Discovering the Equatorial Biodiversity

Welcome to Ecuador!
Upon your arrival you will be greeted at the airport and provided a transfer to your hotel accommodations. Enjoy your first night in Ecuador!

Your guide will pick you up at your hotel to begin traveling to Mindo. You will be surprised at how colorful Mindo is. We will visit hidden waterfalls in the cloudforest and afterwards visit a butterfly house with hundreds of native butterfly species. In the live exhibition experience feeding as they flutter around you. Another site visited during the tour is Quetzal. You can learn about the interesting process of how chocolate is made from a cacao bean to a delicious treat.

Meals included:

As one of the highest and still active snow-capped volcanoes in the world, Cotopaxi’s symmetric cone of 5,897 meters rises up from a vast plan, home to llamas, condores, and herds of wild horses. The Cotopaxi National Park tour is an exciting full day with spectacular views of the unique Andean landscapes in the middle of the “Avenue of the Volcanoes”. During the visit you will have the opportunity to walk up to the refuge, situated at 4,810 meters just at the snow-line of the volcano. Depending on conditions, it is also possible to hike up to 5,000 meters and see glaciers nearby..

Meals included:

Meeting in Lago Agrio at 9:00, transportation will be provided to the entrance of the Cuyabeno Reserve, a box lunch will be provided. The Naturalist guide will provide information on the reserve and important recommendations regarding the 2-hour canoe ride on the Cuyabeno River on the way to Jamu Lodge. During the canoe ride you will have your first glimpse of the amazing Amazon plants and wildlife found only here. Depending on timing and weather conditions, you may also see various wildlife. Arrival to Jamu Lodge is estimated around 4:30 pm. You will be shown to your accommodations where you can relax for some time. Afterwards, the first activity will be to visit the lagoon, watch the sun set and have dinner. Feel free to enjoy the evening as you wish in the lodge’s surroundings.

Meals included:

After  breakfast  we  will  take  a  trek  in  the  primary  forest  for  3  to  4  hours  where  your  guide  will  explain  how  this  complex  tropical  ecosystem  works.  You  will  learn  about  medicinal  plants  and  might  be  able  to  see  some  exotic  birds  or  monkeys.  We  will  then  return  to  the  camp  for  lunch  and  a  siesta.  In  the  afternoon,  we  will  have  a  swim  in  the  lagoon  and  watch  the  sunset.  With  a  little  luck  you  can  observe  the  pink  river  dolphins  or  an  anaconda  sunbathing  in  a  tree.  You  will  return  to  the  camp  for  dinner,  and  then  take  a  night  canoe  ride  to  look  for  caimans.

Meals included:

After breakfast we visit the Siona Community of Puerto Bolivar, the largest indigenous community in the reserve. During the tour you can learn their customs, traditions, and way of life. You can also be a part of the presentation of Csabe, a local dish made of yucca, which is a main staple of the community. During the 2 hour canoe ride to the community from the lodge, you can admire the fauana along the river banks of the Cuyabeno River. A visit to the Shaman, the healer of the community is also included. Lunch will be included and after returning to the lodge, your Naturalist guide will take you on a nocturnal hike through primary forest.

Meals included:

Early in the morning a bird watching activity is optional. After breakfast, you will begin your return back to Quito via plane or bus and arrive to your accommodations.

Meals included:

Papallacta is home to thermal springs heated by the subterranean activity from a complex system of nearby volcanoes active now for thousands of years. The series of pools sits inbetween the Andean mountains and the beginning of the Amazon regions. The surrounding landscape makes this a special and unique place to relax. You have the choice to use the thermal baths or indulge in the available spa treatments.

Meals included: