Itinerary
- Day 1
Quito
You'll arrive at Quito's international airport where your local guide meets you. From there, you're transferred to your 4-star hotel for check-in. Settle in and spend the evening at your leisure before your overnight stay.
- Start point
- Aeropuerto Internacional Mariscal Sucre (UIO), Vía Tababela - Yaruquí Lote 18, Quito, Pichincha, Ecuador (Pick up at Marisacl Sucre International Airport in Quito )
- Day 2
Quito
After breakfast, you'll take a guided tour through Quito's UNESCO colonial district. The morning starts at Plaza Grande, then you'll walk through colonial streets and visit Baroque churches like La Compañía and San Francisco Convent, with time to climb the towers. Lunch happens during the tour, and you'll head back to your hotel afterward for the night.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch (3 courses without beverages)
Included Activities
- Guided visit to Colonial district of Quito
- Visit to Independence Square (Plaza Grande)
- Visit to La Compañía church
- Visit to San Francisco Convent and cloisters
- Climb towers of San Francisco
Landmarks Independence Square (Plaza Grande) La Compañía San Francisco Convent - Day 3
Quito to Otavalo Region
After breakfast, you'll pick up your rental car with English-speaking guide assistance, then drive about 2 hours to the Otavalo region. You'll spend the day exploring Plaza de los Ponchos market, Peguche Village's weaving ateliers and waterfall, Cuicocha Lake in an ancient volcano crater, Cotacachi leather workshops, San Pablo Lake with its Lechero tree, and Parque Condor. The day finishes with activities in a local indigenous community with a host family.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Car rental pickup with guide assistance
Optional Activities
- Visit Indigenous market Plaza de los Ponchos
- Visit Peguche Village and observe weaving ateliers
- Visit Peguche Waterfall (entrance fee not included)
- Visit Andean musical instruments atelier and create one
- Hike at Cuicocha Lake (approximately 10 minutes hike for views)
- Visit Cotacachi village
- Visit San Pablo Lake
- Visit Parque Condor (entrance fee not included)
- Participate in activities with local indigenous community and host family
Landmarks Plaza de los Ponchos Peguche Village Peguche Waterfall Cuicocha Lake Cotacachi Village San Pablo Lake Parque Condor 
- Day 4
Otavalo Region
You have the full day to explore the Otavalo area at your own pace after breakfast. Visit weaving villages, waterfalls, volcanic lakes, and leather workshops according to your interests. The day's activities are arranged to fit with your host family's schedule and what you want to see.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Breakfast
Optional Activities
- Visit Peguche Village and observe weaving ateliers
- Visit Peguche Waterfall (entrance fee not included)
- Visit Andean musical instruments atelier
- Hike at Cuicocha Lake
- Visit Cotacachi village
- Visit San Pablo Lake
- Visit Parque Condor (entrance fee not included)
- Participate in activities with local indigenous community family
Landmarks Peguche Village Peguche Waterfall Cuicocha Lake Cotacachi Village San Pablo Lake Parque Condor - Day 5
Otavalo to Misahualli
After breakfast, you'll drive about 6 hours heading from the Andes down toward the Amazon plains. Along the way, you'll visit the Quitsato Sundial at the equator, enjoy Papallacta's thermal springs surrounded by mountains, and stop at a hummingbird farm to see over ten species at feeding stations while having tea and biscuits. You'll arrive at your lodge for dinner and overnight.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner (3 courses without beverages)
Included Activities
- Hummingbird farm visit with tea/herbal tea and biscuits
Optional Activities
- Visit Quitsato Sundial at equator line (entrance fee not included)
- Enjoy Papallacta thermal springs (entrance fee not included)
- Nature walk at hummingbird farm (weather permitting)
Landmarks Quitsato Sundial Papallacta Hotsprings - Day 6
Misahualli (Amazon Rainforest)
You'll spend the day exploring the Amazon Rainforest with naturalist guides and indigenous people. Choose from hiking to visit a Kichwa community, early morning walks for parrots, forest walks about medicinal plants, canoe rides, or nighttime wildlife outings. Weather permitting, you might reach the famous Parrot's Clay Licks by boat to watch parrots feed on mineral-rich clay. Bring binoculars and return to the lodge for the night.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner (3 courses without beverages)
Included Activities
- Access to lodge's menu of excursions
Optional Activities
- Hiking and visit to local Kichwa community
- Sunrise walk to observe parrots
- Forest walk to learn about medicinal plants
- Canoe riding excursions
- Night outings searching for nocturnal life
- Boat trip to Parrot's Clay Licks (weather dependent)
Landmarks Parrot's Clay Licks - Day 7
Misahualli to Baños
After breakfast, naturalist guides are available if you want a morning excursion. Then you'll drive about 3 hours to Baños on the slopes of active Tungurahua volcano. You'll visit the Balsa Workshop in Puyo, explore the scenic Waterfalls Route with the Bride's Veil and Devil's Cauldron, visit Casa del Arbol with its famous swing, and tour Baños town including the Dominican Church and local workshops. Overnight at your hotel.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Breakfast
Optional Activities
- Morning excursion with naturalist guide or indigenous guide
- Balsa Workshop visit in Puyo
- Waterfalls Route exploration (entrance fees not included)
- Canopy traversing experience over Pastaza River
- Visit Casa del Arbol and Ends of the World Swing
