8-Day Ecuador Adventure Tour from Quito to Cuyabeno Amazon

• Welcome to Quito, the capital of Ecuador.
• Arrive at Mariscal Sucre International Airport (UIO), where your driver will meet you and transfer you to your accommodation in the city center.
• This is a one-hour trip. Quito's entire city is a UNESCO World Heritage Site at 9,350 ft (2,850 m).

Overnight: Quito

Meals included: None

Group type: Private

• After breakfast, you will start your day at the border of Cotopaxi National Park.
• You will then visit Lake Limpiopungo in the park's highlands.
• Here, you will have a spectacular view of Cotopaxi Volcano's gigantic cone. Lake Limpiopungo offers a variety of birds and occasionally even wild horses.
• A short walk around the lake will allow you to admire the Andean plant and animal life.
• If time permits and the altitude does not affect you, hike up to the Jose Ribas refuge at 4,800 m and enjoy the view of the national park.
• Return to Quito and prepare for your overnight shuttle to Cuyabeno.

Meals: Breakfast

Group type: Private

• Reception at El Puente de Cuyabeno in the morning, followed by a transfer to the Cuyabeno River.
• Enjoy a box lunch on the way. Here, your naturalist guide will share information about the reserve, important recommendations, and other tips before beginning the two-hour navigation along the Cuyabeno River to the Big Lagoon, where the lodge is located.
• Along the river, you will find several species in their natural habitat, including monkeys, toucans, parrots, insects, and exuberant Amazonian vegetation.
• Arrival and check-in.
• Take a night walk in the primary forest for about one hour to observe amphibians and reptiles.
• Return to the lodge for a welcome cocktail and dinner.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner Included

Group type: Small group

• In the early morning, venture into the rainforest to seek out monkeys and birds in the vibrant tropical ecosystem.
• After returning for breakfast, there is some downtime to unwind.
• Later, your guide leads a rainforest trek, sharing insights into the delicate balance that allows diverse life forms to thrive in harmony.
• Along the way, you might encounter colorful butterflies, frogs, and diverse flora, all while listening to the melodies of birds.
• Return to the lodge for lunch, followed by leisure time for swimming, soccer, or a siesta.
• In the afternoon, a paddle canoe journey along the Cuyabeno River immerses you in the dense jungle.
• On the riverbanks, spot diverse wildlife, including monkeys, macaws, toucans, and sloths.
• There is also a good chance of encountering pink river dolphins in this impressive river landscape.
• After dinner, explore the lodge's surroundings in search of nocturnal creatures such as insects, spiders, snakes, and frogs, all of which come to life as the sun sets.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner Included

Group type: Small group

• After breakfast, immerse yourself in the Indigenous Siona community, gaining insights into their daily life and traditions.
• Witness the making of cassava, a regional manioc bread, and learn about their rich cultural heritage.
• Returning for lunch, embark on an afternoon adventure by motorized canoe, heading upstream to Laguna Grande.
• Amid the flooded forest ecosystem (Igapó), discover diverse wildlife and enjoy a serene swim at sunset.
• As night falls, seek out bats and caimans, wrapping up a day of cultural discovery and Amazonian exploration.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner Included

Group type: Small group

• It is time to bid farewell to the Amazon, but not without a final morning canoe adventure to soak in the jungle's morning magic.
• After an early breakfast, prepare for your journey home, complete with a packed lunch for the road.
• As you cruise upstream and reach El Puente de Cuyabeno before noon, a tourist bus will be there to take you back to Quito.
• Keep those Amazon memories close as you head back.

Meals: Breakfast Included

Group type: Small group

• Start in Independence Square to see La Iglesia de la Compañía de Jesús, or La Compañía - a 17th-century church decorated with volcanic rock, cedar, and gilt.
• Next, visit La Basílica y Convento de San Francisco, or El San Francisco, considered Ecuador's most important church for its scale and history.
• Stroll along La Ronda, a pre-Columbian walking trail that is now brimming with cafés, live music, and boutiques.
• Then your driver-guide will take you by car to the north of the city to see the monument commemorating the discovery of the point where the Northern and Southern Hemispheres divide in the Ciudad Mitad del Mundo.
• Spend some time visiting a planetarium, a scale model of Quito, several museums, an old train station, and a small chapel.

Meals: Breakfast

Group type: Private group

• Today you are free to explore Quito on your own before being picked up for your transfer to the airport.
• At the designated time, meet your driver at the hotel and head to the airport for your flight home.

Meals included: Breakfast

Group type: Self guided