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Overview

Journey into the heart of Ecuador’s traditions

In Ecuador, the variety of cultures and traditions is rivaled only by that of the plants and animals of the luxurious tropical forests. On this customized trip to Ecuador, your private English-speaking guide and driver will take you on a journey of discovery through fascinating customs and endearing traditions, giving you a rare glimpse into this multifaceted country’s unique culture. The Ecuadorian cities’ colonial past is still visible in their many ruins and relics, transforming a simple city stroll into a voyage through history. Quito displays a sumptuous architectural heritage: every façade, every statue, and every monument’s pediment is unashamedly baroque, as seen in the grandiose church of the company of Jesus Christ and the church of San Francisco, both bursting with silver and gold. Considered one of Ecuador’s most beautiful cities, Cuenca is an absolute travel must, with rich religious art you’ll never forget. The historic town center is classified as a UNESCO world heritage site, its lovely alleyways lined with white houses brought to life by colorful flowers dripping from wrought iron balconies. Of course, you might end up preferring Otavalo, where the heart of the Quechua nation still beats strong. A visit to Otavalo’s exuberant and colorful Saturday market on the Plaza de los Ponchos is a unique travel experience that no one should miss. From there, dive into a world of unbounded natural beauty. Discover the altiplano from north to south, stop by the high volcanoes that made this country famous, hike the impenetrable Amazon’s jungle trails, and follow the wild horses galloping in the high plains. You’ll discover a whole other side to this country at each inspiring destination on this customized trip to Ecuador. Are you passionate about ancient cultures and traditions? Ecuador’s remote villages are waiting to cast their spell on you. Your guide will take you on a pirogue ride, teach you how to use a blowpipe, and help you uncover the hidden secrets of the area’s medicinal plants.

Make sure you contact Uniktour’s South America specialist for more information on this customized trip to Ecuador!

Itinerary

Day 1| Arrival in Quito
Arrival at Quito’s Mariscal Sucre airport late in the afternoon or early in the evening. Customs formalities. Airport welcome by your English-speaking guide. Transfer to your downtown hotel. Dinner at own expense and overnight in hotel.

Day 2| Quito - Tigua
Enjoy breakfast at your hotel. Surrounded by verdant hills, the climate in Quito is simply delicious. Bursting with life, it’s easily one of South America’ most beautiful cities. The many churches and colonial palaces are a living reminder of this city’s rich past. Don’t miss the beautiful baroque masterpieces: the cathedral and the Sacred Heart, the church of the Company of Jesus Christ and that of San Francisco, with its lovely cloisters. There might be more gold and silver here than you can handle! Your city stroll then takes you through alleys and markets to the (exhausting!) stairs of the Panecillo, a small hill overlooking the city, where an immense religious statue was erected. Superb view. Lunch at own expense in the city. In the afternoon, transfer to Tigua (approx. 3h), in the Quilotoa region. Dinner and overnight at an inn.

Day 3| Quilotoa Laguna - Lasso
Breakfast at the inn. Today we discover the magnificent area surrounding the famous Quilotoa Lagoon (alt. 3900m) in the western Andes, a lovely lake sitting at the bottom of a perfect crater. From there we get stunning views of the Andes, including beautiful mountainsides scattered with small pastures and sheep grazing on a semi-desertic plain whose face is scarred with large canyons. Hike down to the bottom of the crater (2-3 h). Picnic lunch. In the afternoon, a transfer takes you to Lasso (2h). Dinner and overnight at an inn.

Day 4| Cotopaxi National Park – Otavalo
Breakfast at the inn. We enter Cotopaxi National Park to explore the Pàramo, these high altitude grasslands covering the region at the foot of the world’ highest active volcano, the Cotopaxi, a snow-covered cone that rises to 5897m. We travel across the park, gradually leaving behind herds of wild horses, and start climbing towards a shelter after having reached the end of the road (4600m). From the shelter (4800m), we head towards the glacier: impressive, but difficult to get to. Then, turning our backs to the volcano, we hike down across the Pàramo and start for Limpiopungo lagoon, at the foot of Ruminahui (4-5 h hike). Picnic lunch. In the afternoon, transfer to Otavalo. Dinner and overnight at hotel.

