon you will take a canoe trip to observe the flora and fauna of the large lagoon. After a refreshing swim in the river, enjoy the sunset before returning to the lodge for dinner.

Overnight at Jamu Lodge. Included: breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Before sunrise you will leave with your guide for a bird watching tour on the river. After breakfast at the lodge, it’s time to say goodbye to Cuyabeno. On the canoe trip back to the entrance of the reserve, you will have another opportunity to enjoy the immense variety of flora and fauna of this place, before being taken back to Quito by bus with other Cuyabeno tourists. Upon arrival in the evening, you will be transferred to your hotel.

Overnight at Ikala UIO Hotel. Included: Breakfast.

Your English-speaking guide will pick you up from your hotel in the early morning. Drive south on the “Avenue of the Volcanoes” to Cotopaxi National Park. From the parking lot at 4654 m, you will climb to the “Jose Rivas Refuge” (4864 m) where you will enjoy a hot coca tea and a fantastic view. Back at the parking lot, you will drive to the “Limpiopungo” lagoon, where you will take a 90-minute hike around the lagoon. In addition to the endemic flora, you can see Andean gulls and vulture falcons. After a late lunch you will return to Quito

Overnight at Ikala UIO Hotel. Included: breakfast and lunch.

You will be picked up from your hotel at 8:00 a.m. and drive about 2 hours to the small town of Cotacachi, located in the northern hemisphere. After settling into your accommodation, you will be transferred to Otavalo, where you will have plenty of time to explore the large, colorful Saturday market on your own. In the afternoon, an English-speaking guide will take you on an excursion to the surrounding rural communities. In “Carapuelo” you will see traditional weaving looms, and in the small village of Peguche you will hike through the eucalyptus forest to a waterfall and visit a well-known folklore music group where you will learn about Andean instruments and their uses.

Overnight at Cabañas Purinquichus. Included: breakfast, lunch and dinner.

After breakfast you will drive to the “Guinea Pig Lagoon” Cuicocha in the Cotacachi Cayapas Nature Reserve at an altitude of over 3000 m. Together with your English-speaking guide you will do a 4-hour hike around the lake (if you wish you can do a shorter hike and an optional boat trip). On the way you will see many orchids and bromeliads and if the weather is good, you can see as far as Colombia. On the way back you will visit the small town of Cotacachi, famous for its leather goods.

Overnight at Cabañas Purinquichus. Included: breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Early in the morning you drive into the mountains again. Today you will take the old smuggler’s road to the mystical lagoons of Mojanda. Here you will hike and climb to the summit of Fuya Fuya (4265 m) in about 2 hours. After an extensive rest with a fantastic view, you begin the 1.5-hour descent back to the large lagoon. Return to Otavalo and your accommodation. In the late afternoon you will be brought back to Quito, arriving in the small village of Tababela, very close to the airport, in the early evening.

Overnight at Quito Airport Suites Hotel. Included: breakfast and box lunch.

You will be taken to the nearby airport and fly from Quito via Guayaquil to San Cristobal Island, Galapagos. Here you will be met and transferred to your hotel. Use the rest of the day to visit the Tijeretas viewpoint. A well-marked trail begins across from Playa Man beach and also leads to Punta Carola sea lion beach. In the small bay near Cabo de Horno, you can swim and snorkel with the sea lions. The huge numbers of sea lions that swim on the beaches and waddle through the small fishing village are a real treat, not only for photographers.

Overnight at Casa de Nelly Hotel. Included: Breakfast.

You will be picked up from your hotel and taken to the dock. From here your day trip to Kicker Rock begins. Here you will see frigate birds and pelicans as well as tropical birds, blue-footed boobies and Nazca boobies. Snorkel and immerse yourself in the fantastic underwater world. Kicker Rock is considered to be one of the best diving and snorkeling spots in the world, as it is home to many colorful fish as well as turtles and hammerhead sharks. Afterwards you will visit a secluded beach in Puerto Grande. You will return to Puerto Baquerizo Moreno in the afternoon.

Overnight at Casa de Nelly Hotel. Included: breakfast and box lunch.

Today is at your leisure. The capital of the Galapagos Islands has a lot to offer. Visit “La Loberia” beach, 3.5 km away, behind the airport, where you can swim and snorkel with numerous sea lions. Follow the signposted trail for 1km to the cliffs of “Las Negritas”, where many seabirds nest, including the unique Tropical Bird. Or hike to the mostly deserted Baquerizo beach. A taxi ride into the highlands to Lake El Junco and Pt. Chino beach is another option.

Overnight at Casa de Nelly Hotel. Included: Breakfast

You will be brought to the dock. At 7:00 a.m. you will take the speedboat (approx. 2 hours) from San Cristobal to the island of Santa Cruz/ Puerto Ayora, the largest town on the Galapagos Islands. You will be met at the port and transferred to your hotel. After depositing your luggage at the hotel, you will be taken to the highlands to visit the Rancho Primicias tortoise farm, which will take approximately 1 hour. Afterwards you will return to your hotel in Puerto Ayora. In the afternoon, take a short hike on your own to the well-marked beach at Tortuga Bay. Walk the 2.5 km trail through the dry forest and along the large, powdery sugar beach, and another kilometer to the right to the small bay of Playa Mansa, where you can swim and explore the shore by kayak.

