Introduction:
It is often the smallest countries, which reveal the greatest variety within their boundaries. Ecuador is, at any rate by South American standards, a small country, both in area and in population. Its capital Quito is a colonial city of around a million inhabitants, perched 2,850 m up in the Andes. From here, in three hours one can be in the Galápagos islands, in three quarters of an hour in the depths of the Amazon jungle, or, in even less time than that, on a deserted Pacific beach. The backbone of the country is the Andean Cordillera: a continuous chain of glaciated peaks and snow-capped volcanoes that stretches four hundred miles from Colombia in the north to Peru in the south, while to the west the mountains give way to jungle which stretches more or less uninterrupted into Brazil and to the Atlantic.
Trip profile
This exciting new walking itinerary has been designed for those that want to combine excellent walking in a land of volcanoes, with the cultural highlights of Otavalo, Cotacachi, Quito, Zumbahua and many others. The Ascent of Cotopaxi is optional and those that opt out of this can relax at the local hacienda instead.
Much of the itinerary is at quite high altitude and a lot of travelling and walking is involved. These facts together will make the trip a tiring one - but also fascinating and rewarding.
Itinerary:
Day 01: Friday.- Arrive in Quito – City Tour Quito
Arrival in Quito, the capital of Ecuador, which lies at 2.800m above sea level. We pick you up from the airport and take you into the Swissôtel in the modern centre of the city. After a short break you get to explore this big city and learn something about its turbulent history. You will get to experience the new section of the city in the North with its many parks and tall modern buildings, the Avenida Rio Amazonas, the Plazas Santo Domingo, Independencia and San Francisco which are in the colonial section in the South of the city. Due to its many historical architectural monuments the UNESCO declared the old part of town a world heritage site in 1978. From the Panecillo hill in the South of the old part of town, where the high monument of the Virgen of Quito stands at with 43m, you have an impressing prospect. From here you have wonderful views over the red clay tile roves of the old part of town, the skyline of Quito in the North, as well as the surrounding Andean cordilleras range with its outstanding snow-covered mountain giants. While we will enjoy a cocktail in the hotel bar in the evening, we will go over the plans for the journey. -/L/D
Day 02: Saturday.- Otavalo Indio Market – Hacienda la Mirage
We will start our tour to Otavalo. The town of 26.000 inhabitants is known for its most colourful market, which occurs on Saturdays and should not be missed. It is famous for its traditional and colourful Otavalo woollens as well as other local handicrafts. We will have lunch in a cosy, typical restaurant. We are continuing our trip with a short drive to a beautiful lake district, home to the Otavaleños. After lunch in a typical Otavalenian restaurant we will go to the small village of Cotacachi, famous for its fine leatherwork. In the evening we will reach the Hosteria La Mirage for Dinner and accommodation. B/L/D
Day 03: Sunday.- Mojanda Lakes - Papallacta hot springs
A visit to the lagoons of Mojanda at approximately 3.500m. Here there are three crystal-clear lagoons (Mojanda Grande, Negra and Chiquita) situated in the crater of the extinct volcano Mojanda. From here we drive to Pifo via the village of Cayambe and later on to Papallacta. This village is situated at 3.700m in the midst of an evergreen Páramo landscape. The area is renowned for its hot springs. Relax in the scenic pools and see if you can spot the ice giant Antisana (5.758m). We will stay overnight in the hotel Thermas de Papallacta. B/L/D
Day 04: Monday.- Papallacta - Cotopaxi National Park – San Agustin de Callo
Heading South on the "road of the volcanoes" will bring us to the Cotopaxi National Park. We will drive from the north side into de National Park until we reach the lagoon of Limpiopungo. Here we have a spectacular view of the gigantic volcanic cone of Cotopaxi. Time for a short walk at 3.800m. Lunch al the Acclimatization Centre Tambopaxi. In the afternoon the tour goes to the south site of the Cotopaxi to the nearby Hacienda San Agustin de Callo, which is at 3.300 m at the foot of the Cotopaxi. The rooms of this small Finca are colourful and cosy with some fireplaces. Here we will enjoy an excellent Ecuadorian food and stay overnight. B/L/D
Day 05: Tuesday.- Laguna of Quilotoa – Hacienda Abraspungo
During our 6-hour roundtrip in car we will see the region of Chugchilan, which is one of the most impressing places of Ecuador. We begin in direction south to Zumbahua. It is a small, colored village with 40 families. 10 km north lays the blue and green glimmering volcano lagoon of Quilotoa. This lake is one of the most beautiful volcano lakes in the Ecuadorian Andes. From the crater you can see the different snow toped volcanoes far-off. After a short excursion you will enjoy a typical lunch. We drive away to the South and in the late afternoon you will reach the Hosteria Abraspungo near to Riobamba where we lodge tonight. Dinner and accommodation. B/L/D
 
Day 06: Wednesday.- Spectacular Andes train - Cuenca
After a good breakfast we go to the train station in Riobamba for the breathtaking journey through the mountains to Chanchan. The line was completed in 1902 and is the steepest railroad in the world, a true technical masterpiece! The train weaves down the track and down the stretch known as ‘Nariz del Diablo’ (the Devil’s Nose) 100m high at a walking pace. The station of Chanchan is the last stop for us. From here we travel to the beautiful city of Cuenca. On the way we stop at the famous ‘Ingapirca archaeological site’ (Quechua for “wall rocks of the Inca”) the most important and well preserved Inca ruins in Ecuador where you can wander around the beautiful site and visit the museum. The last stage to Cuenca takes 2 hours and leads us to the comfortable Hotel Mansion Alcazar. B/L/D
