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Highlights

Otavalo Market, Cotopaxi National Park, Devil's Nose Train, Cuenca, El Cajas National Park,

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Moderate

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Luxury Ecuador

The highlights of this itinerary comprise much of what makes Ecuador famous. It explores the country's craft traditions, traveling to the northern highlands, including Otavalo, South America's most renowned indigenous market, and goes south of Quito through the avenue of volcanoes to well-preserved colonial Cuenca, known for its finishing techniques of the iconic the Panama hat. You will spend time in the Andes where the hiking is sublime, tour cacao and banana plantations and zigzag thr... READ MORE >>

Itinerary

DAY 1 ARRIVE QUITO

DAY 2 QUITO - OTAVALO MARKET TOUR - HACIENDA ZULETA

DAY 3 HACIENDA ZULETA

DAY 4 HACIENDA ZULETA - PAPALLACTA

DAY 5 PAPALLACTA - COTOPAXI NATIONAL PARK

DAY 6 PUJILI MARKET - QUILOTOA CRATER LAKE

DAY 7 SAN AUGUSTIN - CHIMBORAZO - RIOBAMBA

DAY 8 RIOBAMBA - DEVILS NOSE - INGAPIRCA RUINS - CUENCA

DAY 9 CUENCA CITY TOUR - FREE TIME

DAY 10 EL CAJAS NATIONAL PARK - GUAYAQUIL

DAY 11 GUAYAQUIL - HOME

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Most Popular Ecuador Trips & Tours

Trip	Price	Days	Highlights
Andes, Amazon & Galapagos MultiSport	$4,695	12 Days	Mountain Biking & Hiking, Amazon Whitewater Rafting , Galapagos Islands , Sea Kayaking & More...
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Itinerary

DAY 1 ARRIVE QUITO: A Southern Explorations representative meets you at the airport upon arrival and transfers you to your comfortable hotel in Quito's Old Town.

DAY 2 QUITO - OTAVALO MARKET TOUR - HACIENDA ZULETA: After breakfast at the hotel, you will embark on this morning's journey to the beautiful Otavalo region, famed for its seventy villages that produce an array of crafts, stopping first in its namesake town, where the largest market is located as well as shops where local handicrafts are sold. During today's northern Ecuador tours, you'll have time to visit another village, either Cotacachi, known for its handcrafted leather goods, or if you prefer, Peguche, famous for its weavings and carved wooden musical instruments. After a delicious lunch at a hacienda, in the late afternoon, you head to historic 17th century Hacienda Zuleta where you will spend the next two nights. (B,L,D)

DAY 3 HACIENDA ZULETA: After a hearty breakfast, today is yours to explore the grounds of Hacienda Zuleta where the friendly staff will help plan the day's adventures, according to your interests. You may decide to hike the self-guided trails, sample fresh cheese from the creamery, wander the gardens or explore the Condor Reserve. A small coop sells embroideries made by local artisans. The hacienda's common areas offer many comfortable spots to read or enjoy some tea. For an additional cost, a variety of horseback riding activities, mountain bike excursions, fishing tours, guided hikes, cooking classes and tours of the surrounding areas such as Cuicocha Crater Lake may be arranged on arrival. (B,L,D)

DAY 4 HACIENDA ZULETA - PAPALLACTA: After breakfast, you depart mid-morning in the direction of the Ecuador Amazon Basin, the Oriente, through a dramatic landscape of waterfalls, high plains and volcanoes. On arrival in the town of Papallacta, you take a leisurely hike, learning about the region's flora and fauna from your guide. The top experience of everyone's visit to Papallacta during their Ecuador travel is a long, rejuvenating soak in the pristine hot springs, surrounded by glorious vistas at your lodgings. Afterwards, you'll enjoy a relaxing dinner and overnight stay here. (D)

DAY 5 PAPALLACTA - COTOPAXI NATIONAL PARK: After an early breakfast, you travel to Cotopaxi National Park to hike in view of impressive Cotopaxi, the world's highest active volcano at 19,225 feet (5,770 meters). Exploring this diverse park from its highland plateaus allows you to observe endemic flora and fauna, along with wild horses, gulls, ducks, and possibly a majestic condor. Later you visit picturesque Limpiopungo Lake and some small nearby villages before enjoying a marvelous dinner and restful overnight in your suite at the historic landmark turned exclusive hotel, the colonial Hacienda San Augustin de Callo. (B,L,D)

