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Day 1 : Toronto –
Quito
Depart Toronto for Quito via the United States. Upon arrival,
you will be greeted and transferred to your hotel.
Day 2 : Quito
Tour of northern Quito, including the modern city and historic
centre: Independence Plaza surrounded by the Government Palace,
the archbishop’s palace, city hall and the Cathedral. Continue to
the Church of the Society of Jesus, one of the most remarkable in
Latin America, and the Church of San Francisco, the oldest in the
city. Visit El Panecillo Hill and the Virgin of Quito statue atop
it, from which you can admire wonderful views over the city.
Afternoon trip to the monument marking the Equator or latitude 0°,
whose ethnographic museum presents the country’s indigenous
diversity. Homes housing souvenir shops and small museums with
Ecuadorian artifacts are located near the monument. Return to
Quito for dinner at a local restaurant offering spectacular
scenery. B/L/D
Day 3 : Quito – Calderón – Otavalo Market – Cotacachi – Otavalo
Head north on the Pan-American Highway towards the lake
region. Tour the small village of Calderón, known for its marzipan
figurines. Pass San Pablo Lake along the way, located at the foot
of Imbabura Volcano. Visit the colourful Otavalo market, with its
wide variety of handicrafts; the village of Cotacachi, known for
its leather craft; and the Cuicocha crater lake, located in an
active 3,064-metre crater and part of the Cotacachi-Cayapos
ecological reserve. B/L/D
Day 4 : Otavalo – Amazon Rainforest – Ahuano
Head east to the Amazonian plain via the Andes and observe the
impressive change of scenery along the way. Continue towards Punta
Ahuano. Arrive at the lodge and get ready for hiking in the Amazon
Rainforest, or visit a small nearby village. B/L/D
Day 5 : Ahuano – The Amazon: Old- and New-Growth Forest – Ahuano
Enjoy a full day in the Amazon Rainforest. Discover the flora
and Amazon ecosystem with the help of your guide. Early-morning
departure for the Misicocha region via the Napo River by canoe,
for swimming or other activities (tour of Misicocha, visit to a
local home, balsa excursion), depending on the group’s
preferences. Stop for a picnic along the way or have lunch at the
lodge. Take a different route back to the lodge, followed by a
canoe ride. B/L/D
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Day 6 : Ahuano –
Puyo – Pailon del Diablo – Baños – Riobamba
Depart for Puyo and stop at a handicraft workshop specializing
in balsa wood products. Follow the cascades to Pailon del Diablo
waterfall and go hiking (weather permitting). Continue toward
Baños, a tiny mountain village at the foot of the 5,100-metre
Tungurahua Volcano. Visit the Dominican church, taste melcocha
(sugarcane-based caramel), go shopping and stop at a fruit and
vegetable market. Pass Ecuador’s highest volcano, the 6,310-metre
Chimborazo, on the way to Riobamba. B/L/D
Day 7 : Riobamba – Train/Rail Bus – Ingapirca Incan Ruins – Cuenca
Catch your train from Alausí or take the rail bus in the
morning. Travel through magnificent Andean landscapes and observe
life in Ecuador (agriculture, farming, clothing, etc). Begin your
journey in Alausí from Devil’s Nose, where the train zigzags down
a 1,000-metre chasm. Private transfer to Ingapirca, Ecuador’s most
remarkable Incan ruins, passing colourful Andean landscapes along
the way. Visit the Temple of the Sun. Overnight in Cuenca. B/L/D
Day 8 : Cuenca
Morning tour of Cuenca, declared a Cultural Heritage Site by
UNESCO. Discover its Spanish colonial architecture and admire the
homes, balconies and narrow roads built over the ancient ruins of
Tomebamba. Visit the flower market, Plaza Calderon, the old and
new Cathedral, the plaza and market of San Francisco, and Museum
of Aboriginal Cultures. Admire the view of Cuenca from Turi Hill
and visit a straw hat factory. Straw hats are known as toquillas
or panamas and are typically Ecuadorian; they are produced in the
small village of Montecristi. B/L/D
Day 9 : Cuenca – Guayaquil
Depart for Guayaquil. Enjoy lunch at a typical restaurant or
stop for a picnic. Pass through El Cajas Park and La Toreadora
Lake. Travel west via the Andes towards the coastal plain and
observe the changes in altitude. Pass banana, rice, sugarcane,
coffee, cocoa and other plantations along the coast. Arrive in
Guayaquil, Ecuador’s largest city and most important port.
Discover the Malecón, Seminario Park of friendly iguanas, the
Cathedral, Government Palace, city hall and monument to La Rotonda.
Pass the neighbourhood of Las Peñas and the cemetery. B/L/D
Day 10 : Guayaquil
Enjoy a day at leisure or participate in several optional
excursions (must be booked and paid for locally, minimum number of
participants required). Transfer to the airport for your return
flight to Toronto via the United States. B
Day 11 : Toronto
Early-afternoon arrival in Toronto. |
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