Highlands and Amazon Itinerary
Mainland Ecuador is a rich blend of scenery, wildlife, culture and history which this holiday showcases wonderfully.
13 days from £4,310pp plus international flights.
Full itinerary
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© Casona de la Ronda
Day 1
Quito
Having arrived at Quito international airport you are met by a local guide who transfers you to your hotel in the heart of the historic old town. The rest of the day has been left free to allow you to rest after your journey. Go down to the lounge where you can enjoy a drink and meet fellow guests. This evening you can either dine at the hotel restaurant or head out into the old town where there's a wide choice of restaurants. It's been a busy day and you should sleep well tonight.
© Shutterstock
Day 2
Quito City Tour
After breakfast your guide takes you on a tour of Quito, to introduce you to the city's rich history. Starting at the Museum Casa del Alabado you see the impressive archaeological collection covering 7,000 years of history. The museum has a special display dedicated to plants and their use in spiritual and medicinal practices over the centuries. Afterwards you visit Quito's main square, Plaza de la Independencia, whose fine buildings include the cathedral, archbishop's palace and municipal palace. You also spend time at the church and monastery of San Francisco, whose construction began just a few days after the founding of the city in 1534.
Breakfast
Day 3
Quito To Otavalo
It's time to leave the city behind and enjoy the countryside. This morning you are collected from the hotel and driven north to Yanahurco Hill. This is the starting point for today's trek which leads down to Mojanda's largest crater lake, and continues by the lake shore to where you driver and vehicle are waiting. The total trekking time is around four to five hours. Your hotel for tonight is Las Palmeras Inn, tucked away in the Quichinche valley near the market town of Otavalo. You have dinner at the hotel, a chance to talk to other guests, as you enjoy a choice of Ecuadorian or continental fare largely made from produce grown in the organic garden.
Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Day 4
Trekking And Culture
You are driven to Otavalo this morning. You start with a visit to the food market for a glimpse into the lives of the locals, then to Plaza de Ponchos with its large craft market where items such as blankets, ponchos, scarves, hats and tapestries are sold, where you have time to wander round and soak up the atmosphere. From here you drive to the to start of the Peguche waterfall trail, then alight for the walk to Peguche village and on to the waterfall, an impressive sight with a drop of 18 metres. The hike leads on to the small town of Agato, where you meet a family who make their living through weaving, using the same type of backstrap loom that has been used for centuries. From here the trail continues into a more rural region where you can observe farmers working the land and growing traditional crops like quinoa. The views from here are magnificent, and on a clear day you can even see Cotacachi Volcano. You are met here for the short drive to Hacienda Cusin where you stay tonight.
Breakfast, picnic lunch, dinner
Day 5
Otavalo To Zuleta And Cotopaxi
This morning you trek for some four to five hours from your lodge to Hacienda Zuleta, and as you do so your guide recounts some the intriguing history of the area, very much bound up with the owners of the hacienda. The impressive buildings date back to the late 17th century and came into the ownership of the Plaza-Lasso family in 1898, whose descendants still own and run the estate and farm. During their tenure they have restored much land back to the local Caranqui people to farm independently, while the hacienda provides employment to many others. Today you are a guest at the hacienda where you take part in a cookery class using local produce to create tasty dishes. You sit down to a 3-course lunch after which you are driven to your next lodge, Hacienda La Carriona.
Breakfast, lunch, dinner
© Tropic
Day 6
Pasachoa
A hike to 4,200m will get your heart pumping. It's not a difficult hike and should take around 3 hours traversing the grassland trails. From Pasachoa the views of the mountains surrounding Quito are fabulous. You should see the volcano's crater as well as the peaks of Antisana, Sincholagua, Cotopaxi, Corazon an the twin Ililniza peaks.
After lunch, begin the descent to the Pedregal Valley. A warm welcome awaits at Chilcabamba lodge.