Overnight at Posada del Mar Hotel. Included: Breakfast.

You will be picked up at your hotel and take a tour around the bay of Puerto Ayora. You will see the Shark Channel, “Playa de Perros” beach and the rocky gorge “Las Grietas”. You can also, can snorkel with the sea lions at “La Loberia”. Return to the port around noon. In the afternoon, your driver will pick you up at the hotel and take you to the dock, because at 15:00 you will take the speedboat from Santa Cruz Island to Isabela Island in about 2.5 hours. You will be picked up at the port of Isabela and taken to your hotel. At sunset there is still time for a first walk on the beach.

Overnight at Casa de Marita Hotel. Included: Breakfast..

You will be picked up from your hotel early in the morning and driven to the highlands of the island. You will be driven to the edge of the crater where you will begin a hike into the volcanic crater with your English-speaking guide. After 2.5 km you will reach the most active area of the crater, where it usually smells like rotten eggs. The spectacular scenery with the yellow rocks caused by the constant sulfur emissions is breathtaking. On the way back to Puerto Villamil you will visit an organic farm where you can taste pineapples, sugar cane and citrus fruits. After about 6 hours you will be back at your hotel.

Overnight at Casa de Marita Hotel. Included: breakfast and box lunch

Today you will take a boat trip along the coast to the place where the lava reached the sea and formed several arches and tunnels. You will take a short walk ashore to see Galapagos penguins and many masked and blue-footed boobies. Afterwards, you will snorkel at a selected site where you can see turtles, white-tip sharks, and seahorses. After a total of 6 hours, you will be back in Puerto Villamil. With time in the afternoon visit the Flamingo Lagoon and the “Arnaldo Tupiza” Tortoise Breeding Center on your own.

Overnight at Casa de Marita Hotel. Included: breakfast and box lunch.

Take the morning for a long walk (7 km one way) or a bike ride to the Wall of Tears. On the way, you will pass hidden beaches, flamingo lagoons and viewpoints. The “Wall of Tears” is a wall built by convicts in the 1950s, a reminder of the time when Isabela was a prison island. From there, a trail leads to the rewarding “El Radar” viewpoint. In the afternoon, you will be picked up at the hotel and taken to the port to catch the 15:00 speedboat back to Santa Cruz. Here you will be picked up at the dock of Santa Cruz and taken to your hotel.

Overnight at Posada del Mar Hotel. Included: Breakfast.

Depending on the time of your return flight, you may have time to visit the Charles Darwin Research Station in the morning. You will be picked up at your hotel and taken to the north side of the island, to the Itabaca Channel. Here you will take the ferry to the other side to the “airport island” of Baltra and the shuttle bus to the airport. Your return flight will take you to Guayaquil or Quito, where you will board your connecting flight back home.

Included: Breakfast.

Services included:
  • Overnight stays in a double room in the hotels mentioned.
  • Daily breakfast, 5 x full board, + 1 x lunch, + 4 x box lunch.
  • Private transfer Quito airport – hotel.
  • Private city tour with English speaking guide to Quito Old Town, entrance fees included.
  • All entrance fees to monasteries, churches, museums, national parks and nature reserves: “El Carmen Alto” Monastery, “San Francisco” Church and Museum, “Basilica” Cathedral, Jesuit Church “La Compañía”, Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve, Cotacachi – Cayapas Nature Reserve, Cotopaxi National Park.
  • Private transfer hotel – meeting point tourist bus to Cuyabeno.
  • Ticket for the tourist bus from Quito to Cuyabeno.
  • 4 days / 3 nights jungle tour in Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve, incl. full board, canoes, rain poncho, rubber boots.
  • Ticket for the tourist bus from Cuyabeno to Quito.
  • Private transfer meeting point tourist bus – hotel in Quito.
  • Private day trip with English-speaking driver guide to the Cotopaxi National Park.
  • Private transfer Quito – Cotacachi.
  • Private transfer Cotacachi – Otavalo.
  • English speaking, qualified guide from day 3 – 6 (Cuyabeno), and 8 – 10 (Cotacachi).
  • Private transfer Cotacachi – Tababela.
  • Private transfer Tababela – Quito airport.
  • All mentioned transfers on Galapagos.
  • All tours on Galapagos with English-speaking national park guide (add-on tours):
  • Snorkeling tour to Kicker Rock, incl. transport, snorkeling equipment (mask, tube, fins and wetsuit), approx. 6 hours.
  • Taxi transfer Santa Cruz Island/ Dock – Hotel – Primicias Farm – Hotel (incl. waiting time for the driver, approx. 1 hour)
  • Bay Tour in Pt. Ayora incl. transportation, snorkeling equipment (mask and tube), approx. 3 hours.
  • Hiking tour to the Sierra Negra volcano, incl. transportation, box lunch, approx. 6 hrs.
  • Snorkeling tour to “Los Tuneles”, incl. transport, snorkeling equipment (mask, tube, fins, ¾ wetsuit) and box lunch, approx. 6 hours.
  • 3 x crossings between the islands by public speedboat.
  • On-site customer service.
Services not included:
  • International flight.
  • Flight Quito or Guayaquil – San Cristobal / Baltra – Guayaquil or Quito.
  • Entrance fee to the Siona community in Cuyabeno 10, – USD per person.
  • Meals / drinks not specified.
  • Galapagos National Park entrance fee 200,- USD.
  • Migration card 20,- USD.
  • Dock fee in Pt. Ayora 3 x 1,- = 3,- USD.
  • Entrance fee to Primicias Farm, incl. NP Guide 7,50 USD per person.
  • Dock fee Pt. Villamil 10,- USD per person.
  • Taxi waters 6 x 1,- = 6,- USD per person.
  • Ferry St. Cruz – Baltra 1,- USD per person.
  • Bus Itabaca channel – Baltra airport 5,- USD per person.
  • Optional activities:
  • Bicycle rental on Isabela, about 15 USD per person.
  • “Arnaldo Tupiza” Tortoise Breeding Center: 10,- USD per person.
  • Charles Darwin Station 10,- USD per person.
  • Tips.

