Ecuador Highland and Trekking Tour (17 days)

If you want to explore the main cultural sights of Ecuador, doing City Tours or visiting indigenous markets and combine this with a adventure tour through the highlands you'll find this program ideal for your expectations. You visit Quito and Cuenca with their cultural heritages, the famous bazaar of Otavalo; you ride on the train that passes the devil's nose and you spend 5 days of trekking, hiking across the Páramo and passing the Antizana plain. An alternative program for everybody.

Day 1: Quito - City Tour - Mitad del Mundo - Hotel

Quito, the capital of Ecuador and world cultural heritage opens its doors and invites you to our program of guided tours. Hotel.

Day 2: Quito - Otavalo - Hotel

Visit of one of the most important indigenous markets of Ecuador. Night in Hotel.

Day 3: Otavalo - Laguna de Cuicocha - Cotacachi - Quito

Easy acclimatization hike of 3-4- hours around the Lagoon of Cuicocha, situated at the foot of the volcano Cotacachi at a height of more or less 3200m. Return to Quito. Hotel.

Day 4: Quito - El Inga - Polilepis Forest - Camp

Trip of approximately one hour by jeep to El Inga, where our porters are waiting with our horses. Walk of three hours to the Polilepis forest; here we will set up our camp at 3.400 m

Day 5: Polilepis Forest - Muertepungo - Camp

After the breakfast we'll hike to the so-called Muertepungo area, where we'll set up our camp at 4100m. and pass the night.

Day 6: Muertepungo - Plaza de Armas - Lagoon of Santa Lucia - Camp

Today we'll ascend to a peak called Plaza de Armas (4500 m), which will take us approximately 4 hours and afterwards we'll continue our hike another 2 hours until we reach the Lagoon of Santa Lucia, where we camp at 4300m.

Day 7: Santa Lucía - El Tambo - Papallacta (thermal bath)

Today we'll walk 5 hours until we get to our jeep, which will take us to the thermal complex of Papallacta, where we can relax and enjoy an unforgettable night. Night in huts.

Day 8: Papallacta - Tambopaxi

Passing the Andes we'll drive 3 hours to the Tambopaxi shelter, situated in the Cotopaxi National Park at 3750m. From there we'll enjoy one of the most beautiful landscapes at the foot of the volcano Cotopaxi. In the afternoon we'll visit the Jose Ribas Refuge 4800m and, if the conditions allow it, we'll go to the glacier. Night in Tambopaxi.

Day 9: Tambopaxi - Chugchilán

Trip of approximately 3-4 hours to the village of Chugchilán, where we'll do a short excursion and then pass the night in a hotel.

Day 10: Chugchilán - Quilotoa - Baños

Today we'll hike to the crater, where we find the Lagoon which has the same name as the still active volcano. Lunch in Latacunga and in the afternoon we'll continue our trip to Baños. Hotel.

Day 11: Baños

The picturesque town of Baños, situated at a height of 1800m invites us enjoy its fabulous surroundings and hot springs, including we'll discover the entrance to the Amazonian jungle. Hotel.

Day 12: Baños - Riobamba

We drive down the Panamerican Highway until Riobamba, which borders to the highest mountain of our mountain range, the Chimborazo 6310m. We'll have the possibility to visit the Edward Wimper refuge. situated at 5000m. Afterwards we'll return to Riobamba. Hotel

Day 13: Riobamba - Alausí - Ingapirca

Very early in the morning we'll go the train station and we'll start an unforgettable and adventurous trip on top of a train until we get to the village of Alausí. Trip might take us between 4 or 8 hours. Our jeep will accompany us all the time and assist us if necessary. Once we got to Alausí we'll continue our trip down the Panamerican Highway until the ruins of Ingaprica. Hotel.

Day 14: Ingapirca - Cuenca

After a guided tour in the most important Inca complex of our times, we'll continue our trip to the beautiful, colonial city of Cuenca, where we'll do a city tour. Hotel.

Day 15: Cuenca - Parque Nacional del Cajas - Cuenca.

Today we'll visit an ecological Paramo Reserve, full of lagoons and native vegetation, situated at 4000 m. After a hike of 4 hours, we'll enjoy an excellent trout and we'll return to Cuenca. Hotel.

Day 16: Cuenca - Quito

Flight in The morning to Quito. Last day of shopping and dinner. Hotel.

Day 17: Transfer out