The Biodiversity of Ecuador

Upon arrival at the Quito International airport, you will be greeted by your local guide and transferred to your hotel to freshen up before going out for some tasty local cuisine with your guide, or to rest for the night — depending upon your arrival time. Most international flights arrive in the late evening or early morning.

Your guide will be with you for the duration of your visit and will share with you important local cultural customs as well as safety tips. You will want to be well rested before beginning your travel abroad through the biodiverse country of Ecuador.

This morning you will tour the historical center of Quito including the Presidential Palace, the Cathedral, the San Francisco Church, and the Guapulo Lookout.

In the late afternoon, you will visit Fochs Square – the hub of nightlife in Quito. Enjoy a great selection of food and drinks while people-watching, dancing, or just listening to music.

Early this morning, you will head out for Otavalo and the busy market. On the way, you will stop at the Mitad del Mundo (Middle of the World) to straddle the equator. Once in Otavalo, you will have time to wander the market, make some purchases if you like, and enjoy some local foods.

Following your visit in the market, you will head to Baeza and the Antisana Ecological Reserve. You will spend the night here before heading to Tena.

Midday you will be met in Tena for a motorized canoe ride into the Amazon. Along the way, you will see monkeys, birds, crocodiles, iguanas, and other native wildlife.

You will spend the night in the jungle in your own rustic accommodations. Listen to the night sounds as you fall asleep without the distractions of city noises and lights.

Today you will have the opportunity to explore the lush jungle trails of the Amazon with a guide to learn about medicinal plants, threats to the jungle habitat and what is being done to counter the threats and witness the weather changes in the cloud forest.

This morning you will return to Tena and continue your journey south through Puyo and Banos. You will stop at a couple of magnificent waterfalls along the way for photo opportunities.

You will spend the night in Riobamba.

You will leave Riobamba early this morning heading south to the small town of Aluasi and the well-known Devil’s Nose Train. The train journey takes you down into the canyon on switchback tracks. The tour down is narrated to share local customs and history. 

After lunch in Aluasi, you will continue your journey south to Cuenca, where you will spend the night.

This morning you will take a bus tour of Cuenca, including a visit to the overlook of Turi.

In the afternoon, you will have free time to wander through the central historical center of Cuenca following a short walking tour.

In the evening, you will have the option of attending a walking “Rutas Leyendas” or “Legends” tour.

Today you will take a bus through the Cajas National Park on your way to Guayaquil. Arriving in the late afternoon, you will have free time to relax or to go out on the town.

This morning you will have a tour of the central part of Guayaquil, including a visit to the local reserve to see the natural flora and fauna of the area.

This morning you will transfer to the airport for your return flights home. We hope you have enjoyed your brief travel in Ecuador and will return soon.

Alternatively, you may extend your trip to see the coastal areas of Ecuador before returning home. In this case, you will be journeying north along the Pacific Ocean coastline to Olon.

In Olon you will have a tour of the city including a panoramic view from above the city. Lunch will be on your own followed by a short period of free time before continuing north to Puerto Lopez.

In Puerto Lopez you will have the opportunity to visit a local cacao farm to learn about harvesting this important plant and how to make delicious chocolate from the fruit.

After spending the night in Puerto Lopez, you will continue your journey north to Manta. Here you will have a tour of the city followed by free time to wander on your own.

Late this afternoon, you will travel to Quito.

This morning you will transfer to the airport for your return flights home. We hope you have enjoyed your two weeks in Ecuador and will return soon.