On this 12-day VIP individual tour, you will see the most beautiful places in the Ecuadorian Andes, always staying in high-quality, dreamlike accommodations. After visiting the colonial old town of Quito, known as the most beautiful capital of the Americas, with your private guide who will accompany you throughout the trip, you will travel to the equator line, the “Middle of the World”, and on to the “Province of the Lakes”, Imbabura. Here you will visit the colorful market at the “Plaza de Ponchos” in Otavalo and take a boat trip around the islands of the “Guinea Pig Lagoon”. Then travel to the eastern highlands to the hot springs of Papallacta, where you will take a short hike along the river. Continue south on the “Avenue of the Volcanoes” to Cotopaxi National Park. From your beautiful hacienda, you will take a horseback ride and participate in a cooking class of Ecuadorian specialties. On the highest mountain in the country, the imposing Chimborazo (6268m), you will see many alpacas, llamas and vicuñas and spend the night in the middle of the nature reserve. In the spa town of “Baños de Agua Santa” you will visit the waterfalls of the Pastaza Valley and the famous “swing at the end of the world” and have time to relax in the volcanic thermal baths. On the way back to Quito, you will make a detour into the western cordillera of the Andes to the spectacular mountain lake “Quilotoa”, where you will take a short hike.

Day 1: Arrival in Quito

Flight to Quito, arrival in the afternoon. You will be
met at the airport and transferred to your hotel in the heart of the city in
about 1 hour. The rest of the evening is free. You can enjoy Ecuadorian
specialties and international dishes at the hotel’s excellent restaurant..

Overnight at the Plaza Grande Hotel (Plaza view Suite).

Your English-speaking guide will pick you up at your hotel at 9:00 a.m. and take you on an interesting city tour, during which you will get to know the most important historical sights of the old town, which has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. You will visit the Jesuit Church “La Compañia”, the Convent of San Francisco and the Neo-Gothic Cathedral “Basilica”. Lunch will be taken at “El Panecillo” viewpoint. In the afternoon you will visit the “Capilla del Hombre”, the museum of the Ecuadorian artist Oswaldo Guayasamín.

Overnight at Plaza Grande Hotel (Plaza view Suite). Included: Breakfast and Lunch.

After breakfast, you will drive to the equator line, where you will visit the Ethnographic Museum in the “Middle of the World” and then the Intiñan Sun Museum. After a detour to the viewpoint of the Pululahua volcanic crater, we continue north through the dry Guayabamba Valley and past Lake San Pablo to the “Province of Lakes” Imbabura, where we arrive at our beautiful hacienda just outside Otavalo in the late afternoon.

Overnight at Hacienda Pinsaqui (suite). Included: breakfast and dinner

Today you will drive to the “Guinea Pig Lagoon” Cuicocha in the Cotacachi Cayapas Nature Reserve. Together with your guide, you will take a short hike along the edge of the crater of the enchanting lake, at the foot of the mostly snow-capped Cotacachi volcano. On the way, you will see many orchids and bromeliads. You will then take a boat trip around the two islands before returning to the small town of Cotacachi, famous for its traditional leather goods.

Overnight at Hacienda Pinsaquí (suite). Included: breakfast and dinner.

You will drive to the center of Otavalo where you will visit the market at the Plaza de Ponchos. Then you will drive to the small village of Peguche, where you will take a short hike through the eucalyptus forest to the waterfall. Around noon you will leave Otavalo and drive into the eastern Andean Cordillera to Papallacta, where you will be accommodated in the most beautiful hot springs in the country. Relax in the hot springs and (optional) use the spa area with sauna and massages.

