Plan Your Trip
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.
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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.
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.
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.
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.
After breakfast at your hotel (included), your trans-Andean locomotive journey will conclude.
| Days | ||||
| Gold Class | Luxury Class | |||
| Single | Double | Single | Double | |
| 4 | US$ 2,722 PP | US$ 2,322 PP | US$ 2,082 PP | US$ 1,735 PP |
(*) 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.
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