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Best Ecuador Holidays for Families and Couples
Best Galapagos Cruises for 2022 and How to Book
September 10, 2021
Traveling to the Galapagos Islands in July
September 14, 2021After a difficult 2020, with the Covid-19 pandemic restricting travel for so long and for so many, we have seen a lot of interest in resuming travel again in 2021. People want to make up for lost time! Ecuador is a great place to travel in 2021 for vacations. For starters it is already open for tourism, but one of the great advantages of this nation is its small and compact size but with so much variety. Ecuador packs a punch for both families and couples with something for everyone. It has jagged Andean mountains, lush Amazon rainforest, mystical cloud forest, sunny beaches and don’t forget the Galapagos Islands of course. Here are some of our best holidays in Ecuador for families and couples:
Ecuador 360 Highlights Tour
This Ecuador 360 Highlights Tour is excellent for allowing you to see a lot of the country in a relatively short space of time (8 days). From colorful indigenous markets to hot springs, cloud forest, jungle, mountains, and Inca ruins this trip really does have it all. One of the wonderful highlights of the tour is the journey down through the so-called Avenue of Volcanoes where you will enjoy snowcapped peaks galore. You can haggle with the locals at Otavalo Market and observe hummingbirds in the cloud forest. Your time in the Amazon includes enjoying a canoe ride and wildlife, and there are giant thundering waterfalls to see around Baños. Look out for the vicunas during your stay near Ecuador’s tallest mountain, the mighty Chimborazo. You can also enjoy the engineering feat that is the Devil’s Nose train ride, visit Ingapirca and photograph colonial beauty in the southern city of Cuenca. This trip is suitable for families and couples.
The Best of Ecuador Tour
The Best of Ecuador Tour runs for 11 days and includes many of the main highlights of this country. You’ll work your way from the coastal city of Guayaquil up to Quito, enjoying the wide variety of ecosystems, culture, and history that you will get to experience along the way. There’s plenty on this trip to keep the whole family engaged. You’ll get to enjoy Guayaquil’s highlights before heading to the southern El Cajas National Park and Cuenca. Heading north you’ll pay a visit to Ecuador’s Inca ruins, Ingapirca before an exciting ride on the Devil’s Nose Train – a feat of engineering that is not to be missed. After a day near the mighty Chimborazo mountain you’ll observe wild waterfalls around the fun town of Banos. Heading further north you’ll get to see Cotopaxi, one of the highest active volcanoes on Earth, and spend some time at the Quilotoa Crater Lake. You’ll finish up with a Quito city tour and some time to kick back in the Papallacta hot springs. This trip is also good for both families and couples.
Insiders’ Choice Tour
The Insiders Choice Tour runs out of and back into Quito and spans 7 days. As you might expect it covers some of the best visitor spots that we think Ecuador has to offer. The trip starts with a Quito city tour to enjoy Ecuador’s colonial heritage, followed by a visit to the Equator. Enjoy rugged scenery at Cotopaxi National Park and at the Quilotoa Crater, and there are also some opportunities for hiking on these visits. At Baños you can take part in exhilarating outdoor activities, or simply relax in a spa, before heading into the jungle at Misahualli. The activities at the jungle lodge give you a chance to enjoy the Amazon and spot wildlife. This tour finishes up at the Papallacta Hot Springs for a good old soak, before drawing to an end back in Quito. Again, both couples and families enjoy this trip.
Ecuador Central Andes Tour
For an Insiders look at the Central Andean region of Ecuador, the Ecuador Central Andes Tour offers an opportunity to see some of the best highlights. This tour runs for 6 days and is especially good for families or couples that like to be active. The trip starts in Quito with a visit to the colonial center before taking a tour of the Equator complex not far from the city. You’ll get to visit Cotopaxi National Park and Quilotoa Crater Lake where there are chances for hiking in some of the most jaw- dropping scenery this country has to offer, before arriving at Baños. Here there are some fantastic outdoor adventure activities to experience, or you can simply chill at a spa. Heading north you’ll get to experience the Otavalo Market, one of the largest indigenous markets in South America, with spectacular scenery to enjoy along the way.
Ecuador Andean Highlights Tour
If you don’t have a lot of time but want to immerse yourself in some of the best that the Ecuadorian Andes has to offer, this Ecuador Andean Highlights Tour is the one for you! The tour kicks off by visiting the Mindo cloud forest, with opportunities to hike within this pristine ecosystem before enjoying outdoor adventures such as zip- lining if this takes your fancy. Following this you’ll visit the Cotacachi-Cayapas ecological reserve and head to the breathtaking Cuicocha Lake. You’ll enjoy an overnight stay at a Hacienda, a visit to the Otavalo Market and a chance to enjoy lunch with a local family. The tour ends with a visit to the Papallacta Hot Springs and the Cotopaxi Volcano. Both families and couples can get a lot out of this compact tour.
Ecuador Honeymoon Package
Designed for couples, why not spend your honeymoon in Ecuador, having the experience of a lifetime? Running over 8 days, the Ecuador Honeymoon Package includes stays at 5-star hotels and the chance to be active and to relax. Time is spent in Quito, Otavalo Market and nearby, Cotopaxi National Park, Quilotoa Crater Lake and Baños, before finishing up at the honeymooner’s dream of Papallacta Hot Springs. Hiking, culture, history, and luxury all abound on this fabulous trip.
Ecuador Multisport Adventure Tour
For families with older children (minimum age 12 years old) or couples who love to be active and adventurous, this 6-day tour is not to be missed. The Ecuador Multisport Tour offers mountains, rainforest, hot springs and crater lakes and a wide range of outdoor pursuits for adrenaline-lovers. You could bike down the slopes of the Cotopaxi Volcano, horseback ride through the Andes, bike from the mountains to the cloud forest, enjoy some exciting rafting and hike the Cuicocha Crater Lake loop. You’ll get to enjoy local culture, haciendas, and hot springs along the way too!
Tour Logistics
We get asked a lot of questions about how the tours mentioned run. All of our tours are 100% private, so you have your private English-speaking guide devoted to you throughout the trip. The guide is with you for the activities but also during the transfers from place to place. On traveling around the country, our guides use small and medium sized SUVs for up to 3 guests, and also mini vans for up to 7 guests. These have air conditioning and plenty of space for luggage, so you can relax and enjoy the world passing by in comfort. When we have larger groups, we use comfortable minibuses or vans. It is also worth noting that your tour can start on any day of the year to suit you, and that all our trips can be completely customized to your likes and needs.
Add-On Trips
All of our trips are completely customizable and can be changed to suit your needs and preferences for your Ecuador vacation. We can also include add-ons such as day trips out from Quito (or around Quito to enjoy its colonial splendor) and longer additions such as a rainforest stay or a Galapagos Islands trip.
Ecuador is the perfect place to visit for both families and couples. At Ecuador and Galapagos Insiders we are Ecuador experts and can tailor your trip to meet your needs. Why not get in touch today and we’ll help you plan your Ecuador vacation?
