Ecuador Family Journey: Volcanoes and the Amazon

Welcome to Quito–your arrival transfer to the hotel is included. Check in and get excited to meet your fellow travelers during a welcome meeting this evening where all families can bond before the Journey ahead.

Included Experiences

• Welcome Moment - Meet Your Expedition Leader and Group: Your opportunity to meet your National Geographic Expedition Leader and fellow travellers, and learn more about your tour. Opt to join the group for a local meal afterwards. Don't forget to see the notice in the lobby (or ask reception) for the official time and place to meet up with the group.
• Arrival Transfer: You will be met at the airport and transferred to the hotel to start your adventure.

Head to the historical centre of Quito for a walking tour of some of the city’s important and historical sites like the main plaza and the beautiful church of La Compañía. Get ready for some sweet treats! Stop at a local artisanal chocolate shop for some samples and to learn about the cacao and chocolate making process. The earliest people known to have used the cacao plant are the ancient Mayo-Chinchipe people of what’s now Ecuador! Continue to the Yaku water museum for a visit with one of the local experts, who will guide you through the interactive and playful exhibits that encourage reflection on the importance of water to life and to our planet. It’s a great way for the family to learn about environmental conservation in an entertaining and memorable way. After lunch at a local restaurant, enjoy the rest of the day and evening with free time to explore or to relax.

Included Experiences

• Quito Walking Tour: Your Expedition Leaders will lead the group on a downtown walking tour of Quito. Walk past important city landmarks like, the Main Square and Compañia de Jesus.
• Yumbos Chocolate Experience: Visit Yumbos artisanal chocolate shop and learn about the processes of creating chocolate from fermentation to final product, all demonstrated live here. Learn all about cacao, where chocolate comes from, and specifically how it's made. The earliest people known to have made use of the cacao plant were the ancient Mayo-Chinchipe living in what is now Ecuador. Taste some of these delicious sweet treats to cap off the experience.
• Yaku Water Museum with a Local Expert: Dedicated to the topic of water, Yaku is an interactive museum that strives to give visitors a strong attachment to this liquid gold through a variety of educational and playful experiences. Visit with a local expert guide and recognize the value of water to life on our planet as you wander through different exhibits like the ecological trail or the Mediagua eco-friendly house.
• Free Time: Enjoy the remainder of the afternoon and evening free to do as you please with your family. Explore more of Quito together and choose to partake in some of the locally offered optional activities.

After breakfast, travel north to the Middle of the World where you’ll stop for pictures at the iconic Ciudad Mitad del Mundo monument located at the equator line—a family photo opportunity that you’ll cherish forever. Continue to the Intiñan museum to learn about the significance of our planet's equator with fun experiments like seeing if you can balance an egg on a nail or walking along the equatorial line with your eyes closed. After playing scientist, have a delicious lunch overlooking the crater of Pululahua Volcano then travel to the village of Papallacta, nestled in the mountains. Take the rest of the day to soak in the hotel's restorative thermal springs. The warm, mineral-rich waters are perfect for relaxing and letting the kids splash around at the end of the day.

Included Experiences

• Mitad del Mundo Stop & Private Visit to the Intiñan museum: 25 Kms. (16 miles) north of Quito marks the exact Middle of the World, latitude 0º. Here you can stand with a foot on each hemisphere. Visit the Intiñan site museum (pathway of the sun) which shows the diversity of Ecuador's native groups. On the 00°00’00” line at the museum, you will have the opportunity to interact with phenomena that occur in nature which can only be tested on the magnetic equatorial line. The private experience includes an in-depth look at Ecuadorian culture with clever map booklets and numerous interactive exhibits for the entire family to enjoy. Witness the complex Coriolis Effect with demonstrations like watching water go down a drain with no whirlpool, or eggs balancing on the head of a nail, and even the loss of muscle strength felt when standing precisely on the equator line. Later, head up to Pululahua crater view point, which is one of the two inhabited volcanic calderas in the world and have lunch overlooking the crater.
• Visit to the Papallacta Hot Springs: After today's journey you will be able to spend an hour enjoying the soothing warm waters of the Papallacta Hot Springs. The pools vary in temperature and are perfect to relax your body as you circle through and admire the views of the Antisana Volcano in the distance.

Enjoy a full free day in Papallacta to take advantage of the hotel’s hot springs and pools created by the area’s high volcanic activity, and combined with the glacial meltwater, creating the perfect natural spa. The area was discovered by the Incas, and recognized for its fertile volcanic soil, high altitude and cold year-round weather. You can also enjoy other optional activities like going to the spa or hiking nearby trails where it may be possible on clear days to see the imposing Antisana Volcano. Regroup in the evening for a delicious dinner at the hotel.

Included Experiences

• Free Time: Take advantage of a full free day in Papallacta and choose to partake in the many amenities and activities offered by the lodge. Enjoy another calming soak in the mineral pools as a family or hike in the gorgeous surrounding landscape with a guide along the Island or River trails.

