Introduction to Ecuador Tour
Part 1

10 Days / 9 nights - 25th April – 4th May / 2009
Quito – Otavalo & Cotacachi – Jungle around Tena & Puyo – Banos – Cuenca

Join Juan Heredia (www.terradiversa.com), John Walker and Dixie Davey (www.retire-in-ecuador.com), expats from Australia now living in Cuenca on this fun-filled introductory tour of Ecuador. 

Ecuador is one of the smallest South American countries and it is by far one of the most privileged in the world. It is home to over 10% of the world’s biodiversity, even though is only has 0.02% of the global land mass. It is divided in four distinct regions that range from:

• the diversity of the Amazonia to
• the wonder of the Andes, to
• the ecological beaches of the pacific coast to
• The enchanted Galapagos Islands (not included this tour).

And of course you cannot miss the cultural wealth.

All this makes Ecuador the perfect place to visit. We invite you to explore these fascinating worlds and have an authentic experience with us on this introductory tour.

In addition to seeing the great sites, we will be providing information on investment in Ecuador and other opportunities like import/export, as well as the simple things like everyday shopping tips. The bus will be a mobile education centre.

Summary of Intinerary

Day 1- Thursday 16th April – arrive in Quito
Day 2- Friday - Cotacachi
Day 3- Saturday - Otavalo
Day 4- Sunday - Quito
Day 5 - Monday – Papallacta
Day 6 - Tuesday – Tena
Day 7 - Wednesday - Hakuna Matata jungle lodge
Day 8 - Thursday – Banos
Day 9 - Friday – Devils Nose Train ride & Ingapirca ruins
Day 10 - Saturday - Cuenca
Day 11- Sunday – Cuenca – Lunch at a Hacienda and meet with expats from Cuenca
Day 12 - Monday  27th – Cuenca – Free Day – End of tour

Great Value at US$120.00 per day per person

ITINERARY IN DETAIL

Day 1 – Thursday April 16th - Arrive in Quito

Arrive in Quito, the capital of Ecuador. Old downtown Quito is one of the first UNESCO world heritage sites.  In May 2008 Quito was also designated as the headquarters of the Union of South American Nations, which is modeled on the European Union. Here you will stay at the Quito Hotel.

Old downtown Quito	Quito hotel reception

Day 2 – Friday April 17th  – Cotacahi, Cuicocha and surrounding areas.

We will meet you in the Quito Hotel lobby at 8.30 a.m. sharp.  Juan, Dixie and John will be waiting to greet you. As we drive out of Quito on our way north to Laguna Cuicocha (the lake province) we will make a short stop at El Danzante handicrafts.  These are artisans of quality marzipan and ceramic products.

Then we go off to the village of Cotacachi which is famous for its “Leather Street” 10 de Agosto.  We will take the time to walk this beautiful street and visit its many leather stores.

In the afternoon and after lunch we will take a look at a new housing development, and also beautiful new condos in Cotacachi. We will be joined by expats Gary and Linda Phillips who will be happy to give us an overview of life in Cotacachi. 

Subject to availability, we will stay the night in Otavalo at the Hostel Done Esther or La Casa Sol.

Day 3 – Saturday April 18th –  Otavalo

We will take another look around Cotacachi before heading off to Otavalo. Otavalo holds the largest Indigenous markets in South America. Although open every day, Saturday is the biggest day of the week with the streets filled with vendors.  There will be all sorts of handicrafts available such as ponchos, scarves, blankets, wall hangings, jewellery, paintings, musical instruments and much much more. You will find some wonderful treasures to take home.

After the market tour, we will proceed to Peguche, an Indian village very near Otavalo that is home to the artisans who do the weaving in their homes. Guests can learn about the local culture and everyday life.

We then return to Quito for the evening and spend the next couple of nights at the Quito Hotel.

Day 4 – Sunday April 19th  –City tour of Quito + Equator monument

Our day will be spent touring Quito.  Being a Sunday we will have plenty of time to explore the city without the hustle and bustle of everyday life. 

We will visit attractions such as The Independence Plaza, The metropolitan Cathedral, the Presidential Palace, the Municipal Building, the Archbishop’s Palace, the Temple of La Compañia de Jesus and its gilded interior, the Monastery of San Francisco - one of the great religious buildings of the New World, among others.

Then we continue to the Equatorial Monument, 25 Km north of Quito, which marks the exact Middle of the World, latitude Oº, where you can stand with a foot on each hemisphere.

Day 5 – Monday April 20th  – Quito – Papallacta Amazonian Region

We leave Quito and drive east over the continental divide of water and then down in the direction to the Amazon region to Papallacta. We stay at Termas de Papallacta SPA Resort which is perched on a high Andean valley at the entrance route to the Ecuadorian Amazon jungle. The spa - resort offers its visitors health, recreation, adventure and rest. Whether relaxing in the thermal baths, indulging in pampering spa treatments, massages or embarking on adventure walks at the Rancho del Cañón (Canyon Ranch) or Cayambe-Coca Ecological Reserve, you are sure to enjoy the Papallacta experience. Excellent accommodation in hotel rooms or luxury cabins is complemented by restaurants which serve a range of culinary delights to tickle your taste buds.

