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Arrival at Quito airport and transfer to the hotel is included.
Arrival at the Marisal Sucre airport in Quito, where you will be met by your guide.
Quito is one of the most beautiful cities in the New World. Located at an elevation of more than 2,850 meters, it is surrounded by a spectacular backdrop of high mountains. The capital of Ecuador, Quito boasts a rich architectural heritage. In 1978, its historic center was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List, a testament to its outstanding universal value.
Dinner not included.
Overnight at the hotel RIO AMAZONAS *** or SIMILAR
Breakfast
Visit to Quito, which was declared a World Cultural Heritage Site in 1978, by UNESCO.
Quito City, a city tucked away in the Andes Mountains at 2850 meters above sea level. The tour begins in the modern residential area located to the north, which you will pass through on huge streets leading to the Modern Economic Center that ends with the Basilica del Voto Nacional, gateway to the "Old Quito" or colonial quarter, the historical and cultural jewel of the equatorial nation. Here you will have the opportunity to visit Independence Square, the Cathedral, the Archbishopric, the Church of the Company of Jesus, the Church of San Francisco; monuments that reveal the greatness of the mestizo people.
The Cathedral, this square is somewhat the political heart of the city because it houses the president's palace. The Cathedral occupies an inner block on one side of the square. On either side of the entrance are memorial plaques with the names of the city's founders. There is nothing extraordinary about the Cathedral, except for the paintings of the Quiteña school; above the altar the famous painting of Caspicara,
The Deposition. The upper part of the arches illustrates the story of Christ. General Sucre is buried here.
La Compañía, founded in the early 18th century, took a century and a half to finish. Loaded facade, but not too much, from which emanates a certain Baroque elegance. The interior is stunning. It is said to be the most gold-covered church in the country. Columns, altars, retablo, doors, everything has been covered with gold leaf: it is the jubilation of Baroque. The gold of America, the gold of the conquistadors!!!
San Francisco, charming square on whose pavement some grass sprouts. All around, charming colonial houses with terraces create a provincial ambiance. The monastery, which occupies one entire side of the square, is topped by a
balcony. Elegant towers rise above the church. Entirely baroque interior of great beauty. Nave vaults decorated with small pink angels on a red background. Remarkable flat ceiling of the nave highly worked. Beautiful honeycomb dome strangely reminiscent of the ceilings of Mudejar-style palaces in Seville, Andalucia. Very beautiful main chapel with polychrome dome.
Lunch not included.
Depart for the "Mitad del Mundo," 30 minutes north of Quito, where the French geodetic expedition precisely established the crossing of the Equator line in 1735. Visit to the monument, which houses a small ethnological museum.
Visit to a village that recreates the essence of the colonial style, with its narrow streets, central square, church, bullfighting plaza and craft stores.
Dinner not included.
Overnight at the hotel RIO AMAZONAS *** or SIMILAR
Breakfast
Depart by car to Cotopaxi province, where Ecuador's second highest peak Cotopaxi volcano is located. It is the highest active volcano in the world.
After a two-hour drive through this natural landscape of large valleys snoozing in the foothills of the Eastern and Western Cordillera, visit Cotopaxi National Park. The volcano is always snow-capped, and its summit reaches 5897 meters. The park is a large ecological reserve and is very interesting geologically and botanically.
Lunch at a local restaurant.
Visit to a rose cultivation. Ecuador is a country that exports large quantities of beautiful roses.
Continuation to Lasso. Start descending along the Avenida de los Volcans. Arrive in Lasso in the afternoon.
Dinner at the hotel
Overnight at the hotel REEC LATACUNGA *** or SIMILAR
Breakfast
Depart in the direction of Quilotoa to discover the volcano with its arid crater and furrowed slopes, where, close to the mountain, some agricultural communities live there. Its uniqueness comes from the lake that occupies the entire crater. It is an emerald blue-green expanse of 2 kilometers The landscape is superb. The lagoon is at 3800 meters.
Lunch not included.
Return to Quito city (about 3 hours)
Dinner not included.
Overnight at the hotel RIO AMAZONAS *** or SIMILAR
Breakfast at the hotel
Departure in the direction of the Amazon, emotions run high ... It is one of the most fascinating experiences to leave the high Andean lands to find oneself a few hours later at an altitude of 300 meters in the middle of the tropical forest. The fact of traveling through the Amazon, retains a character of legend that hides secrets submerged in this sea of forests.
Lunch at a local restaurant.
Take a break at the Mirador de la Virgen de los Guacamayos, from which there are beautiful views of the high-altitude rainforest of the Antisana Reserve and Sumaco National Park. Arrive in Archidona, a small town at the beginning of the Amazon basin.
Visit a small market with typical products. We will taste the famous chontacuros (beetle larvae).
Dinner at the lodge
Overnight at the hotel JARDIN ALEMAN *** or SIMILAR
Breakfast
Early departure from the lodge for an initial approach to the humid tropical forest, which is home to lush natural and animal vegetation and indigenous communities.
Box lunch (picnic style) during excursions (when not scheduled to return to the lodge).
Later in the afternoon return to the lodge.
Excursions will be arranged directly on site, according to your preferences. You can choose from a variety of trails and activities: excursions can range from full-day treks through the primary rainforest to short, easy walks along river islands, depending on the interests and physical abilities of each group.
Dinner at the hotel
Overnight at the hotel JARDIN ALEMAN *** or SIMILAR
Breakfast
Early morning. After buffet breakfast, depart by boat to "La Punta" for return to Quito.
Depart for Papallacta, located 40 miles east of Quito. Perched on a high Andean valley at the entrance to Ecuador's Amazon jungle, the Termas Papallacta thermal resort offers its visitors a mix of health, recreation, adventure and rest. Whether relaxing in the thermal baths, indulging in spa treatments, or taking adventurous walks at Rancho del Cañón (Canyon Ranch) or the Cayambe-Coca Ecological Reserve, the Papallacta experience is sure to be enjoyable.
Lunch included.
Arrival in Quito in the afternoon.
Dinner not included.
Overnight at the hotel RIO AMAZONAS *** or SIMILAR
Breakfast
Transfer to the airport to take the international flight
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