Private land tour · 7 days / 6 nights · 4-star hotels
A week that mixes the best of the Andes: Quito from the TelefériQo and its old town, the Cotopaxi volcano, the waterfalls route of Baños and the Pailón del Diablo, the Cuicocha crater lake and the market of Otavalo, with a private guide and transport.
At a glance
A private tour with your own English-speaking guide and transport, 4-star hotels and the meals and excursions of the itinerary. The itinerary is a sample: it can change with local conditions and adapt to your interests.
| Travel style | Luxury, with 4-star hotels |
|---|---|
| Highlights | Volcanic landscapes, waterfalls, indigenous communities, local markets |
| Fitness level | Fair condition |
| Start and end | Quito |
| Price | From US$1,630 per person (price for larger groups) |
Day by day
Day 1
Welcome to Ecuador! We meet you at Quito’s international airport (UIO) as soon as you collect your luggage, and take you to your hotel.
Day 2
Morning. If the weather is clear, we start at Quito’s best viewpoint: the TelefériQo cable car rises from 3,117 m on the edge of the city to Cruz Loma, at 3,945 m on the slopes of the Pichincha volcano, one of the highest aerial lifts in the world. Bring warm clothes. Lunch at a local restaurant.
Afternoon. A private walking tour of the old town of Quito, one of the first two cities in the world declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site, in 1978, with some 40 churches, 17 squares and 16 convents and monasteries. We visit La Compañía church, with its altars covered in gold leaf, the best example of Baroque architecture in Ecuador, and end at Independence Square, the political heart of the country.
Day 3
Morning. After a late breakfast, south along the Pan-American Highway, the road Alexander von Humboldt called the Avenue of the Volcanoes, to Cotopaxi (5,897 m / 19,347 ft), one of the highest active volcanoes in the world. A walk around the Limpiopungo lagoon, with good chances of Andean Condors, foxes, deer and rabbits.
Afternoon. Lunch at a local restaurant or hacienda in the park and, time permitting, a visit to a rose plantation: Ecuador is one of the world’s great exporters of cut flowers, and most of its blooms are roses.
Day 4
Morning. The waterfalls route of Baños, about 15 km of road among canyons and waterfalls, one of the most popular trips in Ecuador. The highlight is the Pailón del Diablo, «the Devil’s Cauldron», one of the most impressive waterfalls in the country (about 2 hours).
Afternoon. Lunch in Baños and back to Quito.
Day 5
Morning. A drive of about two hours to Otavalo and a visit to the Condor Park, a rescue centre for birds of prey taken from illegal captivity or unsuitable places, where they recover and, when possible, are released; none of its birds were taken from the wild. The highlight is the flight demonstration of the birds of prey.
Afternoon. On to Cotacachi, a whole town devoted to leather goods, for lunch at a local restaurant. Then the Cuicocha crater lake, «the Lagoon of the Gods», at 3,068 m in the Cotacachi–Cayapas Ecological Reserve: time and weather permitting, a 30-minute boat ride around its islands. Back to the hotel before sunset.
Day 6
Morning. With your guide, a deep introduction to local culture at the Otavalo market. Saturday is the best day: besides textiles and crafts, the Kichwa families of the surrounding villages come to sell their own produce. After a walk through the market, we visit workshops that make Andean wind instruments, such as panpipes and flutes, and string instruments like the charango, the mandolin and the guitar.
Afternoon. Depending on how long you stay at the market, we visit Peguche, a peaceful village just outside Otavalo. The railway that once ran through it has been silent since the 1980s; its families live from farming and weaving, and are known as talented musicians. Back to the hotel before sunset.
Day 7
Transfer to the airport for your international flight: we take you three hours before your departure time.
The itinerary may change with local conditions, and it can be adapted to your interests and to what your guide considers feasible. Your guide has the final word on what can and cannot be done if circumstances change.
Where you go
The capital sits at about 2,850 m in a valley below the Pichincha volcano. Its old town, one of the best preserved in the Americas, was one of the first two cities in the world declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site, in 1978.
South of Quito, the Pan-American Highway runs between two lines of volcanoes, the route Alexander von Humboldt called the Avenue of the Volcanoes: Antisana, Cotopaxi, the Quilotoa crater lake, Tungurahua above Baños, and Chimborazo, the highest mountain of Ecuador.
North of Quito, the province of Imbabura is the land of the Kichwa Otavalo people, famous for their weaving and their market, of crater lakes such as Cuicocha and Cubilche, and of communities that welcome visitors, like Peguche, Zuleta and Angochagua.
Where you stay
Every night is in a comfortable 4-star hotel, chosen for its location so the drives stay short and the mornings start well.
Combining your land tour with a Galápagos cruise? Book the cruise with us and your nights in Mindo Cloud Forest are complimentary.
Compare
| Tour | Route | Highlights | Price per person |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 days: Northern Andes Trekking | Otavalo · Cochasquí · Cuicocha · Cubilche | Hiking crater lakes in the north | From US$1,149 |
| 5 days: Central Andes Trekking | Antisana · Quilotoa Loop · Quilotoa | Hiking the páramo and the Quilotoa crater | From US$1,303 |
| 7 days: The Route of Textiles and Ancestral Culture | Quito · Otavalo · Cuicocha · Zuleta · Cochasquí | Markets, embroidery and communities | From US$1,622 |
| 7 days · you are here | Quito · Cotopaxi · Baños · Otavalo · Cuicocha | Volcanoes, waterfalls and markets | From US$1,630 |
| 12 days: Avenue of the Volcanoes | Otavalo · Antisana · Cotopaxi · Quilotoa · Baños · Chimborazo · Cuenca | The Avenue of the Volcanoes, end to end | From US$3,465 |
| 13 days: Cloud Forests, Indigenous Markets and Colonial Cities | Quito · Mindo · Otavalo · Cotopaxi · Quilotoa · Cuenca | Cloud forest, markets and colonial cities | From US$3,437 |
Only have a day? See our day trips from Quito. Going further? Our Peru tour with Machu Picchu, the Galápagos cruises and the birdwatching tours. See all our land tours.
Price
| 7 days / 6 nights | From US$1,630 per person |
|---|
The price per person depends on the size of your group and your dates: the price shown is for larger groups. We send you the exact quote within 24 hours.
Questions
At Quito’s international airport (UIO): we meet you as soon as you collect your luggage and take you to your hotel.
Yes: your own English-speaking guide and private transport, just for you and your companions.
Yes: tell us your dates and interests, and we adapt the days, the pace or the hotels, or create a custom program.
Yes. We combine land tours with Galápagos cruises, Amazon lodges and a stay in Mindo Cloud Forest, with all the transfers coordinated.
Much of the tour is above 2,800 m. Take the first days easy, drink plenty of water and bring warm layers: the Andes can be cold and windy, especially at the volcanoes and lakes.
That’s why you choose Dana Tours
Tell us your dates and how many people are traveling. We confirm the guide and the hotels and send you the final price within 24 hours.
Or write to us at [email protected]