Overnight at Termas de Papallacta Hotel (Jacuzzi Suite). Included: breakfast and dinner.

After breakfast, you will take a short 1-hour hike through the endemic forest along the river, with time to enjoy the beautiful Termas de Papallacta complex. Around noon you will drive south on the “Avenue of the Volcanoes” to the province of Cotopaxi. Your accommodation is again in a beautiful hacienda on the edge of the National Park, where you will take a short walk in the surroundings before sunset with a view of the symmetrical Cotopaxi volcano (5897 m).

Overnight at Hacienda El Porvenir (Master Suite). Included: breakfast and dinner.

You will drive into the National Park to the Limpiopungo Lagoon, which you will hike around for 90 minutes. Then you will drive to the parking lot, from where you can climb to the refuge at 4864m and continue to the glacier. In the national park you can see Andean gulls, vulture falcons, wild horses, and with a little luck a condor. In the afternoon, you will return to your beautiful hacienda where you will participate in a small cooking class and learn how to make Ecuadorian empanadas among other things.

Overnight at Hacienda El Porvenir (Master Suite). Included: breakfast and dinner.

Today you will take a 2-hour horseback ride through the beautiful paramo landscape to the foot of the Rumiñahui volcano, where you will find a great viewpoint. Back at the hacienda, you will return to the Panamerican Highway around noon and continue south via Ambato to Chimborazo. Your lodge is located in the middle of the reserve with a fantastic view of the highest mountain in the country. After your arrival in the late afternoon, you will take a short walk in the area where you can see llamas and alpacas.

Overnight at Chimborazo Lodge. Included: breakfast and dinner.

Today you will drive on a gravel road to the Chimborazo Refuge (6268 m). From here we hike slowly and steadily up to the Laguna del Condor at over 5100 m, where there is often snow. Chimborazo is the highest mountain in the world measured from the center of the earth and the place where the earth is closest to the sun. In the nature reserve, you will see many of the vicuñas that have been released into the wild here. You will then leave Chimborazo and drive to the spa town of Baños, where you will take a short hike downhill from your fantastic panoramic hotel to the town. Return to the hotel by taxi.

Overnight at Luna Volcan Hotel (suite). Included: breakfast and dinner.

After breakfast, you will head into the Amazon region to the waterfalls of the Pastaza Valley. You can swim at the Ulba Waterfall, take short hikes over adventurous suspension bridges at the Manto de la Novia and Devil’s Cauldron waterfalls, and take a cable car ride over the cliffs. In the afternoon, visit the famous “Swing at the End of the World” at the Casa del árbol, from where you have a beautiful view of the active volcano Tunguragua (5023m). In the evening, take advantage of the excellent spa and massage facilities at your hotel (optional)

Overnight at Luna Volcan Hotel (suite). Included: breakfast and dinner.

Today you will leave Baños and head back to the highlands. Via Latacunga and Zumbahua you will reach the eastern Andean Cordillera, where you will arrive around noon at one of the most beautiful mountain lakes in the country, the Quilotoa volcanic crater. Here you can take a short hike along the crater rim and can also descend to the shore, where you can go for a kayak ride (optional). The ascent can be done by mule. Afterwards, you will drive to your hotel in Quito, where you will arrive in the early evening and say goodbye to your driver-guide.

Overnight at Plaza Grande Hotel (Plaza view Suite). Included: Breakfast.

If you have booked a Galapagos extension, you will be transferred to the airport early in the morning. Otherwise, enjoy the morning in Quito at your leisure. Visit the city museum or the handicraft market in the “La Mariscal” district before being transferred to the airport in the early afternoon for your flight back home.

Included: Breakfast.

Services included:
  • Accommodation in a double room in the indicated hotels, including breakfast
  • The indicated meals (daily breakfast, 1 x lunch, 8 x dinner)
  • English speaking driver-guide from day 1 to day 11.
  • Entrance fees to: “La Compañía” Jesuit Church, “Básilica” Catedral, San Francisco Monastery, Panecillo, “Capilla del Hombre” Museum, Middle of the World, “Intiñan” Museum, Cotacachi Cayapas Nature Reserve, Cuicocha Boat Trip, Peguche Waterfall, Cotopaxi National Park, Hacienda Porvenir Horseback Riding, Chimborazo Nature Reserve, Ulba Waterfall, Manto de la Novia Waterfall, Cable Car Ride, Devil’s Cauldron Waterfall, Quilotoa Lagoon.
  • On-site customer service.
Services not included:
  • International and domestic flights.
  • Meals and beverages not specified.
  • Optional activities: Spa and massage in Papallacta and Baños, kayak and mule rides in Quilotoa.
  • Tips.

