Best of Ecuador 8 days.
Price per person from: $ 1600 :-
Experience the best of Ecuador. In the capital Quito you can stand with one foot on each side of the equator. At Otavalos craftsmen’s market you can find local crafts. In Cotopaxi we see beautiful waterfalls and active volcanoes. We visit Baños and explore the cloud forest before we come to Alausi to take a ride on the famous Devils nose train. Dream back five hundred years in time to the Inca kingdom as you visit the ruins at Ingapirca and admire the exotic iguanas in the Bolivar Park in Guayaquil. This journey gives you the opportunity to experience the best the country has to offer. Tip! Prolong your stay with a beach vacation or a visit to the beautiful Galapagos Archipelago.
This is included:
All transfers in /out.
7 nights accommodation in double room with breakfast, choose between tourist, superior or first class.
Private transportation for excursions.
Bilingual guide (English / Spanish) for excursions and transfers.
Meals detailed in the itinerary.
All excursions and visits detailed in the itinerary.
Entrance fees.
Train ticket (Devil´s Nose Train ride)
Travel guarantee via Swedish Kammarkollegiet.
Day to day presentation:
(B= Breakfast, L= Lunch, D= Dinner)
Day 1: Arrival to Quito.
After the arrival, our staff will welcome and transfer you from the airport to the hotel. The rest of the day is free to spend on your own and to acclimatize. Remember to walk slowly and to drink lots of fluids.
Day 2: Quito – Middle of the world – Quito.
Today we take a city tour in Quito with it’s surrounding area. Our first stop is to the city’s famous churches: La Compañia (The Church of Society of Jesus), El Sagrario (Church of the Sanctuary or Church of the Shrine), La Basilica del Voto Nacional (The Basilica of the National Vow), and San Francisco (The Church of St. Francis) that has a nice collection of paintings and sculptures from the 1600 until modern time.
Our next visit is to the Independence Plaza, where we can find crafts, locally produced ice cream and typical Quito dishes. We also visit the statue La Virgen de Quito (Virgin of Quito) called “El Panecillo”. The statue is located on a hill with a fantastic view over Quito. Now it is time for lunch!
After our visit to the old time we depart for ”Middle of the world” located about 45 minute north of Quito. This is the place where French scientists decided in the 1730s the position of the Equator. We then continue to the open air museum IntiÑan to learn about the solar system and different ethnic groups living in Ecuador.
The last visit of the day is to a brewery where we learn about the art of brewing and for those who wish you can try the local beer. We then drive back to Quito. In the evening we are transferred to a local restaurant with a nice view over the city. Here we enjoy a lovely dinner. (B,L,D)
Day 3: Quito – Cayambe – Otavalo – Quito.
A visit to the famous indian market in Otavalo is on the program today. Enroute we stop in the beautiful town Cayambe where we learn about ancient civilizations and how people grew crops back in the day using only the sun and stars as help. You can also have a taste of the exquisite biscuits and leaf cheese.
As we continue towards Otavalo we have an excellent view over the ”San Pablo Lake” which is the biggest in the region. Getting close to Otavalo we will see some of the indigenous community houses, they sell their awesome art in a fair on Saturdays, finding here beautiful confections and handicrafts made by the community with cotton thread like: “ponchos”, bracelets, “shigras” (bags), sweaters, pants, hats, etc. They also sell musical instruments made by “carrizo” (reed) like: “Charangos”, flutes, “rondadores”, etc.
On the way back to Quito we visit a craftmen’s family in Cotacachi which specialize in leather goods. (B,L)
Day 4: Quito – Cotopaxi – Baños.
At 70 km from Quito, the “Cotopaxi” volcano, one of the highest active volcano in the world with an altitude of 5.987 m, will give us welcome to the Cotopaxi National Park with awesome landscapes we will see the flora and fauna, with an amazing display of the magnitude of volcanic eruptions. A beautiful waterfall in the “Pita” river and the “Tambo” river, are a creation of the melting of the volcano. The reflect of heavens blue sky in the lagoon of “Limpiopungo” will amaze us with its stunning colors.
