Ecuador in Depth : Ecuador Holiday Architects

Ecuador in Depth

15 days

Indicative cost incl. flights:

A typical 4* holiday costs from

£8,090 per person

(Based on two people travelling. Low season can be a lot cheaper, and peak season or 5* hotels can be substantially more expensive.)

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Quito

Otavalo

Riobamba

Guayaquil

Ecuadorian Amazon

Cuenca

Cotopaxi National Park

Day 1

Fly to Quito. You will be greeted by our friendly representatives and transferred into the Otavalo region. You will stay in a relaxed hacienda.

Day 2

Up to an hours’ drive from your hacienda you will find the bustling Otavalo market town. Spend a few hours exploring to learn about the history, culture and colourful range of produce on offer. The market town can be visited any day of the week, but the activity is in its full flow on Saturdays when there is also a livestock market. You will continue onto visit the impressive Cuicocha Lake.

Day 3

Day at leisure to relax, explore the stunning surroundings or perhaps take a horse ride. Activities can be arranged locally.

Day 4

An early start for your flights to the biodiverse Amazon. You will be transferred deep into the Yasuni National Park by a combination of vehicle, motor canoe and paddle boat. Here you will find your jungle lodge, your home for the next three nights. All activities and meals will be included during your stay, as well as the services of an experienced naturalist guide.

Day 5

Mornings offer the best chance to spot wildlife, so be prepared for early starts and busy days of wildlife spotting! Typical activities include nature walks, canopy tower climbs and leisurely trips by paddle canoe. Your expert naturalist guide will scan the tree tops and water’s edge, pointing out lurking caiman, playful river otters or perhaps a swooping colourful macaw along the way.

Day 6

Many lodges in the Amazon are set in dense forest with surrounding walking trails to explore. Your nature walk will typically take place within the lodge grounds where a specialist guide will take you on a short circuit in search of the curious amphibians, plants, insects and birds. You may visit the impressive clay lick, where patience is usually rewarded with spectacular views of parrots and macaws.

Day 7

Fly back to civilisation, and you will be transferred into Quito. Your guide will give you an overview of the city to help you make the most of your time over the next few days.

Day 8

Your guide and driver will meet you today, for a tour of the most important parts of the city. Your tour will focus mainly on the impressive historical plazas and cobbled streets of the Old Town, as well as taking in a few of the city’s viewpoints. You will continue north to visit the equator line, where you can straddle both the northern and southern hemispheres.

Day 9

You have time at leisure to explore the city. Wildlife enthusiasts may like to arrange a day trip to the cloudforest. These things can be arranged locally, or just let us know if you’d like to plan these in advance.

Day 10

You will have a long yet fascinating drive today, through the Avenue of Volcanoes. You will visit Cotapaxi National Park on route, as well as many other highlights. You will stay in Riobamba tonight.

Day 11

You will drive to arguably the prettiest town in Ecuador, laid back Cuenca, where you will stay for two nights. On route you will travel on the switchback Devil’s Nose train, as well as visit the ruins at Ingapirca.

Day 12

Your guide will meet you for a tour of Cuenca, taking in the most important historical sites of the cobbled streets. You will also take in a viewpoint for great views over the city. The tour also includes a visit to the Panama hat factory, which is an interesting stop to learn more about the production.

Day 13

You will take another fascinating drive today, through mountainous Andean grasslands and tropical lowlands until you reach Guayaquil. On route you will visit the chilly peaks and lakes of Cajas National Park.

Day 14

You will have a morning tour of the highlights of Guayaquil, and will fly home this evening.

Day 15

Welcome home!

Where you'll go
What you'll do
Where you'll stay

Similar Holidays

Everything we do is tailor-made; our itineraries are just suggestions to give you an idea of what is possible. Please contact us so we can tailor the perfect holiday exclusively for you.

Ecuador is a delightful friendly country characterised by its incredible contrasts within a small area, ranging from high Andean plateaux and snowy volcanic peaks to the steamy low altitude rainforests running through the Amazon Basin. This itinerary celebrates that breadth of diversity to show you all the incredible landscapes and experiences that make up Ecuador. Explore colonial history and discover some of Ecuador’s colourful traditional communities in the Andes and in the jungle, as well as its diversity of wildlife and landscapes. If you have more time to travel, then do ask us about extending your holiday to also include the Galapagos Islands.

This itinerary takes in all the iconic highlights of mainland Ecuador. Beginning with a hacienda retreat close to the colourful market town of Otavalo, you continue onto the staggering biodiversity of the tropical Ecuadorian Amazon. After spotting howler monkeys, tree frogs and caiman, you will return to civilisation with a few nights in colonial Quito. This is followed with some truly breath-taking drives through the dramatic Avenue of Volcanoes, interspersed with stops in attractive colonial towns and villages.

3 nights Otavalo – 3 nights Amazon – 3 nights Quito – 1 night Riobamba – 2 nights Cuenca – 1 night Guayaquil – 1 night on plane