Optional Experiences

• Visit to the Papallacta Hot Springs: After today's journey you will be able to spend an hour enjoying the soothing warm waters of the Papallacta Hot Springs. The pools vary in temperature and are perfect to relax your body as you circle through and admire the views of the Antisana Volcano in the distance.

Travel by private vehicle from Papallacta out of the mountains and into the Amazon Jungle. Hop on a motorized canoe for a short ride to your rainforest lodge where you'll fill up on lunch before a visit to a local Kichwa family, and discover how daily life blends traditional indigenous knowledge with modest modern changes. Learn about local cooking, taste freshly prepared chicha, and experience how hunting is taught through blowgun practice—complete with a balsa wood target waiting for your best shot. Return to the lodge for a free evening and delicious dinner of local ingredients and drift to sleep with the sounds of the forest around you. *There may be activities available at the lodge that are not part of this itinerary

Included Experiences

• Canoe: Paddle your way to the next stop in a low-slung, lightweight boat.
• Kichwa Family Visit: Enjoy time to discover how daily life blends traditional Kichwa knowledge with a few modest modern techniques. Learn about local cooking, taste freshly prepared chicha, and experience how hunting is taught through blowgun practice—complete with a balsa wood target that is waiting for your best shot.
• Free Time: Take advantage of a few hours of free time at the lodge located along the bank of the Arajuno River. From the balcony of your cabaña, you can relax in a hammock or deck chair and observe hummingbirds, or visit the open-air lounge with a pool and full-service bar.

Set off after breakfast at the lodge on an exhilarating tubing adventure on the Arajuno River. Float down the river on an inner tube for a relaxing and peaceful ride, keeping an eye out for resident wildlife like monkeys and birds in the surrounding forest. Return to the lodge for another delicious lunch and some downtime during the hottest hours of the day. After, set off with your local guide on foot into the jungle to learn about the incredibly diverse plant life and its medicinal use–knowledge that has been passed down for generations. Return to the lodge, visiting the "Chocolate House" and discover the journey of the humble cacao from fruit to artisanal chocolate, in a hands-on experience led by local experts. Watch the transformation unfold as you roast, grind and melt freshly harvested beans into a velvety, bittersweet delight-an intimate celebration of tradition and flavor. The remainder of the evening is free to relax at the lodge. *There may be activities available at the lodge that are not part of this itinerary.

Included Experiences

• Arajuno River Tubing: Enjoy a float down the Arajuno River on a peaceful and relaxing inner tube ride. Your guide will accompany you in a motorized canoe to bring you back to the end of the run.
• Cacao and Chocolate Experience: Expand your knowledge of local food production and learn everything there is to know about cacao. If it's in season, collect cacao pods from the nearby plants and learn about the history of cacao in Ecuador. While the plant has been harvested since the early 16th century, the late 19th century saw the beginning of the Ecuadorian cacao boom. The plant remains a key export and is fundamental in supporting local communities across the country. Roast and de-shell the beans, then re-heat the beans with milk and cinnamon into a fondue to be eaten with local fruits. When finished, enjoy a fire-side traditional jungle snack.
• Free Time: Enjoy free time at the lodge between today's activities to further experience the gorgeous jungle environment right outside your rooms.

Your day begins with a hike through the jungle to the Misicocha Reserve. Trek along footpaths through secondary forest, keeping an eye out for wildlife like monkeys and tropical birds while learning more about the flora and fauna from the expert local guide. Make stops at areas of higher ground for scenic_panoramic views across the jungle canopy. In the afternoon after lunch and some time to relax, head to the river on a caiman-spotting excursion to hopefully observe smaller juveniles to the full-size adults. The rest of the evening is free to relax at the lodge and to enjoy another hearty dinner of fresh, local ingredients. *There may be activities available at the lodge that are not part of this itinerary.

Included Experiences

• Misicocha Reserve Jungle Trek: Hike through secondary forest on paths of different lengths and difficulty. Walk through creeks and up hills to reach scenic viewpoints as you enjoy the fresh morning air as a family.
• Caiman Lagoon Visit: While safely positioned on a wooden jetty, your guide will summon white caimans for you to observe. The group, usually of about 15 caimans, ranges from week-old babies to full-sized adults. Enjoy watching them from land as your guide tells the group more about their daily habits.
• Free Time: Spend free time at the lodge in the Amazon surrounded by the sounds of the jungle.

Enjoy an early breakfast buffet at the lodge before transferring back to civilization by canoe and private vehicle. Continue to Quito and arrive at your accommodations outside the city. Enjoy a free afternoon to utilize the activities at the hotel like swimming or horseback riding. Tonight, sit down for a final group dinner together and share stories of your once-in-a-lifetime family journey to Ecuador and to the Amazon Jungle, creating unforgettable memories for all.

Included Experiences

• Canoe: Paddle your way to the next stop in a low-slung, lightweight boat.
• Free Time: Spend free time enjoying the amenities at the hotel property in Quito like the pool or horseback riding.

Depart at any time.