From gold cities to whales (Andes, Pacific)

2 weeks tour from the Andes to the Pacific

From an indigenous community near Otavalo to the small fishing town of Puerto Lopez, you will discover many different landscapes and you will share time with local people.

We travel slowly from the Andes to the Pacific coast using local transportation. This tour will allow you the chance to experience a different life.

DAY ACTIVITIES (Andes, Pacific) NIGHT

1 We pick you up at the international airport of Quito and take you to the hotel Hotel in Quito (2 800 m)

2 Visit to the old part of Quito in the morning, bus to the Cotopaxi province Hotel in Latacunga (2 850 m)

3 Bus to Quilotoa breath taking glass-green lake, then hike to Chugchilán Guesthouse Chugchilan (3 400 m)

4 Hike day (5 h) at your pace with a pic nic to the small village of Insilivi Guesthouse Insilivi (3 000 m)

5 We take a bus to Baños (4h), we visit the town, natural hot springs Family in Baños (1 800 m)

6 Choice of an activity in the morning (biking, rafting, horse riding), free time Family in Baños (1 800 m)

7 Bus to Riobamba, Chimborazo national park, walk between 4800 m - 5000 m Family in Riobamba (2 600 m)

8 We travel west and north to reach the Pacific coast by public bus (5 hours ) Hotel in Puerto Lopez ( 0 m

9 Day trip to Isla de la Plata, whale-observation between June & September Hotel in Puerto López ( 0 m )

10 Tour to Archaeological excavations of Agua Blanca, beach of los frailes Hotel in Puerto López ( 0 m )

11 We go by bus to Manta, flight to Quito, bus to the Imbabura province Native family near Otavalo (2 800 m)

12 Hike around the spectacular crater lake Cuicocha, visit to weaving village Native family near Otavalo (2 800 m)

13 Morning free in Otavalo colorful craftworks’ market, then bus to the airport

Itinerary

Day 1: Arrive in Quito where we are met on arrival and transferred to our hotel in the new town.

Day 2: (Quito city tour) we walk around the old town and we visit some churches (St Domingo, San Francisco) and the most important sights of the capital. After lunch, we travel to Latacunga in the province of Cotopaxi. Overnight in a hotel in the city where we will leave luggage for our two-day trek.

Day 3: We leave luggage in Latacunga to walk more easily during our trek. We go by bus to the Laguna Quilotoa breathing glass-green lake lying in the crater of an extinct volcano, surrounded by steep slopes and jagged cliffs. In the afternoon, hike to reach the small village of Chugchilan through dramatically beautiful scenery. Chugchilan is a tiny settlement in a remote rural setting. Night in a guest house at 3 400 m above sea level.

Day 4: We hike at your pace to reach the small village of Insilivi in wonderful scenery and wild remote countryside. Night in a guest house at 3 000 m above the sea level.

Lama in the countryside of Chugchilan

Day 5: In the morning, we take buses to Sigshos, Latacunga and then Baños, where we are hostedby a family. City tour. Nocturnal thermal baths. Evening and night with the family.

Day 6: You choose an activity between rafting for a 1h30 on the Pastaza River, horseback riding on the slopes of the Tungurahua, canyoning, or mountain biking on the waterfall route. Free time in the city in the afternoon. Second night with our family.

Day 7: After breakfast, we take a bus to Riobamba and then we spend the rest of the day in the Chimborazo Park. We may see on the way some vicuñas. We go to the first refuge and climb 200 m to the second refuge at 5 000 m. We go back to Riobamba and we spend the night with a family outside the city.

Day 8: We travel west and north to reach the Pacific coast by public bus (5 hours). Puerto Lopez is a small fishing town strung along the wide, crescent-shaped bay. Enjoying an undeniably picturesque setting, the town’s golden sands are set by the turquoise waters of the ocean and the green hills rising on other side. Night in a guest house.

Day 9: Day trip to Isla de la Plata, whales-observation between June and September. Some 37 km out to sea from Puerto Lopez, Isla de la Plata is a small, scrubby island of just 8 square kilometres which was once the ceremonial centre of the “Bahía” culture (500 BC to 650 AD). Theisland is the only place in Ecuador, including Galápagos, where blue-footed, red-footed and masked boobies are found at the same site. We come back at the end of the afternoon.

Blue-footed booby

Day 10: Tour to Archaeological excavations of Agua Blanca, and the beach at los frailes. We visitthe museum and the archaeological site, passing funerary urns, the Rio Buenavista valley and returning via a view point and a pungent sulphur lake. After lunch, we travel to Playa Los Frailes, one of the most beautiful beaches on the Ecuadorian coast, enclosed by rocky cliffs at each end and backed by a tangle of forest. Third night in our guest house.

Day 11: We travel by bus to the airport of Manta for our flight to Quito. Afterwards, we travel to the Imbabura province. Night with native families near Otavalo.

Day 12: We go by car to the Cuicocha Lake. We hike around the spectacular crater for 4 hours. We stop for a typical meal above the lake. In the afternoon, we come back to the community. Wespend our second night with our family.

Day 13: Morning free in Otavalo colorful craftworks’ market, one of the largest and most colorful “artesania” markets on the continent. After lunch, we take a bus to the airport.

Tour InformationRemarks

We use Ecuador’s comprehensive bus service.

Sleeping bags are not necessary.

Consult your doctor or a travel clinic at least 2 months before you leave to discuss whether you need vaccinations or malaria prophylaxis. Although Ecuador has its fair share of scary-sounding tropical diseases, there’s no reason to be paranoid about contracting them. In fact most are rare. The highlands and Galápagos are free of Malaria. Consult your doctor if travelling in other parts.

Bottled mineral water is available everywhere.

Bring 2 backpacks: one small, the other large.

Climate

There’s no real summer and winter in Ecuador, and its weather generally varies by regional geography, with temperatures determined more by altitude than by season or latitude.

The warmest and driest months in the “Sierra” are June to September. Outside these months, typical “Sierra” weather offers sunny, clear mornings and cloudy, often wet afternoon. It’s quite cold with an average of 12°C to 20°C including warms days.

In the lowlands it can get particularly hot on clear days, with temperatures easily topping 30°C.

But as there have been noticeable recent changes in the world’s climatic patterns, the wet and the dry season are no longer really respected.

Ecuador essentials

Hat for protection against the sun Sun screen Gloves if you get above 4 500 m Sun glasses Warm clothing for the highlands Raincoat Lip salve Shoes : hiking boots and sandals Pocket torch 2 backpacks (a small one that you can carry all day long and a bigger one) Bathing cap, swimwear, sandals for the beach Insect repellent

Small bottled mineral water can be found everywhere so you don’t need to bring water-bottles.

Price listAs well as being a non profit-making organisation, we offer prices less expensive than the cheapest tour operator. Furthermore, we boast the same conditions, the same quality at least and above all, we promote direct contacts with the local population.

People living and working in the country charge you less, offer you good quality, high skill, and the local people get a fair share: This is the definition of eco-tourism.

Prices do not include: Prices include:

Air ticket (International flight) A meal in Quito (about 30 $) Drinks (a small bottle of water 0,5 $) Tips

All the mentioned activities Accommodation Food (except one meal in Quito) Guided tour Local transportation (domestic flight) Museums and park entrance fees

« FROM GOLD CITIES TO WHALES » (12 NIGHTS)

Minimum number of tourists Prices in USD per person

2 1860

3 1455

4 1250

5 1130

6 1050

7 990

8 945

9 910

10 885

The indicated price can be paid in Ecuador or by international bank transfer who will charge you a commission. Just contact us…