Upon Arrival, we’ll be picked up at the Quito airport and taken to our Quito hotel.

Accommodation: Hotel Vieja Cuba or similar

Meals included: - / - / -

Today we’ll have a city tour of Quito. We’ll begin with a guided walking tour of Quito’s historic old town including its impressive churches and main plazas. Lunch in the Old Town, then we visit the Mitad del Mundo (the Middle of the World), the equator line museum and park in the north of Quito. We’ll be able to perform some experiments on the actual equator line here. After our tour, we’ll return to our hotel for the evening.

OPTIONAL CONSIDERATION (no change in price): Instead of the equator visit, we can begin the day with a trip up Quito’s Teleferico and tour the Old Town in the afternoon.

Accommodation: Hotel Vieja Cuba or similar

Meals included: B / L / -

We'll be picked up from our hotel at about 7:30 AM, and travel north to the town of Otavalo. We'll visit the largest indigenous market in Ecuador at the Plaza de Ponchos, then have a chance to visit an artisan workshop to see how some of these crafts are made. We’ll then head to the town of Cotacachi for lunch, with some time to explore the town known for leather goods. Afterwards, we'll continue to a beautiful crater lake, Laguna Cuicocha. Return to Quito in the late afternoon.

Accommodation: Hotel Vieja Cuba or similar

Meals included: B / L / -

We’ll be picked up at our hotel at about 7:30 AM, and we’ll head south to the Cotopaxi National Park. Weather permitting, we’ll travel to the parking area below the refuge and have the option to hike up to the refuge (4800 m), or optionally continue to the glacier line at about 5000 m. We’ll then visit a small lagoon inside the park and have a chance to walk or hike a bit if you wish. Lunch at a nearby restaurant, then we’ll continue in our transportation to the small community of Isinlivi in the region of Laguna Quilotoa, where we’ll stay at a comfortable mountain lodge and have a great dinner.

Accommodation: Llullu Llama (garden cottage or mountain lodge room, double or triple)

Meals included: B / L / D

Early breakfast (7 AM), then we’ll begin an (optional) hike of about 5 hours to the community of Chugchilan. We’ll pass through traditional farmlands and beautiful river canyons and have a box lunch along the way. Our transportation will meet us in Chugchilan, and from there we’ll stop at the stunning Laguna Quilotoa, a massive crater lake at nearly 4000 m elevation, and have a chance to enjoy the views. From there, we’ll head to Baños arriving in the late afternoon/evening.

NOTE: If you choose not to do the hike, you can stay extra time at the hotel, then travel to Chugchilan in our transport.

Accommodation: Hotel Isla de Baños or similar

Meals included: B / L / -

After breakfast, we’ll descend to the east from Baños following the Pastaza river, visiting a number of beautiful waterfalls until we arrive to the Pailon del Diablo, one of the largest and most spectacular waterfalls, about a 20 to 30 minute easy hike from the main road. After relaxing and enjoying the waterfall, we'll enjoy a traditional lunch, then we’ll return to Baños. In the afternoon, free time to explore the city on your own.

Accommodation: Hotel Isla de Baños or similar

Meals included: B / L / -

Departing Baños after breakfast, we’ll head to the community of Guamote. When we arrive, we’ll have lunch and then take a tour of this beautiful, traditional community. Dinner and overnight at a simple but comfortable guesthouse.

Accommodation: Intisisa Guest House

Meals included: B / L / D

Every Thursday, the small town of Guamote is the site of one of Ecuador's largest traditional markets. People come from all over the country to sell all types of goods here, and this bustling and lively market lacks the touristy aspect of Otavalo. This is a great cultural experience; we'll explore the market for a couple of hours in the morning. Early lunch, we’ll then continue south towards Cuenca with a stop at Ingapirca along the way, then we’ll be dropped off at our hotel.

NOTE: If you visit Guamote on a day other than Thursday, there is no market so we’ll relax in the morning or participate in an optional activity and then depart for Cuenca.

Accommodation: Hotel Los Balcones or similar

Meals included: B / L / -

In the morning we’ll have a 4-hour tour of Cuenca's most important sights, including the new and old cathedrals, plazas, and markets. During the period of Spanish colonization in Cuenca, the Old Cathedral of Cuenca "El Sagrario" was the principal place of Spanish worship. Additionally, its towers were used historically by La Condamine's expedition to measure the shape of the earth. Situated atop ancient Inca ruins, this beautiful Cathedral was constructed in 1557, which marks the same year that Cuenca town was founded. Today, the building serves as a Museum for Religious Art and as a recital hall. The New Cathedral of Cuenca's or the "Catedral de la Inmaculada Concepción" construction only began in 1885. It has wonderfully blue domes made with Czech tile that can be viewed all over Cuenca - in fact, this cathedral is considered to be the most important religious monuments in the city. We will also visit a Panama Hat maker, and head to an impressive viewpoint to enjoy panoramic views of the city. Free afternoon in Cuenca after our tour.

