Handpicked Ecuador

8 days / 7 nights from
$3969
per person share twinInternational flights are additional

Handpicked Ecuador

Discover a country of astonishing contrasts where cultural riches are surpassed only by breathtaking landscapes. Travel through the heart of Ecuador’s dramatic Avenue of the Volcanoes and rest by night in historic haciendas. Explore the charming colonial towns of Quito and Cuenca and be awed by gorgeous scenery in the Cajas National Park.

Includes
✔ 7 nights accommodation
✔ Meals as per itinerary
✔ Sightseeing with bilingual local guides
✔ Transfers as specified

International flights are additional


8 days / 7 nights
From $3969 per person share twin
Departs: Daily

Itinerary Highlights
• Discover charming Cuenca and Quito, two of the most beautiful colonial cities in Latin America.
• Visit Otavalo, an indigenous town with one of the most well-known and colourful artisan markets in South America.
• See the breathtaking, snowcapped Cotopaxi Volcano in the Avenue of Volcanos, one of Ecuador's most recognisable sites.

Itinerary
Day 1: Quito
Arrive in the beautiful city of Quito, the world’s first city to be declared a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site. Standing at an altitude of 2,850m, Quito is the second-highest capital in the world after La Paz in Bolivia. The first three nights of your journey will be spent here.

Day 2: Quito
Begin exploring this vibrant mountain city with a colonial city tour. Packed with architectural treasures, Quito’s exquisite Centro Historico is the largest and most well-preserved historic centre of any Latin American city. Picturesque plazas and baroque 17th century cathedrals contrast spectacularly with the snow-covered peaks beyond.
 
Explore Independence Square, the heart of colonial Quito, flanked by the Archbishop’s Palace and the Presidential Palace. See the Metropolitan Cathedral, one of the most important churches in the city and El Sagrario Church with its beautifully decorated dome. Visit the impressive La Compania Church which, with its ornate golden altars and perfect symmetry, is one of South America’s greatest baroque masterpieces. Continue to the Plaza of San Francisco where you’ll find the Church and Convent of San Francisco. This vast complex displays a rich sample of artistic and cultural heritage and is one of the most significant religious sites in Ecuador. Finish your city tour at Panecillo viewpoint with a spectacular panoramic view of the city.
Meals included: Breakfast

Day 3: Quito - Otavalo Market - Quito
This morning, you will embark on a scenic land journey through the generous valleys of the austral Ecuadorian Andes.

From Riobamba you'll travel south to Guamote, a small town where 95% of the population is Indigenous. Guamote itself has about 5,000 inhabitants, but in the mountains surrounding Guamote another 40,000 people live in small communities.

You will visit the market, one of the biggest and most traditional markets in South America. Every Thursday the people from the surrounding communities come to Guamote to sell their fruit, sheep, pigs, guinea pigs, cows, hats, clothing, etc. This is a market by and for indigenous people, one of the most authentic things you can see in Ecuador, an experience for all your senses, a chaos of smells, colours, sounds and smiling and kind faces everywhere.
Meals included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner

Day 4:  Quito - Cotopaxi - Baños
Today you'll have an early departure from Quito south, along the Avenue of the Volcanoes to Cotopaxi National Park. The breathtaking snow-capped Cotopaxi Volcano dominates the landscape and is the highest active volcano in the world. Despite the altitude, the Park is home to numerous birds and varied plant life, which can be seen on a light hike. Northeast lies Ruminahui Volcano and between the two mountains the plain and lagoon of Limpiopungo, which on a clear day reflects the beauty of the surrounding peaks. Depending on the day of the week, you'll visit an indigenous market.

