Essential Ecuador
Overview
Highlights
- Quito City Tour with Equatorial Line Monument (6 hours)
- Visit to the Otavalo handicraft market
- Visit to Cotopaxi National Park
- Visit to Quilotoa volcanic lake
- Cuenca City tour (half-day)
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Details
Travel Themes
Destinations
Attractions
Activities
Trip includes
- Round-trip economy class airfare into Quito (UIO), out of Guayaquil (GYE)
- All airport and inter-city transfers
- 2 nights in Quito at the Mercure Alameda Hotel, or similar
- Quito City Tour with Equatorial Line Monument (6 hours)
- 1 night in Otavalo at the Hacienda Cusin, or similar
- Visit to the Otavalo Indian handcrafts market
- 1 night in Papallacta at the Hotel Termas de Papallacta, or similar
- Visit to Laguna Cuicocha
- Visit to Cotacachi and Papallacta villages
- 1 night near Cotopaxti at the Hosteria Rumipamba de las Rosas, or similar
- Visit to Cotopaxti National Park
- 1 night in Riobamba at the Hacienda Abraspungo, or similar
- Visit to Quilotoa volcanic lake
- Visit to the Chimborazo National Park
- Visit to Ingapirca Inca monument (en-route to Cuenca)
- 2 nights in Cuenca at the Hotel San Juan, or similar
- Cuenca City tour (half-day)
- 1 night in Guayaquil at the Wyndham Hotel Guayaquil, or similar
- Visit to cacao project
- Guayaquil sightseeing tour
- Breakfast daily *Please note that some of the activities included in this itinerary (particularly Papallacta, Cotopaxti and Quilotoa) may be strenuous for children, due to the high altitude.
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Itinerary
Arrive in Quito and enjoy a transfer to your first accommodation. Set at the foot of the volcano Pichincha and surrounded by snow-capped mountains, Quito is easy on the eyes. The city is known for its colonial churches, monasteries, paintings, sculptures and th...
Wake up and enjoy a 6-hour tour of Quito's highlights including Panecillo Hill and the “Middle of the World” - the Equatorial Line.
Later, head to Quito's Old Town and admire its picturesque plazas and magnificent churches. San Francisco Square is a great place to get a true sense of the city!
Leave Quito today for Otavalo, a town in the Andes that hosts a famous crafts market dating back to pre-Incan times. After the visit, arrive in the town of Papallacta where you will spend the night.
In the morning, head out for your first excursion of the day to Laguna Cuicocha, a beautiful lake nestled within the crater of the Cotacachi volcano. After visiting the lake, head to Cotacachi and Papallacta villages. Pick up a leather souvenir in Cotacachi and relax in the thermal baths in Papallacta.
Explore Cotopaxi National Park today! The focal point of the park is the symmetrically-perfect Cotopaxi volcano, the second-highest volcano in the world.
After breakfast, visit a colorful and original Indian market. Continue about 10 miles to Quilotoa, the famous volcanic lake with stunning views. Late afternoon, continue to Riobamba, the capital of Chimborazo province where a great number of indigenous communit...
After an early breakfast, you will be taken to the train-station in Alausi to board the train for the famous Devil’s Nose ride. After an exhilarating ride, start the approximately 2-hour drive to Cuenca. On the way, stop at Ingapirca - the most important Incan ruins in the country.
In the morning, enjoy a half-day tour taking you to some of the Cuenca's highlights including the "Todos los Santos" ruins and main square.
After the tour, head to one of several excellent museums dedicated to the city's rich and varied past. The Museo del ...Leave Cuenca today for Guayaquil. On the way, you will notice the dramatic changes in vegetation. Observe the typical paramo grassland, small colorful flowers, mosses, lichens, and other fungi. Once in the lowlands, you will see a lot of rice, cacao and banana ...
Squeeze all your souvenirs into your bag and enjoy a comfortable transfer to the airport. Board your plane and spend your relaxing flight home dreaming about your next adventure.
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Dates & Availability
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The total tour cost includes the tour price (regular or promotional) and the compulsory local payment. The promotional price is subject to change. Check directly with the operator for the latest price offer. The tour operator requires you to pay only the tour price to purchase your travel. The compulsory local payment will be paid when you join the trip. All prices are based on double, twin or triple share occupancy. Solo passengers will be accommodated in a double, twin or triple room according to availability with a passenger(s) of the same gender. Single supplement only needs to be paid if the passenger does not want to share and requests their own room. Discounts can only be applied at the time of booking and cannot be added at a later date, regardless of any changes made to the original booking.
Prices may vary due to local taxes and trip seasonality. Click "Request Info" to inquire directly with the tour operator for the final trip price.
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