DAY 1

Overnight at Dann Carlton Hotel
Meals included: None

Arrival in Quito, transfer to hotel, overnight.

DAY 2

Overnight at Dann Carlton Hotel
Meals included: Breakfast, lunch

Breakfast at the hotel. During this action-packed day we will ascend by car to the foothills of the Pichincha Volcano.

From this point we will bike on an old secondary dirt road while cruising past landscapes of colorful mountains, farms and local homes. You will get to witness real Ecuadorian life as much of the time there are cowboys and farmers working alongside the road as well as cows leisurely grazing.

After a two-hour ride we will descend into the cloud forest, where the warm air streams of the Pacific meet with the cold winds of the high Andes creating a hugely bio diverse area. The bike ride will take about four hours total.

We will have a relaxing lunch along the riverside before taking a stroll through the local humming bird sanctuary. Great chances to find hidden waterfalls to refresh ourselves before returning to Quito.

DAY 3

Overnight at Cuello de Luna Mountain Lodge
Meals included: Breakfast, lunch

Breakfast at the hotel. In the morning we will travel to the nearby Ilinizas ecological reserve. This area is known for local art, if the group´s will, some time to visit some of the painting and handicraft galleries of the local people.

At Quilotoa there is the option to enter into the crater hiking to take in the stunning views and infinite masterpiece of turquoises and blues. Later, we take an epic MTB ride around the rim of the magnificent crate lake. The first part of the ride is a single track that gives you 360 views of the reserve before descending on a narrow dirt road.

Ending our day, we will have a picnic in the scenic and hilly town of San Pedro Guayama before driving back to our accommodation.

DAY 4

Overnight at Luxor Hotel Borja
Meals included: Breakfast, lunch

Breakfast at the lodge. Our ride on this day will take place in Cotopaxi National Park named after one of the highest active volcanoes on earth, which at nineteen thousand feet, is the most beautiful volcano in Ecuador. We will bike next to the volcano’s base, on dirt roads and single tracks surrounded by an other-worldly landscape dotted by rocks strew about by the volcano during its last major eruption.

For lunch we will picnic within views of Incan ruins and then depending on how the group feels will continue on biking around for a couple of hours longer.

At the end of this day´s adventure, we prepare for a 3-hour drive to our next accommodation, nestled in a charming village within the warm climate of the Amazon basin, Borja. This serene retreat offers pool and spa facilities for a relaxing stay.

DAY 5

Overnight at Huasquila Amazon Lodge
Meals included: Breakfast, lunch

Breakfast at the hotel. We drive for a few minutes until the point where we start this day´s rafting adventure.

Rafting on the Quijos River is a challenging adventure, this river with crystal clear water is very famous in Ecuador, this is where the world rafting championship was held in 2015.  You’ll be grateful that there are some easier rapids to warm up before we hit the big technical rapids in the upper canyons of the river.

During the trip we will stop at the riverside for a snack and then wait at the takeaway with a delicious picnic lunch including fresh tropical fruits and served with soft drinks, juice and water. And of course, we celebrated a fun day on the river with an ice-cold beer.

Later, we continue our journey by driving into the Ecuadorian Amazon until we hit our next accommodation located near Cotundo village.

DAY 6

Overnight at Pimpilala Homestay
Meals included: Breakfast, lunch and dinner

Breakfast at the lodge. On this day we aim to raft the Jondachi river.

The rafting trip on the beautiful Jondachi and Hollín rivers is a perfect experience all year round as the river current flows continuously without major obstacles. Furthermore, the climate in the area is always perfect, as is the water temperature.

We will drive for few minutes from the lodge until the point where we will start hiking through the jungle for about 40 minutes until we reach the river, visit the Grand Canyon (a natural crevice to swim and contemplate) and enjoy a delicious lunch on the banks of the Hollín River. Our driver will pick us up to take us to the next accommodation located in the heart of an Amazon Forest. A great homestay surrounded by nature where we will have a traditional lunch.

In the afternoon we go explore on foot one of multiple spectacular canyons in the area. Later after our exploration, we have a treat in store! We will head to the bonfire to teach you how to make chocolate fondue. Cacao is an important commodity export for the country, which produces some of the finest chocolate in the world, the sweetest way to end the day!

DAY 7

Overnight at Selina Tena Lodge
Meals included: Breakfast, lunch

Breakfast at the hotel. Day seven brings us to another day of rafting expedition.

We will drive few minutes from our hotel to starting point. Once we are instructed and tried the equipment, we paddle down the Jatunyacu River. This river is a class lll sourcing from the Llanganates Mountains. Legend says there is a hidden Incan treasure in this area and although many explorers venture in trying to find it, it has yet to have been found.

A yummy picnic will be served on the river’s bank and then we will drive for one hour to the lodge for some down time at the pool and then have a delicious dinner! Continue adventuring into the night in search for amphibians and insects.

DAY 8

Overnight at Shaman´s property
Meals included: Breakfast

Breakfast at the homestay. We get on our private transportation towards Tena and then continue to Arosemena Tola village. At certain point of the road, we will deviate to find the Shaman´s property and we get prepared for ceremony.

DAY 9

Overnight at Dann Carlton Hotel
Meals included: Breakfast
Papallacta Thermal Springs entrance fee: $9,5 (public) or $23 (Thermal Spa)

Today is to relax and recover. In the morning we´ll get ready to embark on our drive back to Quito. We’ll find an excellent place for breakfast and continue our journey.

After a scenic drive we will arrive at Papallacta, a natural SPA hidden in the mountains. At the hot springs you can take a refreshing dip into varying pools of hot and cold volcanic waters, and reinvigorate your body, mind, and soul.

There are also optional services offered at the facility such as massages and facials. You may consider lunch at the spa´s restaurant. Later we continue driving back to Quito.
An optional dinner with the group to say goodbye and share the memories of the trip is upon request.

DAY 10

Meals included: Breakfast

Breakfast at hotel. Transfer to the airport at least 2 hours prior to scheduled departure.