Quito & the Avenue of Volcanoes

Arrive in Quito
On arrival at the airport you will be met by our representative and transferred to your hotel.

Ecuador's capital city, located high in the Andes Mountains, offers a warm, relaxed and traditional Ecuadorian culture with overflowing markets, a vibrant nightlife and sophisticated culinary options on offer. It's an interesting city to visit and the perfect place to stay before you explore some of Ecuador's many amazing destinations.

City Tour
After breakfast, your guide and transportation will pick you up and take you on a comprehensive walking tour of the Colonial District of Quito. On this tour you will visit some of the most famous squares, churches and colonial buildings of the city including the Independence Plaza where you can admire the Cathedral, the Presidential Palace and the Archbishop's Palace. Furthermore, you'll visit the San Francisco Church and the Basilica of Quito, the oldest Church in South America made almost completely out of volcanic stone. Then head to the 'Panecillo Mirador', the most famous hill of Quito, where you can take pictures of both colonial and modern Quito.

While walking through the city your guide will help you appreciate the eventful past of Ecuador including the Inca Empire, the Spanish invasion, and its push towards independence.

Return to your hotel with the afternoon and evening at your leisure.

Breakfast included.

Quito - Cotopaxi Volcano National Park - Riobamba
We will depart from Quito early after breakfast, heading south through the famous “Avenue of the Volcanoes.” We will arrive at the Cotopaxi National Park, which is located two hours away from the city of Quito. This volcano has been a place of worship for centuries by the native people of the area who believed Cotopaxi was a god. Situated within a national park of the same name, this beautiful area is a place where the lush endemic flora and fauna of the area can be observed, including wild horses, deer, llamas, and more. While there, you have the chance to visit Limpiopungo Lake, located near Rumiñahui volcano (4,757 meters), or go hiking to observe the birds.

After admiring the Cotopaxi National Park, we will continue to Riobamba where the evening is at your leisure.

Breakfast included.

Riobamba - Quinoa Experience - Incan Ruins - Cuenca
This morning, you will embark on a scenic land journey through the generous valleys of the austral Ecuadorian Andes.

On the route, you will stop for a visit to a small indigenous community where you will learn about the planting and harvesting process of Quinoa, a protein rich grain that has fed Andean people for thousands of years, and has just recently been adopted by global cuisine. The local women will share with you the curiosities of their trade.

Next, you will reach the town of Alausi an indigenous settlement that has not changed much in centuries. Here you will get to a panoramic lookout from where to observe a segment of famous Ecuadorian interregional railroad. Built in 1861 it is considered a masterpiece of railway engineering, commonly named the most difficult railway in the world. Sadly it stopped operating during the pandemic, but here you can admire its complex layout in the rocky cliffs.

The journey continues with an exploration of the Ingapirca archaeological ruins. These date back to the Inca period 500 BC), when such empire (based in Machu Picchu) expanded north and established political control centres in the area where you are standing. The highlight here is the elliptical Temple of the Sun, which crowns a rocky hillock that was considered a sacred place by ancient tribes Mysterious tombs are silent witnesses of the fierce power disputes that occurred here before the final Spanish invasion in the 15th century.

*Please note Ingapirca is closed Mondays & Tuesdays. You will visit Tambo ruins as an alternative Inca site on either of these days.

Cuenca City Tour
In the morning we’ll pick you up from your hotel to start our city tour through Colonial Cuenca. We’ll walk along the cobble stoned streets and colorful squares with little local markets within the historical center, enjoying the beautiful architecture of this charming city, declared a Cultural Heritage Site by the UNESCO in 1999.

We will visit the impressive New Cathedral on the central square and a local museum, which houses religious art. We continue towards the Tomebamba riverbank with its elegant overhanging buildings. A nearby archeological site of Cañari and Inca ruins will be visited before we drive up to Turi, a great outlook that offers us an amazing view of the whole city.

Afterwards we’ll visit one of Cuenca’s Panama hat fabrics, where we’ll see how these famous straw hats are elaborated before exportation.

The tour duration is approximately 3 - 4 hours. Afternoon and evening at leisure.

Cuenca – Cajas National Park – Guayaquil
This morning you will enjoy a guided trip to Cajas National Park, located an hour's drive from Cuenca. With dramatic open rolling land and over 200 lakes, Cajas feels almost like the Scottish Highlands and visitors stand a good chance of seeing wild llamas, hummingbirds, condors and perhaps even the parks more elusive animals such as spectacled bears, pumas, and oncillas. Your naturalist guide will take you on a short walk where you can observe the flora, fauna and bird life before stopping to refuel at a local restaurant for lunch.

Continue onto Guayaquil where we include a brief panoramic tour of the city before dropping you at your hotel where the evening is at your leisure.

*Please note Cajas National Park's altitude spans between 2560m and 4450m above sea level. Please consult us for a recommended packing list to ensure you are well prepared for the excursion.

Breakfast and Lunch included.

Depart Ecuador
Our representative will pick you up from your hotel and transfer you to the airport for your departure flight.

Breakfast included.