The Magic of The Highlands

offered by supplier M18719 (read about supplier)

Key Information:
Tour Duration: 11 - 12 day(s)
Group Size: 2 - 9 people
Destination(s): Ecuador
Specialty Categories: Crafts Tours
Season: January - December
Airfare Included: No
Tour Customizable: No
Minimum Per Person Price: 1350 US Dollar (USD)
Maximum Per Person Price: 1950 US Dollar (USD)

Tour Itinerary:

Day 1: Arrival y transfer to hotel of your choice.

Day 2: Colonial Quito tour, plus Middle of the World Monument, Museum and typical lunch. Welcome dinner. Hotel.

Day 3: Otavalo tour, stopping at the villages of Calderon where bread-dough figurines are made (handicrafts), subtropical valley of Guayllabamba, arriving to Otavalo market with some time to visit it. Lunch. Hosteria (country inn).

Day 4: Otavalo, Cuicocha Lake, village of Peguche and its weavings, then to Cotacachi (leather goods). Lunch and dinner. Hosteria.

Day 5: Otavalo, return to Quito, if possible visit to the Pyramids of Cochasqui (which date back to 900 A.D.). Lunch. Hotel.

Day 6: Morning at your leisure. After lunch, we head to the Avenue of the Volcanoes, visiting Cotopaxi National Park. Overnight at Hosteria La Estacion. Dinner.

Day 7: Depending on the day, well visit an Indian market, continuing to Banos, famous for its landscape and thermal springs. Lunch. Overnight at local hotel. Dinner.

Day 8: Before heading to Riobamba, well take a short walk in Banos area. Then, if possible well admire the Upper Amazon and get to the town of Puyo (900 mts above sea level). Lunch. On to Riobamba. Riobamba city tour, its museum, town of Guano (rugs). Overnight and dinner at hosteria.

Day 9: Early departure next day. If possible, train ride from Alausi to Chanchan, famous for its Devils Nose switchbacks. Pic-nic lunch. In the afternoon well get to the Inca ruins of Ingapirca. Cuenca. Dinner at hotel.

Day 10: Cuenca. City tour of this charming colonial city, including the new Cathedral and the Flower market. Lunch. Visit to a straw-hat factory, misnamed Panama hats. Hotel.

Day 11: Tour of the nearby valleys of Gualaceo and Chordeleg very well known for their crafts and landscapes. Another option is to take the morning flight to Quito so you can continue your tour to either the Galapagos Islands or the Amazon rainforest the following day, or drive down to Guayaquil and appreciate the changes from the andes vegetation to a tropical one.

Day 12: In case youre doing the Gualaceo and Chordeleg tour, return to Quito. Otherwise, short Guayaquil city tour before taking the flight to Galapagos.

Notes:
Airfare is not included in the tour price.

Price Includes:
- Accommodation in double rooms with private bathroom.
- All meals mentioned in the program.
- Visits led by bilingual guide.
- Transfer to and from airport in Quito, Cuenca or Guayaquil (4 transfers).
- Entrance fees to National parks, archaeological sites, museums, cloisters, and churches.
- Luggage handling.
- Private transportation.
- Hotel services and charges.

Price Excludes:
- Alcoholic beverages.
- Tips.
- Personal expenses.
- Air tickets.

Supplier Information

Photos: Next »

Location: Ecuador
Joined InfoHub: Oct 2008
Client Request Served: 5

We are a company that was established 6 years ago which specializes in dealing with people and crafts. Although we arrange all types of tours, this is what makes us different: we prefer to work with small groups. The founder has been in the tourism business for 13 years and, being a professional guide, knows by...

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