Day 5| Otavalo – autoferro* - Peguche - Otavalo
Breakfast at the inn. Early morning transfer to Ibarra station (30 min) for a ride on the autoferro*, a picturesque bus on rails that has no difficulty climbing the Andes’ steep slopes. We will travel to Lita, passing mountains, valleys, and deep gorges, marveling at the superb scenery and tropical vegetation. Lunch in the city.
*If there are no interruptions in the railway traffic. Should this problem occur, we will instead take a stroll on the flanks of Imbabura or Cubilche volcanoes (3-4 h hike). In the afternoon, we take a small walk around El Lechero, an old tree considered sacred by the area’s aboriginals, and explore the area surrounding San Pablo lagoon and the Peguche waterfalls (2-3 h hike). Dinner in the city and overnight in a hotel.

Day 6| Otavalo - Cuicocha Lagoon - San Pablo - Zuleta – Otavalo
Breakfast at your hotel. A 30 min transfer will take you to Cuicocha lagoon on the slopes of Cotacachi volcano. Lying at the bottom of a Cuicocha volcano’s crater, two islands surge from the surface of this lovely lake. The crater’s edge supports a varied plant life and offers magnificent views of Imbabura province. Following a great trail, we circle the crater until we reach El Mirador restaurant, where we enjoy lunch. In the afternoon, a short transfer takes us to the village of San Pablo. There we discover a beautiful area where Imbayo and Cayambe Indians still practice traditional agriculture on the flanks of Cayambe, Imbabura, and Cusin volcanoes. Superb patchwork of cultivated lands and eucalyptus forests. Return to Otavalo. Total hiking time: 6-7 h. Dinner and overnight in a hotel.

Day 7| Otavalo Market – The Amazon rainforest
Breakfast at your hotel. When Saturday comes, Otavalo is the place to be. This is surely one of the highlights of our trip. The whole region gathers here to trade and exchange just about anything you can think of during this weekly reunion, which usually ends up occupying a good part of the village. Of course, there’s also plenty of visitors, but it is still easily worth coming here. The local inhabitants have managed to preserve their original lifestyle and traditions, producing a considerable amount of crafts, most notably, hand-woven fabrics. The men sell these around the country – and the whole world. Late in the morning, we get back on the road and head for the Amazon rainforest, where we arrive late in the afternoon (approx. drive time: 6h). Lunch in a local restaurant. We are now in the Oriente, which is the part of the country covered by the Amazon rainforest – roughly half the country’s total surface area! Following a path that dives into the lush vegetation, we reach a charming lodge right in the heart of the forest, next to an equally charming small creek, where swimming is a pleasant option. Dinner and overnight at the lodge.

Day 8| The Amazon rainforest
Breakfast at the lodge. This morning, we take a walk in the forest in a very unique area where we can observe a wide variety of plans, birds, insects, and animals or all shapes, sizes, and colors. 3-4 hours of walking. Picnic lunch. Return to the lodge and, late in the afternoon, go for a dip. Dinner and overnight in the lodge.

Day 9| The Amazon rainforest – Banos
Breakfast at the lodge. This morning we get back on the road and drive to Banos, stopping by Puyo for lunch. The “route of the waterfalls” will take us right to this charming small town, known for its hot springs and hot pools, which make it an ideal place to relax. Located at al altitude of 1800m in a subtropical zone at the foot of Tungurahua volcano (5016m), Banos is a small slice of paradise where visitors often get the impression that time stands still. Dinner in town and overnight at hotel.

Day 10| Banos – Chimborazo refuge - Urbina
Breakfast at your hotel. Early in the morning, a 3-4 h transfer takes us to Edward-Whymper refuge. At 5000m, it is the world’s highest (relatively) comfortable shelter. Enjoy a snack in this mountainous décor with views on the trail leading to Ecuador’s giant peak. Lamas often come by for a visit, as do their gracious cousins, the vicunas. 2-3 hours of hiking. Picnic lunch. 1h transfer to Urbina. Dinner and overnight at an inn.

