Tours to Ecuador

Bartolome Island or North Seymour

• Pick up from your hotel in Puerto Ayora, Santa Cruz Island.
• Departure Time from  06:00 to 07:00
• Transfer from Puerto Ayora to Itabaca Channel. (45 minutes)
• Sailing time from Itabaca Channel to Bartolome Island. (2 hours)
• Arrival to Bartolome Island at 08:45 am approximately 2 hours of hiking of Bartolome Island.
• Lunch
• Snorkeling in Sullivan Bay
• Return to Santa Cruz at 14:15 pm
• Arrival in Santa Cruz  at 17:pm approximately
• Transfer to your Hotel
• Briefing for next-day activities

Details

• Animals to see: Sharks, sea lions, reef fish, sea turtles, and penguins.
• Activities: Hiking and Snorkeling.
• What do you bring: Sunscream, Repellent, Ligth clothing, binoculars, camera, and swimsuit.
• Include: Breakfast, a Professional bilingual guide, Transport, Lunch, Snacks, Water, Hotel Accommodation, and Snorkeling equipment.
• Not Inlcuided: Dinner, Tips, and Additional Expenses.

Notes:

• We can´t guarantee that you will see all the animals since they are in wildlife.

Galapagos to Quito

Pick up 7:00 am in the hotel. We are going to travel approximately for 1 and a half or 2 hours. The first technical stop is going to be on the entrance of the National Park, because we have to pay the entrance fee. Also, if you want, you might buy some handicrafts at the small market. The products that you will find are made by the people of the near communities. We are going to visit the Interpretation Center “Mariscal Sucre”. Inside it, we are going to have an explanation about different aspects of the National Park (history, animals, plants, others). We are going to arrive at a biges planade of the park. It is a good moment to take pictures and see the land scape. We are going to be at the parking lot. We need to take the appropriate clothes and water for beginning to climb.
We are going to walk for approximately 40 minutes (it depends of your fitness). We have deserved a rest at the refuge (José Rivas). After that, were turn to the refuge and go to Limpiopungo lake, here you can take pictures.
Then we have a lunch in Hacienda La Cienega, this place is an old construction and have one of the first eucalyptus trees in Ecuador.
Transport to Baños city.

Free morning or Ticket Tour Bus (optional)

• Breakfast

This day you will have the morning free and in the afternoon you can take the double-decker bus for a tour of the city center.

Mindo

Mindo is a beautiful valley located 2 hours northwest of Quito, behind the Pacific slopes of the Pichincha volcano. This place has a lot of nature and adventure activities. We offer a good mixture of both to give you the best experience.

Once you arrive in Mindo´s cloud forest will visit a Butterfly farm and Hummingbird feeders, don´t forget your camera. The adventure continues with the Canopying with 13 zip lines of different lengths that range from 20 to 400 mts and with different characteristics for all adventure seekers of all ages. If you prefer a another activity, we also have another option of trekking across the cloud forest to visit a waterfall and a ride in a “Tarabita”(Cable tram). After all these exciting activities will break for lunch. Afterwards will leave Mindo towards Quito but first will visit another special spot to view hummingbirds, butterflies and posibibly we can spot some Tanagers and Toucans.

(This trip can be extended for 2 days for a better chance to spot more birds and butterflies)

ITINERARY:

• Pick up at 07:00 am
• Visit a Butterfly farm
• Tarabita and waterfall walking
• Canopy
• Lunch
• Visit hummingbird feeders
• Return to Quito

Cotopaxi

Note: The tour begins at 7:00 am, for the rest of the activities the time is approximate. And it could change while the tour is developing.

The tour begins. We are going to travel for approximately 1 and a half or 2 hours.

The first technical stop is going to be at the entrance of the National Park because we have to pay the entrance fee. Also, if you want, you might buy some handicrafts in the small market. The products that you will find are made by the people of the near communities. This is the last opportunity for having a pair of gloves and a cap of wool for being warm.

We are going to visit the Interpretation Center “Mariscal Sucre”. Inside it, we are going to have an explanation about different aspects of the National Park (history, animals, plants, others).

We are going to arrive at a big esplanade in the park. It is a good moment to take pictures and see the landscape.

We are going to be in the parking lot. We need to take the appropriate clothes and water for beginning to climb.
We are going to walk for approximately 40 minutes (it depends on your fitness)

We have deserved rest at the refuge (José Rivas). After a moment, the people who want to arrive until the glacier can go for a walk of 25 minutes more. And also if the weather conditions are good, you are going to have a beautiful view of the mountains and the landscapes. After that, we return to the refuge, for having lunch. It is an excellent moment, for sharing experiences with friends, while you are drinking a delicious cup of hot chocolate.

We continued our tour, now we have to come back to the parking lot, and take the bikes to go downhill until the Limpiopungo Lake.

We are in the parking lot. Take the bikes and enjoy the trip. It could be for 40 minutes (it depends on your ability).

Arrive at the Limpiopungo Lake. We have a moment for resting and walking. After that, transfer to Hotel to rest, It can be Chuquiragua Lodge, Casa Sakiwa, or similar close to Machachi

Quito – Puente Cuyabeno – Cuyabeno Lodge

Public or private buses (trip the night before the tour – 10 hours) to PUENTE CUYABENO.

