Andes to the Coast

Day 1: Quito
Arrival in Quito and transfer to your hotel - a boutique property or luxury hotel.

Day 2: Quito
City tour of the colonial highlights in Quito, including the main plaza, Panecillo, and, if time, a visit to the Equator Monument. Overnight Quito.

Day 3: Highlands
Drive with your private guide to Antisana Ecological Reserve. Antisana is privately owned and regulated, with the goal of preserving native flora and fauna. It lies in the foothills of the 5,705m Antisana Volcano. Once within the Reserve, you will hike to Pita Waterfall. After your hike, relax with a picnic lunch. Then, continue your drive to San Agustín de Callo, a hacienda whose walls are partially constructed from an Inca temple. Overnight San Agustín.

Day 4: Baños
This morning your guide will take you horseback riding around San Agustín de Callo’s extensive property, where you will be surrounded by the spectacular Andes Mountains. Lunch at the hacienda, and then continue on to Hacienda Manteles, on the fringe of the Cloud Forest. Overnight Baños.

Day 5: Riobamba
Today you will visit the small town of Baños, where you will hike to some of the area’s famous waterfalls. Baños is also known for its handicrafts workshops. Then, you’ll have the option of visiting the local zoo, built on the slope of Tungurahua Colvano, with animals like eagles, jaguars, capybaras, spectacled bears and lots of monkeys. In the afternoon drive to Riobamba, one of the liveliest cities in Ecuador’s Central Highlands. It has plenty of colonial charm with its cobbled streets, pastel buildings and stately squares. Overnight Riobamba.

Day 6: Cuenca
If you will be doing the Devils Nose train, you’re going to have an early morning when you depart Riobamba. The train passes through every climate zone, beginning in the cool highlands, passing through the cloud forest and ending in the hot coastal jungle. The train descends caboose first and goes along a series of switchbacks with thrilling twists and turns, offering spectacular views of Chimurazo and an exciting descent down the 45-degree
gradient of the Devil’s Nose. Lunch and in the afternoon make a short visit to Ingapirca Inca ruins before continuing on to Cuenca. Overnight Cuenca.

Day 7: Cuenca
Your private gude will take you on a full day visit to Cuenca and the surrounding areas, with lunch at a local restaurant. Cuenca is a beautiful, tranquil city with cobbled streets, ironwork balconies and red-tiled roofs, dozens of fascinating churches and museums, and excellent art galleries. Don’t miss the produce market, a weekly social occasion of buying, selling and gossiping, and look for high quality souvenirs here, where they sell Panama hats, leather jackets, embroideries, gold jewelry and ceramics. Option : Fly back to Quito from Cuenca to continue on to Galapagos. Overnight Cuenca.

Day 8: Guayaquil
You’ll leave Cuenca in the morning and stop for a short hike at El Cajas Lakes. Then, after a picnic lunch, you’ll drive down from the Andes to the coastal city of Guayaquil. This drive is abosolutely stunning and it is the best way to see the entire climatic and geographic bio dioversity of Ecuador.Overnight before your morning flight to the Galapagos Islands.

Continue on to the Galapagos or the Amazon.