After this great experience, we are ready to visit a beautiful rose’s farm. Here, we will learn about harvesting, post harvesting and packing, and learn about this wonderful natural product, so sublime, so perfect, full of beauty and exquisite aromas. We will get the knowledge to understand why these roses can only be produced in the Middle of the World. Lunch
Continue to Baños, it’s the last big city still located in the mountains before reaching the jungle and other towns that are located in the Amazon River basin. Today the town is an adventure town and you can try many different activates here. (B,L)
Day 5: Baños – Riobamba – Alausi.
After breakfast, we will enjoy a short walk in the cloud forest and admire the “Pailon del Diablo” and “Manto de la Novia” waterfalls. Later we will go to a lookout point to see the Tungurahua active volcano. Continue to Alausi, known for its architecture, and most of its houses are more than 100 years old. (B,D)
Day 6: Alausi – Devils nose train – Ingapirca – Cuenca.
After breakfast, we will go to the Alausi station to take the Devil´s Nose train, the most impressive section of Ecuador´s railway. The biggest complication faced by the construction of the Trans-Andean railroad was the Devil’s Nose, a mountain with almost perpendicular walls. To overcome this obstacle a zigzag railroad was built that climbs more than 500 meters in less than 12 km with steep ascents and descents. It today remains an impressive piece of engineering. While recovering from the mind-blowing descent you will enjoy the views of the narrow gorge of river Chanchan and will have the chance to learn a bit about the traditions and worldview of the Puruhuas in Sibambe.
Afterwards, we will continue to Cuenca. On the way we will stop at the famous Ingapirca ruins (“wall rocks of the Inca”) which are the most important and well preserved of Ecuador’s Inca ruins situated to the north of Cuenca. Time traveling. You may sense it just as you look at the temple’s imposing facade; maybe it will happen at the end of the tour, watching Andes at every direction. The world as it was 500 years ago, simpler but often wiser, will arise in front of you. For a moment, priests and farmers, nurturers and warriors will come back to their ordinary duty and past’s echoes will rumble from every wall. After the visit, we will have time for lunch and then we will continue to Cuenca city. (B,L)
Day 7: Cuenca – Cajas – Guayaquil.
In the morning we take a city tour of Cuenca and look at some of the most famous sights in the city such as barrio of San Sebastian, the Museum of Modern Art, Parque Calderón (main square), the Flower Plaza, the Sagrario Cathedral (also called the old cathedral) as well as the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, which is called the new cathedral and is counted among the biggest in Latin America. We also have time for a visit to El Barranco, before we come to the viewpoint at Turi.
We leave Cunca to go to Cajas national park. In this park are over 230 lakes and we admire the view over these, and the massive mountain range that surrounds the beautiful park.
At the arrival to Guayaquil we look at the exotic iguanas in Bolivar Park and cross the Plaza Administrativa to look at the beautiful city hall built in a neoclassical style. We also visit the belltower Moorish and Malecón Simon Boliviar– which is a 3 kilometers walkway at the side of the Guayas river. This path leads us to the monument of La Rotonda where we learn of two of south Americans old time heroes- Simon Bolivar and José de San Martin. In the evening we have dinner at a local restaurant. (B,D)
Day 8: Departure.
After breakfast you are transfered to the airport for your flight home or onward journey. (B)Tip! If you wish to prolong your trip you can take a few extra days in Quito or Guayaquil, visit the famous Galapagos islands or take a beach vacation at Ecuador’s west coast. Contact us for suggestions.
This is not included:
International flight. (Can be bought on your own or via us)
Meals not mentioned in the program.
Drinks during meals.
Tip.
Personal expenses.
Travel insurance.
Tip! You can get a discount if you are 4 persons or more travelling together.
The prices are based upon the lowest booking class and season. Prices are calculated per person in shared double room.
We reserve ourselves against changes in currencies and increased flight taxes.