On this 15-day individual round trip, you will get to know the most diverse regions of this small country on the equator line. After visiting the colonial old town of Quito, known as the most beautiful capital of the Americas, you will travel to the “middle of the world” and on to the tropical cloud forest in Mindo. Butterflies, hummingbirds and mountain toucans fly past thundering waterfalls among bromeliads and tree ferns. You will then be driven to the “Province of Lakes”, Imbabura, where you will go on a hike around the magnificent “Guinea Pig Lagoon” and get to know the indigenous Kichwa village communities. Continue south on the “Route of Volcanoes” to the Cotopaxi National Park before hiking in the western highlands around the beautiful mountain lake Quilotoa. In the spa town of Baños de Agua Santa, you will take a bike tour to the waterfalls of the Pastaza Valley and have time for further excursions, hikes, rafting and many more outdoor activities. In the last part of the trip, you will visit the Amazon region, where you will explore the flora and fauna of the tropical rainforest and get to know the local culture of the indigenous peoples before heading back to the Andes. To round off an unforgettable trip in the highlands, you will spend the last night in the wonderful hot springs of Papallacta, from where you will then be taken to the airport.

Day 1: Arrival in Quito

Flight to Quito, arrival in the afternoon. You will be met at the airport and transferred to your hotel in the middle of the new town in approx. 1 hour. The rest of the evening is at your leisure. The hotel’s excellent restaurant serves Ecuadorian specialties and international dishes.

Overnight at Ikala UIO Hotel.

At 9:00 am, you will be picked up at the hotel by your English-speaking driver-guide, who will take you on an interesting city tour, during which you will get to know the most important historical sights of the old city center, which has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Among other things, you will visit the Jesuit church “La Compañía”, the San Francisco monastery and the neo-Gothic “Basilica” Cathedral. In the afternoon, you will travel to the equator line to the “middle of the world” and then on to the tropical cloud forest in Mindo.

Overnight at Sisakuna Hotel. Included: Breakfast.

Situated at an altitude of around 1200 meters in the middle of the forest, Mindo is a fantastic place for relaxation and outdoor activities. Take the chairlift over the treetops, the cable car over the Nambillo River and hike along signposted trails to the numerous waterfalls. A visit to the butterfly farm or a breathtaking tubing trip on the Mindo River is also highly recommended. With a bit of luck, you will see many hummingbirds and mountain toucans.

Overnight at Sisakuna Hotel. Included: Breakfast.

This morning is at your leisure. Take another hike along the river and visit Doña Alicia’s orchid garden in the village, where you can see more than 300 species, some of which are endemic. You will be picked up at the hotel around midday and drive back to the Andes. We will head south with photo stops in the Guayabamba Valley and at Lake San Pablo to the “Province of Lakes”, Imbabura, where you will arrive at your hotel in downtown Otavalo in the late afternoon.

Overnight at Geranios Hotel. Included: breakfast.

Today you drive to the “Guinea Pig Lagoon” Cuicocha in the Cotacachi Cayapas Natural Reserve. Together with your local, English-speaking guide, you will go on a 4 – 5 hour hike around the enchanting lake, at the foot of the mostly snow-covered summit of the Cotacachi volcano. On the way you can see many orchids and bromeliads. On the way back, you will visit the small town of Cotacachi, famous for its traditional leather goods.

Overnight at Geranios Hotel. Included: breakfast, and box lunch.

After breakfast, you will be picked up and driven with your English-speaking guide to the surrounding rural village communities. In Carapuelo you will see traditional weaving looms, and in the small village of Peguche you will go on a short hike through the eucalyptus forest to the waterfall and visit a well-known folklore music group, where you will learn a lot about Andean instruments and how they are used. Today you can also learn a few words of the ancient Inca language, Quechua. In the afternoon, you will be taken back to your hotel in Quito.

Overnight at Ikala UIO Hotel. Included: breakfast and box lunch.

Today you will drive south with your English-speaking driver-guide on the ” Route of Volcanoes ” to the Cotopaxi National Park. Here you will go on a short hike on flat terrain around Lake Limpiopungo and, weather permitting, you can climb up to the refuge (4868 m) of the second highest active volcano in the world. Afterwards, you will visit the interpretation center before driving into the western Andes Cordillera to the emerald green crater of Lake Quilotoa.

Overnight at Samay kirutoa Hotel. Included: breakfast and dinner.

Today you hike approx. 11 km almost exclusively along the crater rim, around the enchanted Quilotoa lagoon. First you walk downhill to the Shalala viewpoint, and then steadily uphill to the highest point of the hike, Cerro Juyende (3930 m). You will be back in the village in the early afternoon and then continue to the spa town of Baños, which you will explore on a first tour in the evening.

Overnight at Isla de Baños Hotel. Included: Breakfast.

Together with your guide, you will embark on an adventurous bike tour today, almost exclusively downhill, to the waterfalls of the Pastaza Valley. You can swim at the Ulba waterfall, take short hikes over adventurous suspension bridges at the “Bridal Veil” and “Devil’s Cauldron” waterfalls, and take a cable car to across the river. In the afternoon, you and your bikes will be driven back to Baños, where you will say goodbye to your driver guide.

