ITINERARY

Day 1 – Welcome to Ecuador

Our guide will pick you up from Quito airport and take you to your hotel.
Accommodation in Quito (2850 meters / 9350 feet).
Meals included: none

Day 2 – Quito City Tour

At 9 AM, our guide will pick you up at your hotel to take you to the historic center of Quito. At the entrance to the old town, we examine the neo-Gothic church Basílica del Voto Nacional and notice its special gargoyles that represent the Ecuadorian animal kingdom. Then we walk around the Independence Square – the heart of Quito, which is surrounded by the Presidential Palace, the Cathedral, the Archbishop’s Palace and the City Hall.
We continue to Sagrario Church and after that, we visit the interior of la Compañía de Jesús church which is completely covered by gold leaves. We proceed to San Francisco Square to admire the church and convent of St. Francis and learn about its legends.
The next stop is El Panecillo Hill (3000 m / 9900 ft) where the statue of the virgin of Quito is waiting for us. Its convenient location in the center of the city offers you one of the best views of the old and new city.
After lunch, we travel almost 30 kilometers (19 miles) north to Mitad del Mundo – Middle of the World. First, we visit the interactive Inti Ñan Museum where we learn about different Ecuadorian cultures and experience through different experiments what it is like to be at the equator. Later we stop at the historical monument that symbolizes the French Geodesic Mission during the 18th century and its contribution to world history.
Return to your hotel in Quito.
Meals included: breakfast

Day 3 – Cloud Forest Town Mindo OR Otavalo Market

Option 1 - Mindo: Meet our guide at a meeting point close to your hotel at 7 AM. We travel north and then west for about 2 hours until arriving at Mindo town (1250 m / 4100 ft). While Mindo is still part of the Andean region, its climate and eco-system is very different to the one in Quito. It lies in a transitional area and features an abundant vegetation (cloud forest).
We visit the butterfly farm to observe hundreds of butterflies up close and even watch some emerge from the chrysalis. Afterwards we walk to a waterfall and those who want can take a tarabita or canopy ride (zip line).
After lunch, we head to the chocolate factory where our guide will show and explain us the process from cacao bean to chocolate bar.
Return to Quito.
Meals included: breakfast, lunch

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Option 2 - Otavalo: Meet our guide at a meeting point close to your hotel at 7 AM. We travel north towards Otavalo town (2530 m / 8300 ft) for about two hours. Otavalo is home to a world-famous handicrafts market where the locals sell textiles, art and other handicraft souvenirs. Many Otavaleños still wear the traditional clothing of the Otavalo ethnic group.
On the way to Otavalo, we stop at a viewpoint at San Pablo Lake, which lies at the foot of Imbabura volcano. In Otavalo itself, we have time to shop for souvenirs or just stroll around and watch the market life.
After lunch, we continue to Cuicocha Lake – a beautiful lake that was formed inside a caldera. The lake’s name translates to “guinnea pig lake” and derives from the islets in the lake. Then, we visit Cotacachi town that is famous for its leather goods.
On the way back to Quito, we stop at Cayambe town to try the local specialty – “bizcochos” and visit the solar clock on the equator.
Accommodation in Quito.
Meals included: breakfast, lunch

Day 4 – Cotopaxi National Park

Meet our guide at a meeting point close to your hotel at 7 AM. We travel south along the Avenue of Volcanoes to the Cotopaxi National Park. We stop at Limpiopungo Lake that lies at the foot of Cotopaxi volcano. Here, our guide tells us about the national park’s flora and fauna and we have the chance to take pictures of the majestic Cotopaxi volcano. We continue to the parking lot at 4600 meters (15,100 ft) from where we hike up to the refuge of the volcano (4800 m / 15,800 ft). Down again at the parking lot, those who want can ride down to Limpiopungo Lake by mountain bike. Then we head out of the national park again and have lunch in a typical guesthouse in a town south of Quito where we stay for the night.
Accommodation in Machachi.
Meals included: breakfast, lunch

Day 5 – Quilotoa Lagoon

After breakfast, we travel south on the Panamerican highway and enjoy the view of the surrounding Andean landscape. After almost an hour, we leave the highway and continue west through various indigenous villages. We stop at a traditional indigenous market to see how the locals negotiate. Then we continue to Quilotoa from where we walk down to the shore of the beautiful Quilotoa Lagoon. The lagoon lies inside a volcanic crater and is a great photo motif because of its emerald green water. To return to our car, we can either hike the crater up again or rent a mule. After lunch, we visit the Tigua community of farmers and painters who are known for their bright paintings of the Andean life. Return to Quito.
Accommodation in Quito.
Meals included: breakfast, lunch

Day 6 – Goodbye Ecuador

Our guide will pick you up and take you to the airport at the suitable time for your flight.
Meals included: breakfast

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