Best of Ecuador 8-Day tour

Day 1: Quito city tour + Equator line

1. Quito
   7h
   Join us on a journey to explore the rich history and architecture of Quito, the world's highest capital and a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site. Discover the iconic basilica in gothic style, La Compañía church, a masterpiece of Spanish baroque, and the stunning Plaza Grande surrounded by magnificent buildings such as the Carondelet Palace, Cathedral, Archbishop's Palace, and Municipal Palace. This tour is a must for anyone interested in exploring the cultural heritage of this historic city.

Day 2: Otavalo Indigenous Market

1. Otavalo
   8h
   Discover the vibrant culture and rich heritage of Otavalo, one of South America's most famous indigenous towns. Explore the colorful handicraft market and browse the traditional wares. Take a step off the beaten path and visit a fascinating weaving workshop, where you can learn about the local artisans and their techniques. Enjoy a delicious lunch at a local restaurant and have the opportunity to meet an indigenous family who make and play traditional musical instruments. This is a unique and immersive experience that will allow you to gain a deeper understanding of the culture and traditions of the area.

Day 3: Cotopaxi National Park

1. Cotopaxi National Park
   8h · Admission ticket included
   Cotopaxi Volcano is 5,897 meters high, it's the second-highest peak in the country and elegantly adorns the Cordillera Real of the Ecuadorian Andes. We will enter the Cotopaxi National Park for a close encounter with the Paramo biodiversity and an ecological explanation of its importance. After a short hike, let the adventure begin! We will continue to the parking lot (4500 m. above sea level) in order to ascend the first refuge of the volcano (4810 m.a.s.l). You can rest and eat some hot soup at the refuge and/or continue the ascent to the Glaciers (depending on weather conditions).

Day 4: Quilotoa Crater Lake

1. Laguna Quilotoa
   8h · Admission ticket included
   We’ll travel south through the famous "Avenue of the Volcanos" to Quilotoa. On the drive, we'll have the opportunity to enjoy the spectacular views of the Andes, Quilotoa lake, and the colorful landscape of the moors that surround it. Upon arrival, you can descend to the edge of the crater lake and return on horseback, or simply take a walk around the rim. In order to get closer to local communities, a visit to a local indigenous market will be arranged depending on the weekday. Please contact us for more details about market days.

Day 5: Baños en the Waterfalls

1. Banos
   8h
   After a one and a half hour drive from Baños, we will take a short hike to visit the "Treehouse", here is where the National Geographic photo contest winner picture of 2014 was taken. This is a place with great views of the valley, beautiful gardens where you can spot hummingbirds, and of course the swing that made this place famous. Then we will continue our drive for about 45 minutes, making several stops along the waterfall route to enjoy the beautiful scenery, before reaching the “Pailon del Diablo waterfall”. After a two-kilometer hike, we will reach this magical place, one of the top ten largest waterfalls found in Ecuador. We will also visit "El Manto de la Novia waterfall", for those adventurous it is possible to take the cable car across the valley or do the zip-line activity.

Day 6: Devil's Nose Hike - Ingapirca - Cuenca

1. Ingapirca
   8h
   We will first visit a little community called Pistishi. Here we will hike on a trail that leads us to the best viewpoint of the Devil's Nose mountain. Unfortunately, the train is not operating at the moment. However, our tour guide will explain the magnificent engineering that was involved in the project and you will get to enjoy the same views. For those who like biking, we offer a nice activity on dirt roads with very little traffic down to Sibambe train station. We will also visit a local family farm to learn about the local crops, traditions, and culture. Then we will continue to Ingapirca, it’s the largest Incan ruins in Ecuador which encapsulates the sophisticated Inca design, architecture, and engineering. You’ll discover how the Incas merged their own community with the Cañaris, native indigenous. Then, we will drive to Cuenca.

Day 7: Cuenca Half-Day City Tour

1. Cuenca
   4h
   Visit the most beautiful city in Ecuador. We will explore some of the most traditional neighborhoods of the city. We will also visit the flower market, the main square, and the “New Cathedral” which is considered one of the biggest churches in Latin America. The famous gold leaf altar is found here. We continue our tour to a Panama hat factory. Here we’ll observe the process of making “Paja toquilla” These hats range from classic simple ones to colorful, elegantly designed, and costly ones. Afterward, we will go to the “Barranco”, an area of terraced houses which is located next to the Tomebamba River. Finally, we will go to the “mirador de Turi” (scenic viewpoint) to enjoy the beautiful vista of the Cuenca landscape. Free afternoon to rest or explore the city on your own, a great option is to visit the Piedra de Agua hot springs.

Day 8: Cajas National Park - Cocoa Farm - Guayaquil

1. El Cajas National Park
   8m · Admission ticket included
   we will drive through the western Andes to Toreadora in Cajas National Park, considered to be one of the most important protected areas in Ecuador and the main source of water for Cuenca. You will be impressed with the beautiful scenery of the area, we will take a hike to explore the Polylepis Forest, Moorland ecosystem, and lakes. Then we will continue our driver to the lowlands, ever tasted the pulp of fresh cacao beans? We will visit a local family farm, the main product growing here is cacao (base to make chocolate), however, they have many other products such as breadfruit, coffee, passionfruit, pineapple, among many others. You will be able to experience the process of craft chocolate making and try it if you like while our tour guide explains the history of cacao. Dropp of at the Guayaquil aiport or hotel​

Pickup details

If your hotel or Airbnb is not listed, please contact us to coordinate your pick up.

• Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
• Public transportation options are available nearby
• Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
• Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
• Not recommended for pregnant travelers
• Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
• Suitable for all physical fitness levels
• Vegetarian/Vegan/Gluten Free/Lactose Free options are available, please advise at time of booking if required
• Infant meals not included
• For 1 to 5 passengers, a bilingual guide will also be the driver. For more than 5 passengers, a driver and a bilingual guide will be provided.
• We reserve the right to cancel the tour if the tour does not have a minimum of participants.