Ecuador Odyssey | Trip Itinerary

Day 1/Sunday:  Arrive Quito, Ecuador where you are met and transferred to your selected hotel.

Day 2/Monday- Quito- Yanapi Hat Shop – Cotopaxi National Park – Hacienda San Agustín de Callo - Patate
We begin our Spirit of the Andes Adventure.  For the next 4 days/3 nights you’ll be on a small group tour traveling with your own private guide and vehicle. As you’ll be returning to Quito by plane, please note luggage allowance is 44 lbs per person. You should plan to leave all  un-needed items in storage at your hotel.
As we leave Quito, we first stop at the Yanapi Hat Shop, where guests can observe the process of making hats by hand.  Driving along valleys and mountains, we arrive at Cotopaxi National Park, which surrounds the magnificent Cotopaxi Volcano. You'll have an up-close view of the Andean paramo habitat and its unique flora and fauna; a number of high-altitude birds can be observed around Limpiopungo Lagoon, and occasionally, wild horses.  Enjoy lunch at a charming hacienda, where lunch is served in a room with Inca walls. After lunch, mingle with the llamas of the hacienda and stroll along a rose plantation.  From here, descend towards the town of Patate, to spend the night at a 300-year old hacienda. As the afternoon mist descends, stories are told about those who left in search of the treasure of the Incas in the nearby Llanganatis - and never returned...(L, D)

Day 3/Tuesday-Baños - Route of the Cascades - Ambato - El Arenal - Riobamba
After breakfast, take a spectacular route along the gorge of the Pastaza River to the town of Baños (Baths), right at the foot of Tungurahua Volcano, from where the thermal waters that gave it its name emerge.  Drive along the Route of the Cascades to El Pailón del Diablo (the Devil's Cauldron) -the most adventurous will descend (medium difficulty) to observe the impressive cascade up close, surrounded by subtropical vegetation and orchids.  The force and sound of the waters can also be appreciated from a lookout point without descending.  Lunch is served at an hacienda / hostel in the surroundings, and in the afternoon a short stroll along Baños -a town with an international pulse, full of people from all over the world as well as many locals who pilgrimage to the Sanctuary of the Virgin of Holy Water.  From here, the route to Riobamba is up the mountain, to where the clouds can be touched, alongside the massive Chimborazo, the highest mountain of Ecuador, on the high paramo where vicuñas graze and scamper - this is a protected Faunistic Preserve.  On the hillsides, where the land is worked beneath the plow, one might think the farmer's true objective was to paint the hills in fascinating patterns, not just to till the dark, fertile soil. Great photo ops on this route!  Arrive to Riobamba for dinner and lodging.  (B, L, D)

Day 4/Wednesday-  Riobamba - Alausí - Devil's Nose - Alausi - Ingapirca – Cuenca.  After an early breakfast depart by road, skirting the flanks of the Andes, an astonishing ride, twisting and turning, along bridging ravines and river gorges.  Ride through Indian villages and cultivated fields; here is where most of the cereals in Ecuador are grown, among them, the quinua, considered the perfect grain for its nutritional value.  After about 2 hours arrive at the small town of Alausí, the beating heart of the rehabilitation of the Ecuadorian Railway Company in the last years.  Great effort has been made to restore the 100-year old train to its old glory and romance.  Stations have been renewed, railways and sleepers replaced, engines and classic coaches renovate, and, most important, the project involves the local communities along the route in the rail operation.  The highlight is the thrilling 800-metre (2630-foot) descent on the zigzag cuttings on the rock of the Devil's Nose.  At the bottom one finds the newly renovated Station of Sibambe.  Here there is time to visit the local museum "Condor Puñuna" built and run by the Nizag community, see the display of local handcrafts, fruit and medicinal plants and try the local coffee.  The train whistle calls guests back on board for the return to the Station of Alausí, where a light snack is served to regain strength.  Continue exploring the Andean world by motorcoach to the south, visiting the Inca Fortress of Ingapirca en-route. Lunch in the area. Arrival to Cuenca at dusk for dinner and accommodations.  (B, L, D)

Day 5/Thursday Cuenca a World Cultural Heritage Site
Cuenca is Ecuador’s third largest city; yet it still retains its pleasant provincial air.  Its red tiled roofs, cobblestone streets, flowery plazas and museums make it very special.  This comprehensive visit includes the Plaza of San Sebastian, a colorful artisans market, where handicrafts are sold.  Then, visit the Museum of Modern Art, featuring an excellent collection of contemporary fine art.  Next is a visit to the flower market at the small plaza in front of the carved stone entrance to the church of El Carmen de la Asunción.  From here, a stroll to the main square, surrounded by the imposing blue-domed Cathedral, the Court of Justice, the Municipal Palace, the Governor’s Palace and the Church of El Sagrario.  Then, a drive along the Tomebamba river to admire the city’s overhanging houses.  Lunch is at one of the excellent restaurants in Cuenca, and in the afternoon, drive for a short visit to a ceramics handcraft shop.  Then, observe the whole process of making the famous Panama Hats of high-quality toquilla straw.  The Spirit of the Andes adventure ends at the airport – to take to flight to Quito, where you are met and transferred to your select hotel for a two-night stay. (B, L)

