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ECUADOR ANDEAN

Train + tasting

8 days 7 nights

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Day 1: Quito – International Flight – Welcome to Ecuador (/-/-)

After the arrival, our staff will welcome and transfer you from the airport to the hotel.

Overnight in Quito.

Day 2: Quito City tour – Middle of the world – Beer TASTING (B/L/-)

Quito known as “The Light of America”, is the capital of Ecuador, located at 2,800m above sea level, it was declared by Unesco in 1978 as “Cultural Heritage of Humanity”, winner of the award for third consecutive year “South America’s Leading Destination” by the “World Travel Awards (WTA)”, this award is known as the “Oscar of the Tourism”, Quito a City that encloses in smaller space the amount of magnificent historical monuments.

Our tour will begin with a panoramic visit to the architectural churches: La Compañia (The Church of Society of Jesus), El Sagrario (Church of the Sanctuary or Church of the Shrine), La Basilica del Voto Nacional (The Basilica of the National Vow), and San Francisco (The Church of St. Francis), where we will see colonial paintings and sculptures from the sixteenth to the twentieth century. These works of art proof that Ecuador had amazing artists and some of theme belonged to best known “Escuela Quiteña”. La Plaza de la Independencia (The Independence Square) and streets like “La Ronda” are places where you can find entertainment, creative handicrafts, ice creams made of unusual flavors and the variety of typical food of our city.

Next to our route, it is our beautiful statue of La Virgen de Quito (Virgin of Quito) best known as “El Panecillo”, being on a small hill with an awesome view of our city where you can admire our four cardinal points. Time to enjoy a delicious lunch.

Near Quito, a few kilometers from the city, there is a small town known as San Antonio de Pichincha. Near it, there is a monument which is in the Middle of the World. In this monument, there exists a wonderful museum known as Ethnographic, here there is a lot of information about the communities that live and have lived in our country. Other interesting museum is the Intiñan where it shows in a precise and a practical way the wisdom that Andean Native peoples had in relation to the Sun King.

At 26 km north of the center of Quito is located San Antonio de Pichincha, a small town parish of Quito. Close to it, there exists a wonderful museum known as Ethnographic an interesting museum that will give us a lot of information of the past and present communities of our country. There is another great museum “Intiñan” where you can see in a practical way the sageness that natives had with the Star King “The Sun King”.

The position of Ecuador in the center of the globe crossed by the equator, gives the tourist the incredible experience of having one foot in each one of the hemispheres, northern and southern, close to the “Middle of the World City” is located The “Pululahua Crater”, an inactive volcano with cultivated fields with beautiful vegetation.

We will make a last stop in a small factory, where we will learn the process of brewing and the opportunity to enjoy delicious homemade beers. Return to the Hotel.

Day 3: QUITO – CAYAMBE – OTAVALO MARKET –QUITO (B/L/-)

After breakfast, our trip will be to Otavalo and we will begin with a stop at “Quitsato” complex in the beautiful city of Cayambe, where we will see how was the living of the ancient cultures, learning on how and when to plant and harvest just by watching the sun and the stars, you can also have a taste of the exquisite biscuits and leaf cheese. In our way to Otavalo we will have a view of the “San Pablo Lake”, which is the largest lake in the province of “Imbabura”, famous for its swimming competitions and also where you can practice water sports like sailing and jet skiing.

Getting close to Otavalo we will see some of the indigenous community houses, they sell their awesome art in a fair on Saturdays, finding here beautiful confections and handicrafts made by the community with cotton thread like: “ponchos”, bracelets, “shigras” (bags), sweaters, pants, hats, etc. They also sell musical instruments made by “carrizo” (reed) like: “Charangos”, flutes, “rondadores”, etc.

Next to our route is “Cotacachi”, where we can see family workshops that specialize in goods made of quality leather. It’s a place where colonial art and music are an everyday basis. Lunch. Back to the Hotel. Overnight.

Day 4: Quito – Cotopaxi – ROSES´ PLANTATION – BAÑOS (B/L/-)

At 70 km from Quito, the “Cotopaxi” volcano, one of the highest active volcano in the world with an altitude of 5.987 m, will give us welcome to the Cotopaxi National Park with awesome landscapes we will see the flora and fauna, with an amazing display of the magnitude of volcanic eruptions. A beautiful waterfall in the “Pita” river and the “Tambo” river, are a creation of the melting of the volcano. The reflect of heavens blue sky in the lagoon of “Limpiopungo” will amaze us with its stunning colors.

