A Taste of Ecuador

A great value short tour for solo travellers and those combining a short visit to the mainland with a Galapagos cruise.

from £575

Customer rating 100%

Outline

'A Taste of Ecuador'

What makes this trip special?

Craft traditions, indigenous communities & beautiful scenery

Otavalo

A small market town deep in the Andes, one of Otavalo's main attractions is its Saturday market, widely reckoned to be the best for textiles and traditional handicrafts in all of South America.

A tale of two cities

Quito

Ecuador's capital city is distinctly divided into 2 main parts, the cobbled streets and colonial buildings of the old town and the highrises and trendy cafes of the new town. Both are worth exploring.

The middle of the world

The Equator

Quito sits directly on the Equator line. A sturdy monument marks the location, whilst the Inti-Nan museum next door provides some humour with spiralling water and balancing eggs on a nail.

Avenue of the Volcanoes

Cotopaxi NP & Avenue of the Volcanoes

With over 50 volcanic peaks, the Avenue of the Volcanoes makes a stunning drive down from Quito. Cotopaxi, one of the highest active volcanoes in the world and its National Park is a good spot for walking.

Itinerary

  • Day      Overnight
  • 1 Quito
  • 2 Quito
  • 3 Equator Monument
  • 3 Quito
  • 4 Quito
  • 5 Quito
  • For the detail of each day click the ‘Day-by-day’ tab above.

Day-by-day itinerary for 'A Taste of Ecuador'

DAY 1

Quito

You will be met on arrival at Quito airport and transferred to a 3* hotel well located in the Mariscal section of town. This will be your base for all five nights.

DAY 2
BL

Otavalo Market

An early start to join a shared full day tour. You are driven through the countryside to Otavalo. You will have plenty of time to enjoy the lively and colourful markets, with a wide choice of textiles, handicrafts and jewellery. Look out for locals dressed in blue ponchos, white trousers and long plaited hair. Lunch is included either at a restaurant beside San Pablo lake or a local hacienda.

DAY 3
B

Quito

A guided city tour of the historic quarter of Quito is arranged for you today. The shared tour includes a visit to the Parliament building, St Augustine Convent, Independence Plaza bordered by the Cathedral, Presidential Palace, Municipal Building and the Archbishop’s Palace and a visit to the Church of San Francisco which has the painting of the winged Virgin of Quito at its main altar. You are then driven out of the city to visit the Equator monument. The afternoon is free in Quito, perhaps to visit museums or, if the weather is fine, to ride the cable car to the top of Pichincha.

DAY 4
BL

Cotopaxi National Park

Today you will be taken on a daytrip to visit the Cotopaxi volcano (shared with others). Departing from Quito, you will travel south along the Pan-Americana highway. Visit the Thursday Sasquisilí Indian Market, one of the largest in the highlands, it fills seven plazas, each specialising in different merchandise. You will then be taken to visit the active Cotopaxi volcano (approximately 5.897m) and make a stop at Limpiopungo lake. Depending on weather conditions and if you are responding well to the altitude you might walk (slowly) the short distance to the mountain refuge at 4,800m, and maybe a little further to touch the lowest tongues of the glacier’s blue-white ice. Many prefer to stay behind enjoying stunning views. You will also be taken to visit a classic hacienda (ranch) of the region where you have lunch before returning to Quito.

DAY 5
B

This morning you are collected from your hotel and driven to Quito airport for your onward connection: perhaps a flight to the jungle, to the Galápagos or home. Excursions are shared with other participants who may be of any nationality.

Guide prices for 'A Taste of Ecuador'

options based on all year low season mid season high season peak season other season
Shared excursions (starts any Wed) 2 people sharing £575
Private excursions 2 people sharing £840
Prices are per person and include:
  • all travel in Ecuador
  • all accommodation
  • meals as indicated B=breakfast, L=lunch, D=dinner
Prices do not include:
  • international flights
  • travel insurance
  • airport and departure taxes
  • items of a personal nature such as drinks, tips, laundry, etc
  • any optional excursions you may buy locally

Customer reviews for 'A Taste of Ecuador'

Recent reviews are shown here from holidays based on this initial design. In each case the itinerary may have been modified (a little or a lot) to suit the individual traveller.

Average customer rating 100%

Galapagos, train journey to and visiting Machu Picchu, Quito and Cusco.

Galapagos because I saw wildlife

Wouldn't change a thing. Brilliant!

Seasonal information for 'A Taste of Ecuador'

Along this route in January

Day Location Max °C Monthly rainfall
1 Quito 15°C 117mm
2 Quito 15°C 117mm
3 Equator Monument 21°C 89mm
3 Quito 15°C 117mm
4 Quito 15°C 117mm
5 Quito 15°C 117mm

Typical weather for January

Max °C figures are the average daily maximum temperatures for the month. Rainfall is the average precipitation for the month.

Hotels for 'A Taste of Ecuador'

Days 1 - 3

Swissotel, Quito

Average rating 4.5 (2 ratings)