Best of Mainland Ecuador Tour

Arrival at Mariscal Sucre, Quito international airport. 

Meet and greet with your English-speaking private guide. 

Transfer to the city centre and check in at your hotel (50 min). 

Free evening. 

Overnight at your hotel in Quito. 

Discover with your guide the least-altered and best-preserved Latin American capital. 

Take a walk to visit the colonial churches and monasteries of this urban jewel, the first city in history to be listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Starting at the Independence Square, flanked by the Presidential Palace your visit will include the Metropolitan Cathedral of Quito, the Archbishop's Palace and the City Hall. 

Ramble through the city's old streets on your way to El Sagrario church and its exquisitely carved stone façade and step inside the awe-inspiring church of the Society of Jesus. 

Walk on to the Convent and Church of San Francisco, one of the greatest religious buildings on the South American continent. 

Drive up to the top of the Panecillo hill for breathtaking panoramic views of Quito. 

In the afternoon, drive out of the city to the Equatorial Valley (50 min), north of the capital, where you will visit the 'Middle of the World' monument. 

A monument and a museum exhibiting an ethnographic collection indicate the Equator line. 

Drive further north, towards the Lakes region surrounding Otavalo (1 hour 45 min). 

Free evening. 

Overnight at your hotel in a hacienda in Otavalo.

Early in the morning we will visit the Cuicocha Lagoon, located at 3200 meters above sea level inside the crater of an active volcano that collapsed on itself millions of years ago. Here we will go to the viewpoint of the lagoon to appreciate its beauty with its two islets.Early in the morning we will visit the Cuicocha Lagoon, located at 3200 meters above sea level inside the crater of an active volcano that collapsed on itself millions of years ago. Here we will go to the viewpoint of the lagoon to appreciate its beauty with its two islets.

We continue our tour to the legendary Handicraft Market "Plaza de los Ponchos", one of the most colorful in South America that comes alive every day of the week. Here we will have time to walk through the craft stalls, in order to appreciate the products and their varied colors. After visiting and buying some handicrafts for souvenirs, we will go to Peguche to visit its sacred waterfall and a workshop of traditional manufacture of ancestral musical instruments.

After all our visits in the province of Imbabura we will return to Quito. On the way we will make our last stop in Quitsato, located near the small town of Cayambe, the Ecuadorian capital of rose production and famous for its folklore.After all our visits in the province of Imbabura we will return to Quito.

On the way we will make our last stop in Quitsato, located near the small town of Cayambe, the Ecuadorian capital of rose production and famous for its folklore.The Quitsato Sundial is the first and only monument in the Middle of the World, which is located exactly on the Equatorial Line or Parallel Zero. The clock of 52 meters in diameter is made of a large stone mosaic that indicates the hours of the day and the different lines of the Solstices and Equinoxes.

Free evening. 

Overnight in Quito.

To make your stay easier, we recommended to only take a small back pack with your travel essentials for your 2-day stay in the Amazon Jungle. Your larger items of luggage will be locked and stored safely on the bus, under the supervision of the driver.

Departure from Quito to the east, crossing the eastern Andean Mountain range towards the Papallacta hot springs.Departure from Quito to the east, crossing the eastern Andean Mountain range towards the Papallacta hot springs.This route allows us to admire the impressive change of scenery, from the subtropical Andean valleys, to a pass that rises to 4,100 meters above sea level, an area dominated by a type of vegetation known as "Paramo", and if weather conditions permit, you can see the snow-capped peaks of the Antisana Volcano.

Our first stop will be at the viewpoint of the Papallacta Lagoon where we will be able to admire the beautiful landscape and feel the cold of the paramo.On the descent we will pass through the small town of Papallacta, famous for its volcanic hot springs, until we arrive at Termas de Papallacta Spa & Resort, a beautiful complex with its own hot and cold thermal pools, located in a spectacular mountain forest in the foothills of the Cordillera Oriental. Here you will have time to relax and connect with nature in its magical waters.

We continue our journey along a scenic stretch of road to the "Oriente" or Amazon Region. Along the way there are several photo opportunities, with an incredible view of lush green valleys and glistening waterfalls.The road ends at Punta Ahuano, a small port town on the north bank of the Napo River, where canoes await for a 15-minute ride to the lodge.

We arrive in time to settle in and enjoy the sunset from the pool with a welcome cocktail.

After a delicious dinner, we will get ready with our flashlights and cameras for a night excursion, which will allow us to capture and listen to the sounds of the jungle, we will be able to observe grasshoppers, toads, frogs, spiders, tarantulas, bats, insects and possibly snakes. On our return if the sky is clear we will enjoy a large number of stars.