- Visit Dominican Church (Our Lady of Holy Water) in Baños
- Visit melcocha artisans in Baños
- Visit fruit and vegetable market in Baños
- Visit Tagua workshops in Baños
- Horseback riding
- Mountain biking
- Rafting
Landmarks Tungurahua Volcano Waterfalls Route (Pastaza River Canyon) Casa del Arbol Dominican Church (Our Lady of Holy Water) 
- Day 8
Baños to Riobamba
After breakfast, you'll drive about 3 hours to Riobamba passing Chimborazo volcano at 6,310 meters. You'll visit the Museum of Religious Art at Las Conceptas Convent, then head to Chimborazo Fauna Reserve and ascend to the refuge at 4,700 meters with an option to return by mountain bike. Later you'll visit a local community working on llama reintroduction where you can taste llama meat at their restaurant. Overnight at your hotel.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Breakfast
Optional Activities
- Visit Museum of Religious Art at Las Conceptas Convent
- Drive to Chimborazo Fauna Reserve and ascend to refuge at 4,700 meters
- Mountain bike descent from Chimborazo refuge
- Visit local llama community and taste llama meat at restaurant
Landmarks Chimborazo Volcano Las Conceptas Convent Chimborazo Fauna Reserve 
- Day 9
Riobamba to Ingapirca Complex
After breakfast, you'll drive about 6 hours south along the Andes. You'll visit Guamote village where indigenous people have preserved ancestral customs and traditional dress, pass through the unique Palmira Desert, explore the complex of over 45 lakes at Ozogoche with hiking, then reach the Ingapirca Complex built in the late 15th century. This site may have been a ceremonial center with temples aligned to illuminate at specific times during Inti Raymi. Overnight at your hotel.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Breakfast
Optional Activities
- Visit village of Guamote
- Visit Palmira Desert
- Visit Ozogoche Lakes complex and hiking
- Visit Ingapirca Complex archaeological site
Landmarks Guamote Village Palmira Desert Ozogoche Lakes Ingapirca Complex 
- Day 10
Ingapirca to Cuenca
After breakfast, you'll drive about 1.5 hours to Cuenca, a Spanish colonial city built on ancient Inca ruins. You'll explore the historic district with colonial architecture, narrow streets, and charming balconies (a UNESCO site), then visit the flower market, both cathedrals, and San Francisco market. You'll tour a Toquilla straw hat factory to see how these famous hats are made, and visit the Museum of Aboriginal Cultures with over 5,000 objects from indigenous cultures dating back to 4000 BC. Overnight at your hotel.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Breakfast
Optional Activities
- Explore Historic District of Cuenca
- Visit flower market
- Visit Calderón Square
- Visit old Cathedral
- Visit new Cathedral
- Visit San Francisco market
- Visit Toquilla straw hat factory
- Visit Museum of Aboriginal Cultures
Landmarks Historic District of Cuenca Calderón Square Old Cathedral (Cuenca) New Cathedral (Cuenca) San Francisco Market Museum of Aboriginal Cultures 
- Day 11
Cuenca to Guayaquil
After breakfast, you'll drive about 4 hours from Cuenca toward Guayaquil, crossing the western Andes slopes and passing El Cajas National Park. The landscape shifts from highlands to coastal plains with banana, rice, sugar cane, coffee, and cacao fields. You'll visit a cacao farm to learn about harvest and processing with a chocolate making demonstration and tastings. Then you'll explore Guayaquil including the Malecón waterfront, Seminario Park with iguanas, churches, and the historic Las Peñas district. Overnight at your hotel.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Breakfast
Optional Activities
- Visit El Cajas National Park (entrance fee not included)
- Visit cacao growing farm with harvest and chocolate demonstration
- Taste unsweetened chocolate and cacao-rum cocktail
- Explore Guayaquil city
- Visit Malecón waterfront
- Visit Seminario Park
- Visit Cathedral in Guayaquil
- Visit Government Palace
- Visit Town Hall
- Visit La Rotonda monument
- Explore Las Peñas district
- Visit cemetery
Landmarks El Cajas National Park Malecón (Guayaquil) Seminario Park Cathedral (Guayaquil) Government Palace (Guayaquil) La Rotonda Monument Las Peñas District - Day 12
Guayaquil to Puerto López
After breakfast, you'll drive about 4.5 hours along the Spondylus Route to Puerto López, passing through Machalilla National Park. You'll visit Los Frailes beach with white sand and tropical dry forest for swimming or relaxing, then explore the Agua Blanca community with its archaeological museum featuring pre-Columbian ceramics and Manteña culture artifacts including funerary urns and skeletons. Overnight at your hotel.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Breakfast
Optional Activities
- Visit Los Frailes beach
- Visit Agua Blanca community
- Visit Agua Blanca archaeological museum
Landmarks Machalilla National Park Los Frailes Beach Agua Blanca Community and Archaeological Museum 
- Day 13
Puerto López to Guayaquil
After breakfast, the morning is yours to spend at leisure in Puerto López. In the afternoon, you'll drive back to Guayaquil (about 4.5 hours), return your rental car at the airport with English-speaking guide assistance, then transfer to your hotel in Guayaquil for overnight.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Breakfast
- Car rental return with guide assistance
- Day 14
Guayaquil Departure
After breakfast, you'll transfer to Guayaquil Airport at your scheduled departure time for your flight home.
- End point
- Aeropuerto Internacional José Joaquín de Olmedo (GYE), Avenida de las Américas, Guayaquil, Guayas, Ecuador (Drop off at Guayaquil International Airport )
- Meals
- Breakfast
