Ecuador: Natural Wonders & Ancient Cultures

Your Small Group Discovery tour begins!

Welcome to Ecuador, where your Quito hotel is available for mid-afternoon check-in.

Quintessential Quito

On an included city tour with a Local Guide, see Independence Square with its Government and the Bishops Palace as well as the Cathedral. On the way to San Francisco Square, visit the church of La Compañia, which has the most ornate and richly sculptured façade and interior. Afterwards, step inside the church of San Francisco. Then enjoy a behind-the-scenes immersion on a specific topic of pre-Colombian art at the El Alabado Museum, one of the best archaeological collections of Ecuador. Its non-conventional design is housed inside a restored patrimonial house. Tonight, enjoy dinner at a local restaurant featuring Ecuadorian dishes.

TOUR HIGHLIGHT - ART & ARCHITECTURE: Ecuador's capital city of San Francisco de Quito stands on the ruins of an Inca city as one of the largest and best-preserved historic landmarks in the Americas. Here, a monument marks "Mitad del Mundo" (the middle of the world) - very fitting as Ecuador is Spanish for equator. You'll be in the middle of it all in Independence Square, called Plaza Grande by the locals, in the historic city reaching an altitude of 9,350 ft. (2,850m) in the foothills of the Andes.

TOUR HIGHLIGHT - SMALL GROUP EXCLUSIVE: Enjoy a behind the scenes tour of the pre-Colombian art at the El Alabado Museum, one of the best archaeological collections in Ecuador.

TOUR HIGHLIGHT - SMALL GROUP EXCLUSIVE ACCOMMODATION: Hotel Patio Andaluz is an elegant boutique hotel with only 32 rooms, located in a colonial style house built at the end of the 16th-century. This national monument, whose walls contain centuries of history and art, has large arches, balconies, inner courtyards filled with light, and colorful gardens. These unique spaces create a charm and cozy atmosphere for guests and visitors.

Wild & Woolly Wonders

Travel to Otavalo and appreciate the stunning landscapes: the arid and fertile Guayllabamba gorge, the snow-capped Cayambe volcano that represents the highest point on the equator line in the world, and the San Pablo Lake with its stunning backgrounds that offer picture-worthy panoramas. En route, visit the Quitsato Sundial Monument Located, situated exactly on the equator. The circular platform, with a 178ft (54m) diameter, aims to share the astronomical knowledge of pre-Hispanic cultures. Continue to Otavalo for a visit to a fascinating wool weaving workshop.

Later, visit the Otavalo Market, hosting a variety of handcrafted items. This ancient market boasts colorful stalls filled with an excellent selection of handwoven crafts: belts, tapestries, ponchos, carpets, sweaters, and other textiles. This is the perfect place to get yourself or your loved ones a souvenir! Return to Quito for a free evening.

LOCAL FAVORITE - WEAVING A STORY: Explore the artistry of centuries of weaving nurtured in Otavalo where extraordinary beauty, craftsmanship, and detail are continued through the threads of a waning tradition. With a visit to a local workshop, you'll journey back in time as weavers demonstrate the traditional techniques that transform raw wool with spinning and weaving into beautiful works of art—all while using a backstrap loom while sitting on the workshop floor. A fascinating experience for students of cultural tradition or curators of fine tapestries!

Ecuador's Coming up Roses!

After breakfast, travel to the Amazon region. En route, visit a rose plantation for a guided tour. Continue into the Amazon—a stone's throw from the eastern slopes of the Andes.

At the edge of the Napo River, you'll find Ahuano Point, a small but growing village, where many Quichua people do their daily shopping. It was here, in this reverie hamlet, where Swiss expatriate Beni Ammeter opened a general store in 1985. In those days, when foreign travelers made their way to Ahuano and needed a place to stay, they were inevitably directed to La Casa del Suizo. Happy to have visitors from afar, Beni warmly welcomed them into his home.

Eventually, his residence became so popular that he constructed a few cabins to better accommodate the steady flow of travelers. Enjoy a 2-night stay here in a rustic, yet tastefully constructed cabaña, nestled comfortably above the banks of the Napo River. Take in the exquisite views, which can be peacefully enjoyed from the privacy of one's own hammock.