DAY 6 PUJILI MARKET - QUILOTOA CRATER LAKE: After breakfast, your Ecuador tours of the Cotopaxi region continue with a visit to the small town of Pujili on market day. Here, you'll see local residents selling goods and shopping for their weekly needs, a glimpse into daily village life that most tourists don't experience. Next is Quilotoa, a picturesque crater lake, along a route of winding roads bordered by terraced landscapes and small farms with scenic mountain views. This evening, enjoy a second night at San Augustin de Callo. (B,L,D)

DAY 7 SAN AUGUSTIN - CHIMBORAZO - RIOBAMBA: Enjoy a leisurely morning at the hacienda before heading south on the Pan American highway towards Riobamba. The road weaves through what is called the avenue of the volcanoes, where you see Tungurahua, a frequently active volcano, as well as Chimborazo, an inactive stratovolcano in the Andean Cordillera Occidental range. With an elevation of over 20,000 feet, it is Ecuador's highest peak and under clear conditions, its summit can be seen from the coastal city of Guayaquil, nearly eighty-five miles away. Chimborazo's surrounding ecosystem is protected to preserve habitat for the country's native camelid species, the vicuña, llama and alpaca. This evening, enjoy dinner and a relaxing overnight at the beautiful Hacienda Abraspungo near Riobamba. (B,L,D)

DAY 8 RIOBAMBA - DEVILS NOSE - INGAPIRCA RUINS - CUENCA: After breakfast at the hacienda, you take a scenic drive to Alausí for the start of your unforgettable journey aboard the Devil's Nose train. Your Ecuador travel then continues by bus to visit Ingapirca, the most impressive Inca ruins of Ecuador. You will learn about this important archeological site, notable for its unique fusion of the Incas and native Cañari in both architecture and religious beliefs. Today's guided Ecuador tours end in Cuenca, at Mansion Alcazar, where you will enjoy garden suite accommodations for two nights while visiting this beautiful colonial city, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. (B,L

DAY 9 CUENCA CITY TOUR - FREE TIME: After breakfast you get acquainted with Cuenca's historic center and surrounding neighborhoods on a guided tour, stopping at Calderon Park, the Flower Plaza, the Church "del Carmen" and the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, one of the largest churches in Latin America. You will also pay a visit to "El Sagrario," the city's first cathedral. Next you visit a Paja Toquilla Hat Factory, where you'll observe steps in the elaborate process of making fine panama hats, before going on to the "Barranco," a phenomenon of architecture and the natural environment where charming houses are attached to the hillside along the river. The tour ends at the "Mirador de Turi," offering panoramic views of the valley's red roofs and church domes, framed by imposing mountains. Here you have the opportunity to visit the gallery of Vega, a famous Cuencano artist, before being returned to your lodgings. The evening is yours to spend as you like. (B,L)

DAY 10 EL CAJAS NATIONAL PARK - GUAYAQUIL: After breakfast, you visit El Cajas National Park for a day of picturesque Ecuador hiking in a stark landscape of hills and valleys with tundra vegetation. The first hike is at Llaviucu, one of more than 230 lagoons in the park, home to many endemic birds and plants. Next you go by car to reach the park`s highest point at 13,780 feet (4,200 meters), offering stunning views before descending to La Toreadora lagoon, for a three-hour hike in an area of small lagoons and paramo flora and fauna. A delicious lunch of typical Ecuadorian cuisine awaits at Dos Chorreras. After these Ecuador Andes tours, you descend through cloud forest to the coast, enjoying a stop at cacao and banana plantations before checking in at your hotel and a last evening on your own in Guayaquil. (B,L)

DAY 11 GUAYAQUIL - HOME: After breakfast, you will be transferred to the Guayaquil International Airport for your flight home, marking the end of Southern Exploration's services on this travel to Ecuador. (B)

Weather

When to Visit

Due to fairly stable seasonal weather conditions in Ecuador, travelers can enjoy year-round travel to the country. Some areas have better weather at certain times of the year, but it is always a good time to travel to Ecuador. Ecuador has a surprising variety of climates. The weather can be very localized and tends to change quickly because of the country’s unique geography. Located on the Equator, Ecuador is divided into four main regions: the Andes, the Amazon, the Coast, and the Galapagos Islands. Within these four regions of this small country, roughly the size of Colorado, elements of all four seasons can occur in a single day.

