On the way to Mashpi, visit the archaelogical ruins at Tulipe which is said to have belonged to the ancient Yumbo civilization of pre-Inca Quito. After your visit, taste delicious Ecuadorian appetizers and fresh-brewed coffee prepared by the members of the local community
The highlight of any trip to Mashpi is the Dragonfly – an exciting, open-air cable car system that carries you over the forest canopy. The setup consists of two main stations, six towers, and four gondolas that move at a low speed of 50 meters/160 feet per minute. A roundtrip takes about 40-minutes to complete.
Visit a waterfall, at a special place in the forest and bathe in the pools with the water crashing behind you, or visit the Hummingbird Garden, or the Butterfly Farm, where you can explore the life of the many species found in the Masphi area. The guides will also point out various species of plants such as passion flowers, birds of paradise and milkweeds.
The Urko Restaurant uses ingredients from agricultural communities in Ecuador´s four regions: Pacific Coast, Andes, Amazon and the Galápagos Islands to prepare Ecuadorian dishes with local flavors that are presented in a modern way. Dinner at Urko is a unique and delicious way to enjoy Ecuador’s traditions in an exclusive setting.
Explore the best preserved colonial center of South America. Visit the Basilica del Voto Nacional, the San Francisco de Quito and La Compañia Church, and the Plaza Grande to see the Presidential Palace, the Catholic Cathedral, and the Archbishop's Palace. Visit other highlights such as the Panecillo, for an amazing 360 degree view of Quito.
The Middle of the World Monument is a must-see in Quito. Built to honor the French and Ecuadorian scientists who studied the curvature of the planet and determined the supposed location of the equator, this unique location allows you to take a picture with one foot in each hemisphere!
Ecuador is the third largest exporter of roses in the world. The roses are known for their size, longevity and color variations (over 500 colors). The Compania de Jesus hacienda belonged to the Jesuit order around 300 years ago. Today it has an exquisite, permanent exhibition of over 5,000 varieties of roses.
Visit the town of Otavalo, famous for its indigenous market that is held every day. Then, visit the peaceful town of Cotacachi, famous for its leather products such as shoes, purses, coats and belts. Browse the products and meet the local craftsmen who create these beautiful pieces.
Visit the beautiful, Cuicocha volcanic crater lagoon, located at nearly 3,246 meters in a part of the Cotacachi Cayapas Ecological Reserve. Walk around the lagoon to enjoy the biodiversity of the region, the deep blue hues of the lake, and on a clear day, views of the Imbabura and Cayambe volcanoes.
Mornings are the best time to take advantage of the sun and warm weather in the cooler section of the Andes. Take a morning bike-ride to experience scenic roads and high grasslands. It will be just you and the wide open Sierra.
An exclusive stable with the Hacienda Zuleta’s own breed of Zuleteño horses gives you the opportunity to discover the magnificent surrounding landscape in true style! The Hacienda has horses for every level of expertise and provides you with good quality helmets, half chaps, rain ponchos, and a saddle bag so you can feel at ease while exploring some of the Hacienda’s glorious horse trails.
Become part of the famous creative tradition of Zuleta and try your hand at embroidery with the help of our friendly local experts.
Oswaldo Guayasamín was a talented painter and sculptor who dedicated his life to works of art of Kichwa and Mestizo heritage. In 2002, three years after his death, Guayasamín's masterpiece, La Capilla del Hombre ("The Chapel of Man"), was completed and opened to the public. The Chapel is meant to document not only man's cruelty to one another, but also to inspire the potential for greatness within humanity. It is located in front of Guayasamín's home overlooking Quito.
After being picked up at the airport in Coca, you will be dropped off at the main dock on the Napo River, for a two-hour motorized canoe ride down the river to the La Selva Amazon Ecolodge and Spa, located in the heart of the Ecuadorian Amazon Basin.
Meeting with the guide and the rest of the group, you will begin an excursion on one of the many trails at the lodge. The guides know the rainforest well and can recreate bird calls and draw them in for your viewing.To enhance your experience, you will also be accompanied by a Native guide who is a local from one of the nearby Kichwa communities.
Leaving early in the morning to take advantage of the wildlife activity, set out on the trail with your naturalist and local guides to an observation tower not far from the lodge where you can climb up to 120 ft to observe the forest canopy and a wide variety of birds and medicinal plants. Return for lunch and head out again in the afternoon to observe the flora and fauna living on the edge of the lagoon near La Selva Lodge, including herons, the colorful hoatzin stinkbird, hummingbirds, toucans flying over the lagoon, monkeys reaching for fruits, and perhaps even anacondas. In the evening, enjoy dinner and then embark on a night-time canoe ride with a spot light or an excursion to find the nocturnal creatures of the Amazon.
