Best of Mainland Ecuador Tour

Arrival at Mariscal Sucre, Quito international airport. 

Meet and greet with your English-speaking private guide. 

Transfer to the city centre and check in at your hotel (50 min). 

Free evening. 

Overnight at your hotel in Quito. 

Discover with your guide the least-altered and best-preserved Latin American capital. 

Take a walk to visit the colonial churches and monasteries of this urban jewel, the first city in history to be listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Starting at the Independence Square, flanked by the Presidential Palace your visit will include the Metropolitan Cathedral of Quito, the Archbishop's Palace and the City Hall. 

Ramble through the city's old streets on your way to El Sagrario church and its exquisitely carved stone façade and step inside the awe-inspiring church of the Society of Jesus. 

Walk on to the Convent and Church of San Francisco, one of the greatest religious buildings on the South American continent. 

Drive up to the top of the Panecillo hill for breathtaking panoramic views of Quito. 

In the afternoon, drive out of the city to the Equatorial Valley (50 min), north of the capital, where you will visit the 'Middle of the World' monument. 

A monument and a museum exhibiting an ethnographic collection indicate the Equator line. 

Drive further north, towards the Lakes region surrounding Otavalo (1 hour 45 min). 

Free evening. 

Overnight at your hotel in Quito.

Spend your morning at the Otavalo market, one of the largest and most colorful in South America that comes alive every day of the week.

There you can find all types of handicrafts: woven rugs, alpaca sweaters, shirts, wall hangings, bags, paintings, clay figurines, silver jewelry and many other local souvenirs. 

On Saturdays only, locals come to trade livestock and other agricultural goods. The market is also very busy on Sundays and Wednesdays. Many stall owners belong to the Otavalo community and can be recognized by their traditional clothes. The many sights of women dressed in long skirts and embroidered blouses while men proudly wear hats to cover their long hair make this market a great opportunity for beautiful pictures.

Transfer to the town of Peguche (10 min), home to a stunning sacred waterfall. The village inhabitants have worked for centuries on traditional back strap weaving techniques, the manufacturing of musical instrument and wool felt hats. 

After lunch, head to the mysterious Cuicocha Lake (40 min) whose beautifully-still waters stretch over the caldera of an ancient volcano that collapsed over itself millions of years ago. 

On the way back to Otavalo (20 min), enjoy a short stopover in Cotacachi, a little town whose activity is dedicated to making fine leather products: crafted leather belts, purses, bags, jackets, backpacks and more. 

Free evening. 

Overnight in a hacienda in Otavalo. 

To make your stay easier, we recommended to only take a small back pack with your travel essentials for your 2-day stay in the Amazon Jungle. Your larger items of luggage will be locked and stored safely on the bus, under the supervision of the driver.

On your way to the Amazon, heading southeast, you will stop to visit the site of Quitsato Sundial (45 min). 

The Quitsato Sundial is a monument located at La Mitad Del Mundo (The Middle of the World). It is also an independent, not-for-profit project whose main goal is to share crucial aspects of the astronomical knowledge of the Pre-Hispanic cultures of the region. This monument is the first and the only one located precisely at latitude 0'º00'´0” on the Equatorial line. 

After going through the 12000-foot high pass (3660 m) the road dives down to the Amazon plains. The impressive changes in scenery can be noticed all along this journey from the road's highest point to the lowlands of the Amazon (4 hours 30 min). 

Stop on the way to visit a hummingbird farm that boasts many of the 125 different hummingbird species that can be found in the country making Ecuador a world record's holder of the highest number of hummingbird species. 

Lunch stop at Papallacta hot springs. 

Your drive will end at port Misahualli, the gateway to the Amazonian rainforest. 

Board a canoe that will take you to your lodge. 

Venture into the surrounding jungle or visit the little village nearby (according to time). 

Free evening in the rainforest. 

Overnight at your lodge. 

Optional walk at sunrise for the rare opportunity to see parrots licking minerals from natural clay walls to help their digestion (subject to weather conditions). 

During your forest walks your local guide will open a window onto the exciting world of Amazonian plants and the precious ecosystem. 

Canoe down the Napo River where you can go swimming. Depending on the interests of the group, your guide will also have other option activities. 

In the afternoon, meet with local Kichwa communities and learn about their traditions and day-to-day life. (tips are welcomed). 

Free evening in the rainforest. 

Overnight at your lodge. 

After a 30-minute canoe ride back to the road, head over to Puyo by car. 

Journey to the Andean region through the 'Route of the Waterfalls', on your way to the province of Baños. 

Stop en route at el Pailón del Diablo, the 'Devil's Cauldron', a spectacular waterfall with an impressive 260-foot drop (80 m) splitting over rocks. 

Weather permitting, you might be able to see the 'Manto de la Novia', a ravishing twin waterfall. 

In the afternoon you will get to the town of Baños whose name reflects the local thermal springs. 

Take time to visit Baños and enjoy its splendid views of Tungurahua, the active volcano nearby. The town is popular with visitors who come for its famous hot springs, its lush scenery and for being the gateway to the jungle. 

Free evening. 

Overnight at your hotel in Baños.

On your way south, stop at the Balbanera church, the first Catholic building in the history of the country. 

After driving 1 hour and 30 minutes through beautiful scenery, you will get to the village of Alausí where you will hop on the train to Sibambe. The famous 'Devil's Nose' train route will take you through breathtaking scenery (2 hours). 

Head further south to the charming colonial city of Cuenca (1 hour 30 min). 

Free evening in Cuenca. 

Overnight at your hotel in Cuenca. 

Discover Cuenca, a jewel of Spanish colonial architecture, built on the ruins of Tomebamba, an ancient Inca city. 

Walk through its narrow streets lined with magnificent houses ornated with colonial balconies. 

Visit the flower market, the Calderon plaza, the new and the old cathedral, the San Francisco Plaza and its handicraft market. 

Drive up to Turi hill to enjoy a splendid panoramic view of Cuenca, listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site. 

At a straw-hat factory you will learn more about the famous 'Panama hat' and where it really comes from. 

Visit Juan Cordero Iñiguez's private museum with its great display of ceramics, jewels and everyday objects of pre-Columbian civilizations. This historian and professor dedicated his whole life to collecting Pre-Columbian artefacts. 

Afternoon at leisure to discover the city at your own pace or make your way to the thermal baths located 30 minutes from town.

Free evening. 

Overnight at your hotel in Cuenca. 

Departure to Guayaquil (3 hour 30 min). 

Drive through El Cajas National Park and Lake La Toreadora. 

In the afternoon, you will get to Guayaquil, Ecuador's largest city and the country's busiest port. 

Free evening. 

Overnight at your hotel in Guayaquil. 

In the morning, enjoy a private city tour. 

Stroll along the Malecon 2000 (the city's strand) and the Seminario Park with its numerous resident iguanas. 

Discover Guayaquil's Cathedral, the City Hall and La Rotonda monument. 

Walk up the tiny streets of Las Peñas, a colorful and traditional neighborhood. 

At the indicated time, transfer to Guayaquil airport (15 min). 

Check-in and assistance.