Continue along a series of temperate valleys through charming villages of Latacunga, Salcedo and Ambato before turning east and heading to the picturesque and bustling town of Baños. Nestled amidst mountains, at the foot of Tungurahua Volcano, Baños is well known for its thermal baths and impressive array of adventure sports.
Meals included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner

Day 5: Baños - Riobamba
After breakfast visit beautiful Agoyan waterfall, the gateway to the Amazon. Travel by road along the Pastaza River canyon to the so called "Route of Waterfalls" where you'll find Cascada de la Virgen, the Brides Mantle, Machay and Pailondel Diablo waterfalls, all of which lie along the riverbed of the Pastaza surrounded by green lush vegetation. At the tallest waterfall, Pailon del Diablo (the Devils Cauldron) you'll have the option to walk down to observe the waterfall from a breathtaking suspension bridge. In the afternoon, pass by the foothills of Chimborazo Volcano, the highest summit in Ecuador, to the city of Riobamba where you will spend the night at the delightful Hacienda Abraspungo.
Meals included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner

Day 6: Riobamba - Guamote - Ingapirca Ruins - Cuenca
This morning, you will embark on a scenic land journey through the generous valleys of the austral Ecuadorian Andes.

From Riobamba you'll travel south to Guamote, a small town where 95% of the population is Indigenous. Guamote itself has about 5,000 inhabitants, but in the mountains surrounding Guamote another 40,000 people live in small communities.

You will visit the market, one of the biggest and most traditional markets in South America. Every Thursday the people from the surrounding communities come to Guamote to sell their fruit, sheep, pigs, guinea pigs, cows, hats, clothing, etc. This is a market by and for indigenous people, one of the most authentic things you can see in Ecuador, an experience for all your senses, a chaos of smells, colours, sounds and impressions; and smiling and kind faces everywhere.

Continue your journey south reaching the town of Alausi, an indigenous settlement that has not changed much in centuries. After lunch at a local restaurant, the journey continues with an exploration of the Ingapirca archaeological ruins. Ingapirca means "Wall of the Inca" and it is the most important Incan relic in Ecuador.

This citadel was built in the fifteenth century on an ancient route that connected Quito to Cusco. The Solar Temple and the surrounding buildings follow the system of construction found in the ancient Incan capital. You'll visit the archaeological site and also the site museum displaying pottery and metal artifacts found, not only at this site, but also at the surrounding archaeological findings. Continue to the charming colonial city of Cuenca, your home for the next two nights.
Meals included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner

Day 7: Cuenca
Cuenca is known as the jewel of Ecuador for good reason, it is arguably Ecuador’s most beautiful city and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Cuenca’s red-tiled roofs, flower-filled plazas and narrow cobble stone streets are reminiscent of a splendid past, while its many museums, cloisters, markets and churches are all testimony to a rich historical legacy. The facades date back over five centuries and have been kept intact due to the unique privilege of being the only city in the Ecuadorian Andes which has not been hit by major earthquakes. An impressive setting along the Tomembamba River, world-class restaurants, and a variety of art galleries, cafes and bars all add to Cuenca’s charm.

Today you will enjoy a city tour visiting the Cathedral, Main Square, flower market, San Francisco and Santo Domingo churches and the Central Bank Museum with permanent archaeological, anthropological, colonial and republican art collections, including interesting photography documenting the city's history. In the late afternoon, you'll visit a Panama hat factory where a wide variety of goods made from "toquilla" fibre like bags, dolls and many different hat styles and colours, and prices. At  the end of the tour, soak up breathtaking panoramic views of the city from Turi Viewpoint.
Meals included: Breakfast, dinner

Day 8: Cuenca - Cajas National Park - Guayaquil
Travel from Cuenca to Guayaquil, stopping en-route at the magnificent El Cajas National Park. The park, which is located in the western Cordillera of the Ecuadorean Andes, covers an area of 28,544 hectares and boasts no less than 235 spectacular lakes of glacial origin. At an altitude of 3,200-4,000 metres above sea level, the park’s humid Andean cloud forests act like a sponge and the park is a vital water source. With its incredible scenery, it is also a photographer’s dream. You will stop at two of the park’s lakes, Llaviucu Laguna and Laguna La Toreadora, where you can take some amazing photos. Arrive in Ecuador’s second largest city, Guayaquil, late in the afternoon where your journey ends.
Meals included: Breakfast, lunch

Contact your local House of Travel for further information on the best travel dates and prices to match your holiday.

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