Take an excursion on the Napo River to view the parrot clay licks, where you can see hundreds of parrots and parakeets gathering to eat the mineral rich soil. Then visit the Mandi Wasi community, to learn more about their culture and way of life, and taste their indigenous cuisine.
After breakfast, drive to Cotopaxi National Park to visit one of the highest active volcanoes in the world, with a height of 5,897 m above sea level. Learn about the unique flora and fauna of the area and the history of the volcano upon arrival, then continue to the Limpiopungo Lake (altitude: 3850 meters), to enjoy a hike through the stunning “paramo”, or grassland, landscape where you can see hummingbirds, wild horses, other widlife, and the imposing Cotopaxi volcano in its full glory.
Enjoy an exclusive and exhilarating helicopter flight over the Cotopaxi National Park. Soar over the Avenue of the Volcanoes for either 30 or 90 minutes, and get a bird's eye view of the snow capped Cotopaxi volcano, standing 5,897 meters above sea level, and the colorful lakes and dense forests in the region.
Leave in the morning to visit the beautiful Quilotoa Crater Lake on top of the extinct Quilotoa volcano, whose name comes from two Kichwa words "Quiru" which means “tooth”, and "Toa" which means queen due to the shape of the lagoon. The mineral-rich waters of the lake are an emerald green, but can vary to bluish green or almost yellow depending on the season. It also has a large quantity of carbon dioxide mixed with hydrogen sulfide and is not suitable for human consumption. Hike down or rent a mule to go down to the lagoon and then back to the top of the crater. On the way back, stop in a little village that is famous for its local paintings and masks, called Tigua. Painting demonstration is included.
Located in an antique house with charming colonial architecture and traditional decor that the city of Cuenca is known for, Los Tiestos Cafe Restaurant is a class of its own. The restaurant provides decadent and authentic menus with Ecuadorian flares and fusions from all regions; leaving you feeling more than satisfied. As a claim to its name, "Tiesto" means clay pot and all the dishes are cooked and served in clay kitchenware.
Spend the day exploring the city of Cuenca including its gorgeous colonial center, the impressive cathedral, the Turi viewpoint, where you get a spectacular view of the entire city, the artisanal Panama hat factory, where you can find hats made from Paja Toquilla palm leaves, the pottery workshop of José Encalada, where you can explore the traditional art of pottery, and finally the Museum of Indigeneous Cultures, which documents the history and culture of Ecuador's indigenous people, dating back 15,000 years.
Hike with a local guide through El Cajas National Park, a bewitchingly beautiful protected area with cloud forests to rocky-lunar landscapes, over 200 lagoons, wild llamas, alpacas deer and fox, and hummingbirds. The park is 4,000 meters above sea level and temperatures can be as low as 12 degrees C (53 F).
Take a yacht to Bartolome Island, where you can see spectacular volcanic landscapes and experience excellent snorkeling. Along the ride en route to Bartolome, you may see dolphins, manta rays jumping in the distance, and even sea turtles. Visit the famous Pinnacle Rock, a tuft cone eroded over time creating an amazing site with the blue waters of Sullivan Bay in the background. It is one of the most photographed visitor sites in the Galapagos Islands. At the site, walk up the steps of the boardwalk to the lookout point for a gorgeous 360 degree view. Afterwards, enjoy a panga ride to get a closer view of the coastline and possible wildlife.
Sombrero Chino is a small island that gets its name from a resemblance to a Chinese Hat when seen from afar. The island is famous for sea lion colonies, marine iguanas, sally-lightfoot crabs, land iguanas, coral heads, and possibly Galapagos penguins. You can also see and learn about the island's geological features like lava tubes and the coral heads found on the lava onshore.
Spend the day on Santa Cruz Island and explore a wide range of attractions, from the Los Gemelos sunken craters and Scalesia forest, to lava tunnels, organic coffee farms, the giant tortoise farm in Rancho Chato II, the spectacular Tortuga Bay and Garrapatero beach, the Charles Darwin Research Center, and Puerto Ayora and its Fish Market. The specific activities for the day will be decided based on weather conditions and tide charts.
Spend the day exploring Santa Fe Island which was formed from an ocean floor uplift, and not a volcanic eruption, therefore giving it a mostly flat shape. There are several colonies of land iguanas on the island. Visitors can also kayak, snorkel and hike to scenic viewpoints. Another attraction is the forest of prickly cactus. After lunch, sail to the nearby Plazas Islands where it is possible to see some of the most interesting and outstanding species of the archipelago including land iguanas, swallow-tailed gulls, and various sea birds like red-billed tropic birds, frigate birds, pelicans and blue-footed boobies. The protected seashore is also a prime habitat for a colony of noisy sea-lions.