Classic trip of 10 days
route A
9 nights in Andes
Classic trip of 10 days
route A
Itinerary
day 1 arrival in Quito and transfer to Otavalo
day 2 acclimatization – Indian market or Peguche waterfall on your own
Day 3 Hike Lake Cuicocha and to Papallacta
day 4 trekking Laguna de Baños and to Quito
day 5 city tour Quito with visit equator museum and to Cotopaxi.
day 6 excursion National Park Cotopaxi and to Riobamba
day 7 visit to Chimborazo volcano and to Guamote
day 8 visit villages around Guamote and via Ingapirca to Cuenca
Day 9 visit National Park Cajas
day 10 Cuenca city visit and to Guayaquil – return flight
- all excursions with private English-speaking guide
- all transfers with private car!
- For info and support you can always contact our EN-speaking colleague in Ecuador.
STANDARD
1 644 USD / person
based on 2 persons
Hotels
Otavalo: Posada del Quinde
Papallacta: Thermas de Papallacta – standard room
Quito: Antinea Hotel Junior suite
Cotopaxi: Cuello de Luna – standard room
Riobamba: Santa Isabela – standard room
Guamote: Inti Sisa – standard room
Cuenca: Posada del Angel – standard room
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COMFORT
1 906 USD / person
based on 2 persons
Hotels
Otavalo: Hotel Otavalo – deluxe room
Papallacta: Thermas de Papallacta – suite
Quito: Casa el Eden – superior room
Cotopaxi: Hacienda El Porvenir – standard room
Riobamba: Hacienda Abraspungo – standard room
Guamote: Inti Sisa – standard room
Cuenca: Santa Lucia – standard room
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LUXURY
2 426 USD / person
based on 2 persons
Hotels
Otavalo: Hacienda Cusin – standard room
Papallacta: Thermas de Papallacta – deluxe room
Quito: Casa Gangotena – luxury room
Cotopaxi: Hacienda San Agustin – standard room
Riobamba: Hacienda Abraspungo – junior suite
Guamote: Inti Sisa – standard room
Cuenca: Cruz del Vado – luxury room
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Includes
* All hotel nights with breakfast, transfers, domestic flights and excursions as mentioned in the program.
* Lunch and dinner in accordance with the program if stated.
Excluding
* Drinks, tips and expenses of a personal nature.
* International flights to and from Ecuador.
* Travel or cancellation insurance.
This is a sample trip. The order of the trip and the choice of hotels and excursions can be adapted to your wishes. You can combine this trip with another example trip or a cruise to the Galapagos Islands. The extensive range of hotels, excursions and cruises can be found elsewhere on this website.
DAY 1
Arrival in Quito and
Transfer from Quito to Otavalo in private car
You will be picked up by a Spanish-speaking driver at the hotel (or airport) and taken in a private car to the hotel in Otavalo. This drive through the Andes Mountains takes about 2 hours.
DAY 2
Acclimatization: we suggest two activities that can be done on one’s own:
Otavalo – visit to the indigenous market (on your own)
This market in the Plaza de Ponchos is without a doubt the most famous indigenous market in Ecuador. You will find a huge selection of artesanate. The best day to visit this market is on Saturday. There are 4 markets going on simultaneously at different places in the city. But the artesanate market now also goes on the other days of the week – it is much quieter then. This in turn has its advantages.
Hike to Peguche waterfall (on own)
The 18-meter-high Peguche waterfall is located 4 kilometers south of Otavalo in a beautiful natural park… The local population of Otavalo celebrates the solar festival of Inti Raymi there on June 21. During several days purification rituals are held here. But also during the rest of the year the park is worth a visit.
DAY 3
Hiking around the crater lake of Cuicocha
Cuicocha is one of the most beautiful lakes in Ecuador. With a private car we drive to the entrance of the Reserve Cotacachi-Cayapas, where we start a 5-hour hike that goes between 3100 and 3500 meters above sea level. Along the way we enjoy the biodiversity, the views of the picturesque Lake Cuicocha and its two islets, as well as the panorama of the Cotacachi, Imbabura and Cayambe peaks.
Difficulty: Moderate
Duration: Approx. 7 hours
Included: English speaking local guide, private transport, meal or packed lunch
Mandatory: Good walking shoes, sun protection, mosquito repellent, fleece or pullover, water (min. 1 liter)
Recommended: Camera, binoculars, rain jacket, reasonable physical condition even at altitude
Transfer from Otavalo to Papallacta in private car
You will be transferred from Otavalo to Papallacta. On this 3-hour drive through the Andes, just after Cayambe you pass a small equator monument and the pilgrimage site of El Quinche, known for its cathedral and typical Indian cemetery.
DAY 4
Hiking tour – The lakes of Baños (Papallacta)
This hike takes about 3 hours and starts at the entrance of the thermal baths in Papallacta. By car we drive 15 minutes steep up the mountain to the entrance of the National Park Cayambe-Coca at 3800 meters above sea level. From here we walk to the lakes of Baños. On a clear day you have a beautiful view of the Antisana volcano. Along the way we look out for the spectacled bear, the mountain deer, the mountain tapir, paramo wolves etc.
Included: local guide with limited knowledge of English, transportation by private car H/T from the entrance of the thermal baths.
Transfer from Papallacta to Quito in private car (SP language driver)
You will be picked up at the hotel and taken to Quito in a 2-hour drive by private car.