Day 11| Urbina - Ingapirca – Cuenca
Breakfast at the inn. Visit this wonderful Inca site, the best preserved and largest in the country, at an altitude of 3230m. Lunch on the road. Transfer to Cuenca via the Panamericana road (2h). Dinner and overnight at the hotel.

Day 12| Cuenca
Breakfast at your hotel. Considered the most beautiful city in the country, Cuenca (2550m) is bursting with an indescribable charm. Like Quito, Cuenca’s old town is classified as a UNESCO world heritage site. We stroll happily among the little paved roads, lined with small white houses brought to life by colorful flowers on wrought iron balconies. Cuenca is also home to unique treasures of colonial art, hidden in 17th and 18th century churches and convents. We can discover town squares decorated with flowers, churches, and markets, but also take a visit to the cathedral and enjoy the beautiful panorama at El Turi belvedere. Dinner and overnight at a hotel.

Day 13| Cuenca - Quito
Breakfast at your hotel. We have the whole morning to walk around this superb town. Lunch on the road. Return to Quito by plane, and transfer to your hotel. Dinner at own expense and overnight at hotel.

Day 14| Departure from Quito
Breakfast at your hotel. Depending on your return flight schedule, enjoy some leisure time before your transfer to the airport for your return flight. Journey’s end.

Budget

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Other fees

Overview

The country of Ecuador lies on the Pacific coast of South America, bordered by Columbia to the north and Peru to the east and south. There 14.3 million Ecuadorians scattered across a territory whose total surface area is 283 000 km2. Ecuador takes its name from the fact that it straddles the line that separates the planet’s two hemispheres. The official language is Spanish, but many native communities living in the Andes and in the eastern shuar still speak Quechua, a language that dates back to the Inca Empire.

Ecuador is split into four main geographical areas: the Costa, the Sierra, the Amazon, and the Galapagos archipelago. Each region has its own distinct and unique climate and landscapes, which makes this a country of natural contrasts. Traveling through the wonderful natural world of Ecuador, we can float along the currents of wide rivers and narrow streams, take a rest on the shores of crystal-clear lakes, explore mysterious caves and gaze at bizarre and unique plant and animal species that evolved far from Man on deserted islands in the middle of the Pacific Ocean.

Geography

Continental Ecuador is divided into three clearly delimited geographical areas from east to west. The coast, known as Costa, covers a third of the western region, stretching for 800 km from the foothills of the Andes all the way to the Pacific Ocean. The mountain range, or Sierra, seems to split the country in half. Many mountains in this area reach dizzying heights, including Chimborazo (6310 m), the country’s highest peak, and the mythical Cotopaxi, the world’s tallest active volcano, with an altitude of 5897 meters. This region is also home to the country capital, Quito, as well as many other of the country’s important urban areas. The Oriente is the region starting along the eastern slopes of the mountains that is covered by the Ecuadorian Amazon rainforest. With such luxuriant vegetation, the Oriente is relatively hard to reach, and is therefore sparsely populated.

It is important to mention the Galapagos archipelago, a group of 48 volcanic islands located 960 km from the Ecuadorian coast: these islands’ rich biodiversity earned them the status of UNESCO world heritage site.

Culture

Like many other South American countries, Ecuador has had an eventful history. Early in the 16th century, it was conquered by the Inca Empire, which was conquered in one fell swoop with the arrival of Pizarro and the Spanish conquistadors in 1532, who the Incas saw as magicians. Offering no resistance, the Inca Empire was quickly overrun. This was the beginning of the colonial era, which dramatically altered the country’s identity. Nowadays, it is impossible to ignore the heritage left by this conquest, particularly when looking at the architecture and the superb baroque buildings in the bigger cities. The Catholic Church has also played a major role since the beginning of the Spanish conquest. Still today, Ecuadorians are very religious: close to 95% of the population is catholic. However, in many cases Catholicism was merely added to the country’s indigenous beliefs, which often has created some rather surprising religious views. Also, the more we travel into the Andean regions, the more we find Quechua traditions and other relics of the pre-Columbian era, offering a rare glimpse into the foundations of Ecuador.

