Highlights of Ecuador 9 days
Quito to Guayaquil or viceversa

Private tour: starting any day

Duration: 9 days 

Description:

Starting either in Quito or Guayaquil. The Highlands of Ecuador tour is a great option to explore some of the most important attractions in the country. On this tour, you’ll enjoy UNESCO World Heritage Sites, colorful indigenous markets, natural wonders like Quilotoa crater lake, Cotopaxi volcano, Pailon del Diablo waterfall, etc. 

 

Highlights:

 

• Explore the authentic Ecuadorian Indigenous markets

• Enjoy the spectacular scenery & panoramic views of the Andes landscapes.

• Take a ride on one of the greatest railroad engineering feats, the famous Devil’s Nose Train.

• Stroll around Baños, the waterfalls route, and visit the swing of the end of the world.

• Visit the most important Inca archaeological site in Ecuador 

 

Itinerary:

 

Day 1: Arrival in Quito - transfer in and free time to acclimate 

Our team will be waiting for you at the airport to transfer you to the hotel. Free time to relax and acclimatize. Overnight in Quito

​

Day 2: Quito city tour and Middle of the World

 

We will explore all the main historic & architectural icons of Quito, the world’s highest capital and first World Cultural Heritage site by UNESCO due to its well-preserved old town. Among the main attractions we have is the impressive Basilica gothic style church, the La Compañía church considered one of the most significant works of Spanish baroque, stroll to Plaza Grande surrounded by the impressive architecture of the Carondelet Palace, Cathedral, Archbishop's Palace, and Municipal Palace.
Then we will visit the“Mitad Del Mundo”, it is definitely one of the most famous attractions nearby. The official equator monument for perfect photos with one foot in each hemisphere; and the Inti Ñan Museum where you are able to perform fascinating scientific tests which only hold true at the equator such as balancing an egg on a nail and witnessing the Coriolis force that sends falling water in different directions in each hemisphere. Don't forget to bring your passport along if you want a special equator stamp on it! Overnight in Quito

​

Day 3: Otavalo day tour 

 

Otavalo is one of the most famous indigenous towns in South America for its colorful handicraft market, but the area also offers far more besides! The tour of course takes you to the famous handicraft market and allows free time to explore the many traditional wares, but we also like to take our guests a little further off of the beaten path. We also visit a fascinating weaving workshop, and lunch at a local restaurant where we will have the chance to see an indigenous family who make and play traditional musical instruments. Overnight in Quito

​

Day 4: Quilotoa Lake

 

From Quito, we’ll travel south direction through the famous "Avenue of the Volcanos" to Quilotoa. On the drive, we'll have the opportunity to enjoy the spectacular views of the Andes, Quilotoa lake, and the colorful landscape of the moors that surround it. Upon arrival, you can descend to the edge of the crater lake and return on horseback, or simply take a walk around the rim. In order to get closer to local communities, a visit to a local indigenous market will be arranged depending on the weekday. Please contact us for more details about market days. Overnight in the Cotopaxi area

​

Day 5: Cotopaxi National Park 

​

Cotopaxi Volcano is 5,897 meters high, it's the second-highest peak in the country and elegantly adorns the Cordillera Real of the Ecuadorian Andes. We will enter the Cotopaxi National Park for a close encounter with the Paramo biodiversity and an ecological explanation of its importance. After a short hike, let the adventure begin! We will continue to the parking lot (4500 m. above sea level) in order to ascend the first refuge of the volcano (4810 m.a.s.l). You can rest and eat some hot soup at the refuge and/or continue the ascent to the Glaciers (depending on weather conditions). Drive to Baños and Overnight in Baños.

 

Day 6: Baños and the waterfalls

​

Departing from Baños and after a half an hour drive, we will take a short hike to visit the "Treehouse", here is where the National Geographic photo contest winner picture of 2014 was taken. This is a place with great views of the valley, beautiful gardens where you can spot hummingbirds, and of course the swing that made this place famous. Then we will continue our drive for about 45 minutes, making several stops along the waterfalls route to enjoy the beautiful scenery, before reaching the “Pailon del Diablo waterfall”. After a two-kilometer hike, we will reach this magical place, one of the top ten largest waterfalls found in Ecuador. We will also visit "El Manto de la Novia waterfall", for those adventurous is possible to take the cable car across the valley or do the zip-line activity. Overnight in Riobamba

​

Day 7: Devil's Nose Hike - Ingapirca - Cuenca 

​

​Departing from Cuenca and after a two-hour drive through the Andes we will reach a little community called Pistishi. Here we will hike on a trail that leads us to the best viewpoint of the Devil's Nose mountain. Unfortunately, the train is not operating at the moment. However, our tour guide will explain the magnificent engineering that was involved in the project and you will get to enjoy the same views. For those who like biking, we offer a nice activity on dirt roads with very little traffic down to Sibambe train station. We will also visit a local family farm to learn about the local crops, traditions, and culture. Then we will continue to Ingapirca, it’s the largest Incan ruins in Ecuador which encapsulates the sophisticated Inca design, architecture, and engineering. You’ll discover how the Incas merged their own community with the Cañaris, native indigenous. Then, we will drive to Cuenca. Overnight in Cuenca

​

Day 8: Cuenca Half-Day City Tour

​

Visit the most beautiful city in Ecuador. We will explore some of the most traditional neighborhoods of the city. We will also visit the flower market, the main square, and the “New Cathedral” which is considered one of the biggest churches in Latin America.  The famous gold leaf altar is found here. We continue our tour to a Panama hat factory.  Here we’ll observe the process of making “Paja toquilla”  These hats range from classic simple ones to colorful, elegantly designed, and costly ones.  Afterward, we will go to the “Barranco”, an area of terraced houses which is located next to the Tomebamba River.  Finally, we will go to the “mirador de Turi” (scenic viewpoint) to enjoy the beautiful vista of the Cuenca landscape. Free afternoon to rest or explore the city on your own, a great option is to visit the Piedra de Agua hot springs. Overnight in Cuenca

​

Day 9: Cajas National Park - Cocoa Farm - Guayaquil

From Cuenca, we will drive through the western Andes to Toreadora in Cajas National Park, considered to be one of the most important protected areas in Ecuador and the main source of water for Cuenca. You will be impressed with the beautiful scenery of the area, we will take a hike to explore the Polylepis Forest, Moorland ecosystem, and lakes. Then we will continue our driver to the lowlands, ever tasted the pulp of fresh cacao beans? We will visit a local family farm, the main product growing here is cacao (base to make chocolate), however, they have many other products such as breadfruit, coffee, passionfruit, pineapple, among many others. You will be able to experience the process of craft chocolate making and try it if you like while our tour guide explains the history of cacao. Dropp of at the Guayaquil aiport or hotel​