Overnight at Isla de Baños Hotel. Included: Breakfast

Situated in the green valley at 1800 m, Baños de Agua Santa is a perfect place for outdoor activities. Today is therefore at your free disposal. Take a hike to the Bellavista viewpoint or to the “Manos de Dios” viewpoint, go horse riding, rafting or canyoning. You can also visit the “Swing at the End of the World” at Casa del Árbol, which you can easily reach by cab.  Relax in the evening in the hot springs next to the La Vírgen waterfall.

Overnight at Isla de Baños Hotel. Included: Breakfast.

Today, the scenic route takes you down into the Amazon region to the Arajuno bridge, where you will travel 20 minutes upstream by motorized canoe through the tropical forest to Itamandi Lodge. After lunch, you can enjoy a refreshing dip in the pool. In the evening, a night walk awaits you, during which you can hear many nocturnal animal sounds and see luminous insects and toads.

Overnight at Itamandi Lodge. Included: breakfast, lunch and dinner.

After breakfast, you will hike through the jungle with your expert guide. In the overwhelming diversity of the tropical rainforest, you will see giant trees, lianas, board and stilt roots, several medicinal plants and, with a bit of luck, some animals. In the afternoon, you will get to know a Kichwa community and learn interesting facts about their way of life and how they deal with the jungle. We will take part in the preparation of the “Chicha” drink and taste some of the traditional dishes.

Overnight at Itamandi Lodge. Included: breakfast, lunch and dinner.

In the early morning, we take a 15-minute canoe ride upstream to visit the Saladero de Parrots. Hundreds of parrots and parakeets approach the treetops and then descend onto the clay wall to feed on the mineral-rich soil, which helps them to digest. Finally, you return to the Arajuno bridge by canoe and from there you are picked up and drive back to the Andes on a scenic route through three national parks, where you arrive in the afternoon in Papallacta at 3200 m in the most beautiful thermal baths in the country.

Overnight at Termas de Papallacta Resort. Included: Breakfast.

If you have booked a Galápagos extension, you will be taken to the airport early in the morning. Otherwise, you can enjoy the morning at leisure in the hot springs. A spa area with sauna and massage is also available. You can also take a walk through the endemic forest by the river before you are taken to the airport in the early afternoon for your flight back to home.

Included: Breakfast.

Services included:
  • Private transfer Quito Airport – Hotel
  • Overnight stay in a double room in the hotels mentioned (or equivalent), incl. breakfast
  • The indicated meals (daily breakfast, 2 x lunch, 2 x box lunch, 3 x dinner).
  • English speaking driver guide on day 2, 7, 8 and 9.
  • Private transportation on day 4, 6, 11, 13, 14.
  • English speaking local guide, incl. transportation on day 5 and 6.
  • Bike tour with English-speaking guide (mountain bike incl. helmet) on day 9
  • Entrance fees to: “La Compañía” Church, Básilica Cathedral, San Francisco Monastery, Mitad del Mundo City, Cotacachi Cayapas Nature Reserve, Peguche Waterfall, Cotopaxi National Park, Quilotoa Lagoon, Ulba Waterfall, Manto de la Novia Waterfall, cable car ride, Devil’s Cauldron Waterfall.
  • 3 days / 2 nights jungle tour with English-speaking guide, incl. transportation, full board, rubber boots at Itamandi Lodge, days 11 to 13.
  • On-site customer service.
Services not included:
  • Optional activities and excursions in Mindo and Baños.
  • Meals and drinks not specified.
  • Flights
  • Community entrance fee in Itamandi Lodge 10, – USD

On this, 18-day individual trip, you will get to know the colonial old town of Quito, known as the most beautiful capital of the Americas, go on a hike through the volcanic crater of Pululahua, and then travel to the “Province of the Lakes”, Imbabura, where you will gain a deep insight into the culture and cosmovision of the Andean people with indigenous host families from the tourism project Quichua Tours. You will go on a hike around the magnificent “guinea pig lagoon”, climb Mount Fuya Fuya near the enchanting lagoons of Mojanda and take a breathtaking bike ride back to Otavalo. Afterwards, you will hike through Cayambe Coca National Park to the beautiful hot springs of Papallacta. Continue to the Cotopaxi National Park, where you will go on a horseback ride before hiking in the western highlands around the beautiful mountain lake Quilotoa. After visiting the country’s highest mountain, Chimborazo (6268 m), where you can reach the snow line at 5100 m, you will travel to the spa town of Baños. Here you will undertake another bike tour to the waterfalls of the Pastaza Valley, a breathtaking canyoning tour and take part in an exciting rafting tour. In the last part of the trip, you will visit the Amazon region, where you will explore the flora and fauna of the tropical rainforest and get to know the local culture of the indigenous peoples before heading back to the Andes – Quito.

Day 1 - Arrival in Quito

Flight to Quito, arrival in the afternoon. You will be met at the airport and transferred to your hotel in the middle of the new town in approx. 1 hour. The rest of the evening is at your leisure. The hotel’s excellent restaurant serves Ecuadorian specialties and international dishes.