TOUR HIGHLIGHT - SMALL GROUP EXCLUSIVE: Stop and smell the roses with a visit to a flower plantation near Quito where this coveted important is in high demand around the world. Learn how Ecuadorian roses produce larger flower buds, fuller blooms, and longer vase life—with every color imaginable, from traditional shades of red, pink, and white, to lavender, purple, orange, and even rainbow-colored. Learn about sustainable farming and the importance of globally recognized eco-certification.

The Best Medicine

Each morning, join a Quichuan Local Guide for a motorized canoe ride to different trails for excellent opportunities to observe the wonderous diversity of life in the forest. Known as the Ecuadorian Orient, this area is particularly rich in biodiversity, as it was a refuge for plants, animals, and insects during the last great Ice Age. The Indigenous guides share an impressive insight and knowledge of local flora and fauna, in addition to the medicinal uses of many plants.

Return to the lodge for lunch followed by your choice of activity. Later, enjoy dinner at the resort featuring fresh dishes with Ecuadorian influences.

ENHANCED FREE TIME - LODGE LIFE: Upon return to the lodge, enjoy your choice of leisure activities. Simply relax at the resort, join a balsa raft experience with afternoon tea, or a pay a visit to a friendly Quichua village to watch blowpipe demonstrations and the preparation of “chicha,” a local alcoholic drink.

Sacred Sites & Mountain Heights

After your morning explorations with a Quichuan Local Guide, enjoy lunch at the ecolodge before continuing west, traveling through stunning landscapes with some of the highest and most beautiful mountains and volcanoes of the Andes.

Arrive in Baños, known as the “Gate to the Orient” due to its tropical jungle-like vegetation and climate. Located in the shadows of the Tungurahua Volcano, it's also home to a Cathedral where the Virgin of the Holy Water, one of the nation's miraculous virgins, is venerated. Small street cafés, restaurants, and gift shops of Baños invite you to enjoy a stroll with a free evening in town.

TOUR HIGHLIGHT - SMALL GROUP EXCLUSIVE ACCOMMODATION: The Samari Spa Resort is a 10-acre ranch turned luxury boutique hotel, with only 37 rooms, full spa with Turkish baths, beautiful gardens, and 300 years of history. Maintaining the old architecture, built with exquisite colonial taste combining carved stone, wood, stained glass and wrought iron. Rustic details, good taste and nature combine to make this resort a true art gallery. The skill of Ecuador's best artisans is reflected in every corner of the resort.

Historic Retreats

After breakfast, follow the River Cutuchi and admire the views over the Amazon basin as we wind our way to Riobama. En route, take a short and easy hike for about 1.5 mi. (2km) to the stunning Devil's Cauldron waterfall. Enjoy the verdant forest landscape, walk along the hanging bridge, and get splashed by the waterfall's plunging water.

Continue south to Riobamba, the capital of the province of Chimborazo, where a great number of indigenous communities live. Visit the base of Ecuador´s Chimborazo volcano. Continue to Riobama for a night to remember.

TOUR HIGHLIGHT - SMALL GROUP EXCLUSIVE: Often described as the highest point to the sun above sea level, Chimborazo volcano stands above the National Wildlife Reserve—a paradise for outdoor activity lovers. Join a moderate 1.28 mi. (1km) guided hike from the Carrel Refugio for stunning views and unique landscapes.

TOUR HIGHLIGHT - SMALL GROUP EXCLUSIVE ACCOMMODATION: Riobamba's Hosteria La Andalua is a historic ranch declared part of the Cultural Heritage of Ecuador. Poised beneath beautiful views of the Chimborazo Volcano, important historical moments took place here—once inhabited by brave Puruháes, through the expansion of the Inca empire and the Spanish conquest to the formation of the new republic. The soul of Ecuadorian history has been restored for maximum comfort while preserving its historic charm, guests enjoy just 55 rooms, beautiful gardens, a restaurant, games room, and a common area to relax with bar, fireplace, and living room.

Explorers & Emperors

After breakfast, travel from Riobamba to Cuenca. En route, visit the ancient Inca ruin site of Ingapirca, the most important monument of pre-Spanish culture in Ecuador. Continue to Cuenca, where Humboldt recovered from his exhausting journey.