Ecuador is a flamboyant country bursting with cultural contrasts and alive with traditional music. Rich from centuries of varied influences, Ecuadorian music blends Spanish sounds with the traditional pan flute music from the Andes. In addition, African influences dating back to a long period of slavery are still very apparent.

To properly get a grasp of this country’s soul, all you need is to make your way to any of the many typical markets that bring the cities and villages to life early in the morning: fruits and vegetables, cattle, ceramics, hats, carpets, and handicrafts of all kinds are waiting to dazzle you with their colors! Here, shopkeepers selling textiles and handicrafts exchange light-hearted and passionate rants with each other, creating a great spectacle that visitors are sure to enjoy! By far the country’s most famous market, flamboyant Otavalo market offers a condensed version of Ecuadorian handicrafts. Here you’ll find magnificent wools, carpets, and ponchos. Of course, this is also a great place to marvel at the beauty of the handicrafts produced by the Otavalo Indians.

Many festivals and celebrations give life to the Ecuadorian calendar and offer a great way to get to know the country:

- Mardi Gras in February: the country’s most important festival, celebrated with colorful carnivals.
- The Corn and Tourism Festival, held during the last week of June: with parades featuring traditional groups and street mimes, this colorful festival is also a great opportunity to view some of the local handicraft exhibitions. Not to be missed.
- The Fiesta de San Juan, in June: this lively Indian celebration features a wide variety of costumes and dances. It lasts for 3 days and 3 nights and ends with a mass.
- Esmeralda’s Independence, on August 5th: for almost a week, people celebrate dancing during this festival that focuses on merengue and salsa.
- Todos los Santos, November 1st: Day of the dead during which people converge to the cemeteries in order to invite the deceased to come back to the world of the living. This important day is an opportunity to honor the deceased by decorating their tombs, but also to play music and sample some local dishes.
- Foundation of Quito, in December: colorful vehicles and traditional music fill the streets, samba orchestras play and the atmosphere is out of this world.

Climate

Each of Ecuador’s main geographical areas has a its own distinct climate, allowing travelers to visit the country all year long. The climate is generally tropical, though the Andes’ influence means it is also moderate. Temperatures are therefore relatively cool in higher altitudes, and there are considerable variations between regions. In short, Ecuador has two main seasons: the rainy season and the dry season. The rainy season lasts from December to May in the flatlands and from January to April on the coast, with daily showers that get stronger later in the day. It rains all year long in the Amazon region, though more precipitation occurs between April and June. The dry season lasts for the rest of the year.

The coast benefits from a warm and dry climate all year long, particularly between April and June. The beaches are lovely and the temperatures are generally ideal for swimming. The rainy season takes place between January and April. Later in the year between July and August, clouds and fog appear. The cold Humboldt Current influences climate in the southern coast, where temperatures are generally cooler.

The Sierra | The Sierra’s climate is often described as “permanent spring”. Here, temperatures stay cool, particularly in higher altitudes (14°C to 18°C), and temperature differences between night and day are surprising. The rainy season lasts from December to May, but there is considerable cloud cover throughout the year. The best time to visit is between June and September, when temperatures are generally comfortable and there is less humidity.

The Oriente | As one would expect, the Oriente climate is hot and humid, with rainfall occurring throughout the year, especially between April and June. The tropical forest covers most of the eastern half of the country, and the average temperature is 25°C. It can get pretty cold in the forest, particularly at night and when it rains.

The Galápagos | The climate of the Galápagos Islands is influenced by the Humboldt Current and is thus dry and tropical. There are two main seasons: the dry season (or Garua season) and the warm season. During the dry season, which lasts between June and November, temperatures oscillate between 20°C and 24°C and the waters are cooler than during the rainy season. There is very little rain, but the wind blowing from the south brings a quasi-permanent fog (Garuas). During the warm season, which lasts from December to May, average temperatures rise to 25°C, with a warm sun and sporadic rains.