Compare Ecuador & Galapagos Islands by Rothschild Safaris vs Backbone of Ecuador - Andean Adventure by Adventure Unbound
Compare details and see what other travelers are saying.
| Trip |
5 | Excellent
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5 | Excellent
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| Duration | 13 days | 10 days |
| Price From | $ 15,000 | $ 3,850 |
| Price Per Day | $ 1,154 | $ 385 |
| Highlights |
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| Trip Style | Private guided tour | Small group tour |
| Lodging Level | Luxury | Standard |
| Physical Level |
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| Travel Themes |
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| Countries Visited | ||
| Cities and Attractions |
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| Flights & Transport | Ground transport included | Ground transport included |
| Activities |
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| Meals Included |
11 Breakfasts, 8 Lunches and 7 Dinners |
N/A |
| Description |
From history-rich Quito to the vibrant cloud forests of Mashpi Reserve to the remarkable and utterly unique Galápagos Islands, explore the best of what Ecuador has to offer. Visit Otavalo and its world-renowned indigenous markets full of color and life, while staying at one of Ecuador’s top haciendas; stand along the equator when you visit the “Middle of the World;” and relax in hot springs with views of the Andes and rolling hills. This is a trip you will never forget. |
A Cultural Journey Ecuador's Andes Mountains The backbone of Ecuador is the Andean Cordillera: a continuous chain of glaciated peaks and snow-capped volcanoes that stretches four hundred miles from Colombia in the north to Peru in the south, while to the west the mountains give way to jungle which stretches, more or less uninterrupted |
Days 1-2: Quito/ Hotel Casa Gangotena
Welcome to Ecuador! On arrival you will be met and transferred to your hotel. Spend your first two nights in Ecuador in luxury at Hotel Casa Gangotena, situated in the heart of Quito’s Old Town.
Spend your time here getting to know magnificent Quito, visiting the city’s historic district, enjoying this urban jewel and its artistic and architectural treasures. Drive to the Monastery of San Francisco, one of the principal religious monuments of the New World, then visit the exact middle of the planet where the equator crosses the earth at latitude 0° 0’ 0”. Here you will be able to stand with one foot in each hemisphere!
Days 3- 7: Galapagos Islands/ M/V Eclipse
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Your adventure continues as we fly you to the Galápagos Islands to begin your 5-night cruise aboard the M/V Eclipse.
During your cruise your days will be filled with morning and afternoon excursions on different islands where you will can enjoy hiking, snorkeling, kayaking, and wildlife viewing all the while! Explore Cerro Brujo’s gorgeous beach, home to many sea lions and the place where Charles Darwin first stepped foot on the Archipelago; spot land iguanas, flocks of Nazca boobies, swallow-tailed gulls and different types of finches; or visit the inside of a lava tunnel!
Overnight: M/V Eclipse
Day 8: Pappallacta/ Termas Papallacta Spa & Resort
Accommodation: Termas Papallacta Spa & Resort
This morning you will fly back into Quito for your drive to Termas de Papallacta. Here you can relax and refresh yourself, taking in the stunning mountain views while having a soak in the lodge’s hot springs, or enjoy a spa treatment.
Days 9, 10: Mashpi Cloud Forest Reserve/ Mashpi Lodge
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Accommodation: Mashpi Lodge
Continue your journey northwest into the Mashpi Forest Reserve, a 3,200-acre haven for wildlife and biodiversity. Here, you will stay at National Geographic’s Unique Lodge of the World – Mashpi Lodge – a modern architectural marvel of glass where nature takes center stage.
Afternoon activities in the reserve will be organized depending on your group’s size and physical conditions and weather conditions. Activities include visiting the observation tower to experience life in the forest from a height of 90 feet, taking a 200-yard aerial cable ride on the “Sky Bike” through the forest canopy and visiting the San Vicente waterfalls to discover the lush secrets this forest holds. Follow the Howler Monkey Trail, which passes through primary forest, on to the Life Center and Butterfly Pavilion.
Days 11, 12: Otavalo/ Hacienda Zuleta
Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Hacienda Zuleta
It’s time to leave the forest behind as you journey to Ecuador’s Otavalo region. Your first stop is Otavalo Indigenous Market, one of the largest and best-known in South America. After some time perusing the local wares, you will continue on to enjoy lunch at Hacienda Zuleta – an amazing jewel tucked away amid several volcanoes.
A host of optional activities await you here, including easy mountain biking along the hacienda grounds, or a short hike around beautiful “Guinea Pig Lake.” Visit Cotacachi´s Leather Market and a family of weavers who not only have amazing wares but will demonstrate for you how they weave on their traditional back-strap looms and make striking colors from local plants. Around the corner lives a family of musicians, where you will get a feel for authentic Andean music and watch as they craft perfectly-tuned Andean flutes.
Day 13: Your Journey Ends
Today you will be transferred to Quito International Airport for your international flight home.