Overnight at Ikala UIO Hotel.

Your private guide will pick you up at the hotel at 9:00 am and take you on an interesting city tour, during which you will get to know the most important historical sights of the old city center, which has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Among other things, you will visit the Jesuit church “La Compañía“, the “San Francisco“ monastery and the Cathedral neo-Gothic “Basilica“. The rest of the afternoon is at your leisure for further exploration.

Overnight at Ikala Hotel. Included: breakfast and lunch.

After breakfast, your private driver-guide will take you to the Pululahua geobotanical reserve. You will hike to the interior of the volcanic crater inhabited by farmers and climb the “El Chivo“ viewing hill. On the way, you can see many orchids, bromeliads and tree ferns. After the ascent, you will drive to the “middle of the world”, the Equator Monument, where you will visit the ethnographic museum. Then, you will continue to the “Province of the Lakes”, Imbabura, where your Indigenous host family awaits you for dinner in rural Cotacachi.

Overnight at Cabañas Purinquichus. Included: breakfast, box lunch, dinner.

Today you drive to the “guinea pig lagoon” Cuicocha in the Cotacachi Cayapas nature reserve at over 3000 m above sea level. Together with your local, English-speaking guide, you will go on a 4 – 5 hour hike around the enchanting lake at the foot of the mostly snow-covered summit of the Cotacachi volcano. On the way, with a bit of luck, you may see hummingbirds, vulture falcons and condors, and in good weather you can see as far as Colombia. On the way back, you will visit the small town of Cotacachi, which is well known for its many leather goods.

Overnight at Cabañas Purinquichus. Included: breakfast, box lunch and dinner.

Early in the morning, you drive into the mountains again. Today you take the old smugglers’ road to the lagoons of Mojanda. Here you will go on a guided hike and climb to the summit of the Fuya Fuya mountain (4265 m) in around 2 hours. After a long rest with a fantastic view, the 1.5-hour descent back to the large lagoon begins. Here you will mount your mountain bikes and ride downhill for approx. 12 km on a dirt track through beautiful countryside back to Otavalo, from where you will be taken to your accommodation.

Overnight at Cabañas Purinquichus. Included: breakfast, lunch and dinner.

After breakfast, you drive to the eastern highlands in the Cayambe Coca National Park. Together with your English-speaking guide, you will hike along the “Path of the Spectacled Bear”, past numerous mountain lakes, mostly downhill through the grassy highlands to the hot springs of Papallacta. On the way, you may see white-tailed deer, the Andean fox and, with luck, a spectacled bear. You will reach your accommodation in the afternoon, where your large luggage will have arrived before you. Relax in the hot springs and make use of the additional spa area with sauna and massage facilities

Overnight at Termas de Papallacta Hotel. Included: breakfast, box lunch.

Relax in the beautiful hot springs early in the morning before being picked up by your private driver guide. You will first go on a 1-hour hike through the endemic forest by the river, and then drive south on the “Volcanoes Route” to the Cotopaxi National Park. Here you will take a short hike on flat terrain around “Limpiopungo“ lake and, if the weather permitting, you can climb up to the refuge (4868 m) before driving to your accommodation in the middle of the national park.

Overnight in Tambopaxi Farm. Included: breakfast and dinner.

After breakfast, you will go on a 3-hour horseback excursion through the beautiful scenery of the national park. You will visit the remains of ancient Inca ruins and ride to the Pita River gorge. In the afternoon, you will leave Cotopaxi and drive through Latacunga and Zumbahua into the Eastern Cordillera of the Andes, where you will arrive late in the afternoon at one of the most beautiful mountain lakes in the Andes, the volcanic crater of Quilotoa. Here you will be able to descend to the shore and, optionally, take a kayak ride.

Overnight at Samay Quirutoa Hotel. Included: breakfast and dinner.

Today you hike approx. 11 km along the crater rim around the enchanted Quilotoa lagoon. First you walk downhill to the Shalala viewpoint, and then steadily uphill to the highest point of the hike, Cerro Juyende (3930 m). In addition to lupines and orchids, many chuquirawas, the flower of the Andinistas, also grow here. You return to the village in the early afternoon and then continue south to your accommodation, the beautiful Hacienda Abraspungo, in the province of Chimborazo.

Overnight at Hacienda Abraspungo. Included: breakfast.

Early in the morning you drive to the highest mountain in Ecuador, the Chimborazo (6268 m). In the Wildlife Reserve of the same name, you will see many of the vicuñas that have been released into the wild here. From the first refuge, you hike slowly and steadily uphill to the Laguna del Condor at over 5100 m, where there is often already snow. In the afternoon, you leave the Chimborazo and drive to the spa town of Baños, where you say goodbye to your private driver guide.

Overnight at La Floresta Hotel. Included: Breakfast.

