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Ecuador Beaches & Coastal Adventure
7 days, Cuenca to Quito
Itinerary
Day 1Cuenca
Arrive at any time.
There are no activities planned until the evening. Please check at the hotel reception for a welcome note from your G Representative advising on the time and location of the welcome meeting.
Arrival Day and Welcome Meeting with G Representative
The adventure begins today. Feel free to explore, but make sure you're back in time to meet the group. Your G Representative will review the details of your tour.
Optional Activities - Day 1 HideShow
Cajas National Park Visit
65USD per personHead out for an excursion from Cuenca with a visit to Cajas National Park. Tour this natural outdoor playground that combines stunning scenery and wildlife with excellent areas for hiking. The terrain is quite stark, mostly above 4,000m (13,120 ft) in the páramo (grassy highlands), with many clear lakes. Try some of the variety of treks in the park’s vast 28,000 ha, and keep an eye out for oncillas, wild llamas, pumas, and a wide variety of birds, including toucans!
Day Trip to Ingapirca Ruins
65USD per personVisit the ruins of Ingapirca, a UNESCO World Heritage Site that is approximately an hour and a half drive north of Cuenca, through some of Ecuador's most beautiful countryside. Although it is a major Inca site, not a lot is known about its history.
Cuenca Mud Baths & Hot Springs
40USD per personSlather volcanic muds on your face and body and relax in the natural hot springs.
Gualaceo and Chordeleg Day Trip
65USD per personExplore the countryside near Cuenca, visit nearby towns well-known for handicrafts, weaving, and textiles. Learn about the weaving process and pick up a shawl, guitar, or straw hat directly from the people who make them.
Cuenca City Tour
35USD per personHead out into this stunning colonial city with your expert local CEO. First visit the Turi viewpoint with sweeping views of the city and surrounding mountains before stopping by a Panama hat factory. Then continue to the historical centre to discover the highlights like the new and old cathedrals and the flower market. Learn first-hand why this city deserves it’s UNESCO designation.
Day 2Cuenca
Enjoy a free day to explore. Opt for a city tour or go hiking in Cajas National Park.
Explore the city’s sights, including cobblestoned streets, red-tiled roofs, art galleries, flower markets, shaded plazas, and museums.
Free Time
Head out and explore this colonial city!
Optional Activities - Day 2 HideShow
Cajas National Park Visit
65USD per personHead out for an excursion from Cuenca with a visit to Cajas National Park. Tour this natural outdoor playground that combines stunning scenery and wildlife with excellent areas for hiking. The terrain is quite stark, mostly above 4,000m (13,120 ft) in the páramo (grassy highlands), with many clear lakes. Try some of the variety of treks in the park’s vast 28,000 ha, and keep an eye out for oncillas, wild llamas, pumas, and a wide variety of birds, including toucans!
Day Trip to Ingapirca Ruins
65USD per personVisit the ruins of Ingapirca, a UNESCO World Heritage Site that is approximately an hour and a half drive north of Cuenca, through some of Ecuador's most beautiful countryside. Although it is a major Inca site, not a lot is known about its history.
Cuenca Mud Baths & Hot Springs
40USD per personSlather volcanic muds on your face and body and relax in the natural hot springs.
Gualaceo and Chordeleg Day Trip
65USD per personExplore the countryside near Cuenca, visit nearby towns well-known for handicrafts, weaving, and textiles. Learn about the weaving process and pick up a shawl, guitar, or straw hat directly from the people who make them.
Cuenca City Tour
35USD per personHead out into this stunning colonial city with your expert local CEO. First visit the Turi viewpoint with sweeping views of the city and surrounding mountains before stopping by a Panama hat factory. Then continue to the historical centre to discover the highlights like the new and old cathedrals and the flower market. Learn first-hand why this city deserves it’s UNESCO designation.
Meals included:
BreakfastDay 3Cuenca/Montañita
Head to the coastal laid-back surf town of Montañita. En route, stop at a traditional cacao hacienda.
Local Bus
Climb aboard, grab a seat, and enjoy the ride.
Your Foodie Moment: Traditional Cacao Hacienda
Renowned as one of the top producers of cacao in the world, Ecuador is the place to learn about this magical bean. Visit a family-run dairy and cacao farm where they have been perfecting the process for over 145 years. Explore the farm and learn about the production of cacao and taste it in various stages of its lifecycle.
Private Vehicle
Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.
Meals included:
BreakfastDay 4Montañita/Puerto López
Head to the beach town of Puerto Lopez and the beautiful Machalilla National Park that surrounds it. There are tons of activities in the area to take part in over the next few days.
Local Bus
Climb aboard, grab a seat, and enjoy the ride.
Your Discover Moment
There's plenty to see and do in Puerto Lopez, and we wanted to make sure that you had some time to take it all in. Feel free to relax or try optional activities like snorkelling, hiking in Machalilla National Park, and taking a day trip to Isla de la Plata. Your CEO has more ideas if you need them. Just ask!
Optional Activities - Day 4 HideShow
Day Trip to Isla de la Plata
45-60USD per personExplore Isla de la Plata, affectionately known as the “poor man’s Galápagos.” Be sure to bring your camera to this wildlife watching haven. Meet colonies of nesting blue-footed boobies and a number of other sea birds. View the migrating whales (June to October) and dolphins around the island.
