Arrival in Quito, the guide will meet you at the airport and bring you to your hotel in Quito’s historic city center. Classic Ecuador Tour

(Services: English speaking guide / driver, private transport, accommodation in a double room)

Today you will get to know Quito’s old town, the largest and best preserved old town in Latin America and a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1978, during a city tour. Classic Ecuador Tour

Your guide will show you the highlights of colonial Quito with its churches, historic buildings and monuments. Classic Ecuador Tour

In the afternoon you can visit the equatorial line, which was designated there at the beginning of the 18th century by a French scientific group there – they were only about 200 m wrong. In the town of Mitad del Mundo (middle of the world) there is the Equator monument and various exhibitions and documentation centers. Classic Ecuador Tour

In the Museum Inti Ñan you can see the effects of the equator with your own eyes through various scientific experiments. In the evening, return to your hotel in Quito. Classic Ecuador Tour

(Services: breakfast, English-speaking guide / driver, private transport, accommodation in a double room)

The town of Otavalo is located north of Quito (about 2.5 hours’ drive) and is famous for its huge market on Poncho Square. In the morning you have time to stroll around the colorful market, which occupies almost a third of the city area on Saturdays.

Admire weaving products such as blankets, hammocks and cloths, Tagua nut jewelry, musical instruments, leather goods and much more.

In the afternoon, explore the Cotacachi Cayapas Nature Reserve. You drive to the lagoon Cuicocha, called by the indigenous people “Lagoon of the Gods”, which is located in the crater of the volcano Cotacachi at 3060 m altitude. Classic Ecuador Tour

On a walk along the lake you can enjoy the biodiversity of the region, the view of the lake with its two small islands and the landscape with the volcanoes Cotacachi, Imbabura and Cayambe.

(Services: breakfast, English speaking guide/driver, private transport, entrance to the Cotacachi nature reserve, local guide, accommodation in a double room) Classic Ecuador Tour

The day is marked by the volcano Cotopaxi (5897 m). It is the highest active volcano in the world. On the way up you will visit the Laguna de Limpiopungo from where you can enjoy a beautiful panorama of the volcanoes Cotopaxi, Sincholagua and Rumiñahui on clear days. Classic Ecuador Tour

By car you will reach the  parking area at the end of the road and from there you can hike to José Ribas refuge (at 4800m altitude, about 1.5 hours), where you can warm up with tea or coffee.

You will spend the night in a beautiful hacienda near the majestic Cotopaxi.

(Services: breakfast, English speaking guide / driver, private transport, entrance to the Cotopaxi nature reserve, local guide, accommodation in a double room)

Your journey today will take you to Papallacta near the Cayambe-Coca Nature Reserve (about 2 hours). It could be a bit colder but it is famous for its hot thermal springs. Classic Ecuador Tour

In this beautifull Ecuadorian Paramos, you can enjoy a refreshing dip in a harmonious and peaceful environment surrounded by nature.
The thermal water is of volcanic origin with a temperature between 36 and 40 ° C.

Its medicinal properties are certified by the Ecuadorian Medical Association.
In addition to the thermal baths Papallacta offers many more opportunities to enjoy the beautiful landscape. On the island trail you can walk along the Loreto-Papallacta river.

In about an hour you will see the primary forest, various orchids, waterfalls and birds of the high paramecos such as the Wetmore tanager, striped caracara, peregrine falcons, hummingbirds and sometimes even the majestic Andean condor.

After a relaxing bath you drive further into the jungle. You leave the highlands and follow the winding road into the Amazon. Your jungle lodge has built cozy cabañas (small cabins) in the traditional Amazon style, right on the Napo River.

(Services: breakfast, dinner, English-speaking guide / driver, entrance to the thermal baths, accommodation in a double room)

Discover the secrets of the rainforest. Take the canoe down the Napo river and visit the AmaZOOnico, an animal sanctuary that looks after all sorts of jungle animals. The squirrel monkeys and macaws welcome you upon your arrival and with luck you can see (or at least hear!) Howler monkeys released into the adjacent nature reserve.

