Private day tour from Quito · 7–8 hours
A private day in the northern Andes: exotic fruits in Guayllabamba, the Quitsato sundial on the equator, the wood-fired biscuits of Cayambe, the San Pablo lake below Imbabura, and the Plaza de los Ponchos market in Otavalo, with a craft village of your choice.
At a glance
A private day tour with your own certified English-speaking guide and transport, from your hotel in Quito.
| Departure and return | Your hotel in Quito (the airport and the valleys with an extra cost) |
|---|---|
| Departure time | 7:00 am |
| Duration | 7–8 hours |
| Highlights | Indigenous market, crafts, the equator |
| Price | US$140 per person, based on 2 people (1 person: US$240 · 3–4 people: US$110 per person · 5 or more: ask us) |
Your day
Morning
Guayllabamba. A tasting of exotic fruits: oranges, tangerines, granadillas and the famous chirimoya, or custard apple.
Quitsato. In Cayambe, 47 km north of Quito, a guide explains the Quitsato sundial, built in 2006 right on the equator: about 2,300 m² that mark the months, the solstices and the equinoxes, and the astronomy of the ancient Andean peoples.
Biscochos. A stop at a local bakery for the salty biscuits of Cayambe, baked in wood-fired ovens and eaten with dulce de leche; you can see the bakery and taste them fresh from the oven.
Midday
A photo stop at the viewpoint over the San Pablo lake, guarded by the Imbabura volcano. In Otavalo, famous for its indigenous market, we stop at the Plaza de los Ponchos: rugs, ponchos and other textiles, and jewellery, all handmade by the Kichwa Otavalo people.
Lunch at a local restaurant recommended by your guide.
Afternoon
One of three: the House of Instruments, a family tradition of making string instruments; the Indigenous Fabrics Gallery, where you see how fabrics are woven by hand and dyed with natural colours; or Cotacachi, the leather capital of Ecuador, with more than 50 craft leather shops. Then back to Quito.
Times are approximate and may change with traffic, the weather and your pace; your guide always looks for the best option of the day.
Before you go
More day trips
| Day tour | Type | Highlights | Departure |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cotopaxi National Park | Nature | Cotopaxi volcano, Limpiopungo lagoon, páramo birds | 7:00 am |
| Cotopaxi Hike & Bike | Adventure | Hiking, mountain biking, Cotopaxi volcano | 7:00 am |
| Otavalo market · you are here | Culture | Indigenous market, crafts, the equator | 7:00 am |
| Papallacta hot springs | Relax | Hot springs, páramo, Andean Bear country | 8:00 am |
| Cayambe-Coca hike and Papallacta | Hike + relax | Páramo lagoons, Polylepis forest, hot springs | 7:00 am |
| Quilotoa crater lake | Nature and culture | Crater lake, indigenous markets, Tigua painters | 7:00 am |
| Quito and the Middle of the World | Culture | UNESCO old town, the equator, Pululahua crater | 9:00 am |
| Cuicocha Loop hike | Hike | Crater lake hike, Cotacachi or Otavalo | 7:00 am |
| Rucu Pichincha hike | Hike | Summit hike, views of Quito | 8:30 am |
| Pichincha mountains hike | Hike | Three summits, views of Quito | 8:00 am |
| Pasochoa hike | Hike | Andean forest, birds, volcano summit | 8:00 am |
| Pululahua hike | Hike | Inhabited crater, lava domes, orchids | 7:00 am |
| Antisana and condor watching | Nature | Andean Condor, páramo, Antisana volcano | 8:00 am |
All our day tours are private, from your hotel in Quito. Prefer birds? Try our half-day birding tour in Mindo (about 4 hours). Staying longer? See our land tours of Ecuador and our Galápagos cruises. See all our day trips from Quito.
Price
| 2 people | US$140 per person |
|---|---|
| 1 person | US$240 |
| 3–4 people | US$110 per person |
| 5 or more people | Ask us for a quote |
Prices per person for a private tour, with guide, transport, lunch and entrance fees. Pick-up at the airport or in the valleys around Quito has an extra cost.
Questions
At your hotel in Quito, at 7:00 am. Pick-up at the airport or in the valleys around Quito is possible with an extra cost.
Yes: your own certified English-speaking guide and private transport, just for you and your companions.
Quito is at about 2,850 m and many of these places are higher. If you have just arrived, start with an easier day, drink plenty of water and bring warm layers.
Yes. We combine day tours with our land tours, a stay in Mindo Cloud Forest and Galápagos cruises, with all the transfers coordinated.
That’s why you choose Dana Tours
Tell us your date and how many people are traveling. We confirm the guide and the pick-up time within 24 hours.
Or write to us at [email protected]
