Day 1: Thursday / Quito In
Arrival at Quito airport and transfer to the hotel is included.
Dinner not included.
Overnight at the hotel RIO AMAZONAS *** or SIMILAR
Day 2: Friday / Quito City / Equinoxial Line
Breakfast
Visit of Quito, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Start with a presentation of the historic center of Quito, a remarkable and lively area, to discover its architectural heritage dating from the 17th and 19th centuries. Start of the walk with the colonial district of San Marcos, Santo Domingo, La Ronda.
Continue to Independence Square where the Cathedral and the Archbishop's Palace stand, embellished with arches and fountains; La Compañia (Church of the Society of Jesus), a Baroque "Mudejar" jewel, whose interior is covered with gold leaf.
Discover the San Francisco Church of Quito, built on the foundations of an Inca palace whose interior houses masterpieces of sacred Latin American art, and that is surrounded by pretty colonial houses.
Lunch not included.
Equinoxial line, departure to the "Mitad del Mundo", 30 minutes north of Quito, where the site was established with precision through the passage of the line of Ecuador in 1735 by the French Geodesic Expedition.
Departure to the north of Ecuador.
Dinner not included.
Overnight at the hotel RIO AMAZONAS *** or SIMILAR
Day 3: Saturday / Quito / Cotopaxi / Lasso
Breakfast
Drive along the Pan-American Highway to the base of Cotopaxi volcano, approximately one hour and a half from Quito. From here we observe this magnificent peak with its summit at an elevation of 5897 metres(19 500 ft) above sea level, where is also found the highest active volcano in the world. This mountain is part of one of the country’s National Parks.
Cotopaxi National Park. The Cotopaxi National Park was named after the highest active snow-capped volcano in the world (19,347 ft above sea level). It is located 37 miles from Quito. The park includes 83,829 acres, and the altitude ranges from 11,152 ft to 19.347 ft above sea level. The Cotopaxi Volcano is one of the most important features of this park. It is the highest active volcano in the world. Adventurous professional mountain climbers are attracted to this site along with many tourists who take pride in attempting to reach the top. The volcano offers climbing experiences for all skill levels.
The immense plain that surrounds the volcano offers a wonderful landscape featuring extraordinary geological conditions and numerous flora and fauna. This park is home todeer, pumas, condors, wild horses and llamas. The Limpiopungo lagoon, located close to the Rumiñahui volcano (15,492 ft) is a good place for camping.
Lunch at a local restaurant
Lasso, a small village, 33km south of Aloag, with a milk bottling plant and two recommended cafes serving dairy products, entrance to the Cotopaxi National Park.
Visit to a culture and nursery of Roses. Ecuador is a country that exports large quantities of beautiful roses.
Dinner at the hotel
Overnight at the hotel REEC LATACUNGA *** or SIMILAR
Day 4: Sunday / Lasso / Pujili / Quilotoa / Quito
Breakfast
Breakfast at the hotel and road to Quilotoa lagoon (2 hours) along which you will enjoy the most beautiful landscapes.
Quilotoa Lagoon is located 66 kilometers south of the city of Latacunga, in the parish of Zumbahua and is part of the ecological reserve, the Ilinizas. Located at 3,800 meters above sea level, has become a way of life of its inhabitants, who benefit from its advantages. The pond water has an emerald, green color and varies according to season, with bluish-green or almost yellow resembling the shadow and light.
Visit of the market of Pujili or Zumbahua according to the market days.
Lunch not included.
Return to Quito city (about 3 hours)
Dinner not included.
Overnight at the hotel RIO AMAZONAS *** or SIMILAR
Day 5: Monday / Quito / Baeza / Amazon Jungle
Breakfast at the hotel
Departure to the Amazon Forest.
The emotion continues in this journey. This is a great experience, among the most fascinating ones, to leave the Andes highlands to find itself a few hours later at 300 m of altitude, oneself in the exuberant tropical forest.
The fact of traversing the Amazon Forest has always told the story of e of a legend with some secrets hidden.
Lunch at Gina´s Restaurant. It is a plentiful, lovely and roadside restaurant that is clean. We continue our journey along a scenic stretch of road which takes us out of the majestic Andes highlands and down into the "Oriente", or the Amazon region. Along the way there will be several opportunities to stop for photographs, overlooking lush green valleys
and beautiful sparkling waterfalls.
Stop in the town of Archidona to visit a small market of typical food. Possibility to taste the famous chontacuro (beetle larva)
Dinner at the hotel
Overnight at the hotel SUCHIPAKARI LODGE *** or SIMILAR
Day 6: Tuesday / Amazon Jungle
Breakfast
These programs will begin after an early breakfast and will be led by both native and bilingual guides.
Here some activities you can do:
Activities
All excursions at Suchipakari will be led by a native guide with expert knowledge of the rainforest’s medicinal and other useful plants. A typical day begins after an early breakfast, and there are a variety of trails and activities to choose from: Walks may range from full day hikes through primary rainforest to short, easy walks along river islands, depending on each group’s interests and physical abilities. Most outings begin with a short canoe ride along the Napo River or one of its many tributaries, during which it is possible to observe a variety of shore birds on the way to our trails. Once in the forest, where giant trees and tangled vines tower above, the guides will point out important aspects of the vegetation while on the lookout for tropical birds and other jungle creatures. Stay alert and you may find some yourself!
Hunting traps
On each trail, our native guides have built model-hunting traps to represent those traditionally used by the local people in the past. But this is only one aspect of the Quichua culture you may learn about here:
Quichua Family
There will be an opportunity to visit a local Quichua Indian family as well, whose garden contains many medicinal plants still commonly used today. They will explain how such plants are used and demonstrate other aspects of their traditional culture such as the spiritual cleaning rituals still practiced today throughout the surrounding community. Learn how to make chicha, a typical beverage (which of course all may taste)., Finally, all may participate in a blowgun target-shooting contest – but don’t expect to beat the natives!
Box lunch included
Dinner at the hotel
Overnight at the hotel SUCHIPAKARI LODGE *** or SIMILAR
Day 7: Wednesday / Amazon Jungle / Papallacta
Breakfast
Departure to Papallacta, located 40 miles east of Quito. Perched on a high Andean valley at the entrance route to the Ecuadorian Amazon jungle, the Termas Papallacta spa-resort offers its visitors a mixture of health, recreation, adventure and rest. Whether relaxing in the thermal baths, indulging in pampering spa treatments, or embarking on adventure walks at the Rancho del Cañón (Canyon Ranch) or Cayambe-Coca Ecological Reserve, you are sure to enjoy the Papallacta experience.
Lunch included.
Departure towards Pichincha province.
Dinner not included.
Overnight at the hotel RIO AMAZONAS *** or SIMILAR
Day 8: Thursday / Quito Out
Breakfast
Transfer to the airport to take the international flight
END OF SERVICES.