Breakfast, picnic lunch, dinner
© Shutterstock
Day 7
Cotopaxi
In the morning you travel to the north entrance of the National Park where your hike begins. You'll come upon Pucara de Salitre, an archeological site where you can see both migrant and resident Andean birds. Other wildlife in the area are wild horses, deer and llamas. Spend time at the the Pita River, formed by glacial meltwater from Cotopaxi and admire the park's natural springs.
After lunch there is time to walk by the shores of Limpiopungo Lake, a good place to watch wildlife. Afterwards you'll find a warm fire and hot dinner a friendly welcome at Tambopaxi Lodge. The hike takes about four to five hours and takes in tumbling waterfalls and lush forests.
Breakfast, picnic lunch, dinner
Day 8
Cotopaxi To The Amazon
Following breakfast you are driven to the airport in Quito, a trip of around two hours, for the 35 minute flight to Coca and the next stage of your Ecuadorian adventure - the Amazon! Your journey to Sani Lodge involves a motorised canoe ride of two and a half hours, during which you will see varied birdlife, pass several villages and enjoy a picnic lunch, followed by a 15 minute walk through the forest. You are then paddled by canoe across the limpid waters of Challuaccocha Lake to the lodge. After a warm welcome you are shown to your cabin. There should be time for an introductory walk in the rainforest, just enough to whet your appetite for the next few days. You have dinner back at the lodge and later there's the option to be paddled out into the lake in search of nocturnal life, a thrilling way to conclude the day.
Breakfast, dinner
Day 9
Amazon Hiking And Kayaking
Your first full day in the Amazon is bound to be an exciting one. Having breakfasted you set off with your guide for a lengthy hike to learn about plants, animals and people of the area. There's so much to see and learn, but with the help of your guide, you soon gain an understanding of the rainforest. Watch frogs, insects and primates, learn how plants are used to treat illnesses and find about the local Sani culture, even learning how to use a blowpipe! Lunch is a tasty picnic, after which you take to the water in kayaks to explore the waterways. It's a great way to see different aspects of the forest. You paddle back to the lodge where dinner is soon ready.
Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Day 10
Observation Tower And Sani Village
An early breakfast is followed by a kayak ride to the observation tower built next to a lofty kapok tree. Climb the 36 metre stairway to the deck where your efforts are rewarded with far-reaching views over the forest canopy, and the chance to spot dozens of birds, and possibly squirrel and howler monkeys. If you're really lucky you may spy a sloth lazing among the topmost branches. Descend the tower where a member of the local Sani community is waiting to take you to the village. On the way you learn about different facets of the Sani lifestyle and how they have adapted to life in the Amazon. On arrival at the village you can help the women in the kitchen as they prepare lunch. This is a great opportunity to learn about Sani day to day life first hand. You enjoy lunch together then it's time to hike back to Sani Lodge, arriving in time for dinner.
Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Day 11
Yasuni National Park
Today you visit Yasuni National Park, the largest on mainland Ecuador, a UNESCO biosphere reserve and home to a wide range of species. You walk to a hide set up near a clay lick, a favourite feeding place of parrots and parakeets. Watching these vibrantly coloured birds is endlessly fascinating, and a great photographic opportunity. On the conclusion of the visit you return to Sani Lodge for lunch. The afternoon has been left free so you can chose how you spend your time: go hiking in the forest or take a kayak out onto the lake, or perhaps opt to stay at the lodge, lazing in a hammock. After dinner you can follow your guide into the rainforest to experience the abundant nightlife.
Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Day 12
Amazon To Quito
After breakfast it's time to depart the Amazon, travelling by kayak, on foot and by motorised canoe back to Coca. Along the way you hear about some of the challenges local communities face and what can be done to combat them, In Coca you board the flight back to Quito, where a guide is waiting to take you to La Casona de la Ronda, where your holiday began 2 weeks ago. This evening you can stroll in to the old town to choose a restaurant for dinner, or opt to dine at the hotel.
Breakfast
Day 13
Depart Quito
Enjoy breakfast at La Casona de la Ronda before, with bags packed, you are transferred to the international airport for the flight back home.
Breakfast
Call: 01473 890499
Start planning your tailor-made holiday now. Tell us what you want, and we will tailor make your perfect trip.
Enquire