This afternoon, a sightseeing tour of Cuenca's includes the historic Santa Ana de los Rios de Cuenca square, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Plaza Mayor, surrounded by its two distinct cathedrals and city hall. Admire this historical center's colorful buildings that have maintained their colonial magnificence. Pass by the vibrant flower market and appreciate the smell of different perfumes floating in the air.

Then, visit the eclectic style church Todos los Santos by the Tombamba River. Peak inside to appreciate the beautifully painted ceilings. Tonight is free to explore this lively historic city at leisure.

TOUR HIGHLIGHT - INCAN INGENUITY: The ruins of Ingapirca remain on a grass-covered hill at an altitude of about 10,170 ft. (3,100 m). On a guided walk through the former palace where the Incas lived and held their ceremonies, learn about the civilization's beliefs and rituals and how this ordination place was constructed in the shape of a puma. While walking through the ruins, reflect on the drawings by a renowned early explorer of Ecuador—Prussian naturalist Alexander von Humboldt—often considered the "Father of Physical Geography." Hear stories of this historic figure's treks and research as a pioneer of physical geography, environmentalism, and ecology.

TOUR HIGHLIGHT - CULTURAL TREASURE: In Cuenca, today the third largest city of Ecuador, founded 1557 in place of the Inca settlement Tomebamba, you can still breathe the colonial air of Ecuadorian history. For most of the visitors as well as for the inhabitants, the city situated in a height of 2350 m and center of arts and drafts, ceramic, Panama hats, and goods of gold and silver is the most beautiful of the country. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, Cuenca is a treasure trove of architectural and cultural gems not to be missed.

TOUR HIGHLIGHT - SMALL GROUP EXCLUSIVE ACCOMMODATION: Nestled in the historic district of Cuenca, the Hotel San Juan is a large private historic residence restored to a 21st-centruy luxury boutique hotel with only 25 rooms. Decorated in a Republican colonial style, this cozy hotel features well-appointed rooms, a lounge, and courtyard garden. The hotel's central location allows guests to easily explore Cuenca's historic district, including the famous Cathedral, Calderón Park, and the picturesque Tomebamba River. The city's vibrant markets, restaurants, and cultural sites are all within walking distance from the hotel.

A Tip of the Hat

Today we venture to a few key villages around Cuenca where skilled artisans work wonders. Among those is Gualaceo, with its markets where you can find hand woven shawls, ponchos, and local fruits and vegetables. You'll also visit Bullcay for Ikat weaving and Chordeleg's “Chorro de Oro” (waterfall of gold)—a village specialized in jewelry, mainly gold and silver with fine filigree work, and handmade ceramic pottery.

Continue to southwest of Cuenca to the small district of Sigsig, famous for its handicrafts. Here, watch the people known as "Toquilleras" make the famous Panama hats and other straw objects. Then, try to make something with straw and bring your craft home. Return to Cuenca for a special dinner at a local restaurant.

TOUR HIGHLIGHT - LOCAL FAVORITE: Did you know that the original “Panama Hats” were made in Ecuador? The famous light-colored straw hats reminiscent of suave, well-dressed men and actors in Panama, actually originated and were historically made in Ecuador. The hat's production began as a cottage industry in the coast of Ecuador in the 1600's and was weaved from the local Toquilla plant by artisans called Toquilleras. The quality of the hat was judged by the number of weaves per square inch and the best-made hats (called “superfino”) hats were said to be able to hold water and fit through a wedding ring when rolled!

Gifts from the Earth

Today, on the drive to Guayaquil, you will notice the dramatic changes of vegetation. Observe the typical Páramo grassland, small colorful flowers, mosses, lichens and fungi abruptly change once you reach the lowlands where rice, cacao and banana plantations abound. En route, visit the Cacao Project, a woman-owned small business and plantation producing the fruit to make traditional sweets and chocolates. Continue to Guayaquil for a free evening.

TOUR HIGHLIGHT - SMALL GROUP DISCOVERY: Enjoy a guided tour through the cacao plantations of the Cacao Project and learn about the cultivation of the precious cacao fruit and the processes from cacao bean to edible treat. The Ecuadorian cacao is famous around the world for its very high quality and is used to mix a variety of sweet treats. Enjoy lunch at the onsite hacienda, taste some high-quality chocolate, and enjoy authentic Ecuadorian local charm.

Safe travels until we meet again!

Your vacation ends with breakfast this morning.