Canoe trip down the Cuyabeno River to our lodge.

Lunch.

Visit the Laguna Grande to swim and enjoy the sunset.

Dinner.

Exciting night walk.

Hiking Day

Breakfast.

Morning: three-hour hike in the primary forest to learn about flora and fauna, especially to know about medicinal plants, frogs, insects, birds, etc.

Lunch at the camp. Relax, in the afternoon paddle in a traditional canoe on the Lagoons or rivers to explore und enjoy the uniqueness of nature.

Where you can swim and enjoy the sunset. If conditions permit, you may be able to see pink dolphins.

Return to lodge.

Dinner.

Rowing Day

Breakfast.

Visit the community Siona Tarabeaya, where help them to the family to prepare to the typical food Casabe, your guide will explain you about the culture and traditions.

Lunch.

Visit the shaman, who will explain about ceremonies in the jungle.

Return to Lodge,Dinner, Night canoe expedition in search of caimans.

Cuyabeno – Lago Agrio – Quito

Early morning bird watching.

Breakfast. Navigating the Cuyabeno River back to El Puente.

Box Lunch. Transfer to El Puente Cuyabeno.

Return to Quito by Public or Shuttle bus (11:00am)

Tour to Quilotoa Lake

The tour begins.

We have the first technical bus stop, on Saquisilí town. There, you are going to visit the different popular markets of the town.
At the first market, people of the community go there, for selling animals, such as: “Llamas”, pigs, cows, sheep, and lambs.

In the second market you are going to observe how the people sell their small animals, like chicken, “cuy” (guinea pig), rabbits. Also, you might observe the different kinds of products for consumers of themselves. There, you might observe products, for example onion, potatoes, tomato, green/red pepper, “mellocos”, and others. Also, you can see different products in the section of the “mercado de pulgas”, where you can find products of second use, with good prices.

On the third market, you are going to find three sections:
First: handicrafts products artisanal, like: clothes made with wool,
Second: That is the section on food, you are going to see different kinds of typical food in the zone.
Third: you are going to see, products like grains, and flour of different kinds of grains, among others.

Afterward there is the departure to the “Las Cruces” Community; we are going to be there in approximately 1 hour. You might observe their typical clothes and also you can take a look inside their houses. But the most important thing, is that you are going to be with them in a typical indigenous house made of straw. Sharing with them a few moments talking, watching, and learning from them, how their life is, and how they prepare the earth for to sow.

If you want to experiment another kind of tourism. It is your opportunity.
We will go to Quilotoa Lake. We are going to pass the zumbahua community, and finally, we are going to arrive to the Quilotoa community before we go to the lake. We are going to have lunch. (You might choose one of the three options: llama, chicken, or vegetarian food).

Now we continue with traveling, the time for arriving at the lake is approximately 50 minutes (It depends of your fitness). At the begging of the down, you are going to have a wonderful view of the lake with a turquoise color. It´s a good moment for taking pictures, after that, we continue following the pad.

When you arrive at the bottom you are going to have moments for walking, near to the water. Also, you are going to smell the minerals that are mixed with the water. If you want, you might rent to the people of the community some small boats for navigating in the lake.

We need to continue with our trip, but now we are going to the top, in mules or donkeys. The time for doing it is approximately 40 min. When you arrive to the top, you might buy some handicrafts at the artisanal market of the community. Then, we go to Hotel in Machachi area or Quito.

23:00 Bus to Lago Agrio

Baños or Otavalo

BAÑOS

In this ecological corridor you can admire each of the waterfalls as: Agoyán, Mantle of the Bride, Pailón del Diablo and Machay, after doing this tour you can perform activities such as canopy, tarabita, cayoning and bunjee jumping.
It is a perfect place to enjoy a PICNIC with friends or family, likewise enjoy the fabulous views of Tungurahua volcano and the mountains that surround the city of Baños Ecuador, and if you like and are not afraid of heights and adrenaline you can go up to the most famous swing that Ecuador has.
If you are lucky you will be able to witness an interesting talk about the number of eruptions that have arisen over the last 15 years by the expert and watchman of the Military Geographical Institute Mr. Carlos Sanchez, in this conversation you will be able to observe the different type of volcanic rocks Expelled, the eruptive phases, and to know in depth the majestic Mama Tungurahua.

OTAVALO

Driving north of Quito is the most famous indigenous market of Ecuador: Otavalo, full of traditions and handcrafts. Before arriving to this magic place, you will visit Calderon, a small town famous for “Mazapan” handicrafts. Following the route is Cayambe, the perfect place to see how people prepare biscuits using a traditional technique. Next stop will be a view point to enjoy the landscape of Imbabura volcano (4610 mts.) and San Pablo lagoon.

Your next and most anxious spot will be Otavalo market, where you will spend time shopping and some quality time with your friends. You will fall in love with all variety of handicrafts.

Then you will go to Cotacachi to have a delicious lunch and explore the leather local work shops for a great landscape ending at Cuicocha´s view point.

End Services

Transfer Out  to Quito’s airport.

From Quito’s airport to Hotel in Quito.

End the services.