Includes10 days travelling, 1 day arrival and 1 day departure and 11 nights for USD 1890,– All Inclusive:
Means of travel and equipment: |
Day 1OTAVALO – Lagoon of Mojanda – Handicrafts Market – Typical Dishes – Quechua CultureWe start our tour with the mountainous part of Ecuador and travel for about 90 minutes in our private bus to Otavalo. Otavalo is one of the most important touristic places of Ecuador. It is visited by national and international tourists, who are attracted by the richness of the native people. The Quechuas or Mestices preserve their cultural identity by practicing the myths, legends and traditions passed down from their ancestors. We will then go to the Lagoon of Mojanda. It is surrounded by primary forests that maintain the biodiversity that Ecuador is so well known for. It is the paramount of the Andean highlands. Next, we will visit the largest handicrafts market in Ecuador. Here you will find a vast array of handicrafts and clothes made by the Quechua people. These crafts are well known and famous throughout the world. At night we will sample some delicious dishes native to the region, accompanied by a live band from the area that will present us with their cultural music. |
Day 2BAÑOSIn the morning we drive to Baños which is located in the middle of a mountainous region. On our way we will see some active volcanoes and take a look at the beautiful landscape. Baños is a place for relaxation while exploring the Andean Highlands. It is very well known for its natural springs, pools, massages and Turkish baths etc. The lovely scenery around Baños is the area’s other main attraction, and we will do some horse back riding to get to know the surroundings. |
Day 3TENA – WATERFALLS LAS LATAS – MISAHUALLI – QUECHUA NIGHTThe third day we will drive to Tena, the capital of the province of Napo and the Amazon of Ecuador. After a short stop to check in at our hotel, we will leave for Puerto Napo. There we will follow a wonderful walking path in the midst of exuberant selvatic vegetation. This will lead us to the WATERFALLS LAS LATAS, where we will take a refreshing bath. Afterwards, we will drive to Misahualli, the first port of the Amazon, to relax at the beach of the River Napo. We will make a trip by canoe and watch the dozens of monkeys in their joyful activities. In the evening, we will have a typical Quechua dinner with food and drinks of the region. We will learn a few words in Quechua and get to know their music. Who wants to is invited to sing and dance with the natives. |
Day 4JUNGLE TOUR – Quechua Community Rio Blanco, Medicinal Plants, ShamanismOn our last day in the Amazon we will visit the jungle. By canoe, we will arrive at the place of the jungle where our adventure starts. A Quechua will lead us through the woods, explain to us various types of medicinal plants. After a walk of about 2 hours we will arrive at his village: RIO BLANCO. There we will meet a shaman and get to know a bit more about the Quechua culture. Before we head back we can try our luck washing gold in the river. What you find is yours! |
Day 5COTUNDO – ANIMAL RESCUE CENTER – FLIGHT TO THE COAST – MANTA – PUERTO LOPEZWe will say goodbye to the Amazon by visiting the animal rescue center EL ARCA. Here we will observe all kind of species of the region. Then we will keep travel to Quito where we will take a plane to Manta, a city on the coast. From Manta we will travel on with our private bus along the beautiful coast and arrive at the fishing village PUERTO LOPEZ. In the evening, we will enjoy a dinner made of various exquisite seafood. After dinner, we will try some tropical cocktails in a beach bar. |
Day 6PUERTO LOPEZ – ISLA DE LA PLATAWe will leave about 9 o´clock in the morning, by boat, to visit the “ISLA DE LA PLATA”, “The Silver Island”, that is also humorously known as “Galapagos of the poor man”. This is the perfect destination for bird watchers who do not want to spend thousands of dollars to fly to Galapagos. The Island has two guided hiking routes, both with marvelous sights. You will encounter an interesting colony of blue-footed boobies, masked boobies, frigate birds, and albatrosses. The plant life is also very interesting and our guides are well versed on the subject. We will also see sea lions and geckos and by snorkeling we will get to know the colourful marine life with all its beautiful fish and coral. If you join this trip between July and September, you will also have the opportunity of observing humpback whales that pass the island and accompany our boat while singing their loves songs. |
Day 7PUERTO LOPEZ – LOS FRAILES – AGUA BLANCAOn our last day at the coast, we will visit the jewels of the National Park Machalilla: the wonderful beaches of Los Frailes. After a nice walk that leads us along hills and woods, we will explore beaches with white sand and light blue water that are inviting for sunbathing and swimming. In the afternoon, we will visit the Community Agua Blanca. The people of this community live in a very similar way to their ancestors, the Manteña Culture that inhabited this land from 800 to 1532 AC. After a nice walk, we may relax in a natural lagoon of sulfurous water with curative powers. Its mud is used for treatment of the skin and prevents aging. There is also a small museum where you will find some Pre-Columbian ceramics and pictures of some of the current inhabitants with the same facial features as those found on the ceramics. |
Day 8CUENCAWe will leave the Coast in morning and drive 5 hours to Cuenca. We will observe the beautiful National Park Cajas. In Cuenca we will do a city tour through the historical center. Cuenca is also known as the “Athens of Ecuador”, because many notable writers, philosophers, artists and poets were born in this beautiful town. Most of the streets in Cuenca are made of cobblestone. Its buildings have an old colonial look with colorful balconies and its charming plazas and markets are very well preserved. |
Day 9INGAPIRCAWe will make a tour to the most important archaeological site of Ecuador: Ingapirca. Originally, the Incas had an impressively large system of roads here in Ecuador, measuring about 5,000 kilometers in length. It is a larger system than the Roman Empire had. Today, there exists few remnants of this road system, but what is left is incredibly interesting. Located about 17 km from Cañar are the historical ruins of Ingapirca (meaning Wall of the Inca). They stand as the most important archeological memory in Ecuador. Originally, it was constructed as an inn for Incan couriers and other travelers. Later fortified under the control of the Cañaris of Huayna Capac. After being expanded and used as a lodge for troops, a resting place for the emperor and a temple. The temple was built in the style of Coricancha, the main temple of Cuzco. The ruins of Ingapirca, an ellipse-shaped fortress made of green diorite, is still appreciated with great pleasure by the whole world today, as it was 500 years ago. After lunch we will drive back to Quito and arrive at the capital at night. |
Day 10QUITO MITAD DEL MUNDO – CENTRO HISTORICOOn our last day, we will visit the “Half of the World” to walk on the equatorial line and experience a lot of highly interesting physical experiments. We will also visit an ethnographic museum and the Museum Itiñan. Here we will observe the world of mystic and Ecuadorian culture in a living ecological and scientific habitat. We will participate in some physical and scientific demonstrations about the Coriolis effect and the centrifugal accelerations. In the afternoon, we will explore the historical center of Quito, founded in the 16th century on the ruins of an Inca city, made famous for its chapels, churches and architecture. It boasts the best preserved, least altered historic centre in Latin America and has been deemed a “World Heritage” site by UNESCO. We also will visit the museum of Ecuadors most famous painter, Oswaldo Guayasamin. Considered a national treasure, he was awarded a prize by the United Nations for “an entire life of work for peace” . In the evening we will have a farewell dinner at a traditional restaurant. |
