TOLL FREE
tren-crucero-passengers
tren-crucero-passenger-in-the-window
tren-crucero-landscape
tren-crucero-ecuador
Plan Your Trip
Preferred method of contact
Please complete all required fields
Please enter a valid email
Email and confirmation Email doesnt match
There was an error sending the form, please try again!
Send

Tren Crucero "Train of Wonders Route" 4-Night Itinerary B

On this trans-Ecuadorian “Train of Wonders” journey from the snowcapped Andean highlands to the lush Pacific lowlands (or the return “Train to the Clouds” route”), you will witness striking mountain panoramas, whispering winds of snow-capped mountains and volcanoes, picturesque coastal colors, astonishing views of valleys, and the sunshine of the equator — along with the kindness of its people. All these are features of a truly once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Train of Wonders: Our journey on board the “Train of Wonder” begins in the northern Andes of Ecuador, in the Otavalo Valley, where we will discover traditional cultures, handicrafts, and modern export-class rose plantations. Returning to Quito, we will start our trip to the coast, first climbing to the Chimborazo volcano highlands along the “Avenue of Volcanoes.”

The legendary “Devil’s Nose” pass awaits with its vertiginous zigzagging tracks. Riding along the Chanchan River canyon, we will leave the highlands behind, cross a cloud forest, and then ride past tropical plantations to the end of our trip in Guayaquil. We will reach the shores of the Pacific Ocean after covering 504 km of rail line and making a 12,000 ft. descent to the sea.

Reviews

“We had a great time in the jungle. Our experience was amazing. Can’t wait to tell you more about it.”Michael McLane

Highlights

Otavalo, San Roque, Andrade Marin, San Antonio, Ibarra, Urbina, Riobamba, The Devil’s Nose, Bucay, Guayaquil

Itinerary at a Glance

Day 1: Quito – Otavalo – San Roque – Andrade Marin – San Antonio – Ibarra – Quito
Day 2: Quito – Urbina
Day 3: Riobamba – The Devil’s Nose – Bucay
Day 4: Bucay – Guayaquil
Day 5: Guayaquil
South America Map

Detailed Itinerary

Day 1 - Tuesday
Quito – Otavalo – San Roque – Andrade Marin – San Antonio – Ibarra – Quito

Highlights:

6:30 am: Departure from Hotel in Quito (Quito-Otavalo/Ibarra-Quito by tourist bus, Otavalo-Ibarra by steam engine) San Roque: Music and textile weaving encounter Andrade Marin: Visit to the Imbabura Textiles Museum San Antonio: Woodcarvers Cayambe: Rose nursery and lunch Return trip to Quito, dinner and night

 

We depart Quito early in the morning for a 1-1/2 hour drive north to the town of Otavalo (the home of a millenary market), where a carefully restored steam engine awaits us. As the locomotive makes several stops along the way, you can discover the many wonders hidden in this part of the country, including the musicians, painters, weavers and the skillful woodcarvers who keep the renowned “Quito School” art style alive. After tasting traditional Andean cuisine and visiting a very special export-class rose plantation, we will return to Quito.

 

Read More
Lunch - Dinner
Day 2 - Wednesday
Quito – Urbina

Highlights:

6:30 am: Departure from Hotel to Quito’s Chimbacalle Train Station Andean forest trail in El Boliche natural recreational area Lunch on board your train Urbina: Artisans’ Square and meeting with the “Last ice merchant of Chimborazo” Dinner and spend the night in Riobamba

 

We will board our train at Quito’s Chimbacalle Station and begin our journey south along the “Avenue of Volcanoes,” where (if the weather permits) you can spot up to twenty volcanoes from the train. Along the way, the Andes range splits into two arms that run parallel towards the south. The fertile valley trapped between these mountainous walls hosts a treasure trove of biodiversity. From the comfort of our panoramic wagons, you can witness the changes in vegetation and landscape as we slowly climb the Andean highlands to reach the town of Urbina, the highest point in our itinerary, at 11,800 feet above sea level. At the foot of Mount Chimborazo, we will meet the last ice-merchant and learn the story of his ancestral trade.

