Culture Daily Tours

ECUADOR OVERVIEW

(8 days / 7 Nights)

                                             
Day 1 (FRI)  Quito
Arrival and transfer to your hotel. Overnight at Sierra Madre.

Day 2 (SAT)   Quito / Otavalo
Early morning departure from your hotel to Otavalo in the picturesque province of Imbabura. The town is renowned for its outdoor market where you can buy ponchos, embroidered blouses, ceramics, wall hangings lake locally worked jewelry of the highest quality. After lunch, we take a short drive to Cuicocha, a beautiful lake situated in a crater followed  by a visit to Cotacachi, famous for its leather crafts. We spend the night at a nearby Hacienda. Lunch included at Casa de Hacienda or similar. Overnight at casa de Hacienda

Day 3 (SUN) Quito
Return to Quito, followed by a morning at leisure. Afternoon tour of this magnificent city including a visit to the colonial center, home of various splendid churches, monasteries, monuments, the Parliament Building and the Panecillo hill. Lunch and dinner not included. Overnight Sierra Madre.

Day 4 (MON) Quito / Cuenca)
Transfer from your hotel to Quito airport for your morning flight to Cuenca, Ecuador’s  third largest city famous for its cobblestone streets, colonial plazas and religious art museums. Afternoon tour of this fine colonial city. Lunch and dinner not included. Overnight.hotel Victoria.

Day 5 (TUE) Ingapirca
Located two hours north of Cuenca is Ingapirca, Ecuador’s major Inca site. Originally built by the Cañaris, the site was then conquered and rebuilt by the Incas several hundred years before the Spanish  arrived.  We also visit the Sanctuary of our Lady  of Rocio  in Biblian. Mid-afternoon return to Cuenca. Dinner not included. Overnight  hotel Victoria.

Day 6 (WED) Cuenca / Quito
Morning return flight to Quito. Afternoon free to explore the city at leisure or for shopping. Additional tours are also available. Lunch and dinner not included. Overnight at Sierra Madre.

Day 7 (THU) Quito / Saquisilí
A two and half- hour drive through the picturesque “Avenue of the Volcanoes”, south of Quito brings us to Saquisili, one of Ecuador’s most colorful and authentic indigenous markets and of special interest for the locally produced basketwork. Lunch included.
Overnight at la Cienega.

Day 8 (FRI) Cotopaxi National Park / Quito
Morning departure to Cotopaxi National Park, Cotopaxi is the world’s highest active volcano and the park is home to deer, wild horses, rabbits, wild flowers and birds. Mid afternoon return to Quito. Transfers provided for ongoing destinations. Lunch included at Tambopaxi.

Duration:                                          8 Days /  7 Nights
Season:                                             All year
Departures:                                       Any Friday Minimum:                                          2 Passengers
Services include:                                Entrance fees
                                                        Hotels, tours, visit to villages and meals
                                                        Transportation and guide
Not included:                                     Meals when stated
                                                        Alcoholic beverages
                                                        Laundry, taxes
                                                        Extras
                                                        Airline Flight Quito – Cuenca – Quito

HIGHLIGHTS OF ECUADOR

Day 1 (Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday)

You will be well received at Quito’s airport and taken to your hotel, where you can recuperate from your flight.

Day 2
This day you will have a short sight seeing tour to the city centre of Quito, including its various splendid churches, monasteries, monuments, the Parliament Building and the Panecillo hill, followed by a visit to the Equatorial Monument located 45 minutes north of Quito.  Recently renovated, the ‘Middle of the World Village’ provides a variety of attractions, including a fascinating museum displaying artifacts from all Ecuador’s ethnic groups as well as a visual history of their way of life.

After this you will go to Puerto Lago to have lunch and then continue to Otavalo in the Andean Highlands where you will have dinner and spend the following nights at the exquisite Hacienda Cusin, set in the foothills of the Andean Mountains just 10 minutes away from the world-famous Otavalo Market.  Founded in 1602, the hacienda is surrounded by the mountains of Cotacachi (15,300 ft.), Mojanda and Imbabura. Its 40 acres are dotted with cottages, ponds, courtyards, a monastery (look for the secret doorway to the tower look-out), and lush gardens. Keep an eye out for the more than 50 species of birds (particularly hummingbirds) who make their home here.

Day 3
After breakfast you will visit the world-famous market at Otavalo. A gathering of sights, sounds and color is present at this traditional meeting point of the highland Indian cultures. This is a magnificent opportunity to photograph native costumes, animals, flowers, fruits, vegetables, and pottery displayed in colorful arrays. Be prepared to get involved in the excitement of bargaining and buying. You will have lunch at a typical Ecuadorian restaurant and dinner at the Hacienda Cusin.