Day 07: Thursday.- City Tour - Cajas National Park - Guayaquil
This morning we will explore the colonial part of the city where you will find churches, many art and craft shops and a flower market. All this is located amongst beautiful old houses in an area that was declared a World Heritage Site by the UNESCO in 1999. Cuenca is considered as the cultural metropolis and the arts and crafts centre of Ecuador. The city itself and the surrounding countryside is a fantastic place to buy ceramics, embroidery, leather goods and baskets. From Cuenca you will drive 15km West of Cuenca to the Cajas National Park. Here you will find around 200 lagoons left over from the ice age, today forming an extensive recreation area at a height of 3.150m to 4.450m. Small rivers connect the series of lakes and these eventually flow into both the Pacific and the Atlantic Oceans. After a short hike through the highlands we return in the afternoon to Cuenca and fly from there to Guayaquil. Overnight accommodation in the Hotel Hilton Colon. B/L/D
Day 08: Friday.- Guayaquil City Tour – Transfer to the airport
After the breakfast you undertake a city tour in the largest city of Ecuador, which at the same time is also the finance -, economic and industrial centre of the country. The tour includes the visit of the cathedral, Parque de las Iguanas, Centenario, el Malecon 2000, Palacio Municipal, Government Palace and the old quarter Peñas. After the city tour you leave Guayaquil and visit the Cerro Blanco forest reservation. This reservation is located in the tropical dry forest and hosts an impressing quantity of birds (more than 190 kinds), e.g. the green parrot of Guayaquil. Under many other animals live here e.g. falcons, snails, roaring apes, Ocelots, Pumas, Jaguars and wild boars. In this environment you make an approx. 3 hours stop and have your lunch. In the late afternoon you leave the reservation and drive back to Guayaquil. Transfer out to the airport. Return flight home. B/-/-
 
B: Breakfast / L: Lunch / D: Dinner
Prices 2008:
USD 2.175.- per Person
Extra Price for Single room Accommodation: USD 698.-
Minimum 2 People.
Included:
Private transportation, Accommodation in the mentioned Hotels above, English speaking guide, Meals as mentioned above, B= Breakfast L= Lunch/Box lunch D= Dinner Entrance fee National Parks, all visits included in the Itinerary.
Not included:
Personal equipment, tips, travel insurance, warm and waterproof clothes, sunglasses, Canteen, personal items etc, International flight airport tax (USD 41.- per person).
Special Notes:
Buying Merchandise
One aspect of travel in Ecuador that frustrates many foreign travellers is the phenomenon of "gringo pricing." Sometimes it is official, such as when printed train fares, and entrance fees for foreigners are many times higher than those for locals. You may want to think of it as a development subsidy; in some cases the service is more reliable for locals because there are so many tourists paying the higher fare. Many travellers forget that they don't actually pay property or income taxes in Ecuador, and therefore don't contribute to the upkeep of the infrastructure as Ecuadorians do. In other cases, you may find that merchants just charge you more because you're a foreigner and therefore "rich." Relatively speaking, you probably are. Usually, tenacious bargaining can bring the price down to what locals would pay, but it is best not to get so carried away as to create hard feelings. Try to keep the merchant's perspective in mind. When feeling angry about having paid what seems an exorbitant price for something, it may be help to think how much the same thing would have cost back home; usually it will still be a bargain.
Arriving at high altitude
When travelling directly from sea level to high altitude areas (over 2.500 meters), such as flying from New York to Quito, it is recommended to take a few precautions against altitude sickness, or soroche. One of the best ways to minimize the adverse effects of altitude sickness is to avoid dehydration. Drink lots of liquids, but avoid alcohol the day before and a few days after arrival. Keep meals light. Rest the first day, perhaps taking a short walk later in the afternoon. Some of the annoying effects of mild soroche can be countered with antacids and aspirin, but when there are serious problems--severe headache, dizziness, and nausea, notify the leader/guide immediately!
Exposure to intense sun radiation
Another consideration is the ferocity of the equatorial sun, which can inflict a burn in less than half an hour, even when it is cloudy. High altitude and reflective surfaces like water and snow intensify the effect. Sunstroke is common. Keep yourself hydrated, cover up, and use plenty of sun block (SPF 30) and lip protection. Good sunglasses with UVA/UVB protection are a must. Bring a spare.
Guidebooks you may find useful
A Traveller’s Guide to the Galápagos Islands, by Barry Boyce. 1994.
Ecuador and Galápagos Handbook. Footprint Handbooks. -Latest edition.
Ecuador - Insight Guide. APA Publications. -Latest edition.
Let's Go - The Budget Guide to Ecuador and the Galápagos Islands. 1999. St. Martin's Press.
The New Key to Ecuador and the Galápagos. Ulysses Press. -Latest edition.
If you need any additional information please write us:
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Ecuador & Galapagos for Incentive 8 Days - The Romantic Haciendas in the Andes 8 Day
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South America 
