9 Day Trip Andes Essences Small Groups from Quito to Guayaquil

9 Day Trip Andes Essences Small Groups from Quito to Guayaquil

This 9 day trip to in the Andes will give you the chance to really get to know the amazing mountains and villages. Our small nation on the equator offers you a great variety of landscapes as well as nature and cultural highlights, which you will be able to observe on this fully guided tour. From the capital Quito, which was one of the first cities declared a UNESCO World Heritage site, you will go to Guayaquil passing through Cuenca to experience the breathtaking Ecuadorian essences. You will visit impressive volcanoes in the Andes and get to see colourful indigenous communities.

Itinerary

Day 1: Quito City Tour + Teleférico + Mitad del Mundo

Stop At: Intinan Museum, Autopista Manuel Cordova Galarza, a 200 metros del redondel de la Mitad del Mundo, San Antonio de Pichincha, Quito 170180 Ecuador
The Intiñan Museum is located just outside of Quito right next to the Mitad del Mundo monument. Most people know that Mitad del Mundo's equator line is a bit off. Intiñan has its own marker and it's closer to the right spot.
Duration: 1 hour

Stop At: Fundacion Iglesia de la Compania, Garcia Moreno N 10-43, Quito 170150 Ecuador
Capped by green-and-gold domes, La Compañía de Jesús is Quito’s most ornate church and a standout among the baroque splendors of the Old Town. Free guided tours in English or Spanish highlight the church’s unique features, including its Moorish elements, perfect symmetry (right down to the trompe l’oeil staircase at the rear), symbolic elements (bright-red walls are a reminder of Christ’s blood) and its syncretism (Ecuadorian plants and indigenous faces are hidden along the pillars).
Duration: 30 minutes

Stop At: TelefériQo, Quito, Ecuador
For spectacular views over Quito’s mountainous landscape, hop aboard this sky tram, one of the world's highest aerial lifts, that takes passengers on a 2.5km ride (10 minutes) up to the flanks of Volcán Pichincha to the top of Cruz Loma.
Duration: 30 minutes

Stop At: Quito Old Town, Quito Ecuador
Is an architectural masterpiece and the colonial heart of Quito. Visit its dozens of grandiose churches, convents, and palaces, many looming over pretty public squares.
Duration: 2 hours

Meals included:
• Lunch
Accommodation included: Selected Hotel in Quito

Day 2: Otavalo Market – Peguche Village – Cuicocha Lake

Stop At: Otavalo Market, Plaza de los Ponchos, Otavalo 100450 Ecuador
Otavalo’s beauty lies in its people and surroundings, the Otavaleños and the towering volcanoes that surround the Andean town.
Duration: 2 hours

Stop At: Peguche Wasi, Av. Los Corazas # 3, Otavalo 100450 Ecuador
The peaceful village of Peguche is located just outside of Otavalo. There once was a time when the village was bustling with traffic and visitors, like a railway line used to run through the village; but now, as the lines have been unused since the 1980s, tranquillity has blanketed Peguche. Even though it is not as busy as it used to be, there is still more than enough reasons to visit this picturesque location and its friendly locals, who make a living out of agriculture, as well as weaving.
Duration: 1 hour

Stop At: Cuicocha Lake, Laguna Cuicocha Ecuador
This geological formation offers visitors the possibility of hiking along some amazing trails or to peruse the typical handicrafts that are sold over in the small market that’s located at the edge of the lake. Read on to learn more about Cuicocha and fall in love with the Ecuadorian Andes!
Duration: 30 minutes

Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
Accommodation included: Selected hotel in Quito

Day 3: Termas de Papallacta Spa – Hummingbird Garden – Relaxation

Stop At: Termas de Papallacta, Km. 65 vía Quito - Baeza, Papallacta 150753 Ecuador
Papallacta is located in the Southwest skirts of the Oriental Mountain Range of the Andes, its 55 km from Quito. In the way, we can find a spectacular view of the paramo with its rivers and lagoons. Papallacta is located north from Antisana Volcano.
Duration: 5 hours

