Ecuador Family 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. 

Quito, was the first city in history listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1978. 

Take a walk to visit the colonial churches and monasteries of this urban jewel starting at the Independence Square, flanked by the Presidential Palace, the Archbishop’s Palace, the City Hall and the Metropolitan Cathedral of Quito. 

Take the opportunity to climb the cathedral's bell tower and cupolas. 

A block away is the Church of the Society of Jesus, one of the most remarkable in Latin America. The central nave is profusely decorated with gold leaf, gilded plaster and carved wood panels. The combination of the baroque and mudéjar styles makes it the most ornate church in South America. 

Next make your way to the City Museum, located in the oldest building of the city inaugurated on 1565, Quito's first hospital. The Museum is a great place to experience the daily life of Ecuadorians through colonial times and the republican period as well as learning about the architecture of the renovated area of the ancient hospital. 

On your stroll through the historic district of Quito passing La Ronda Street with its craft workshops, have a break and treat your whole family to a 'Helado de Pailataste', the famous local ice cream.

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.

Visit the Intiñan museum, where you can have fun with some practical and didactic experiments to learn about the unique aspect of the laws of physics of the Middle of the World. 

Drive back to your hotel in Quito (50 min). 

Evening and overnight at your hotel in Quito. 

Drive to the Otavalo province in the north of the country (2 hours). 

Stop at the 'Parque Condor' on the way. Perched on the steep hillside of Pucara Alto you can meet eye to eye with the Andean condors, as well as eagles, owls, falcons and hawks. 

The Foundation in charge of the park works with all these birds of prey to help with their conservation. If the weather allows it, you will have the opportunity to attend a free flight demonstration. 

Drive to Otavalo (15 min) to discover its indigenous 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.

Overnight at your hotel. 

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 south east, 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.

Driving south for about 2 hours and stop at Papallacta, a little village perched in a charming valley, known for its natural thermal springs. Enjoy warm waters naturally heated by the activity of the Antisana Volcano.

Relax with the whole family and enjoy the benefits of the thermal waters amidst the incredible mountainous backdrop. 

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 hummingbirds species.

You will then drive another 10 minutes to the Amazonian rainforest to reach your lodge.

If time allows, take a walk to discover the jungle or the little village nearby. 

Free evening in the rainforest.

Overnight at your lodge. 

To make your stay easier, we recommend that you do not travel with your suitcase. We invite you to leave your larger items of luggage in the storage service in the storage facility of your lodge and only carry a backpack containing your travel essentials for the following days. 

In the morning, your family can enjoy any of the following activities: river fishing, morning walk in the forest to observe hummingbirds or even take a cooking lesson to learn to prepare local delicacies.

Continue to the port of Misahualli, the gateway to the Amazonian rainforest. 

Short canoe trip to reach your new lodge.

If time allows, take a walk to discover the jungle or the little village nearby. 

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.

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

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

Depending on the weather you might be able to see the 'Manto de la Novia', a ravishing twin waterfall. 

A 20-minute drive from Baños, pull over at la Casa del Arbol (the Tree House). Originally used to monitor the activity of mount Tungurahua the views of Baños and its surrounding mountains are spectacular.

Anyone over 5 years can launch themselves into the air on the 'Swing at the End of the World', hanging from the tree over the edge of the mountain. A fun experience with the active Tungurahua volcano in the background.

Drive to Baños, named after the thermal springs located in the area.

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.

Your kids will love trying 'melcocha', a traditional candy made from molasses. 

Overnight at your hotel in Baños. 

After breakfast, transfer to Chimborazo Wildlife Reserve (2 hours 30 min), home of Ecuador's highest mountain, the Chimborazo volcano (20,549 ft - 6263 m).

Chimborazo may not be the highest volcano in the world but its location on the equator makes its peak the furthest point away from the center of the earth.

On the Reserve you might spot 3 of the 4 South American camelids introduced to the reseve: llamas and alpacas, domesticated during the Inca empire, and the wilder yet elegant vicuña. The native species of Peru and Chile have well-adapted to this environment.

The surrounding grounds are covered in the local vegetation known as 'páramo' made of valerian, gentian and lycopodium.

Visit a local community that works with llama reintroduction to their natural habitat of the Andean plateau. 

Drive to Riobamba village. 

Overnight at the hotel in Riobamba. 

After driving 1 hour 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). 

After lunch head south to the ruins of Ingapirca driving through more wonderful landscapes (2 hours).

Visit the archeological site of Ingapirca, Ecuador's most important Inca site (1 hour 30 min).

This place stands as a testimony of Incan domination in the country and shows the extent of the empire.

Revel in the site's sober architecture with its straight lines and trapezoidal doors. Built around 1500, it was once an important religious and ceremonial site dedicated to the main deity of the Incas: the sun.

Visit of the Temple of the Sun: a ceremonial place of oval shape with stones cut in boss according to the parallelepipedic model.

This Temple was also used for astronomical observations, thanks to which equinoxes and solstices have been established.

Continue towards South to the charming colonial city of Cuenca (40').

Free evening in Cuenca.

Overnight at the hotel in Cuenca. 

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

Walk around the town center's narrow streets lined with magnificent houses and beautiful 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 UNESCO World Heritage.

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

Visit the Pumapongo Museum, one of Ecuador's most significant museum. With time for the young ones to learn and play in the gardens with its llama residents, the museum has a lot to offer to learn about the country, its money, its indigenous population, archeology and more.

Transfer back to your hotel (10 min). 

Free evening in Cuenca.

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 waterfront boulevard) 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.