Day 4
This morning you are taken to Papallacta, a small village located 10,491 feet above sea level, famous for its thermal springs (38º C/100º F) and lush vegetation. You will have the whole day to explore a variety of shorter or longer treks, available for the more energetic. Those seeking for relaxation can enjoy the thermal springs which are reputed to have medicinal benefits.  Lunch is provided at a restaurant where you can sample the freshly caught trout. You will spend the night at a nearby comfortable hotel.

Day 5
In the morning you will go to the Cotopaxi National Park. Turning off the main highway, you will enter into the park, traversing the Andean Paramo and an extensive pine tree forest. Furthermore you  will cross through a deer and lama reserve.  Gently ascending the flanks of the volcano, passing through fields of ancient lava strewn with boulders, you will arrive at the base of the Cotopaxi (19,700ft/5,897m), the world’s highest active volcano.
This desolate and rugged scenery captivates both nature enthusiasts and casual visitors alike. You will have lunch, dinner and the overnight stay at the inviting local hacienda La Cienega.

Day 6
The second day at the Cotopaxi National Park starts with a visit to one of the nearby colorful indigenous markets. You will have lunch at the hacienda La Cienega. In the afternoon a 3-hours-drive will take you  to Baños, a small town nestling in the shadows of the Tungurahua volcano (constantly in eruption) high above the Amazon Basin. The area is rich in vegetation and orchids and is famous for its nearby hot springs that provide hot running water to the local baths. This night you will stay at the conformable Hotel Sangay in Baños.

Day 7
You will travel from Baños to Riobamba. seeing beautiful waterfalls on the way. A short hike away from the road you will have lunch at a charming restaurant close to the Pailon del Diablo, an overwhelming waterfall. In the afternoon you will arrive at Riobamba, located at 9, 000 feet on the Avenue of the Volcanoes. The city is surrounded by mountains and volcanoes, and sitting at the foot of the Chimborazo volcano, you get the world’s highest view from the center of the Earth.
Furthermore Riobamba was the first city founded by the Spaniards in Ecuador and has reserved abundant history and architectures until today. Beyond its historical dimension, the “Sultan of the Andes” Chimborazo is considered one of the most indigenous towns in Ecuador and retains a unique cultural mélange. Riobamba’s street life and cultural traditions, as well as its colorful and picturesque markets, where artisans display their wares, where people can find manufactured products as textiles, handicrafts, leather goods, beer, and dairy products, are testimony to this strong and diverse indigenous presence. You will have dinner in your hotel.

Day 8

This day you will travel by ferrocarril (an old train) on “the world’s most difficult railroad”, called like this due to the geographical obstacles that had to be faced during its construction.  The train will take you to the famous “Devil’s nose” and Alausí, descending 800 meters in zigzag in the rocky formation. This slope allows to get aware of the different zones of climate from the highlands to the coast.
At Alausí you will eat your box lunch and go on to Cuenca in the afternoon, where you will spend the night in a comfortable hotel.

Day 9

In the morning you have the possibility to discover Cuenca, Ecuador’s third largest city, locally known as "The Athens of Ecuador" in honor of its numerous poets. The city’s cobblestone streets, colonial plazas and religious art treasures recall its distant past, while the flower market on the little Plaza del Carmen and the new and old Cathedrals on the main Plaza Calderón provide some spectacular color and impressive architecture.  A trip along the Tomebamba River takes you to the Inter-American Center of Popular Art, home to many regional handicrafts while a walk through the city center will give you a chance to visit the stores stocked with gold and silver filigree jewelry, ceramics and textiles.  On the city outskirts lie the remains of human settlements in the Todos Los Santos, evidencing pre-Inca civilizations. You will have lunch at the Restaurant El Maís where typical Ecuadorian  food is served.

In the afternoon you will go on to Guayaquil, located on the banks of the Guayas river and called “The Pearl of the Pacific”. The city has a rich tradition and is proud of its monuments and points of interest such as The Iguanas Park with over 100 land iguanas that roam peacefully.
During your sight seeing tour you won’t only visit the park, but also tourist attractions like La Rotonda, the Moorish style clock tower, the recently reconstructed and impressive Malecon, the Cerro del Carmen hilltops, (providing a magnificent view of the city and of the convergence of the Daule and Babahoyo rivers which form the Guayas River), the Centenario plaza,  Las Peñas, another neighborhood
built at the turn of the century, and the Church of Santo Domingo, the city’s first church built in 1548 and since reconstructed. You will have lunch at Lo Nuestro Restaurant, where you can chose between international, typical Ecuadorian and dishes with fresh, delicious seafood.

Day 10

Today you will leave Ecuador flying back to your home-country, taking with you a cluster of breathtaking, overwhelming and unforgettable memories.