Day 6/Friday: Amazon Rainforest. You’ll be picked up at your hotel, and transferred to the airport where you’ll check in for your flights to Coca, the gateway to the Ecuador’s Amazon basin. On arrival, you’ll be met by a representative of your lodge, who will transfer you to the dock in town, where you’ll board a comfortable, covered motor-boat for the two hour ride to your lodge. You will spend the next 4 days/3 nights at either Sacha Jungle Lodge, or the Napo Wildlife Center (Kapawi Jungle lodge can be used on request, additional transportation charges will apply).  Lodging is in comfortable cabins with private baths, flush toilets and hot-water showers.

During your stay, you’ll enjoy guided excursions each morning and afternoon. Nocturnal outings are also possible.  You’ll be able to visit parrot clay licks, canopy tower and/or walkways, canoe through lakes and creeks, hike forest trails, and experience some of the most spectacular bird-watching in all of Ecuador. Over 500 species of birds have been recorded in this region, which is more than 1/3 of all the Ecuador birds. 
On each of your outings, your professional naturalist guide will point and explain the details of the reptiles, mammals, and flora that you encounter. All meals are included during your stay. (B, D)

Day 7 & 8—Sat & Sun: Days in the Amazon rainforest.   (B, L, D)

Day 9-Monday: You’ll return to the Coca airport for your scheduled flights back to Quito. On arrival, you’ll be met and transferred to your select hotel, with the remainder of the day at leisure.  Your flights are generally scheduled to arrive around 1:00 PM, but they can be delayed. If you have free time today, you may wish to visit the local botanical gardens. Quito also boasts a permanent handicraft market, as well as interesting art galleries and specialty stores. (B)

Day 10/Tuesday:  Quito city tour and the Center of the World. Depart from your hotel this morning, with your private guide for a 4 1/2 hour tour.   Start with a visit to downtown Quito to relish in this urban jewel and its treasures of art and architecture.  Quito’s colonial quarter, the largest and best preserved of South America,  is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.   The stroll starts at the Independence Plaza, flanked by the Cathedral, the Presidential Palace, the Municipal Building and the Archbishop’s Palace. Visit the temple of La Compañía de Jesús and its awesome gilded interior.   Continue on to the Monastery of San Francisco, one the of great religious buildings of the New World; its impressive façade and atrium that lead to its Baroque interior influenced by Moorish style, with the winged Virgin of Quito at its main altar. Then continue to the Equatorial Monument, 25 Kms. (16 miles) North of Quito, which marks the exact Center of the World, latitude 0º, where you can stand with a foot on each hemisphere.  Visit the Ethnographic Museum inside the monument, which shows the different Native American groups living in Ecuador.  Beside the monument there is a colonial-style town, complete with main square, church, post office, bullring, cafeterias, restaurants and many gift shops with postcards and souvenirs.  You will get a certificate for having crossed the Equator. Afternoon return to your hotel.  Dress in layers (T-shirt, blouse, sweater, coat).  Take a sweater even if the day is warm and sunny.  Rain protection advised in the afternoon.  This tour includes walking at an altitude of 2800 meters (9200 feet) and climbing stairs.  Sun protection (SPF 40).  Good walking shoes.  Entrance fees are included. (B)

Day 11/Wednesday:  Otavalo Indian Market.   Full day group tour (with 4 passengers you’ll have your private guide at no additional charge!) to visit Otavalo--South America's most famous Indian fair.  This excursion goes north along the Panamerican Highway through dramatic mountain scenery to the textile market of Otavalo, where guests will enjoy visiting the many stalls full of ponchos, scarves, blankets, wall hangings, woven belts (fajas), hats, handbags and much more.  Here Otavaleños barter in silence, in marked contrast to the raucous noise of other markets; take your time to negotiate the best bargains.  Then, proceed to Peguche, an Indian village very near Otavalo that is home to the artisans who do the weaving in their homes; guests can learn about their culture and everyday life.  Lunch is at one of the charming country inns or haciendas of the area.  (B, L) Dress in layers (T-shirt, blouse, sweater, coat).  Take a sweater even if the day is warm and sunny and rain protection from February to May.   This tour includes walking at an altitude of 2800 meters (9200 feet) .  Sun protection (SPF 40).  Good walking shoes.  Great Photo ops.

Day 12/Thursday:  Transfer to the airport, or continue with more sightseeing. (B)
B=Breakfast; L=Lunch; D=Dinner