DISCOVERY ECUADOR

COMPLETE ITINERARY:

CITY TOUR QUITO FULL DAY:
After our arrival to the city of Quito, we will see more of the city and its history during a Full day city tour of Quito. We will visit the most important historic, cultural and architectural attractions of the town. Afterwards, we will drive an approximate of 15 Km north of Quito to arrive at the Equator monument complex, and then have lunch in the city called "Mitad del Mundo" where we will visit different historical areas. In the afternoon, we have the chance to explore the ethnological museum located at the monument complex inside of the equator line, the place on earth that divides our planet in two hemispheres.

OTAVALO MARKET:
The OTAVALO Market full day visit will bring you to the biggest textile market in South America. This is the most important and well known Indian market of South America and has a great variety of colorful clothing and articles for you to buy and see and also some souvenirs. We will enjoy there the opportunity to shop for beautiful crafts made by the Natives of the area. There will be free time to shop, take pictures, and look around this town.

COTACACHI CAYAPAS PARK:
The Cotacachi Cayapas Park located at the foothills of the Cotacachi Volcano is a wonderful adventure e where you get to see the nature as its purest. We will see beautiful flora and the incredible lagoon of Cuicoha that is right located in the crater of this volcano. Stunning sceneries surround the area that is popular among photographers for it's beauty.

COTOPAXI NATIONAL PARK:
A visit to the Cotopaxi National Park during a visit to Ecuador is a must! It is the highest active volcano in the world and we find it just driving south of Quito. We will have the chance to explore the park and see the vegetation of the common "Paramo" climatic zone. Our bus will take us to the refuge at 4600 mts where we will have the opportunity (if the group decides)t o walk up to the refuge at 4800 mts. A great experience for all the professional trekkers and climbers who end up stunned by the marvelous landscape of this place.

BANOS SURROUNDINGS:
In the morning we weill visit the different attractions of the city of Baños, including the waterfall of the Devil's pot. To get to this place we will drive through incredible drops of elevation and vegetation from the foot hills of the Andes to the beginning of the Amazonian region and later, a 30 minutes walk to the amazing water fall of el Pailon del Diablo. Snack, then back to Baños. Free time in the afternoon to enjoy the magic of the town of Baños of a very important tourist attraction in Ecuador until 6:00 p.m, then a drive of 1 hour and 30 minutes to Riobamba city.

CASA DEL SUIZO:
The Ecuadorian Amazon is the most megadiverse in the world per km2, we can't miss visiting this incredible area; therefore we continue our trip around Ecuador going through Tena and then arriving to the Ahuano port where we will take a short canoe ride and find ourselves at the Casa del SUIZO lodge which is a very unique place in the middle of the jungle that offers all the facilities to its hosts.

With 2 visits daily, you will learn different aspects of the rainforest, its diversity the variety in Flora and fauna seeing dozens of species of monkeys, butterflies, frogs and flower species. Along with a unique traditional and fresh food of this location, you will enjoy of nice walks along rivers and in the surroundings, you can also enjoy of a temperate pool at the lodge. Every day you will receive the excellent service of the lodge and the quality companion of guides that assist theirs hosts showing them the best of the Ecuadorian Jungle.

DEVILS NOSE RIDE:
We depart to the train station in order to take the most exciting train ride in Ecuador. From the roof of this train we will be seeing the most unique and wonderful sceneries until we reach the Devils Nose area. Beautiful landscapes are always surrounding the train ride allowing its visitors to take breathtaking picture of these zones. After the ride through this amazing mountain area we come back to Alausí.

CITY TOUR CUENCA:
Cuenca considered one of the most well preserved Colonial cities in South America, declared by UNESCO World heritage sited with beautiful different attractions like parks, plazas, markets, churches and handicrafts made by the local people. It is one of the most beautiful and charming cities that we will visit during our Ecuadorian tour. Most of the streets in Cuenca are made of cobblestone, its buildings have an old colonial look with colorful balconies and its charming plazas and markets are very well preserved. One of its attractions is the fact that is surrounded by four rivers (Tomebamba, Tarqui, Machangara & Yanuncay), 52 churches and monasteries that highlight the unique colonial architecture.

