Andes and Amazon Adventure

Feel free to explore Quito on your own today. Your tour starts in the evening with a welcome meeting in the hotel lobby. This is when you’ll meet your tour guide and the rest of your group. You’ll have a chance to ask any questions you might have as you learn all about the adventure that awaits you!

The day will start with a three-hour drive into the Andes along the Avenue of the Volcanoes. You’ll arrive in Quilotoa, where you’ll hike into the crater to discover the gorgeous blue Crater Lake at the bottom. You can choose to rent a kayak and go for a paddle to take in the incredible views, or just relax and soak in the scenery.

Hike back out of the crater, or rent a mule or horse to take you back up to the crater rim. You’ll have lunch at the top and then visit a local artisan market.

Today will be a hike up to the Cotopaxi Glacier. The trail starts at about 4500m above sea level, and you’ll be climbing all the way up to 5200m. Your guides will help you with some tips and tricks to handle the thin air at such high altitudes. The trail is quite steep, so the climb will take about 2 hours. It’s going to be well worth it at the top, though!

In the afternoon, you’ll head to charming Baños de Agua Santa. This town is surrounded by mountain ridges and a waterfall. Besides being very pretty, Baños has great restaurants and nightlife, making it the perfect place to spend the evening.

This morning you’ll be driven to the Llanganates National Park for a bike ride. You’ll only be riding gently uphill for about an hour before the trail starts zipping downwards. Enjoy the fresh mountain air and the spectacular views, including the active Tungurahua Volcano.

After the bike ride, the group will go to the Casa de Arbol, which is famous for its “swing at the end of the world”. Take a swing if you’re feeling brave! Time permitting, there may be an option to do some zip lining as well.

Before driving to the Amazon, you’ll make a stop to see the incredible Pailon del Diablo waterfall. Enjoy the scenic drive into the beautiful Amazon basin.

After a traditional lunch, you’ll go canyoneering in the spectacular canyons. Your day will end with a sweet treat as you learn how to make traditional chocolate fondue from the local cacao.

Today will be a trip highlight as you’ll be rafting down the Jatunyacu River! This river is sourced from the Llanganates Mountains and has Class III rapids. Hold on tight!

After your exciting morning on the river, have a nice lunch and return to the lodge to relax or go for a swim. Tonight you can take a nocturnal stroll to discover all the insects and amphibians who only come out at night.

In the morning we will travel by car for about ten minutes to the nearby forest, there we will visit Templo de Ceremonia, a place known by the local kichwa indigenous people, for being used by their ancestors to do some kind of rituals involving the power of Ayahuasca and their conections with the Pachamama “Mother Earth”, we will enter into a cave where our local guide will tell us more about this special place.
Later we will have a traditional lunch from the area, and then continue driving back to Quito, there will be an optional dinner with the group to say good bye and share the memories of the trip.

Overnight Location: Hotel in Quito (2,850m / 9,350’)

Your tour has come to an end, and it’s time to return home or continue on the next leg of your journey.