ECUADOR NATURE AND CULTURE

14 Days/ 13 Nights

Itinerary

Day 1

Arrival at Quito airport. Transfer Airport-Hotel where you can enjoy a delicious dinner.

Day 2

Early in the morning, we will leave to Ecoruta “Paseo del Quinde” where our adventure will start discovering the beautiful landscapes from the cloud forest of northwest Pichincha province. Our first stop will be Yanacocha Reserve to start with some bird watching looking for birds like Black-breasted Puffleg (Ecuador endemic), Imperial Snipe, Ecuadorian Hillstar, Bar-winged Cinclodes, Barred Fruiteater, during the morning; around midday we will head to Bellavista reserve where we will have lunch and in the afternoon we will hike the reserve looking for birds like Blue-winged Mountain-Tanager, Cinnamon Flycatcher, Fawn-breasted Brilliant, Gorgeted Sunangel, Masked Trogon, Toucan Barbet, White-faced Nunbird among others. At night we will enjoy dinner and have a short night walk to look for night birds.

Day 3

Before breakfast we will have a short walk to watch birds and then have breakfast right before we continue with our trip to Mindo, a town that is located in the first IBA declared in South America by BirdLife Intl. where we will have lunch, and in the afternoon we will visit the mariposario (a butterfly farm featuring a beautiful live butterfly exhibition). After that we will go back to the hotel where we will rest until dinner time.

Day 4

Before breakfast we will have a short walk to observe some of the species that live in Quito. Then we can have a delicious breakfast and again we will walk the town surroundings to look for birds such as Dark-backed Wood-Quail, Giant Antpitta, Moustached Antpitta, Long-wattled Umbrellabird, Tanager Finch, and others. About midday we will have lunch and in the afternoon we will visit a beautiful orchid garden so we can observe some of the amazing orchids from subtropical forests. At night we will have dinner at the hotel and an optional night walk.

Day 5

After breakfast we will head to Maquipucuna reserve, another place included in the IBA list for Ecuador, where we will have lunch and an observation walk in the reserve. In the afternoon we will return to Quito where we will have dinner and a comfortable bed to rest.

Day 6

After Breakfast we will have a tour around Centro Historico de Quito, where most of the historical matters happened in the colonial times. These are the largest colonial remains in America, which host churches, chapels, monasteries, and other colonial buildings, parks, museums, republican buildings and the most interesting architecture from the beginnings of the 20th century. Also here are remarkable contemporary buildings that make Quito a place of huge historical and architectural value, which UNESCO declared First Cultural Patrimony of humanity in 1978. During our tour we will visit Mirador de Guapulo, Basilica del Voto Nacionál, Plaza de la Independencia, la Catedral, el Palacio Arzobispal, la Compañia de Jesús, La Ronda, La Plaza de San Francisco, la Loma del Panecillo. After that we will have lunch before we set out to Mitad del Mundo where we will be able to visit the ethnographical museum. When we finish our visit we will return to our hotel for dinner and rest.

Day 7

We will travel to the Cuyabeno Nature reserve. In 1979, the Cuyabeno Nature Reserve was founded between the Aguarico and San Miguel Rivers. The spectacular trips into Cuyabeno introduce the visitor to the complex system of tropical lagoons, swamps and flooded areas inhabited by the Siona Indian Community. In the morning we will travel by bus to Lago Agrio (7 hours; Optional Air trip to Lago Agrio, see Prices at the end notes). Upon arrival at Lago Agrio we will go by bus to the bridge of Cuyabeno River (3 hours). After you have enjoyed lunch (box lunch), we will continue by motorized dugouts downstream to get to the Cuyabeno Jungle Lodge in the afternoon. After dinner we will go for an exciting night walk. We will spend the night in bungalows with double beds and Mosquito nets.

Day 8

After breakfast we will walk in the forest to learn about the use of medical plants and the function of the amazing ecosystem of the Amazon basin. After lunch at the lodge, we will go piranha fishing. And at night, a delicious Dinner.

Day 9

We will visit the Cuyabeno Lagoon and have a walk in the rainforest at the shore of the lagoon. After lunch (box lunch) you will paddle down the lagoon and will be able to enjoy a refreshing swim in the Aguas Negras, then return to the lodge in the late afternoon. Later at night we will canoe down on the river to try your luck at nightlife, watching animals such as the caimans.

Day 10

Early bird watching walk before breakfast. Afterwards we will go for a last hike in the forest. Then lunch and later on we will paddle down the river. We will have dinner and spend the night in the jungle lodge.

Day 11

After an early breakfast we will start the journey back upstream on the Cuyabeno River have lunch (box lunch) at the bridge. The bus will take us to Lago Agrio. And then return to Quito, We will have dinner at the hotel and spend the night.

Day 12

After breakfast we will travel to Otavalo. Along the route we will visit Calderón to observe the handcrafts made out of (Mazapan), we will continue to Guachalá - another place where we cross the Equator- then we head to Cayambe where we will stop to observe the elaboration of famous “Bizcochos”, we will continue to Mira Lago where we can watch Lago San Pablo and then go to Plaza de Ponchos, a place in which we can admire the beauty of (tejidos) and handcrafts made by the Otavaleño ethnical group. At midday we will have lunch and in the afternoon we will visit the Cuicocha Lake which is in the Cotacachi Cayapas Ecological Reserve, time for a short walk trough thisbeautiful place, and then return to Quito where we will have dinner and rest at the hotel.

Day 13

After breakfast at the hotel, we will head to Santo Dómingo de los Tsáchilas, the community of Chiguilpe to learn about their living, manufacturing of their dresses, their facial and body painting, their hair (ADORNADO) with natural products, other customs and traditions. At noon we will have lunch and in the afternoon we will return to Quito for dinner and rest.

Day 14

Transfer Hotel – Airport, end of our services.

Included Services in the Tour

• First class and superior tourist class hotels, twin room accommodation.

• Meals (Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner) and Box Lunch (the days that will be required)

• Bilingual guides (English-Spanish)

• Transportation

• Transfer In and Transfer Out

• Entrance fees to churches/museums in Quito

• Entrance fees to Yanacocha Reserve, Mariposario, Orchid Garden, Maquipucuna Reserve, Cotacachi Cayapas Reserve, Tsáchila community.

• Taxes

Not Included Services in the Tour:

• Air ticket to Quito, Ecuador

• Airport Taxes. (USD$41,00 per person)

• Cuyabeno Reserve entrance (USD$20,00 per person)

• Air ticket to Lago Agrio (USD$125,00 per person. In case you prefer to fly to Lago Agrio instead of going by bus. Bus trip time would be approximately 7 hours, air trip would be about 1 hour flight)

• Tips.

For pricing information please contact us.

Thanks to David Trently for the valuable help editing this document