Day 1: Europe Quito
Located at an altitude of 2850 meters, Quito will be your first contact with this country that has four distinct regions. Upon arrival, your guide-driver will greet the group and take you to your hotel, nestled in the heart of the colonial center.
In the afternoon, we will explore part of the historic center, with an essential stop at La Calle de la Ronda, an iconic street full of history and charm. The day will end with a light dinner featuring traditional Ecuadorian flavors.
Day 2: Quito Colonial Mitad Del Mundo Otavalo
Visit Quito and its beautiful colonial-era houses with white walls and roofs. We'll visit La Compañía, San Francisco, the Basilica, and the Cathedral. We will also go to Panecillo. This entire program will be done on foot, with the ups and downs of the city to ensure good acclimatization. After the visits, we will continue our journey north to have lunch at the "Middle of the World." Here, we can experience unique moments at the latitude 0°00'00''. After the visit, we will make a stop in Otavalo, known for its craftsmanship, and finally head to Cabañas del Lago (or similar), where we will relax by Lake San Pablo in preparation for our walk and trekking the following day.
Day 3: Cuicocha Trekking
After a delicious early breakfast, we will take a walk along the crater and a 11 km tour of the Cuicocha lagoon at an average altitude of 3260 m. After this visit, we will head to the Pondo Wasi community tourist lodge for a traditional lunch. At 3:00 PM, we will set off for our first big hike towards Cubilche, reaching the summit at 3700m.
In the late afternoon, we will participate in the preparation of traditional Inca Pacha-Manca food. While the food is cooking, we can relax or choose to take a temazcal (a steam bath with volcanic rocks heated to red-hot). Overnight at Pondo Wasi – community tourism lodge or similar.
Day 4: Route To Cotopaxi – Trekking Cotopaxi North Or South
After a delicious breakfast at Pondo Wasi, we will begin our journey from 7:00 AM. Here are the options for the Cotopaxi trekking:
OPTION A: Cotopaxi NORTH
We enter via the North Caspi control. We will have lunch in a restaurant inside the park. Then, we continue by 4x4 vehicle to 4,600 meters above sea level, where we will begin the climb to the José Rivas refuge, followed by a hike up to the glacier at 5,000 meters. After this, we will admire the Limpiopungo Lake. In the afternoon, we head toward the accommodation. Throughout the journey, we will make technical stops to rest and take photos of the landscapes or wildlife.
OPTION B: Cotopaxi SOUTH – Trekking the Canyon and Waterfalls
We enter via the south control at Ticatilin in 4x4, reaching an altitude of 3,700 meters. From there, we begin the hike to the waterfalls at 4,000 meters, with a 3km walk, a 3-hour trek, and a 300-meter elevation gain. In the afternoon, we will head to the accommodation. On the way, we will make technical stops to rest and take photos of the landscapes and wildlife.
Dinner and overnight at Hacienda Cuello de Luna or similar.
Day 5: Cotopaxi Quilotoa Or Illinizas
OPTION A: Quilotoa TREKKING - 3800 m
We will complete the full crater loop, which is approximately 6 hours of walking and covers a distance of 8km. Quilotoa has a 100m medium-level trail.
We depart at 06:00 AM for the Quilotoa volcano. We will enter through the protected Ilinizas zone control at 08:00, reaching 3,800 meters. We will begin our hike to the highest point of the crater at 3,900 meters. During the hike, we will have lunch and, in the afternoon, head to our accommodation. Along the way, we will make technical stops to rest and take photos.
OPTION B: Illiniza - 4700 m
This hike lasts 3 hours, covering a distance of 4km, with a 1000-meter elevation gain.
We enter the protected Ilinizas zone and reach the parking lot at 3,700 meters by 4x4. From here, we will start the ascent towards the Nuevos Horizontes refuge. This is an excellent option for a physically demanding trek, reaching a high altitude of nearly 5,000 meters. In the afternoon, we will head to our accommodation in Baños (La Floresta or similar).
Day 6: Baños Tungurahua
A beautiful day of relaxation where we will visit various tourist attractions, such as the famous Pailón del Diablo waterfall, the "bride's veil" tarabita (cable car), and the thermal hot spring pools that descend from the volcano. Baños, being the gateway to the Amazon, is close to the tropical rainforest.
On day 6, we can also take a hike to the Tungurahua refuge. The hike consists of a 3-hour ascent and a 2-hour descent. Starting at 2900 meters, we will climb to 3800 meters. Overnight in Riobamba at Casa Real or similar, or in Baños at La Floresta (depending on arrival time).
Day 7: Trekking Chimborazo – Wimper Needles
5200m - hike for 4 hours. 2.5 hours of ascent and 1.5 hours of descent. Distance: 3km, Chimborazo, 500m elevation gain.
We enter through the Chimborazo Wildlife Reserve control office, and by vehicle, we reach 4800m at the Carrel Brothers Refuge parking lot. From there, we will head to the Condor Cocha area and later climb to the Wimper Needles. A good technique is required, as the needles, as their name suggests, are quite steep, but the view from 5200m is simply spectacular.
Around 4 pm, we will begin our descent. Afterwards, we will head to our accommodation (Chimborazo Lodge) or similar.
Day 8: Trekking Paredones Ingapirca
After a 4-hour drive in our vehicle, we will arrive at Paredones at an altitude of 4049 meters. From there, we will hike for 4 hours to the Ingapirca archaeological site, located at 3138 meters. This route is part of the Inca Capac-Ñan trail. We will visit the site with local guides and spend the night in Ingapirca or Tambo, covering a distance of 15 km with a descent of 900m. Overnight at Posada Ingapirca or in Cuenca, depending on the arrival time.
Day 9: Cuenca
On the ninth day, we will take a one-hour journey to Cuenca, the third-largest city in Ecuador, known for its beauty and history. It will be a day of sightseeing, and if there's interest, there will be the option for a cooking class and the chance to share traditions and visit a local family in Cuenca. Overnight at Hotel Inca Real or a similar hotel.
Day 10: Cajas – Guayaquil And Return Flight
On the 10th day, we will have our last mountain hike in the "Cajas" reserve. We will leave Cuenca early and head towards the Cajas National Park. The highest point is at 4,450 meters above sea level. Here, we can enjoy a two-hour walk around the beautiful La Toreadora lagoon. Afterward, we will travel to Guayaquil, where you will take your return flight around 8:30 PM. If we have the Galapagos option, the departure and return will be from Guayaquil.
