Ecuador’s Living Landscapes: Andes & Amazon Expedition is a 10-day immersive journey through two of South America’s most spectacular regions: the high Andes and the Ecuadorian Amazon rainforest.
From hummingbird-rich cloud forests and historic Andean cities to pristine Amazon rivers and indigenous communities, this expedition offers an in-depth look at Ecuador’s extraordinary biodiversity, cultural heritage, and conservation efforts. Guided by experienced naturalist and local guides, travelers experience contrasting ecosystems, iconic wildlife, and authentic cultural encounters.
This trip will take you to know the north-central zone of the Ecuadorian Andes, and an extraordinary visit to the heart of the Ecuadorian Amazon rain forests. On this trip you will be able to learn more about the culture and traditions that surround Ecuador, and the extraordinary and beautiful nature of its natural landscapes.
Arrive at the International Airport, Quito. Most flights arrive in the evening. Transfer to a hotel in Quito. Accommodation.
This trip will take you through great scenery in the Ecuadorian High Andes. The roads ascend to the foothills of Pichincha Volcano. Afterwards, a city tour through the beautiful capital of Ecuador, Quito. The altitudinal range goes from 3200 to 4400m.
Yanacocha is about 1 hour by car from the city of Quito, on the northern slopes of Pichincha volcano. To reach the reserve, we will take the old road to Nono or “Ecoruta Paseo del Quinde”.
You will leave Quito early at 5:30 AM to Yanacocha reserve, where some hummingbird feeders have been placed in the surroundings. Tawny antpitta and Equatorial Antpitta are seen regularly in the area.
You’ll hike through the flat and easy-access Inca trail that extends for about 2 km through the stunning lush montane humid forest, with flocks of birds being regularly encountered. Several stations with multiple hummingbird feeders are situated at various spots. There are mixed flocks of beautiful birds such as Scarlet-bellied Mountain-Tanager, Black-chested Mountain Tanager, Blue-backed Conebill, Golden crowned Tanager, Superciliated Hemispingus.
A traditional lunch will be served at the reserve restaurant; later on, you’ll continue your drive back to Quito towards historical downtown.
This tour takes us to the old colonial town where we will travel to a time in which people used to meet around plazas and walked through narrow streets.
You will visit one of the natural viewpoints of the city from where we will admire Colonial Quito from a privileged point: Panecillo with the winged virgin, Itchimbia hill or the towers of Basilica Church.
We will continue after to the Historical Center of Quito where we will admire the colonial architecture of old Quito with its churches, plazas and houses. We will walk around Plaza Grande (Independence square), the Jesuit church «La Compañia», one of the oldest neighborhoods of old Quito «La Ronda» and Plaza San Francisco and its Church. (visits will be done according to time available and interest of the clients), to finally return to rest. Dinner and accommodation. (BLD)
Breakfast very early in the morning, then you will visit Quitsato cultural-tourist site, located in the Mitad del Mundo, near the town of Cayambe, north of Quito.
It constitutes a large Sun clock 52 meters in diameter, made with a large stone mosaic that indicates the different lines of the solstices and equinoxes, as well as the hours of the day, these are marked by the projection of the shadow of a large 10-meter-high pole that stands exactly in the center of this large circular platform.
Next, you will visit Otavalo, a welcoming city of great cultural importance. Otavalo, also known as San Luis de Otavalo, is an Ecuadorian city; cantonal head of the Otavalo Canton, as well as the second largest and most populated city in the Province of Imbabura. It is located to the north of the Inter-Andean Region of Ecuador, in the basin of the Chota River, crossed by the Tejar River, at an altitude of 2,550 meters above sea level. and with an Andean climate of 16 °C on average. In this place you eat traditional luch on this city. In the afternoon go to Hacienda Pinsaqui to rest. Dinner and accommodation. (BLD)
This day will start to visit The Plaza de los Ponchos of Otavalo is a bustling market square located in the town of Otavalo, about 2 hours north of Quito, Ecuador. It is one of the largest indigenous markets in South America and a major tourist attraction. The market is held every day, but it is at its busiest on Saturdays when hundreds of vendors from the surrounding villages and towns come to sell their wares.
The market is named after the poncho, a traditional garment worn by the local indigenous people, and you can find a wide variety of ponchos and other clothing items for sale here. But the market offers much more than just clothing – you can also find jewelry, textiles, ceramics, woodcarvings, and many other handicrafts.
After this great experience, you’ll visit Molino San Juan in Cayambe. The adobe walls of the Molino preserve the customs of a colonial Jesuit hacienda. Molino San Juan and its cultural heritage is part of the «Compañía de Jesús» farm; This hacienda has been owned by the Jarrín family and their descendants since 1864; who seek to transmit this historical legacy to future generations. In this place you’ll eat luch. In the afternoon return to Quito. Dinner and accommodation. (BLD)
This trip will take you through a great scenery in the Ecuadorian High Andes. The roads will border one national protected area Antisana National Park and Fundación Jocotoco’s Chakana Reserve therefore the scenery is amazing. The altitudinal range covered is over 3600 to 4100 masl. We spend the entire day in the area, watching for Andean Condors that should be easy and other beautiful birds, even for Spectacled Bears, with a traditional lunch at a small “refugio” Casa Antisanilla inside the reserve with a magnifiscent view of the Andes; back to Hotel in Quito in late afternoon.