The Andes (Highlands)
Visitors can experience the Andean Highlands year-round, though June to September and late November to mid-January tend to be the drier months. February to May and October to mid-November are considered the rainier season. During the rainier months, one will find warm sunny weather in the morning followed by almost daily showers in the afternoon. Temperatures show little variance throughout the year with averages in the 60s during the day and 50s at night, though sunny days may get into the 70s and cooler nights may drop into the 40s. Despite these averages, it is common to have rainy streaks in the dry season and nice sunny weather in the wet season. It is best to come prepared for both rain and sun, as visitors will likely run into both during any month of the year. Warm days and cool nights are normal so packing layers is essential.

The Amazon
The Amazon basin is what you would expect of a tropical rainforest: wet, hot and humid. January marks the beginning of the less rainy period, which extends through March. Calling this the dry season would be a misnomer as it still rains quite frequently. March through July tends to be rainier than the first two months of the year, with July tending to be the rainiest. August through December is known as the fluctuation season. During this time, it is nearly impossible to predict weather patterns. One minute could be hot and sunny with clear blue skies and then the next minute a heavy downpour could begin. Temperatures year-round range in the 80s (27-33°C) and rain, sometimes even cool rainstorms, can be expected most days in the afternoon, as the Amazon basin is truly a rainforest. Any time of year is great to visit the Ecuadorian Amazon despite the level of rain. Contrary to what one may think, the months with higher averages of rainfall are great times to visit. Higher levels of rain increase fruit production, which results in more activity from monkeys and other fruit eating species. The Amazon is an unpredictable environment from both a weather and wildlife standpoint. The best approach for visitors to have an excellent Amazonian experience is to come prepared for the unexpected and to have an open mind!

The Coast
On coast, the dry season runs from about June to December with a temperature drop to the high 70s. The garua, a damp mist, has a tendency to cast itself over the coastline and the sun. The sun can disappear for three months at a time. Then in January to June, temperatures go up and despite the occasional heavy rain, the days will be bright and sunny.

The Galapagos
The great weather of the Galapagos Islands makes them a fantastic destination for travel year-round. Every month of the year is a good time to enjoy a tour of the region. The Galapagos Islands have a subtropical climate that is almost completely determined by sea currents. Although most believe the Galapagos to be a very hot destination, the cool water currents in the area keep the climate fairly temperate year-round. The mild variations in weather from month to month result in an overall climate of warm days, cool nights and low humidity. Anytime is a great time to travel to the Galapagos; while visiting one can expect to see plenty of sunshine, blue skies and a possible chance of light rain.

QUITO	Min-Max Air Temp	Avg Rainfall
JAN	50-66	4.5
FEB	50-66	5.1
MAR	50-66	6.0
APR	51-66	6.9
MAY	51-66	4.9
JUN	49-67	0.8
JUL	49-67	1.0
AUG	49-67	1.0
SEP	49-68	3.1
OCT	49-67	5.0
NOV	49-67	4.3
DEC	50-66	4.1

*Year Round Temperatures in °F, Rainfall in Inches

GALAPAGOS ISLANDS	Min-Max Air Temp	Avg Rainfall
JAN	70-84	1.0
FEB	74-86	1.0
MAR	73-88	2.0
APR	72-86	1.5
MAY	72-82	0.8
JUN	66-78	0.3
JUL	67-76	0.5
AUG	64-75	0.3
SEP	62-75	0.5
OCT	64-77	0.3
NOV	66-78	0.5
DEC	68-80	0.5

*Year Round Temperatures in °F, Rainfall in Inches

Maps

Luxury Ecuador

Pricing

Per Person

Included in tour cost

Local Quito or Guayaquil representative
All airport/hotel transfers
All hotel accommodations
All listed activities
English-speaking certified guides
Entrance fees for all scheduled tours, national parks & archaeological sites
Meals as indicated
Southern Explorations pre-departure services

Excluded from tour cost

Airport taxes, international and local
International airfare to and from Central & South America
Tips and gratuities
Medical & travel insurance (highly recommended)
Hiking boots and other necessary sports gear