You will be picked up from your hotel by your local English-speaking guide and driven to the Río Blanco. After you have tried on the necessary equipment and received the technical instructions, the roped descent begins over five different waterfalls, the largest of which is 35 meters high. In the afternoon, you will take a bike tour, almost exclusively downhill, to the waterfalls of the Pastaza Valley. You can swim at the Ulba waterfall, take short hikes over adventurous suspension bridges at the “Bridal Veil” and “Devil’s Cauldron ” waterfalls, and take a cable car ride.

Overnight at La Floresta Hotel. Included: breakfast and box lunch.

Today you will head east again, from Baños to the Pastaza River. Depending on the water level, your English-speaking guide will decide where to start your tour for the day. Here you will put on wetsuits and helmets before starting an impressive whitewater rafting excursion (level 3+ / 4). After this adrenaline-filled adventure, you will return to Baños, where you will have the afternoon at leisure. In the evening, relax in the hot springs by the “La Vírgen“ waterfall.

Overnight at La Floresta Hotel. Included: breakfast and box lunch.

Today, the scenic route takes you down into the Amazon region to the Arajuno bridge, where you will travel 20 minutes upstream by motorized canoe through the tropical forest to Itamandi Lodge. After lunch, you can enjoy a refreshing dip in the pool. In the evening, a night walk awaits you, during which you can hear many nocturnal animal sounds and see luminous insects and toads.

Overnight at Itamandi Lodge. Included: breakfast, lunch and dinner.

After breakfast, you will hike through the jungle with your expert guide. In the overwhelming diversity of the tropical rainforest, you will see giant trees, lianas, board and stilt roots, several medicinal plants and, with a bit of luck, some animals. In the afternoon, you will get to know a Kichwa community and learn interesting facts about their way of life and how they deal with the jungle. We will take part in the preparation of the “Chicha” drink and taste some of the traditional dishes.

Overnight at Itamandi Lodge. Included: breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Today you will travel by canoe to the famous Anaconda Island, the trip takes about 40 minutes, and you will travel over the largest river in Ecuador. The Napo River. Here you can observe various species of monkeys, toucans and the prehistoric stinkbird “Hoatzin“. Afterwards, you will visit a family and learn about traditional hunting traps and can practise shooting with a blowpipe. In the afternoon, you will visit the Amazoonico Animal Rescue Station before returning to your lodge.

Overnight at Itamandi Lodge. Included: breakfast, lunch and dinner.

In the early morning, we take a 15-minute canoe ride upstream to visit the Saladero de Parrots. Hundreds of parrots and parakeets approach the treetops and then descend onto the clay wall to feed on the mineral-rich soil, which helps them to digest. Finally, you return to the Arajuno Bridge by canoe, from where you are picked up and take a scenic route through three national parks back to the Andes, where you arrive at your hotel in Quito in the afternoon.

Overnight at Ikala Hotel. Included: breakfast.

Depending on when your flight departs, this morning is at your leisure. If you have booked a Galápagos extension, you will be taken to the airport early in the morning. Otherwise, visit the museum of the famous artist Guayasamín in the Bellavista district or the city museum in the center. You will then be taken to the airport for your return flight to Europe.

Included: breakfast.

Services included:
  • Private transfer Quito Airport – Hotel
  • Overnight stay in a double room in the hotels mentioned (or equivalent), incl. breakfast
  • The meals indicated in the program.
  • City tour Quito with English-speaking guide (approx. 4 – 5 hours), incl. entrance fees “La Compañía” Church, Básilica Cathedral, San Francisco Monastery.
  • English -speaking driver guide on day 3, incl. entrance to Mitad del Mundo, box lunch.
  • English-speaking guide on day 4, 5, 6, 11, 12.
  • English-speaking driver guide from day 7 to 10.
  • Transportation on day 4, 5, 6.
  • Bike tours (mountain bike incl. helmet) on day 5 and 11.
  • Horse riding excursion (approx. 3 hours) in the Cotopaxi National Park on day 8.
  • Rafting tour Pastaza with English-speaking guide incl. equipment on day 12.
  • Canyoning tour Río Blanco with English-speaking guide incl. equipment on day 11.
  • Entrance fees to: Pululahua Geobotanical reserve, Cotacachi Cayapas Nature Reserve, Cayambe Coca National Park, Cotopaxi National Park, Quilotoa Lagoon, Chimborazo Wildlife Reserve, Ulba Waterfall, Manto de la Novia Waterfall, Baños Cable Car Ride, Devil’s Cauldron
  • 4 days / 3 nights jungle tour with English-speaking guide, incl. transportation, full board, rubber boots at Itamandi Lodge, day 13 to 16.
  • Private transfer Baños – Itamandi Lodge – Hotel in Quito.
  • Private transfer out hotel in Quito – airport.
  • On-site customer service.
Services not included:
  • Flights
  • Meals and drinks not specified
  • Community entrance fee in Itamandi Lodge 10,- USD
  • Tips

GET IN TOUCH

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  • +593 98 485 4049
  • +593 99 870 2207
  • +593 2 3160851
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