Ecuador and It´s Andes Highlights
Tour
This is the perfect trip to visit the Ecuador Andes, it combines some of the culture and history of our country enjoying Quito, the capital of the country that has the best Colonial site in SOUTH AMERICA.
The nature of the highlands will be next to you all the time.
Itinerary
DAY 1: ARRIVAL TO QUITO, ECUADOR
Arrival to Quito, where you will be met at the airport by our guide and transferred to your hotel. Overnight.
DAY 2: THE BEST COLONIAL SITE IN SOUTH AMERICA: QUITO CITY TOUR AND THE EQUATOR LINE – MINDO
This day you will visit the colonial site of Quito where you will walk through the Main Plaza. Visit the Government Palace, the Cathedral and some of the most important churches built around the XVI and XVII centuries. After this visit our guide will drive you to a local restaurant where a delicious lunch will be waiting for you. In the afternoon you will visit The Equator Line and some of the museums of this place. The Equator Line or Mitad del Mundo is located just at 45 minutes north of Quito, this monument marks the closest point from where the Equator passes. Archaeological evidence indicates that the pre-Incan and the Inca civilizations recognized and worshiped the path of the equator as the marker of the equinox. Then you will continue to the north-west of Quito until arrive to Mindo where you will dinner and overnight.
DAY 3: MINDO: THE AMAZING COCK OF THE ROCK – MINDO – QUITO
Early in the morning, after a cup of hot coffee, you will visit the famous Paz de las Aves Refuge where you will have the opportunity to have one of the most amazing experiences, visiting the cock of the rock lek, where, during the breeding season, the males produce a special sound and fly like real acrobats waiting for the female to choose one of them to mate. Besides here it is possible to see four species of Antpittas, the Giant Antpitta, the Moustached Antpitta, Ochre bellied, and the Yellow Breasted Antpitta. Then you will visit the feeding station to see black chinned and blue winged mountain tanagers, toucan barbet, dusky piha, sickle winged guan, crimsom rumped toucanet, etc.
Return to the main house of this reserve to enjoy of a typical breakfast of this region and keep birding to find a ocellated tapaculo being fed with worms, yellow vented woodpecker, powerfull woodpecker, crimsom mantled woodpecker, orange breasted fruiteater etc.
Then you will return to Mindo where you will visit a butterfly farm, here the local guides will explain you about the metamorphosis of this insects and will introduce you to a different world, the butterflies' world where they can eat from your hands. Then you will visit the Quetzal of Mindo that is a chocolate farm where you can see and experience the process of how is made the chocolate from "bean to bar". Late afternoon you will return to Quito, overnight in the city.
DAY 4: QUITO - ANTISANA ECOLOGICAL RESERVE - COTOPAXI
After breakfast our guide will be waiting for you in order to depart to the east range of The Andes at the Antisana Ecological reserve, where you will admire the beautiful Mica Lake and the Majestic Antisana Volcano (5,758 mts, 18,886.24 ft.). This reserve is considered a hot spot for birdwatching, where you can find the Carunculated Caracara known as Caracara Curiquingue, this bird is famous because of its movements and characteristics and always in the local festivities you will find people dressing costumes of Caracaras, also there is a folkloric song about this bird. Besides Antisana is one of the best places to spot for Andean Condor in a Natural habitat. After a delicious box lunch you will depart to Cotopaxi Province to overnight in one of the incredible haciendas located close to the National Park, dinner and overnight.
DAY 5: COTOPAXI: FOLLOWING THE AMAZING PARAMO
Early in the morning our guide will be waiting for you in order to depart through the famous Volcano’s Avenue until arrive to Hacienda El Porvenir, one of the most beautiful places in our Highlands.
At your arrival your horses will be waiting for you for a horseback riding trip visiting the foothills of Rumiñahui Volcano, riding side by side with herds of wild horses and bulls, you will wear the typical clothes of the “Chagra” the person in charge of looking for the cattle like a cow boy. Also you will enjoy of the amazing landscape of the volcanoes avenue. In case that you are not interested on horseback riding you will visit the hacienda and you will learn about the Chagras and their activities.
DAY 6: COTOPAXI: INDIGENOUS MARKET – QUILOTOA LAKE – QUITO
Early in the morning after breakfast depending on the day of your tour you can visit an indigenous market, where you will see how the local people trade their products, (on Sunday and Wednesday: Pujilí Market; on Thursday: Saquisilí market and on Saturday: Zumbahua market). Then you will visit Quilotoa Lake, on route you can stop in Tigua a small town where you can find amazing handicrafts made by animal skins and beautiful and colorful masks that represent some local animals.
Then you will arrive to Quilotoa lake, it is a water-filled caldera of 3 m (2 miles). This caldera was formed by the collapse of the volcano in an eruption that took place approximately 800 years ago. The caldera has since accumulated a 250 m (820 ft) deep crater lake, which has an extraordinary turquoise colour as a result of dissolved minerals.
Lunch in a local restaurant and then you will return to Quito where you will overnight.
DAY 7: THE MOST IMPORTANT INDIGENOUS MARKET IN SOUTH AMERICA
This day our guide will be waiting for you at the lobby of your hotel in order to travel to the north of Quito until arrive to Otavalo. On route you can stop in some places like: Guayllabamba and enjoy of the exotic fruits like the delicious chirimoyas and tangerines. Then you can stop in Cayambe where you can try the delicious biscuits with cheese.
At your arrival to Otavalo our guide will drive you to Carabuela, a small town close to Otavalo where you will visit an old master weaver who will explain to you about the traditional process that the Otavaleños use to make their handicrafts.With this knowledge our guide will drive you to Otavalo market or the Ponchos market that is considered the most important indigenous market of South America; here you can find different and colorful handicrafts like rugs, tapestries, clothes jewelry, etc. After full morning of shopping time you will enjoy of a delicious lunch in a local hacienda and in the afternoon you will visit Cotacachi, town known for its famous leather handicrafts, here you can find interesting products like: purses, shoes, boats, wallets, hats, jackets, pants, etc. Late afternoon you will return to Quito, overnight.
DAY 8: QUITO – INTERNATIONAL FLIGHT
After an early breakfast your guide will meet you at the lobby of the hotel to transfer you to the airport for your international flight home.
Rates
| HOTELS CATEGORY | 1 *Pax |
2-3 Pax |
4-5 Pax |
6-9 Pax |
| Tourist | $4,059 | $2,336 | $1,948 | $1,632 |
| Tourist superior | $3,660 | $2,199 | $1,876 | $1,590 |
| First Class | $4,610 | $2,548 | $2,230 | $1,965 |
| 10-11 Pax |
12-15 Pax |
16 Pax |
Sin Sup |
|
| Tourist | $1,397 | $1,347 | $1,256 | $425 |
| Tourist superior | $1,385 | $1,345 | $1,265 | $450 |
| First Class | $1,760 | $1,718 | $1,640 | $1075 |
Single Supplement under request
Cris, Juan Fernando and Elisabeth were very knowledgable and fun to work with.