Leave Quito early at 7:00 AM after breakfast. Then we continue to Tambo Condor to use bathrooms and take a cup of coffee. There we can enjoy the hummingbird feeders where we can see the Giant Hummingbird and the astonishing Ecuadorian Hillstar. Then, we continue to the strategical located gazed of Chakana reserve where we can look for the Andean Condor nests and the Spectacled bear who used to walk around the “Peñón del Ishco” that is just in front of the Porch. We can also see some other species such as the endemic Carunculated Caracara, Variable Hawk.
In Chakana you will live a unique experience with the Andean cowboys from Pintag, on a horseback ride through the Andean paramo, traveling for a couple of hours through the majestic peaks and the volcanic lava flow, which has formed large rock sedimentations that are thousands of years old.
You can a make a walk around the paramo to enjoy the sightings, landscapes and native flora. We will take a delicious and traditional lunch at Casa Antisanilla. In the afternoon return to Quito. Dinner and accommodation. (BLD)
Your journey starts with a 35-minute flight from Quito- to Coca where the staff will pick you up and transfer to a local hotel located on the banks of Napo River. There, your bilingual guides will explain about safety before embarking for a 3-hour boat trip on the largest Ecuadorian affluent of the Amazon, the Napo River. During the journey you get a taste of the Amazon; ancestral communities, birds such as: herons, egrets, vultures, while enjoying packed lunch. The canoe ride is followed by a 5-minute walk and 20-minute paddle canoe across the Challuacocha creek. The staff will welcome you with refreshing cold drinks and snacks before you settle down in your cabins.
Later, you’ll have the option to take short walk on nearby trails or take a canoe ride with the chance to observe primates, Amazonian birds, black caimans in their primitive setting. You’ll also have a close encounter with the amazing flora represented by cedar trees, orchids, and bromeliads. Upon your return to the lodge, our chef will be happy to offer a wide variety of national and international cuisine that caters celiacs, vegetarians and vegans.
After dinner explore our black-water Oxbow Lake, a haven for one of the increasingly endangered species, the black caiman. This lake supports a healthy population of these large South-American crocodiles, which can measure up to 6 meters (18ft.) long. Return to the lodge. Dinner and accommodation in the lodge. (BLD)
After breakfast, experience the life on the tree tops from the 36 meter (118 ft.) observation tower. To get there, your leaders will paddle on the Challuaco-cha Lake for about 30 minutes through a beautiful Igapo Forest and a short 10-minute walk. Over 565 species of birds have been registered so far, including colorful birds such as macaws, toucans, honey-creepers, tanagers, flycatchers, hummingbirds and with a bit of luck a close view of howler, squirrel monkeys and sloths resting on the canopy. The tower gives you a unique perspective, opening up a whole new world of Amazon biodiversity that is often difficult, if not impossible to see from the understory. The journey continues exploring the nearby trails searching for more Amazonian creatures. Return to the lodge for lunch.
After lunch, there are many alternative activities for your enjoyment, bird-watching from the dining hall or simply getting to relax on the hammocks. In the after-noon, hike Chorongo or Coto trails of 3 hours, fantastic terra-firme forest to discover the relationships among the different living creatures and the role they play in this complex ecosystem. Orchids, vines, strangler figs, ancient trees; bromeliads are all part of this fabulous tropical rainforest. Dinner at the lodge.
After dinner take a night walk to see how myriads of insects, spiders and frogs come alive. (BLD)
After early breakfast head back to the Napo River to board the motor canoe and visit the parrot clay lick at Yasuní, a natural land slide where hundreds of parrots search for a gap to land and eat the earth. Here you will see Mealy Amazon, Yellow-crowned, Orange-winged and Blue-headed parrots. Continue with a walk on the south of the Yasuní for a wonderful view of flora and fauna of this area considered by scientists to be the most biodiverse area in the world. Here some species that cannot be found in the north like the gold- en-mantled tamarins, spider monkeys, Blue and yellow macaws and with a bit of luck a close encounter with white-lipped or collared pecca- ries. Head back to Sani Community Center to visit a native house to get a taste of how a typical Kichwa family lives. Enjoy their food, drinks, customs, and culture of the Sani community and learn how the lifestyle of the locals is environmentally sustainable. Return to the lodge for piranha fishing and a well-de- served diner. BLD
Depart from the lodge at 5:00 a.m. for the last canoe ride and encounter with the flora and fauna of the Amazon jungle to board the canoe and get on time for your flight back to Quito. Packed breakfast will be served on the way. On this day at the hotel in Quito, at the end of all this wonderful tour, there will be a farewell dinner for the group. BLD
Airport transfer according to international flight schedules. End of services.