Stop At: Guango Lodge, Papallacta 150205, Ecuador
located near the paramo and hot springs of Papallacta is a paradise for hummingbird lovers and photographers. Seeing 14 species of hummingbirds within an hour is not uncommon, and the Sword-billed hummingbird with it's unique, the long bill is sure to amaze you.
Duration: 30 minutes

Meals included:
• Breakfast
Accommodation included: Selected hotel in Quito

Day 4: Cotopaxi National Park – Hike – Interpretation Center

Stop At: Cotopaxi National Park, Ecuador
Only a short hour to an hour and a half trip from Quito, Cotopaxi National Park is one of the most impressive national parks in Ecuador, and it contains the famed Cotopaxi Volcano.
Duration: 5 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
Accommodation included: Selected hotel in Cotopaxi

Day 5: Quilotoa Lagoon - Andes Landscape – Hike – Local Communities

Stop At: Laguna Quilotoa, Laguna de Quilotoa, 070701 Ecuador
Quilotoa Loop is a ring-shaped trail which connects remote villages in the high Andes in Ecuador in Cotopaxi region
Duration: 4 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
Accommodation included: Selected hotel in Baños

Day 6: Pintoresque Waterfalls –  Baños Village 

Stop At: Pailon del Diablo (Devil's Cauldron), Rio Verde - 18Km From Banos, Banos Ecuador
Baños de Agua Santa is where the Andes slope into the Amazon, waterfalls gush from the mountains, and adrenaline junkies play in their wake. River rafting, kayaking, canyoning, zip-lining, rock climbing
Duration: 30 minutes

Stop At: Cascada el Manto de la Novia, 11 km on the road Baños-Puyo, Banos 180250 Ecuador
The harmonious sound of nature, lush vegetation and crystal clear water are the characteristics of the Manto de la Novia Waterfall. Located 12 km from Baños, before Green River. It is the ideal place to take a break and get away from the routine of the city. It is the only waterfall in the country located in the urban area and can be seen from anywhere in the city, next to this are the spas of the Virgin
Duration: 30 minutes

Stop At: La Casa del Arbol, Runtun village, Banos 010151 Ecuador
One of the coolest places in Baños, Ecuador is the Casa del Arbol. This tree house is built on the edge of one of the mountains next to the Tungurahua Volcano. On a clear day you can see it clearly. The volcano has been active since 1999 and climbing has been prohibited since that time, so this is about as close as you can get to it.
Duration: 30 minutes

Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
Accommodation included: Selected hotel in Riobamba

Day 7: Train Travel – Andean Sceneries – Incas Ruins

Stop At: Estacion Ferrocarril, Alausi Ecuador
The biggest complication faced by the construction of the Trans-Andean railroad was the Devil’s Nose, a mountain with almost perpendicular walls. To overcome this obstacle a zigzag railroad was bulit that climbs more than 500 meters in less than 12,5 km with steep ascents and descents. It today remains an impressive piece of engineering.
Duration: 2 minutes

Stop At: Ingapirca Ruins, Ingapirca 030356 Ecuador
Ecuador’s largest site for ancient ruins
Duration: 1 hour

Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
Accommodation included: Selected hotel in Cuenca

Day 8: Cajas National Park – Hike – Cuenca

Stop At: El Cajas National Park, Cuenca 010219 Ecuador
Cajas National Park is located in the province of Azuay, in southern Ecuador where the Andean cordillera (range) is older, less volcanically active, and without the high peaks that are so common further north. In this area, the mountains form large, beautiful plateaux where large quantities of water accumulate. El Cajas is full of water bodies: there are about 165 lagoons that are over 1 hectare and 621 that are smaller than 1 hectare. In total there are 786 water bodies.
Duration: 4 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
Accommodation included: Selected hotel in Guayaquil

Day 9: Cacao Farm - Guayaquil

Stop At: El Faro de Guayaquil, Guayaquil EC090150 Ecuador
Guayaquil offers travelers a surprising number of sights and activities. It boasts museums, historic neighborhoods, sprawling parks, and the renovated waterfront strip, Malecón 2000. While enjoying Guayaquil it is important to note that as with any large urban center, you must exercise caution and be aware of your surroundings.
Duration: 4 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
No accommodation included on this day.