For a cultural encounter visit a Kichwafamilie which lives on the banks of the Napo. Learn how to make the traditional drink Chicha, how to hunt with a blowgun and how to make the traditional pottery.

(Services: full board, English speaking guide / driver, private transport, activities and excursions, accommodation in a double room)

Drive to Baños, a small town known for its thermal springs which also miraculous powers are promised (full name of the city: Baños de Agua Santa – Baths of the holy water), at the foot of another volcano, the Tungurahuas, whose eruption can sometimes be seen on clear days, admire a unique natural spectacle, of course from a safe distance.

In Baños you have many opportunities for exciting activities and this is the area where you can enjoy the pleasant climate as well. A must is a visit to one of the highest waterfalls in Ecuador, the Pailón de Diablo.

Other options include hiking or horseriding in the surrounding rolling hills, mountain biking along the waterfall route, rafting and various adventure sports such as “puenting” (bungee jumping from a bridge) – depending on the adventure and fitness.

(Services: breakfast, English-speaking guide / driver, private transport, accommodation in a double room)

Today we drive to Chimborazo, the highest mountain in Ecuador (6310 m). In the nature reserve Chimborazo you can observe vicunas (similar to the lamas), and with a little luck also Andean jackals (also called Andean fox) and maybe even a condor.

Here you can also hike to the refuge (about 45 minutes).
After the hike drive to Riobamba for a little stop. Riobamba is an important city in Ecuador’s history: the Republic’s first constitution was signed here. In the evening you arrive in Alausí, where you will spend the night.

(Services: breakfast, English-speaking guide / driver, private transport, entrance to the Chimborazo nature reserve, local guide, accommodation in a double room)

At 8:00 in the morning you board the train to drive on the famous trail of the “Devil’s Nose”. While the rooftop ride used to be a special (but very risky) adventure, the ride today takes place on historic trains with diesel locomotives on the still-adventurous zig-zag route to Sibambe.

Once back in Alausí, the journey continues to the south. You will visit the significant Inca ruins of Ingapirca, with the Sun Temple as the main building. The exact purpose of the construction is not yet deciphered by archaeologists, but it is known that in the same place in pre-Inca times, the indigenous Cañaris had a similar castle.
From the pre-Hispanic ruins, continue to Cuenca, a center of colonial architecture, culture and art; since 1999, the old town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

(Services: breakfast, English speaking guide / driver, private transport, train ticket, accommodation in a double room)

Today you can use the day to explore the beautiful old town of Cuenca. On a guided tour of the city you will visit, among others, the impressive “new” cathedral with its distinctive domes, the main square of Parque Calderon and Cuenca’s oldest neighborhood, Barranco.

(Services: breakfast, English-speaking guide / driver, private transport, accommodation in a double room)

You drive to the Gualaceo Valley, on a beautiful route through the mountain landscape with picturesque views. With Chordeleg you will visit a place known for the production of fine jewelery. You will find a large number of goldsmiths and silversmiths who can be seen at work as well as other artisans.

To stay overnight, return to Cuenca.

(Services: breakfast, English-speaking guide / driver, private transport, accommodation in a double room)

Before leaving the highlands today, visit the Cajas National Park. It is located in the Paramo between 3000 and 4500 meters of altitude and is known for its 230 lakes, which are mostly caused by volcanic activity and glaciation.

You will be guided by a local guide who is the expert of this region, we will take a short hike in this fascinating landscape.
Then the journey  goes down to the coast, to Guayaquil (about 4.5 hours). With 2.5 million inhabitants, this is Ecuador’s largest city and its most important port.

(Services: breakfast, English-speaking guide / driver, private transport, accommodation in a double room)

After breakfast you will be transferred to the airport and fly back home.

(Services: breakfast, airport transfer)