Read More
Breakfast - Lunch - Dinner
Day 3 - Thursday
Riobamba – The Devil’s Nose – Bucay

Highlights:

Travel from Riobamba to Colta by steam engine Stop in Guamote: Visit an ancestral Andean market Lunch on board your train Alausi: Devil’s Nose descent and Pistishi Lookout Bucay: Dinner and spend the night

 

This morning we will head out for the city of Riobamba and then Colta, where the Spanish conquistadors built their first settlement in Ecuador. We will cross colorful quinoa fields painted in purples, yellows and reds, alternating with endemic species of plant and wildlife, indigenous settlements and the remains of ancient cultures. We will also visit the Guamote market (one of the last indigenous markets in the Andes), before continuing south towards the legendary “Devil’s Nose” pass. A vertiginous descent of 450 meters zigzags to takes us from the Andean highlands down to the coastal plains. We will continue our descent along the narrow Chancchan River gorge and cross an impressive cloud forest towards the temperate city of Bucay.

Read More
Breakfast - Lunch - Dinner
Day 4 - Friday
Bucay – Guayaquil

Highlights

Travel from Yaguachi to Duran by steam engine Cocoa and chocolate tasting at a hacienda Montubio culture exhibition Complimentary transfer to selected hotels in Guayaquil

 

The landscape changes again as the train leaves the tropical forest behind and plantations of rice, sugar cane, pineapple and bananas pass before your eyes. We will have lunch at a traditional hacienda, where we can learn about the growing and harvesting of the world’s best cocoa beans -- you'll even have a chance to taste the homemade chocolate. Later, the steam engine makes its way across the fields towards the shores of the Pacific Ocean to the end of our trip in Guayaquil, where you will spend the night at the hotel.

Read More
Breakfast - Lunch
Day 5 - Saturday
Guayaquil

After breakfast at your hotel (included), your trans-Andean locomotive journey will conclude.

Read More
Breakfast

Prices

Price per person
Days
Gold ClassLuxury Class
SingleDoubleSingleDouble
4US$ 2,722 PPUS$ 2,322 PPUS$ 2,082 PPUS$ 1,735 PP
*Price per person based upon double occupancy.
*PP (per person)
Included in the price:
  • Transportation aboard the Tren Crucero
  • Accommodations based on double occupency
  • All meals during the trip
  • Snacks and soft drinks on board the train
  • Guide services in Spanish and English*
  • Excursions, as indicated in the itinerary
  • Transportation by bus/van during the program for excursions, and accommodations based on double occupancy
  • On the Quito to Guayaquil route, once the train has arrived at Duran station (Guayaquil), transfers are provided on a shared basis to the Wyndham (Santa Ana) hotel.

 

(*) Guide services in languages other than Spanish and English (including Italian, French, German, Portuguese and Japanese) can be sought upon request, though these are subject to the availability of guides and are provided at an additional cost.

Not included in the price:
  • Taxes
  • Alcoholic beverages (Tren Crucero offers wine, beer and whiskey)
  • Meals not indicated in the itinerary
  • Excursions not indicated in the itinerary
  • Flights
  • Personal expenses
  • Gratuities
  • Transfers to hotels different from those listed in the itinerary
  • Travel insurance (highly recommended)

Contact Us

Interested in more information about any particular South American destination or trip?

Simply let us know your interests or question, and one of our travel experts will be more than happy to assist you -- at no charge, of course!

Contact One of Our Experts

Preferred method of contact
Please complete all required fields
Please enter a valid email
Email and confirmation Email doesnt match
There was an error sending the form, please try again!
Send
Traveler Reviews
traveler-reviews
Reviews

“We booked our Galapagos/Peru trip through Surtrek and are very glad that we did.”A. Arima