10 Day Amazon and Andes Adventure

We will collect you early from the Quito hotel, to head north through the majestic Andes. On the way, we will stop at a lookout point over the Imbabura Volcano and Lake San Pablo. In Otavalo, you will have plenty of time to wander through the narrow cobblestone streets, filled with the Indigenous people wearing the traditional blue ponchos, white trousers and long braided hair. Learn all about their way of life and their native language. We will head to Pijal, a small village located in the heart of the Andes to visit one of our sust...

After breakfast, we will head out along a windy, spectacular road towards the Amazon Rain forest, descending 2500 metres in elevation. As we drop, we can appreciate how the landscape and vegetation change drastically between the different climates. Later, we will stop at the “Guacamayos-Macaw Lookout,” located between Antisana and Sumaco National Reserves (low elevation cloud forest), to observe the magic blanket of clouds that covers the Amazon rain forest, until we finally arrive at the Arajuno River, where a motor cano...

Today, we will head out into the Amazon on a hike to look for different animal species and learn about the region's endemic medicinal plants. We will also meet the family who will offer us their home for an interactive experience in the jungle. We can take part in their everyday activities and learn about the customs and traditions as well as their natural products such as medicinal plants. We will head out on a hike with the family to collect local plants, weave with vines and enjoy other traditional activities that the families sti...

After breakfast, we will head to the Rio Verde, located in the UNESCO World Heritage site of the Sangay National Park. Here, we will hike down to the second-highest waterfall in Ecuador, the Pailon Del Diablo, where immense cascades of water crash on the rocks, which we can view from the bridge. We can also hike behind these immense falls. We will then head on to another incredible waterfall called El Manto de la Novia, where we will ride in a cable car across the canyon of the Pastaza River. In the evening, we will arrive at the tow...

After breakfast, we will visit The Swing of the End of the World, where you will have time to replicate the amazing picture that won the National Geographic photo competition, appreciating the spectacular landscape in the front of us.

We will have a free afternoon to enjoy some of the many optional activities in this picturesque town.  

Bright and early, we will drive through valleys and farming villages to reach the Chimborazo Volcano, the highest mountain in Ecuador, found at an elevation of 6310 m. The volcano's summit is said to be the furthest point from the centre of the earth on the planet. We will hike the short trail to reach an elevation of 5000 m where the glacier begins. This region is home to the Andean condor, cara-cara, hummingbirds, and vicuñas. Once extinct in Ecuador, vicuñas have been reintroduced and are now a protected species

After an early breakfast, we will visit Ingapirca, the most impressive Inca archaeological site in Ecuador. We will spend the afternoon learning about this ancient site, notable for its unique fusion of Inca and native Cañari architecture, as well as for its religious meaning. We will continue to the city of Cuenca, a UNESCO World Heritage site known for its colonial architecture and where we will spend the evening.

In the morning we will enjoy a city tour, visiting the most important buildings and notable places in Cuenca, such as Calderon Square, the New Cathedral, El Barranco and El Turi lookout point. In the afternoon, we will visit a famous Panama hat factory to learn about this famous hats history. In the afternoon, we will visit the towns of Chordeleg and Gualaceo, famous for the jewellery and handicrafts. The market town Gualaceo is where locals gather to exchange their products and crafts. Here you can find the famous, traditional Macan...

 Today we will have a free morning to enjoy the city before we take our short flight back to the capital. In Quito, we will head to the airport for your flight back home or to your next exciting destination!