Ecuador - Andes and Jungle

Arrival in Quito and transfer to the hotel.

Enjoy a sightseeing tour of the city of Quito and breathe the colonial history in the old part of the city. Proceed to the Equatorial Line Monument called “Middle of the World”. Visit the monument and the Inti Ñan Museum, which conducts several interactive scientific experiments.

Transfer to the famous town of Otavalo to visit its worldwide known Indian handcrafts market. Continue to the village of Peguche, to observe weaver’s at work and to the small town Cotacachi, Ecuador’s centre of leatherworks.

Visit Laguna Cuicocha, a crater lake on an altitude of 3000m above sea-level with a diameter of about 3km. Continue to the small Andean village Papallacta, which is famous for its thermal baths. Enjoy the pleasant effect of the warm, odourless thermal water surrounded by a wonderful landscape.

Transfer to Casa del Suizo Lodge, nestled comfortably above the banks of the Napo River overlooking the village Ahuano, the river and vast expanses of pristine rainforest. Full board included.

A variety of tours are available at the lodge, like a balsa raft adventure down the river or visit to a Quichua village to watch blowpipe demonstrations and the preparation of “chicha”, a local alcoholic drink. All excursions offer excellent opportunities to observe the wondrous diversity of life in the forest.

Continuing your way to Riobamba, which is the capital of the province of Chimborazo where a great number of indigenous communities live.

Train ride from Alausí along the “Devil’s Nose”, surely one of the highlights of a journey to Ecuador and a special way to get to know the country. Lunchbox included. Continue to Cuenca and visit the ruins of Ingapirca, the most important monument of pre-Spanish culture in Ecuador.

During the city sight-seeing you will see the historical buildings, located along the Tomebamba River, the “Todos los Santos” ruins, the flower market, the main square with the old and new cathedral and a Panama hat factory.

Drive to Guayaquil, along the typical paramo grassland towards the lowlands with a lot of rice, cacao and banana plantations. During the 2,5 hour city-tour through Ecuador’s largest city, you will get to know the most interesting parts of the tropical and busy pacific-metropolis.

Transfer to the airport for international flight or extension program on the Galapagos Islands.