DAY 5
Colonial Quito and the Equator Museum
First, with the English-speaking guide, you visit the historic colonial center of Quito, its churches and squares, the modern city and the panoramic point the Panecillo hill. Then we drive to the monument to the equator Mitad del Mundo and the Intiñan museum, where various tests show that we are indeed on the equator line. Also fun for children!
Included: English speaking guide and transportation in private car.
Not included: entrance to museums and meals on the road.
Duration: 5 to 6 hours
Transfer from Quito to Cotopaxi in private car (SP language driver)
You will be transferred to the hotel in Cotopaxi. This is a 1.5 hour drive through the mountains.
DAY 6
The Cotopaxi volcano
The driver will pick you up at the hotel in the morning. The National Park is an hour’s drive from Quito. On clear days you can admire the mountain from afar. After a short stop at the Mariscal Sucre information point, where you get some information about the region and the volcano, we drive up to 4500 m altitude. From here we go to the refuge which is 365 meters higher. It is a very steep walk that takes us at least an hour considering the high altitude. Then we descend to the Limpiopungo lake which lies at the foot of the volcano. This lake is fed by a volcanic glacier; you often see wild horses grazing and Andean foxes hunting here. Then we return to the hotel by car.
Difficulty: light-moderate.
To bring: protection from the sun and rain, water, sport shoes, camera and warm clothes.
Duration: 6 hours
Includes: English speaking guide, transportation and lunch box
Transfer from Cotopaxi to Riobamba in private car (SP language driver)
The driver will pick you up at the hotel and take you to the hotel in Riobamba. This drive through the mountains takes about 2 hours.
DAY 7
Visit to the Chimborazo volcano (private)
A guide will take you to the National Park. The white peak of Chimborazo (6310 meters) is the center of the nature reserve of the same name. The chances of encountering vicuñas (a relative of the llama) there are high. There is a first mountain hut at 4800 meters from where you can start walking to the second hut which is located at 5000 meters. You can optionally combine this beautiful day trip with a spectacular descent by mountain bike (20 USD pp – min. 2 pers).
Includes: guide (English spoken); transportation; warm jacket; packed lunch; entrance to National Park.
Duration: 5 hours without the bike – 7 hours with the bike
Transfer from Riobamba to Guamote in private car (SP language driver)
You will be picked up by a local driver at the hotel and taken to Guamote in a private car.
Duration: 1 hour
DAY 8
Visit to the indigenous villages around Guamote – private excursion
Today we take a closer look at how the indigenous people live here in this region. After visiting the center of Inti Sisa in Guamote, we head into the mountains. We visit an indigenous school where the children explain how they are taught here. We visit a local weaver who makes ponchos out of alpaca wool and end at an indigenous family who tells about their life in the village. Along the way, you’ll get info on the history of the area and the local culture. Those who wish can then return to Guamote on foot (1.5 hours).
Duration: 4 hours.
Included: English speaking guide; snack and drink.
Transfer from Guamote to Cuenca with visit to Ingapirca on the way (SP-language driver)
From Guamote you will drive in a private car to Cuenca. On the way you will visit the most famous Inca ruins from Ecuador.
Duration: 5.5 hours (3.5 hours driving and 2 hours visit Ingapirca)
Excluding the entrance to the ruins to be paid on the spot: 6 USD.
DAY 9
Cajas National Park: day trip with private guide
Departing from Cuenca we first go to Llaviucu – that is the “lower” part of the National Park (3160 meters) – where we visit the lake and take a hike of about 1.5 hours. Then we retreat to the bus and go to the higher part of the park (3800 – 4000 meters). Here we visit 3 medium-sized lakes (Toteadora, Totoras y Patoquinuas) and 2 smaller lakes. From here the hike goes down and takes about 3 hours. Before we drive back to Cuenca we eat lunch in a restaurant.
Duration: 8 hours. Included: transport, bilingual guide, lunch.
DAY 10
City tour Cuenca (half day) with private guide
With an English-speaking guide you will visit the most beautiful places in the city: San Sebastián (the square, the church and the museum of modern art), Cruz del Vado Condamine, the market 10 de Agosto, the Plaza San Francisco, the Parque de las Flores , the new cathedral, the Parque Calderon (with the old cathedral, the palace of justice and the Casas Aledañas), the Panama hat factory of Homero Ortega, Barranco and the panoramic point of Turi.
Duration: 4 hours.
Included: transport, bilingual guide.
Not included: entrance to museums.
Transfer from Cuenca to Guayaquil in private vehicle
During this beautiful ride you drive (with local SP-speaking driver) from Cuenca to Guayaquil. The road gradually descends from the Andes Mountains to the coastal plain. After four hours of driving you will arrive in Guayaquil.
Comments
* All transfers are done with private car and Spanish-speaking driver unless otherwise stated
* Mentioned trips and excursions are examples from a wider range. Check out our website for more options.
* This travel proposal is based on double standard rooms, unless stated otherwise. Surcharges for single rooms or deluxe rooms are on request.
* This travel proposal is without obligation, depending on the travel period and subject to availability.
* In the final travel program, certain fixed days of activities must be taken into account, such as Indian markets, departure dates of cruises and flights, etc. We do everything possible to optimally integrate the mentioned activities into the program.
I am Tom from Belgium and I have been living in Ecuador for more than 10 years. I got my guiding diploma here. Traveling and discovering new places is my passion. Together with the travel agency Descubre-Ecuador, we offer tailor-made tours in Galapagos and on the Ecuadorian mainland.