Cotopaxi & The Devil’s Nose

This is a Private Tour

16 Days From £3,117 pp / $4,146 pp

A journey through Ecuador’s most impressive and intriguing regions including the misty cloud forests, the UNESCO World Heritage city of Quito, the spectacular Avenue of Volcanoes including the pretty town of Cuenca, the buzzing indigenous market of Otavalo and the mighty Amazon jungle.

Tour Includes

Domestic flights, accommodation, activities, some meals, full ATOL financial protection

Tour Excludes

International flights, travel insurance, some meals

Highlights

Bird watch in the misty slopes of the cloud forest

Barter with locals at the famous indigenous market of Otavalo

Meet the local Amazon communities at the Napo Wildlife Lodge

To book this tour or start creating your own tailor made itinerary call us on: 0207 407 1478 (UK) or contact us.

The Trip

Day 1: Quito – Arrive in Quito / Patio Andaluz
Day 2: Quito – City tour of Quito / Patio Andaluz
Day 3: Cloud Forest – Afternoon hike in cloud forest / Bellavista Lodge
Day 4: Cloud Forest – Trekking and bird watching / Bellavista Lodge
Day 5: Otavalo – Explore the market of Otavalo / Hacienda Cusin
Day 6: Otavalo – Free day to explore / Hacienda Cusin
Day 7: Quito – Transfer back to Quito / Patio Andaluz
Day 8: Cotopaxi – Visit Cotopaxi National Park / Hacienda Abraspungo
Day 9: Cuenca – Devil’s Nose Train, Ingapirca and Cuenca / Santa Lucia
Day 10: Cuenca – City tour of Cuenca / Santa Lucia
Day 11: Quito – Fly back to Quito / Patio Andaluz
Day 12: Amazon – Fly to Coca / Napo Wildlife Centre
Day 13: Amazon – Activities in the Amazon / Napo Wildlife Centre
Day 14: Amazon – Activities in the Amazon / Napo Wildlife Centre
Day 15: Quito – Fly back to Quito / Patio Andaluz
Day 16: Quito – Transfer to airport for onward flight home

 

Queen of the Andes

Arrive in the mountainous capital of Quito to stay at Patio Andaluz, conveniently located in the heart of the old town.

Our guide will show you around the Spanish colonial centre, which is a cultural UNESCO World Heritage site. Here you will see gold-laden churches, vibrant streets and fascinating local people. Take some time to relax with a coffee in one of the sunny plazas and people watch.

Paradise for birders

The Cloud Forest is just two hours drive along the misty western slopes of the Andes. These densely forested hills are a bird-watchers paradise with colourful hummingbirds, tanagers, and toucans.

The trees are festooned with orchids and bromeliads, which hide whole mini-ecosystems of life. You will spend a couple of nights in the Bellavista Cloud Forest Lodge which has amazing panoramic views.

Our expert guides are on hand to show you the hidden wonders of the forest, such as the spectacular plate-billed mountain toucan. Crack-of-dawn hikes are de rigour to spot rarities like the beautiful jay.

Bartering at the markets

Zig-zagging across the Equator, through the Andes, takes you to Otavalo, a market town in the shadows of volcanoes Imbabura and Cotacachi.

At the market you can bargain for handicrafts and fine weavings, you will meet the indigenous people of the Andes, the dignified Quechua Indians.

You will also have a free day to explore volcanic craters, the beautiful lake Cuicocha, or perhaps biking or horse-riding into the countryside.

You will stay at the charming Hacienda Cusin, a country inn with delightful gardens owned by a local family.

Avenue of volcanoes

Heading south you will explore Cotopaxi national park, and glimpse the snow-capped peak of this majestic volcano and keep an eye out of the wildlife: Andean gulls, lapwings, coots, pintails, wild horses and deer.

Continue on to Riobamba, a night is spent at Hacienda Abraspungo. Early the next morning you take the exhilarating train ride through the Devil’s Nose switchback, then on to Cuenca with a stop at Ingapirca, an Inca fortress.

You will have a day to enjoy Cuenca, Ecuador’s cultural city, staying at the charming Santa Lucia Hotel.

Pristine amazon

A short plane ride takes you to Coca in Ecuador’s Amazon. Escape the hectic pace of life on a motorized dugout and head down the Napo River. You will relax as the pristine green forest backdrop passes by. Herons fish on the banks and flocks of parakeets fly overhead. After landing on the bank the forest opens to reveal an enchanting lake with Napo Wildlife Centre on the far side.

The next few days are spent with our naturalist and local native guides exploring the rainforest. You will climb up to a canopy walkway to watch for sloths, eagles on the hunt or watch swallows as the sun sets.

Alternatively snooze in your hammock on a private porch, watch beautiful blue butterflies flit about or swap stories in the bar. For the adventurous take a night hike and look out for tapirs, armadillos and monkeys or paddle a dug-out in the moonlight and enjoy the firefly show.

Map

INSPIRED? EACH JOURNEY WE CREATE IS UNIQUE AND DESIGNED ENTIRELY AROUND YOU. FILL OUT YOUR DETAILS HERE TO GET STARTED...


"Thank you for all your help and care in arranging this most memorable adventure for us"

J Black

"The trip exceeded all our expectactions we've travelled to many countries over the years"

A Tennant

"The guides were very knowledgeable and very good company"

N. Pickering

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