Overnight at your lodge.

Early in the morning we will leave by canoe (5 minutes) to La Isla for bird watching, during this activity, the passengers together with the guide will make a walk specifically focused on the sighting of different species of birds.

Return to the lodge for breakfast.

Excursion and walk in the Amazon rainforest, where you can observe the Amazonian flora with our local guide who will accompany us to offer explanations about the Amazonian ecosystems. We will navigate the Napo River where we will reach several excursion sites.

In the afternoon, we will go on an excursion consisting of caiman watching in the lagoon, followed by the experience of the artisanal chocolate process with the indigenous community in La Isla, which can also be accessed by motorized canoe.

Free evening in the rainforest. 

Overnight at your lodge. 

After a 30-minute canoe ride back to the road, head over to Puyo by car. 

Journey to the Andean region through the 'Route of the Waterfalls', on your way to the province of Baños. 

Stop en route at el Pailón del Diablo, the 'Devil's Cauldron', a spectacular waterfall with an impressive 260-foot drop (80 m) splitting over rocks. 

Weather permitting, you might be able to see the 'Manto de la Novia', a ravishing twin waterfall. 

In the afternoon you will get to the town of Baños whose name reflects the local thermal springs. 

Take time to visit Baños and enjoy its splendid views of Tungurahua, the active volcano nearby. The town is popular with visitors who come for its famous hot springs, its lush scenery and for being the gateway to the jungle. 

Free evening. 

Overnight at your hotel in Baños.

We continue our journey to the south, passing through spectacular landscapes typical of the Andes, which resemble a mosaic of sloping and very colorful cultures, until we reach Ingapirca, the most notable Inca archaeological site in Ecuador. During the tour we will make some stops, starting with the church of La Balbanera, the first one built by the Spanish settlers in Ecuador, the beautiful Colta Lagoon with an approximate extension of 275 hectares that houses several species of native birds and a great variety of multicolored fish, and the Pistishi Viewpoint, one of the most important attractions of the province and the country, for many years it was the famous railway route "Nariz del Diablo", where your guide will explain the history of the train.

Arriving in the province of Cañar, we will visit Ingapirca Ruins or "Inca Wall" the largest and best preserved archaeological site in Ecuador, which is located at 3200 meters above sea level and is a testimony of the Inca domination in the country. Research has established that it was once an important religious and ceremonial site dedicated to the main Inca deity: the sun. The Inca temple was built over an important ceremonial center of the Cañari culture at the time of their victory in the conquest of the region. Visit to the Temple of the Sun: oval-shaped ceremonial place built with stones carved in a parallelepiped shape, with perfect joints according to the Inca technique, so well assembled that they give the impression that no cement was used to hold them together. It was also used for astronomical observations, thanks to which the equinoxes and solstices were established. Finally, arrival in Cuenca for our check in at the hotel.

Free evening in Cuenca. 

Overnight at your hotel in Cuenca. 

Discover Cuenca, a jewel of Spanish colonial architecture, built on the ruins of Tomebamba, an ancient Inca city. 

Walk through its narrow streets lined with magnificent houses ornated with colonial balconies. 

Visit the flower market, the Calderon plaza, the new and the old cathedral, the San Francisco Plaza and its handicraft market. 

Drive up to Turi hill to enjoy a splendid panoramic view of Cuenca, listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site. 

At a straw-hat factory you will learn more about the famous 'Panama hat' and where it really comes from. 

Visit the Museum of Aboriginal Cultures with its great display of ceramics, jewels and everyday objects of pre-Columbian civilizations. This historian and professor dedicated his whole life to collecting Pre-Columbian artefacts. 

Afternoon at leisure to discover the city at your own pace or make your way to the thermal baths located 30 minutes from town.

Free evening. 

Overnight at your hotel in Cuenca. 

Departure to Guayaquil (3 hour 30 min). 

Drive through El Cajas National Park and Lake La Toreadora. 

In the afternoon, you will get to Guayaquil, Ecuador's largest city and the country's busiest port. 

Free evening. 

Overnight at your hotel in Guayaquil. 

In the morning, enjoy a private city tour. 

Stroll along the Malecon 2000 (the city's strand) and the Seminario Park with its numerous resident iguanas. 

Discover Guayaquil's Cathedral, the City Hall and La Rotonda monument. 

Walk up the tiny streets of Las Peñas, a colorful and traditional neighborhood. 

At the indicated time, transfer to Guayaquil airport (15 min). 

Check-in and assistance.