Snorkelling
25USD per personGrab a mask and fins and hit the surf. Discover the coral reef around Isla de la Plata, and keep an eye out for turtles, manta rays, and, a wide range of marine life.
Machalilla National Park Hike
15USD per personGo trekking at Machalilla National Park, Ecuador’s only coastal national park, which covers more than 40,000 ha of tropical dry forest and cloud forest as well as 20,000 ha of Pacific Ocean. Explore the park's coastline, which contains the country’s only coral formations (just off the mainland). Get your blood pumping with some day hikes to soak in the beautiful scenery and learn about the area. Be sure to keep an eye out for local wildlife.
Los Frailes Beach
FreeGrab a tuk-tuk to the park entrance and make your way to one of its beaches. Chill out on the incredibly soft white sand, take a dip, and enjoy.
Agua Blanca Community Museum
15USD per personVisit an indigenous community and hike through the grounds with a local guide. Stop to soak in therapeutic mud, learn about flora and fauna, or wander through the archaeological museum.
Meals included:
BreakfastDay 5Puerto López
Enjoy free time to explore. Optional activities include hiking in Machalilla National Park, relaxing on white-sand beaches, or whale- watching (when in season). Or, opt for the popular day-trip to Isla del Plata, home to a variety of seabirds including blue-footed boobies and fantastic snorkelling that rivals the Galápagos.
Your Discover Moment
There's plenty to see and do in Puerto Lopez, and we wanted to make sure that you had some time to take it all in. Feel free to relax or try optional activities like snorkelling, hiking in Machalilla National Park, and taking a day trip to Isla de la Plata. Your CEO has more ideas if you need them. Just ask!
Optional Activities - Day 5 HideShow
Day Trip to Isla de la Plata
45-60USD per personExplore Isla de la Plata, affectionately known as the “poor man’s Galápagos.” Be sure to bring your camera to this wildlife watching haven. Meet colonies of nesting blue-footed boobies and a number of other sea birds. View the migrating whales (June to October) and dolphins around the island.
Snorkelling
25USD per personGrab a mask and fins and hit the surf. Discover the coral reef around Isla de la Plata, and keep an eye out for turtles, manta rays, and, a wide range of marine life.
Machalilla National Park Hike
15USD per personGo trekking at Machalilla National Park, Ecuador’s only coastal national park, which covers more than 40,000 ha of tropical dry forest and cloud forest as well as 20,000 ha of Pacific Ocean. Explore the park's coastline, which contains the country’s only coral formations (just off the mainland). Get your blood pumping with some day hikes to soak in the beautiful scenery and learn about the area. Be sure to keep an eye out for local wildlife.
Los Frailes Beach
FreeGrab a tuk-tuk to the park entrance and make your way to one of its beaches. Chill out on the incredibly soft white sand, take a dip, and enjoy.
Agua Blanca Community Museum
15USD per personVisit an indigenous community and hike through the grounds with a local guide. Stop to soak in therapeutic mud, learn about flora and fauna, or wander through the archaeological museum.
Meals included:
BreakfastDay 6Puerto López/Quito
Fly Back to Quito and enjoy free time. Opt to take a city tour, ride the cable car up the nearby volcano, or relax in one of the city's many cafés and restaurants.
Local Bus
Climb aboard, grab a seat, and enjoy the ride.
Optional Activities - Day 6 HideShow
Teleférico
9USD per personEnjoy spectacular views of Quito from this sky tram up Volcán Pichincha. Choose to go for a hike at the top, or just come along for the ride.
Meals included:
BreakfastDay 7Quito
Depart at any time.
We recommend booking pre or post nights in Quito for additional time to explore. The optional activities may require additional time, speak to your CEO for assistance booking these activities on trip.
Opt to pre-book the "Quito City Tour & Equator Line" activity on the checkout page ahead of time to include this optional on your tour.
Optional Activities - Day 7 HideShow
Quito City Tour & Equator Line
Enjoy a city tour of Quito. Visit the Old Town, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, with stops at the Basilica del Voto Nacional, La Compañia Church, San Francisco Square, Plaza Grande and the Panecillo, a towering statue of the virgin of Quito who looks out over a stunning view of the city. Drive 25km (16 mi) north of Quito to the Middle of the World, latitude 0º. Stand with one foot in each hemisphere.
Please note that this tour starts at 8 a.m. and ends around 5 p.m.
Teleférico
9USD per personEnjoy spectacular views of Quito from this sky tram up Volcán Pichincha. Choose to go for a hike at the top, or just come along for the ride.
Cotopaxi Volcano - Full Day
Enjoy a spectacular 2 hour drive to Cotopaxi Volcano National Park to see the highest active volcano in the world (5,897m/ 19,347 ft). Visit a museum in the park and hike around a lagoon at the bottom of the volcano to learn about the flora and fauna found at this altitude. Continue by car up the volcano to the parking lot, at over 4,500m/14,763 ft. Walk for an hour and a half to the refuge and after a short break, continue to the glacier (if the weather holds out). Return to Quito in the early evening. **Park entrance fee is not included and is split among the number of travellers in the group**