The Ecuadorian Andes off the beaten path

Trip Description

Accomodation

Stay program

• day 1

  Arrival in the colonial city of Quito.

  

  You will land at Mariscal Sucre International Airport, to the east of the capital. There you will meet your guide, who will welcome you to his country, located on the Pacific coast, and will accompany you to your hotel. To immerse yourself in the local atmosphere, you will stay in the heart of the historic center of Quito, the capital of Ecuador, among cobbled streets and colonial monuments.

• day 2

  Crossing the historic center of Quito and Pululahua reserve

  

  The historic center of Quito is the largest and best preserved in Latin America. There is nothing like exploring it on foot to admire the wonders of this UNESCO World Heritage site: its magnificent churches and convents, its museums, its lively squares, as well as the Panecillo viewpoint. The richness and diversity of the lush flora of the Pululahua reserve make it a place with unique characteristics that are well worth a visit! Its geological history gives it the distinction of being the only one to protect an inhabited volcanic crater. You will feel at one with nature in this calm and soothing environment, where the clouds form a white blanket, giving the impression that Ecuadorians also wish to protect this reserve. After lunch, you will head to the Intiñan Museum, located on the equatorial line, and you can try to balance an egg on a nail. Ask to have your photo taken with one foot in each hemisphere.

• day 3

  Rose plantations, Otavalo market and Peguche waterfall.

  

  You will start the day with a walk through a plantation to discover another of the country's riches: rose production. You will then head to the Otavalo market, one of the most important in South America. The ideal place to buy souvenirs! You will be able to admire the work of the artisans of Peguche, Agato, and Iluman, experts in making musical instruments and weaving. A walk will then take you to the Peguche waterfall before returning to spend the night in Otavalo.

• day 4

  Cotacachi, Cuicocha and the community of San Clemente

  

  You will leave in the morning towards the village of Cotacachi, then explore Lake Cuicocha and its two islets located in the Cotacachi-Cayapas ecological reserve. You will then meet the San Clemente community, who will welcome you for lunch and with whom you can share throughout the afternoon. With a view to developing ecotourism, the inhabitants aim to promote responsible community-based rural tourism, placing people at the heart of the project through the sharing of experiences and cultural exchanges. San Clemente takes the education of its youth and respect for Pacha Mama (Mother Earth) very seriously, two fundamental themes so that new generations can ensure the harmonious development of the local population by using new technologies without losing ancestral knowledge, their identity, their culture, and their mother tongue, Kichwa.

• day 5

  Cotopaxi National Park

  

  In the morning, you will take the "Avenida de los volcanes" to reach Cotopaxi National Park, where one of the highest active volcanoes in the world rises. Accompanied by a local guide, you will visit the interpretation center and walk around the Limpiopungo lake. Your driver will then take you to the parking lot located at 4,500 m altitude, from where you will enjoy an exceptional view of the surrounding nature and its magnificent landscapes. For the most motivated, it will be possible to go on a trek by climbing up to the José Rivas refuge, a little more than 300 m higher, to admire the Cotopaxi, or "neck of the Moon," so named because of the impression that the moon comes to rest above the volcano at night. You will then take the road to Riobamba, where you will spend the night.

• day 6

  Tren del Hielo and Andean cooking class

  

  Departing from Urbina, the Train del Hielo will offer you magnificent views of the Altar volcano, the majestic Chimborazo – the highest in the world from the center of the Earth – and, if you are lucky enough to have a completely clear sky, of the Carihuairazo. Between Urbina, La Moya, and Riobamba, some of the ancient Andean traditions that still persist in the region will also be told to you. You will learn about the representations of the region's mountains and the myths related to the most important among them. You will then take part in an Andean cooking class and thus have the opportunity to make your friends – or at least their taste buds – travel when you return from your trip!

• day 7

  Music workshop and ruins of Ingapirca

  

  To accompany the typical dish you will have learned to prepare the day before for your loved ones, what could be better than music? You will therefore take part in a music workshop with the Inti Sisa community in the village of Guamote. After having lunch in the village, you will discover the best-preserved archaeological site in this small country: Ingapirca. This place, originally used as an observatory by the Cañaris and later conquered by the Incas in the 15th century, still preserves, among other things, the ruins of a temple and the residence of the virgins dedicated to ritual sacrifice. You will then take the road to Cuenca and spend the night there.

• day 8

  Discovery of the colonial city of Cuenca

  

  This day will be dedicated to the superb colonial city of Cuenca. Its historic center, listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is full of magnificent churches and monuments that the Spanish built by integrating the remains of the Cañari and Inca cultures. The inhabitants of the city keep craft traditions alive by continuing to work with ceramics, silver, and, of course, weaving the straw hat, known worldwide as the Panama hat. In the afternoon, you will immerse yourself in the various pre-Columbian cultures represented in the Museum of Aboriginal Cultures, which is located in the heart of an old house that has now been restored.

• day 9

  Ecological reserve and chocolate making

  Leaving the Andean region, you will have a breathtaking view of El Cajas National Park, which you will cross to reach the coastal plain, where banana plantations and rice fields abound. The Manglares Churute Ecological Reserve will introduce you to various species that make up the region's biosphere, including howler monkeys, pretty colorful crabs, and various birds. You will have lunch at a family farm. The family members will be happy to show you their rice fields and exotic fruit plantations during the afternoon. They will show you in particular how to make delicious chocolate from the cocoa harvest. Finally, you will arrive in Guayaquil, the largest city in the country, nicknamed "the Pearl of the Pacific."

• day 10

  Day in Guayaquil

  

  Before leaving the country, you will still be able to enjoy the city of Guayaquil and its climate for a few more hours. You can sunbathe with the iguanas in Seminario Park and stroll along the Malecón 2000, finally climbing the steps of the Las Peñas neighborhood leading to a panoramic view of the port city. You will be taken to Guayaquil airport 3 hours before your international return flight.