This program specially designed for the participants on the Ecotourism and Sustainable Tourism Conference, Quito 2015, allow us to discover the various aspects of Ecuadorian cultural and natural diversity.

The highlights will be the modern main port of Ecuador, Guayaquil mixes its rich history with the frantic movement of the major city it is.

Then we will enjoy the vast cacao and banana plantations, before we climb the contrasting landscapes of the Andes to witness the footprints of the Incas in Ecuadorand before we arrive to beautifulCuenca, which traditional architecture has given it the recognition as World Cultural Heritage.

In the area,handicraft towns, workshops and markets and the biggest orchid farm in Ecuador, will complete the experience. By the end of our journey the RAMSARWetlands of El Cajas National Park, its nature, landscapes and diversity will be the perfect goodbye to the Andes before we get back to Guayaquil.

 

In this tour we would have enjoyed most of the ecosistems of Ecuador, from the tropical lowerlands, to the cloud forest, a World Cultural Heritage city, the high Andes that the Incas dominated and the paramo (moorlands) of El Cajas.

The package that includes the flights from Quito to Guayaquil and back, will have a pick up and drop off at Guayaquil’s airport included.

Itinerary:

DAY 1: GUAYAQUIL CITY TOUR

Arrival to Guayaquil. Transfer to the selected hotel and timeto rest and get ready to visit the “Pearl of the Pacific”. We tour Seminario Square or “Iguanas Park”, the Cathedral and the Simón Bolívar Boulevard along the Guayas River. To finish the tour, we visit the bohemian neighborhood Las Peñas, where we walk on its main street, old witness of Guayaquil’s golden age. Then we will enjoy a traditional dinner. Transfer to the hotel. Meal plan: -/-/D

DAY 2: GUAYAQUIL / INGAPIRCA /CUENCA
Today we leave Guayaquil to the Ecuadorian Andes. Once we leave the urban area, we’ll be met by vast cacao, banana, sugar cane and other plantations that add beauty and color to the landscape. Our first visit will be the Cacao plantation El Deseo, where we’ll see the process of chocolate production from the tree plantation to the harvest and the artisanal preparation of chocolate, to finish with a tasting of the final product. By noon, we will arrive to Ingapirca, the most important and best preserved archaeological center in Ecuador. There we will learn from the ancient Cañari and Inca cultures. Lunch at Hacienda Posada Ingapirca. Later in the afternoon we’ll arrive to Cuenca. Accommodation. Meal plan: B/L/-

DAY 3: GUALACEO & CHORDELEG, HALF DAY
In the morning we visit the ancestral “ikat” weaving workshops and the skillful “toquilla” hat weavers. Then we’ll visit the biggest orchid farm in South America. Finishing our tour in the town of Chordeleg, famous for its artisans that transform gold and silver in truly masterpieces. Lunch at Hosteria Santa Bárbara. Return to Cuenca. Meal plan: B/L/-

DAY 4: CUENCA / CAJAS NATIONAL PARK / GUAYAQUIL
Early in the morning we head towards the Cajas National Park, that only 30 minutes away, is waiting for us with an altitude difference of over 1500m and the richness of the Andean paramo, where we will enjoy the beauty of the Andes, its landscapes and flora. We will have a short walk to enjoy this nature wonder recognized as Worldwide Biosphere Reserve. Lunch in the area. Continuation to the city of Guayaquil descending through the Andes slopes with its intense contrast of landscapes, climate and color. Arrival to Guayaquil at the end of the afternoon.

Includes: Transfer in and out, 4 days in 4 star hotel, private transportation during the tour, specialized guide certificate by MINTUR, entrance fees, meal plan according to the descrption, 24 hour assistance

Excludes: meals that are not included, tips, personal expenses

When:  Daily departures from Guayaquil.

Length of Tour: 4 days
Cost: Departure from Guayaquil $940 / Including Quito-Guayaquil-Quito flights $1080

How to Book: Contact us or  call 593993933087

Ready to book? click here

Want other alternatives in the Coast and Andes? check here

Learn more about the International Ecotourism Society.