Day 1: Welcome to Ecuador
Meals: Dinner
Accommodation: Hacienda Rumiloma
Custom Trip Note: Below is our most popular Andean itinerary in Ecuador, however, we can customize this trip at every turn to fit your availability, trip preference, activities, budget, lodging preferences or any other reason. Please call us at 800-451-6034 to customize a trip.
Arrival in Quito, meet & greet at the airport and transfer to your hotel for overnight.
Day 2: Quito and Mitad del Mundo
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Accommodation: Hacienda Rumiloma
A tasty breakfast will be followed by exploration of the busy squares and streets of the biggest historical urban centres in the entire Americas. You will access its key churches including the attractive Cathedral, grandiose ¨La Compañía¨ and archetypal San Fransisco. These are custodians of an amazing heritage of many cultures and ethnicities. Their interiors (pulpits and altars) are largely covered with gold and contain immeasurable collections of sacred art.
The end of your colonial history visit culminates on Panecillo hillside which has incredible views of modern as well as ancient areas of this metropolis which is bound by the undulating Andean hills and eclipsed by the impressive Pichincha Volcano.
Lunch will be served at a superb restaurant within the city after which you will tour the imposing monument which is positioned at 0º 0´ 0´´ latitude thus providing a precious and unique chance to overlap the southern and northern hemispheres. Eventually, the cheerful “Intiñan” museum will host you and give you the opportunity to carry out some stimulating experiments which can only happen on the authentic equatorial line.
Day 3: Otavalo Market
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Accommodation: Hacienda Rumiloma
The hotel will provide breakfast after which you will visit Otavalo Indigenous market. It is renowned for many textiles of various colors. Take your time and look for crafts, arts and souvenirs of different kinds. Later you will tour a dead volcano called San Pablo Lagoon or the Cuicocha Lake which towers over Cotacachi, a town famed for beautiful leatherwork. Your journey back to Quito takes place at night.
Day 4: Quito to Cotapaxi
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Accommodation : Hacienda San Agustin de Callo
This morning will witness you travelling south to Cotopaxi National Park which is found along the Pan-American Highway via the renowned avenue of volcanoes. You will arrive at the gate of the park, drive to Limpiopungo lagoon before proceeding on foot to the shelter of the volcano, where you will get the most stunning view of the gorge. The Inca Hacienda is your next step. You will drive to this facility in the afternoon for both dinner and accommodation for the night.
Day 5: Cotapaxi to Baños
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Accommodation: Luna Runtun
Baños town awaits you after breakfast. This urban centre is renowned for the “Waterfalls Route”, that also includes “Pailón del Diablo” and the chance to trek to the great waterfall and partake of the “tarabita” or cable way. A country bus (¨chiva¨) will be your mode of transport to the city’s view point.
Day 6: Baños, Chimborazo, Riobamba
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Accommodation: Hacienda Abraspungo
On this morning you will tour Baños town to view handicrafts before driving to Riobamba city. Along the way, you have the chance to see a Salasaca community and understand the process they followed in making their famed tapestries.
During the morning, visit Baños town to see handicrafts and then drive to Riobamba city. En route you will have the opportunity to visit a Salasaca community to see how they made the famous tapestries. You will spend the night in the Riobamba area.
Day 7: Devil's Nose Luxury Train
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Accommodation: Mansion Alcazar
Today breakfast will be followed by the journey to the train station at “Alausi”. Here you will begin the journey called ‘Devils’ Nose’ via the mountains. You will find no steeper railroad on the globe than this one which was finalized in 1902. It is a genuine technical work of art! The train will meander down the track and ‘Nariz del Diablo’ stretch or the Devil’s Nose at a hundred meters elevation at a walking speed. You will then take private transport from Alausi to the gorgeous Cuenca city. You will stop over at Ingapirca, which in Quechua means “wall rocks of the Inca”. This is the most significant and best conserved Inca ruins within Ecuador. You have the opportunity to roam around the impressive site and tour the local museum.
Day 8: Cuenca City Tour
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Accommodation: Mansion Alcazar
This morning will find you exploring the imperial city which has craft and art shops, churches and a stunning flower market. You will find all these features in old impressive houses within a neighborhood which in 1999 was designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. Cuenca is regarded as the capital city of Ecuador’s craft and art industry. Moreover, you can purchase embroidery, baskets, ceramics and leather goods in the city or its rural outskirts.
Gualaceo and Chordeleg towns are you destination in the afternoon giving you the chance to see the biggest Ecuadorian Orchid farm. Create time to purchase traditional handiworks before going back to the hotel for the night.
Day 9: Cajas National Park
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Accommodation: Hilton Colon Guayaquil
After breakfast, take a private guided transfer to Guayaquil visiting “El Cajas” National Park, renowned for its lakes, flora and fauna.
Day 10: Departure
Meals: Breakfast
Breakfast included in the hotel, private transfer to the airport of Guayaquil for your return flight or your extension to the Galapagos Islands or somewhere else in Latin America.
