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About this Tour

Activity Level: Easy
Trip Length: 5 days
Season: Year round
Activities: Sightseeing, Culture, Hiking, Nature, Wildlife, Gastronomy
Minimum Age: 5 years old
Private Tours: Available for any date of your preference
Begins/Ends: Quito, Ecuador / Quito, Ecuador
Nearest Airports: Mariscal Sucre, Quito, Ecuador (UIO)
Note: All transfers and all activities are done with your own private English speaking tour guide

STARTING AT

1.240 USD

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Ecuador Andean Highlights Tour

The secrets of the Ecuadorian Andes are unveiled on this 5-day Ecuador Highlands Tour. You'll have opportunities to see the high paramo and the transition cloudforests as you immerse yourself in Ecuador's natural wonders and stunning biodiversity. On this custom Ecuador tour, visit impressive waterfalls, walk into a world of butterflies & birds, and experience chocolate making in the tranquil town of Mindo. You'll also stop by the renowned Cuicocha Crater Lake, the world-famous indigenous market of Otavalo, and Cotopaxi National Park and Volcano, among other highlights of the Ecuadorian Andes.

Inclusions & Exclusions

Included

Transportation: Private and comfortable land transportation, motorized boat

Accommodation based on double occupancy: cloud forest lodge in Mindo, hacienda in Otavalo, luxury spa resort in Papallacta

Meals: As listed in itinerary

Activities: Equator Line museum tour, Hiking to waterfalls in the cloud forest, Visit Butterfly farm and chocolate factory, Organic fair-trade coffee tasting in Intag Valley, Visit Otavalo indigenous market, Organic lunch cooking with local people, Hike and boat ride at Cuicocha crater lake, Volcanic hot springs, Visit Cotopaxi National Park & more

Trip Leader: Certified expert English-speaking adventure trip leader on every day of the tour and local guides

Not Included

Airport transfers (international flights)

Meals not described in the itinerary

Personal Expenses

Tips

Tour Dates

This tour is available to start on any day throughout the year

This tour is 100% private and we can customize any aspect of it

This tour includes a private English speaking guide for all transfers as well as for all activities, this way you will make the most out of your time and enjoy each site and each ride without missing out on important stops and/or important information along the tour.

Ecuador Andean Highlights Tour

DAY 1: MINDO CLOUDFOREST AND THE EQUATOR

On the first day of our adventure, we drive north of Quito to the Equator monument complex. The visit to the middle of the world is mandatory for travelers that come to Ecuador, this is the place where you will be able to stand on both sides of the hemispheres, north, and south at the same time and feel the neutral forces of the equator. On our way, we will also stop for a view of the Pululahua crater, the third biggest inhabited volcano crater in the world, home to more than 400 local people.

Later on this day of our Andean highlights trip, we will reach the little town of Mindo, nestled into the cloud forest. This area is perfect for a nice introduction to the diversity of Ecuador.

In the afternoon we will visit a chocolate factory, where you will have the chance to follow the process of the cacao, from harvesting the seeds to the final product, like a delicious brownie or a cup of real hot cocoa.

Accommodation: First class Hotel in Mindo

Meals Included: Lunch

DAY 2: HIKE TO THE SEVEN WATERFALLS OF MINDO

Our Ecuadorian adventure starts in the morning with a trip in the pristine cloud forest, crossing cable cars and hiking along waterfalls, surrounded by a lush green area filled with toucans and colorful birds.

In the afternoon, you will have some free time to enjoy the several optional activities offered in this area. You can go whitewater rafting, "tubing" (with several large inner-tubes tied together), or try canopy zip-line (sailing along one of 13 zip-lines over the beautiful canopy of the cloud forest). One of the highlights of today is the visit to the butterfly farm, here you can dip your fingers into a banana concoction and then be thrilled as butterflies the size of birds land on your hands for a snack.

Accommodation: First class Hotel in Mindo

Meals Included: Breakfast

DAY 3: COFFEE VALLEY INTAG AND CUICOCHA LAKE

Our third day part of or Andes Highlights trip starts with a unique scenic drive through the deep cloud forest of the Cotacachi-Cayapas ecological reserve, here we will enjoy breath-taking views of the Intag valley. We will visit a fair-trade coffee plantation and taste the exquisite organic coffee produced in the area.

Later on, we drive back up to the highlands and reach the Cuicocha crater lake, where we will admire the crystalline-clear waters of this active volcano and the amazing surrounding landscapes. At the end of a short hike, we will take a boat ride to the center of the crater to observe the activity of this volcano watching bubbles coming up from the center of the caldera.

Accommodation: Hacienda Pinsaqui or similar

Meals Included: Breakfast

DAY 4: INDIGENOUS MARKET AND LUNCH WITH LOCAL PEOPLE

Today we will visit the world-famous indigenous town of Otavalo, where you will explore the handicraft market, with its wonderful textiles, native paintings, ceramics, jewelry, tapestries and more at bargain prices.

Later, we will be transferred to San Clemente, a small village located in the heart of the Ecuadorian Andes, where you will live an unforgettable cultural experience. You will help the local people prepare a delicious lunch using the fresh products harvested the same day from the surrounding organic fields and share with them precious moments of conviviality.

In the late afternoon, we will head to the hot-springs resort of Papallacta, where you will have the chance to relax and enjoy the facilities surrounded by the view of the majestic Andean mountains.

Accommodation: Termas de Papallacta Spa Resort

Meals: Breakfast and Lunch

DAY 5: PAPALLACTA HOT SPRINGS AND COTOPAXI VOLCANO

After breakfast and the last dip in the open-air hot springs, we will start our last day on our Andes adventure tour with a drive south towards the highest active volcano in the world, Cotopaxi. The snow-capped volcano is surrounded by its National Park.

We begin our visit at the interpretation center at the entrance of the park, before continuing our drive across the paramo to the Limpiopungo Lake. During a short walk around the lake we can observe a variety of birds and enjoy the stunning views of the almost symmetrical cone of the Cotopaxi, it is also possible to hike to the snow line refuge of the volcano. We will then make our way back to the city of Quito where this tour will finish.

Meals Included: Breakfast and Box lunch