Accommodation: Hotel Los Balcones or similar

Meals included: B / L / -

We’ll depart from our hotel after breakfast and travel to the Cajas National Park, a remarkable landscape of high mountain lakes and grasslands. We begin with a visit to a lower area of the park called Llaviucu, where we will walk for about an hour. We continue to the higher altitude area of the park and have a chance for photos from the viewpoint. We then travel to Laguna Toreadora, visit the interpretation centre there, then hike for about 2 1⁄2 hours to the Polylepis forest of San Luis and Laguna Totoras, where we will have lunch in a hosteria. After our tour, we’ll gather our luggage at our hotel and we’ll be dropped off at the Cuenca airport for a flight back to Quito. When we arrive in Quito, we’ll be met at the airport and taken to an airport area hotel for the night. Depending on the time of our flight, we can have dinner in Cuenca or at our hotel when we arrive in Quito (not included).

Accommodation: Hotel San Jose de Puembo or similar

Meals included: B / L / -

In the morning we’ll head to the Quito airport for our flight to Coca. Upon arrival in Coca, we will be picked up by our local guide who will take us to a typical restaurant created by an indigenous women's association where we can enjoy a delicious traditional breakfast (not included). We will then begin our journey of about an hour 45 minutes in land transport, then another hour and a half in a motorized canoe along the Tiputini river. We will arrive at the camp, where we will have time to get to know the facilities and settle into your tent. Enjoy a welcome drink, then a delicious lunch will be served in the main house. In the afternoon, we’ll cross to the other side of the Yitsu Yacu River for a walk of approximately 2 hours. We will end the afternoon enjoying the sunset on board our motorized canoe, and when we return a delicious dinner served by candlelight will be ready for us.

Accommodation: Mandari Panga Camp

Meals Included: B / L / D

After an early breakfast (06h30), we'll cross to the other side of the Tiputini river on a traditional canoe to start a walk along a loop trail of approximately 4 hours passing through spectacular virgin jungle. We will arrive at the lagoon of the anacondas where, with luck, we will be able to see this reptile so characteristic of the area. We’ll return to camp for lunch and have time to relax in your tent, walk around the campsite, and even cool down with a swim in a tranquil tributary of the Tiputini river. In the afternoon, we’ll enjoy a pleasant traditional canoe trip in the Pishña lagoon (giant otter oxbow lagoon) of about 2 hours. This is a very interesting ecosystem, a blackwater lake where unique species live. We’ll enjoy the sunset and then return to the campsite for dinner.

Accommodation: Mandari Panga Camp

Meals Included: B / L / D

After breakfast, we'll travel by canoe to a small river named Rumiyacu and be guided to a parrot clay lick. Normally many birds can be seen during the trip, and at the clay lick there are typically various colorful species of parrots we can observe. We return to the camp around noon to have lunch, and then have some time to rest and relax or take a swim in the river. Around 15:30, we’ll travel down the Tiputini river and try some fishing, looking for typical freshwater species such as pirañas and catfish. We’ll return to our camp and learn about the traditional use and construction of blowpipes. Dinner will then be served, including fresh fish caught during our fishing trip. Optional night walk to see the variety of insects, spiders, and other life active at night in the jungle.

Accommodation: Mandari Panga Camp

Meals Included: B / L / D

First, breakfast, then we’ll begin our return trip to Coca. We’ll arrive back in Coca around 11 AM, then take our ground transportation from Coca to the beautiful Termas de Papallacta resort, Ecuador’s nicest hot springs situated in a beautiful high mountain valley (3300 m). Lunch along the way, included. Free evening to relax and enjoy the hot springs at Papallacta. Dinner at the resort or at a neighboring restaurant, overnight at the resort.

Accommodation: Termas de Papallacta (double/triple rooms, shared family cabins available for up to 6 at slightly lower cost per person)

Meals Included: B / L / D

Free morning to enjoy the hot springs, hire a guide for a hike above the hot springs complex, enjoy spa services at the resort, or just relax. Lunch on our own, not included. In the afternoon, we’ll be transferred back to Quito and dropped off at the airport for our departing flights, or at a nearby hotel.

Note: If your flight leaves late in the evening, we can arrange day use at a nearby hotel for the evening, or if your flight leaves the next day arrange overnight accommodations near the airport. Additional cost applies.

Accommodation: None

Meals Included: B / - / -