Ecuador in Motion: An 8-Day Tailor-Made Andes, Cloud Forest & Amazon Adventure
Explore the beauty of wild Ecuador on an active 8 day private journey that combines adventure, scenic variety and travel between destinations. This unique journey takes you through cloud forest, down a volcano on bikes on one of Ecuador’s most scenic routes, across rivers and through exciting white water rapids, to explore an active volcano, a beautiful waterfall for a swim, a relaxing hot spring and a stunning volcanic pool. Zip line through the jungle, get up close to the 5,900m high snow capped Cotopaxi, go through the waterfalls on an exciting bike route and the clear water rapids of Jatunyacu River. Finish your adventure with some well-deserved relaxation time at the stunning crater lake Cuicocha and the volcanic pools of Papallacta. From here, continue to the incredible Galapagos Islands.
What's included
Itinerary
Upon arrival at Mariscal Sucre International Airport, you will be greeted by a private driver who will transfer you to your hotel in Quito. The transfer will take approximately 45 minutes depending on traffic. Upon arrival at the hotel, you can rest after your long journey or take a stroll in the old town of Quito, a beautiful colonial city with lots of historic buildings, breathtaking views of the surrounding mountains and lively squares and streets. The old town of Quito is a great place to start to get to know the capital of Ecuador.
This is a fantastic 70.8 km activity for you, the adventure traveler, that starts from Quito after breakfast, heading north on the Nono-Mindo route. The road follows a descent from highlands at 3,500 meters above sea level to 1,800 meters at the bottom of the cloud forest in Mindo, crossing through different ecological systems along the way. The start is on the highlands, close to the Guagua Pichincha Volcano and then there are numerous landscapes, fantastic views of the Andes, a huge variety of birds and lots of fresh mountain air.
Canopy morning! You’re exploring the Mindo cloud forest from the canopy of the trees this morning.You’ll be zipping through the trees on a canopy tour of the forest, see birds and more wildlife up close. After working off all that breakfast energy on the zips you’ll return to land and follow a trail down to a river where you can have a great swim. Later in the day continue by land to Cotopaxi where you’ll switch from the humid rainforest to the highlands of Ecuador, the dramatic open space of a volcanic area.
Today, you hike from Banos after breakfast in Cotopaxi National Park around the foot of Ruminahui Volcano on a stunning scenic trail around the beautiful Limpiopungo Lagoon. The trail offers breathtaking views of the world’s highest active volcano, Cotopaxi, one of the most iconic natural sights of Ecuador. After returning to Banos in the afternoon, the rest of the day is at leisure to enjoy a cocktail, to try local food or to take a salsa course.
Banos to Misahualli on bikes today. You are following the famous Waterfall Route which is a challenging ride through the gorges of the Sangay and Llanganates National Parks. Moreover, continue to follow winding roads with very steep green hills on either side and numerous waterfalls along the way. Our final destination for the waterfalls is the last one on the route, the huge Pailon del Diablo, (the Devil’s Cauldron) one of the most powerful waterfalls in Ecuador. After seeing the falls off we return to Misahualli by road and then you can spend the rest of the day relaxing at your hotel in the heart of the Amazonian jungle.
You set off early in the morning after breakfast to Jatunyacu River, which is just in front of the hotel. This day promises to be one of the best days of our trip. After an initial briefing and check of the rafting equipment with your river guides, you will start your thrilling white water rafting trip down the river through crystal clear waters. You will follow the river down through the Amazonian jungle and through canyons. Your guides will give you the opportunity to take a break and to appreciate the surrounding rainforest. In the middle of the day, your guides will set up a picnic lunch on the riverbank. In the afternoon, you will retrace your steps up to the highlands. The town of Papallacta, which is located in the midst of volcanic peaks, will be your destination for the night. Here you can relax and recover from the exertions of the day in the natural hot springs.
After breakfast you’ll be traveling to the Cotacachi-Cayapas Ecological Reserve. In this park you visit the impressive crater lake Cuicocha. This lake is located in a stunning volcanic landscape with breathtaking views. From the rim of the crater you walk through a lush highland rainforest, rich in flowers, birds and wildlife. Later on, take a boat to cross the lake to the very center. Here you find a spot with geothermal activity and many bubbles in the water. After this fantastic activity, go back to your hotel for some well-deserved rest and relaxation in the evening, ending our adventure travel in style.
Enjoy breakfast and return to Quito, either for your international flight home or for the next chapter of your Ecuador adventure. Your local team will coordinate the transfer details, whether you are heading onward to the Galapagos or closing the trip with unforgettable memories.