We will also visit different places like the Panama-Hat factory, which is very important for the handicraft industry and the exportations in Ecuador.

CAJAS NATIONAL PARK:
We will go through the south road from Cuenca which will take us to the mountains at 4.100m.a.s.l and this is where we get off in order to start our descent. The trip is full of beautiful scenery carved by one of Ecuador's most beautiful National Parks, only 40 Km from Cuenca where visitors can enjoy ample opportunities for camping, fishing and hiking. The Cajas National Park is one of the main ecosystems in the surroundings of Cuenca. It also reunites the characteristics of the High Andean Forest and "páramo" in Ecuador with an area of 28,500 hectares and elevations between 3.200 to 4.450 m.a.s.l.

INGAPIRCA RUINS:
The Ingapirca Complex is Ecuador's major Inca site, the ruins look like a small fortress and some archaeologists think that its main elliptical platform structure, which is called the Temple of the Sun, which was used for religious purposes. You will see different examples of the INCA architecture in Ingapirca, which means "Wall of the Inca" and have been occupied by the native Cañari people for around 500 years. The several Inca and Cañari vestiges that still remain there let visitors the history and culture of this magnificent area that you will visit just a few miles away from Cuenca.

GUALACEO & CHORDELEG
Located 35 Km from the city of Cuenca, Gualaceo offers some eco-tourism sites. This is the center of the communitarian tourism. It is possible to hike, horseback ride, visit the brooks and put to practices your abilities of a craftsman. These towns are well known for the traditional Andean handicrafts. The town of Chordeleg is located 40 Km from the city and in its surroundings it is possible to enjoy a natural atmosphere that you will love, and to shop for the best handmade Ecuadorian jewelry, where the filigree technique is characteristic of this place.

CITY TOUR GUAYAQUIL :
The city of Guayaquil is the the main port of the country, we will visit the main tourist attractions such as the Historical Park, Hill Blanco & Park of the Iguanas. Walking through the Guayaquil Centre, different statues will be found and stories of the founders and historical heroes will be told. You can see the contrast between the old town and new town and take a walk around the Malecón that overlooks the Guayas river. ROUTE OF THE SUN:

ROUTE OF THE SUN
The Route of the Sun, known as Ruta del Sol in Ecuador is a beautiful coastal scenery road that runs all the way to Esmeraldas, heading north from Salinas (The main starting point for The Route of the Sun), Santa Elena, or La Libertad, crossing the coastal range region with stunning beach resorts and unforgettable colorful villages on the road as you pass by. The road also houses hundreds of commercial salt pans that form small white hills and attract teems of shoreline and water birds too.

Salinas is considered the best tourist beach resort in Ecuador and the Pacific coastline by many visitors. We will go through the sandy moon bay arcs around this beach and drive by major hotels and apartments that overlook the main road fronted by colorful shops, restaurants, bars, discos and an historical marine museum too.

As we go north of Salinas we will find different beaches, one of them is the Puerto Rico Area where we will find our accommodation at the comfortable and unique Alandaluz Eco Lodge Resort. Puerto Lopez is one town away from where the most exiting whale watching tours depart. The Isla de la Plata visit and its surroundings in the Machalilla National Park are areas that house an abundance of sea and bird life including seabirds, blue and red footed bobbies, pelicans and frigate birds as well as albatrosses from mid April to October. Puerto Lopez is the closest and finest location to witness the wonder of these amazing creatures in the wild. A once-in-a-lifetime experience that should not be missed. You will highly enjoy of these places since they offers the most developed tourist infrastructure (regarding to accommodation, beaches, resorts and other attractions).