Day 6 – Tuesday April 21st – 2009 - Drive to Tena for jungle experience
We make the steady descent from Papallacta across rattling metal bridges over muddy streams, and eventually reaching Tena (pop. 17,000), the capital of Napo province. This is Ecuador’s self-proclaimed “cinnamon capital”.  Tena is not at all what you might expect from a midsized jungle town—it’s peaceful, orderly, and clean, in a beautiful setting surrounded by forested hills and the edge of the Andes just visible to the west. Red macaws croak from housetops over afternoon volleyball games near the bus terminal.
Tena’s location—a sort of “perfect storm” of steep topography, dazzling jungle scenery, and tons of flowing water—have slowly made it one of Ecuador’s white-water hotspots. It’s a great place to learn to kayak or raft, with warm water and many rivers nearby.

This area is another hot spot for those with some adventure spirit that would like to develop some tourism projects, organic farming or forestry.

Day 7 – Wednesday April 22nd –Jungle exploration

After breakfast we will explore the tropical rainforest of this area and experience life the Quichua way. The native people are formally known as the Amazon Quichua. On arrival you will notice the great amount of medicinal plants and fruit trees as well as small yucca, banana, coffee and cocoa plantations.
 
We then stay at.Hakuna Matata (“which means no worries for the rest of your days” as per the lyrics from The Lion King) which is owned and operated by Dutch expats Rudolf Hoeberigs and Marcellina Braem. Hakuna Matata lies on the shores of the crystal-clear Inchillaqui River, at an altitude between 1968 and 2789 feet, which makes it free of all tropical diseases.

Day 8 – Thursday April 23rd  – the route of the waterfalls & Baños

We continue our journey from Tena and drive to Puyo where we will stop off and visit Flora Sana an Amazonian Herbal Farm owned and operated by founderand French expat, Didier Lacaze.

Then it’s off to Baños.  Along the way you will enjoy the most beautiful tropical forest.  There are many tour attractions in this area.  Zoological park of Fatima, ethno botanic park Omaere, the aquatic park Morete Puyu, Orchid Farm where you can see hundreds of orchid species and other exotic rainforest plants, Ecopark Monte Selva, among others.

In the afternoon we will arrive at Banos.  Here you can enjoy the hot thermal pools and relax after our day of travelling.  We stay at Monte Selva.

Day 9 – Friday April 24th  – Devil’s Nose Train ride + Ingapirca ruins

We take a trip to the train station in Guamote; this train station was built at the beginning of the 19th century and has a neoclassic style.  The Devil’s Nose train ride is a famous portion of the Ecuadorian railway accessible from here, where in order to descend a sheer mountain face, the railway engineers decided to build a zigzag track where the train descends backwards for over 2 Km.

The train station of Alausi is the last stop, from here the trip continues south along the Pan-American Highway, with another stop to visit Ingapirca, the main Inca ruins in the country. 

We then continue to the charming city of Cuenca for a late afternoon arrival. The accommodation will be in one of Cuenca’s old converted homes, either Casa Ordonez or Victoria.

Day 10 – Saturday April 25th  – 2009 - Cuenca, the hidden jewel of the Andes

Cuenca is the third largest city in Ecuador and is a “World Heritage Site”.  Cuenca is a gloriously unspoilt colonial town.  If you look into many of the courtyards you can see houses as they were in the Spanish colonial days.

The city is famous for its Churches, museums, art galleries, colonial architecture and its parks. We will start the day with a city tour and after lunch visit two very interesting museums.  Culturas Aborígenes (archeology and history of Ecuadorian cultures) and  Monasterio de las Conceptas (religious art and history of a cloister from the 1500s). 

Day 11 – Sunday April 26th  – 2009 - Hacienda Totorillas

A half hour drive from Cuenca, we reach Totorillas, a charming farm in an amazing natural spot, located in the area known as the mountains of Tarqui. Here we will spend an enjoyable fun countryside day, walking around the farm trails and witnessing the daily life in a local farm, where owners raise guinea pigs, produce farm eggs and milk, besides growing some local crops like corn, potatoes among others. Horse riding tours are the specialty of this farm. Enjoy a wonderful barbecue lunch and enjoy speaking with other expats from Cuenca who will also be our special guests.

Day 12 – Monday April 27th  Free day in Cuenca- End of Tour

Today you are free to experience Cuenca for yourselves.  We will be around should you require help in looking at real estate or any other areas of interest.

You tour ends today and we hope that you have enjoyed travelling with us.  Should you wish to extend your stay in Cuenca please let us know and we can help arrange it for you.

Also if you wish to look at any properties in Cuenca today let us know.

Remember you must also arrange for your return to Quito or Guayaquil and flights back home.

Again we hope you have enjoyed your tour with us and we welcome your feedback.

Summary of Tour Details

Inclusive in this trip:

• All accommodation as mentioned at superior hotels and hosterias (double basis)
• All breakfasts, and mostly all lunches (except on free days)
• Private bus transport (minimum of 12 maximum of 20 passengers)
• Bilingual guide
• Entrance fees to Visitor sites.

Tour does not include:

• Flights into and out of Ecuador
• Evening meals are at your own expense (this is your free time to “escape” from the group or have early nights if you want to).
• Alcoholic and other beverages
• Spa, massage or any other treatments at Papallacta & Madre Tierra
• Accommodation for 19th of February in Guayaquil

Price:

$120 per day per person for double/twin share room (Total US$2280.00)
A 20% surcharge will be added to those wishing to have a single room.

Contacts:

Dixie Davey:
Email: dixie.davey@becomingyounger.com
Cell: +593 9 852 8472
Skype: “dixie_cea”

Juan Heredia
Email: juan@terradiversa.com
Office: 593 7 282 3782
Cell:  +593 9 816 2620
Skype: “terradiversa1”

See others offers:

Introduction to Ecuador Part 2
Active Galapagos 7 days
Southern Haciendas