6-Day Ecuador Hiking Tour from Quito – Andes & Volcanoes

Day 1: Cotopaxi National Cotopaxi

1. Cotopaxi National Park
   30m · Admission ticket included
   Arrive to the southern entrance of the Cotopaxi National Park.
2. Cotopaxi Volcano
   2h · Admission ticket included
   Arriving at the parking lot at 4600 (15.091ft) above sea level. Our hike starting to the Refugio Padre Ribas where we can get a hot drink, later still hiking to the glacials at 5000 above sea level (16.404 ft)
3. Laguna de Limpiopungo
   1h · Admission ticket included
   Hiking in the limpiopungo lagoon.
4. Cotopaxi National Park
   1h · Admission ticket included
   Driving to the Hotel

Day 2: Quilotoa Lagoon

1. Laguna Quilotoa
   6m · Admission ticket included
   In the Illinizas Ecological Reserve, we find the Quilotoa lagoon, with an average diameter of three kilometers and a depth of 270 meters, its green color is due to the minerals it has and the reflection of the sky, it also becomes turquoise when the Low temperature during the night. Located at an altitude of 3883 meters above sea level, with an excellent view of the landscape.

Day 3: Baños de Agua Santa

1. La Casa del Arbol
   1h · Admission ticket included
   Casa del Arbol and swing at the end of the world: After lunch, we will go to the Tree House, 30 minutes from Baños de Agua Santa, where the swing at the end of the world is located.
2. Cascada el Manto de la Novia
   30m · Admission ticket included
   Formed by the waters of the Chinchin River, this waterfall bears its name due to the whiteness of its waters, which resemble a wedding veil. You will be able to contemplate the beauty of this waterfall and the vegetation that surrounds it when you get on a tarabita, a kind of cable car ideal for lovers of adrenaline.
3. Cascada El Pailon
   1m · Admission ticket included
   Crossing the tunnels that connect Baños de Agua Santa with the city of Puyo, we will go to the Río Verde town, where we will visit the famous “Pailón del Diablo” waterfall, located 18 kilometers from the city of Baños de Agua Santa. Its name is due to the fact that from the suspension bridge on the site you can see the figure of a devil among the rocks that rest under the waterfall. In this place, we will walk around 20 minutes until we reach the “Crack of the Sky”, a natural formation that you must incline through to be able to pass.

Day 4: Baños to Jungle

1. 20m · Admission ticket included
   Once we arrive at the dock area of Itamandi EcoLodge, our staff will welcome you and give you brief and general information about your accommodation and the activities to be carried out.
2. 1h · Admission ticket included
   Tubing
   After having tasted a delicious meal and having become comfortable; we will prepare for our first activity in the Amazon jungle Tubbing in the Arajuno river
3. 1h
   Night Hike (optional)
   A flashlight and camera are the most important tools in this nocturnal excursion, which allows guests to hear and catch the nocturnal sounds of fishing bats, owls, some insects, tarantulas, toads, frogs. If the sky is clear, we may have the opportunity to observe a large number of stars.

Day 5: Itamandi Lodge Full Day

1. 2h · Admission ticket included
   (if the climate it permits) Parrot Clay Lick
   Early in the morning, we take a canoe ride for 15 minutes upstream to visit a parrot clay lick (Saladero) to appreciate a unique site where parrots and parakeets gather in order to obtain the minerals that will help them to digest the fruits or seeds they have consumed. Hundreds of parrots and parakeets will approach the treetops and later will come down to the clay bank to eat this soil rich in minerals. It is essential to have binoculars to enjoy it.
2. 3h · Admission ticket included
   Hiking in the Jungle
   After breakfast, we head out for a hike through the primary and secondary Rainforest for 3 hours. Our expert naturalists teach you about the ecology and flora and fauna of the Rainforest along the trail In the Jatun Sacha Reserve. You will observe a great variety of insects, a diversity of plants around, and the exuberant nature of the Oriente of Ecuador.
3. 2h
   Visiting the Native Community
   In the afternoon it is time to enjoy a cultural activity. An Amazonian Kichwa community will receive us and we learn about their way of life and the interaction they have with the forest. This encounter is going to show you that part of the Amazonia that you do not find on the maps: the Amazon people.
   Part of our visit to the community involves the demonstration of the famous “Chicha”, a fermented yucca drink that has become part of their festivals and daily use. We will take part in the preparation of this beverage and also try some of the local cuisines.
   We finish the visit with a traditional dance performed by the kids in this community and you also have some time to buy some handicrafts, made by the indigenous. This little business is to support the indigenous people in their daily life.

Day 6: Driving Itamandi Lodge to Hot Springs Papallacta

1. 1h · Admission ticket included
   Breakfast
   
   8:00 Check-out and motorized canoe ride for 20 Minutes to the Arajuno Bridge
2. Misahualli
   30m
   Leaving of the jungle we aregoing to visit the plaza of monkeys in Misahualli.
3. Tena
   Pass by
   We go through the capital of the province of Napo, Tena
4. Termas de Papallacta
   2h · Admission ticket included
   For its wonderful thermal waters, Papallacta is a place located in the province of Napo, at 3,300 meters above sea level, 1 hour and a half from Quito. It is surrounded by a variety of flora and wildlife in a mountain forest of the eastern Andes. It offers its visitors activities, relaxation services, swimming pools, spa, Turkish, sport fishing.

Pickup details

We pick up all our passengers from their location in Quito and its surroundings!
Pickup outside the Quito Metropolitan Area costs USD 35 per person.

• Public transportation options are available nearby
• Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
• Not recommended for pregnant travelers
• Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
• Suitable for all physical fitness levels