After this great experience, we are ready to visit a beautiful rose’s farm. Here, we will learn about harvesting, post harvesting and packing, and learn about this wonderful natural product, so sublime, so perfect, full of beauty and exquisite aromas.  We will get the knowledge to understand why these roses can only be produced in the Middle of the World. Lunch

Continue to Baños, it’s the last big city still located in the mountains before reaching the jungle and other towns that are located in the Amazon River basin.  Accommodation

Day 5: BAÑOS – RIOBAMBA – ALAUSI (B/-/d)

After breakfast, we will enjoy a short walk in the cloud forest and admire the “Pailon del Diablo” and “Manto de la Novia” waterfalls. Later we will go to a lookout point to see the Tungurahua active volcano.  Continue to Alausi, known for its architecture, and most of its houses are more than 100 years old.  Accommodation.

Day 6: ALAUSI – Devil’s Nose TRAIN – Ingapirca – Cuenca (B/L/-)

After breakfast, we will go to the Alausi station to take the Devil´s Nose train, the most impressive section of Ecuador´s railway. The biggest complication faced by the construction of the Trans-Andean railroad was the Devil’s Nose, a mountain with almost perpendicular walls. To overcome this obstacle a zigzag railroad was bulit that climbs more than 500 meters in less than 12 km with steep ascents and descents. It today remains an impressive piece of engineering.

While recovering from the mind-blowing descent you will enjoy the views of the narrow gorge of river Chanchan and will have the chance to learn a bit about the traditions and worldview of the Puruhuas in Sibambe.  Afterwards, we will continue to Cuenca. On the way we will stop at the famous Ingapirca ruins (“wall rocks of the Inca”) which are the most important and well preserved of Ecuador’s Inca ruins situated to the north of Cuenca. Time traveling. You may sense it just as you look at the temple’s imposing facade; maybe it will happen at the end of the tour, watching Andes at every direction. The world as it was 500 years ago, simpler but often wiser, will arise in front of you. For a moment, priests and farmers, nurturers and warriors will come back to their ordinary duty and past’s echoes will rumble from every wall.

After the visit, we will have time for lunch and then we will continue to Cuenca city. Overnight

Day 7: Cuenca – Cajas National Park – Guayaquil (B /- /D)

Breakfast, our tour of the beautiful city of Cuenca will include sites such as the traditional and picturesque barrio of San Sebastian, the Museum of Modern Art, Parque Calderón (the city’s central plaza), the Flower Plaza, the Sagrario Cathedral (also called the Old Cathedral) and the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception (also called the New Cathedral), considered the largest in Latin America.

We will also explore the majesty and charm of El Barranco, where typical architecture meets the natural environment.

Finally, we will arrive to the “Mirador de Turi”, or the Turi Viewpoint, where a cityscape of red rooftops and blue domes can be seen ringed by impressive mountain peaks.  Along the way we will visit the ceramics workshop of Eduardo Vega, a famous cuencano potter.

We will continue our trip to Guayaquil, on the route we will have a panoramic visit to El Cajas National Park offers us a glimpse of the impressive cloud forests and Andean “paramo” landscapes and ecosystems.  The mysterious, mountainous silence invites us to explore its marvelous lakeside trails, which follow the shores of a number of the park’s 235 lakes.  Arrival to Guayaquil. marvel at the exotic iguanas in the Bolívar Park and then we will cross Plaza Administrativa and discover the pompous, neoclassical town hall. Continue to the Moorish Clock Tower and to Malecón Simon Bolívar, a 3 km long and very well designed boardwalk at the shore of the wide Guayas River. At the monument of La Rotonda, you learn a lot about the two South American heroes Simón Bolívar and José de San Martín.  At night, you will have a special romantic dinner. Afterwards our transportation will be waiting for you to transfer to the hotel. Overnight.

Day 8: Guayaquil – Farewell – International Flight (B /- /-)

After breakfast Transfer out to take your international flight

HAPPY RETURN TO HOME!

TOUR INCLUDES:

  • Private transportation for excursions
  • All transfers in /out
  • Bilingual guide (English / Spanish) for excursions and transfers
  • Accommodation in double room with breakfast
  • Meals detailed in the itinerary
  • Train ticket (Devil´s Nose Train ride)
  • Entrance fees
  • All excursions and visits detailed in the itinerary

TOUR DOES NOT INCLUDE:

  • Lunch / Dinner (specific days)
  • Tips
  • All drinks
  • Personal expenses
  • Any item not mentioned in the itinerary

The itinerary may be subject to change due to timetable variations in: international and domestic flights, trains, buses, delay in rivers and lakes due to weather conditions, social unrest or natural catastrophes and technical malfunction (planes). If that is the case, the best alternative will always be sought to the passengers. Additional charges will be paid by the passenger.

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