Ecuador Andes

Day 1 – Country of origin – Quito
You will be picked up at Quito airport and taken to the hotel. Quito is the highest capital in the world at an altitude of 2800 meters. In 1978, the historic center of Quito was added to the UNESCO heritage. Here are many interesting sights. The city center has attractive squares, old colonial cathedrals and white houses with red roofs. The new part of Quito with cafes, restaurants and internet cafes is also definitely worth a visit.

Day 2 - Quito – accommodation
Today you have time to explore Quito and rest from the long journey and get used to the time difference and the altitude. You can go to the old town and visit the beautiful Basilica. You can also take the cable car up to an altitude of 4000 meters, along the slope of the Pichincha Volcano. From here you have a breathtaking view of the city. But above all it is fun to walk through the small streets and watch local life on a terrace somewhere. There are many cafes and eateries in the new center.

Day 3 - Quito – Chugchilan
After an extensive instruction we start on the motorcycles. We drive more than 100 kilometers, about half of which is off-road on the volcano route. This stretch of highway lies between two mountain ranges of the Andes that go from north to south. We see beautiful mountain peaks because they are so close together. The Avenue of Volcanoes is 325 kilometers long, we drive between the highest volcanic peaks in the world. We pass the impressive Cotopaxi. This is the 2nd highest volcano in Ecuador and is part of the famous "Ring of Fire". This is also the highest active, partly snow-covered volcano in the world and, together with the condor, it is the symbol of Ecuador. And we go past the Illiniza, this is a snow-capped double volcano. Then we take one of the most beautiful routes in Ecuador, the famous "Quilotoa Loop". We climb higher past agricultural areas and small farming communities. From a paved road it changes to an old handmade paved road that will take us again to a dirt road over a mountain pass of 4100 km. From here we have a breathtaking view. Tonight we sleep in an ecolodge in the small village of Chugchilan.



Day 4 - Chugchilan - Salinas de Guaranda
Today we drive largely on unpaved roads. It will certainly be chilly in the morning. We drive past small villages and stop at an altitude of 3500 at the green-blue colored Quilotoa crater lake. This was created after a volcanic eruption about 800 years ago. Then we drive on to the city of Zumbahua. Here people walk in brightly colored traditional clothes, they speak in Quechua - the language of the Inca Empire. We eat empanadas on the market square. Then we climb back up to a completely different landscape and climate, the highlands of Pampa. We drive carefully and see many wild llamas, herds of sheep and condors. Then we continue on unpaved roads along the edge of a cliff with breathtaking views over the valley. There is little traffic here and the vegetation changes and so does the temperature. In the tropical city of El Corazon there are sugar cane plantations everywhere. Now we drive through the rainforest and make a steep climb back to the Andes. We arrive in the picturesque town of Salinas de Guaranda.

Day 5 - Salinas de Guaranda - Baños de Agua Santa
We climb up again and drive through small villages where subsistence farmers live. Finally we arrive at the Chimborazo National Wildlife Refugee. The 6,310 meter snow-capped peak of Chimborazo is the highest extinct volcano in the Andes. There is little vegetation here. It is ice cold, usually just above freezing. In the protected Chimborazo Wildlife Refugee we see the wild vicuña, this camelid animal is uniformly brown in color and is the graceful little cousin of the llama. We then descend and it is getting warmer. Finally we are in the city of Riobamba with colonial architecture and good restaurants. The descent continues, we now drive along the Chambo River. The road to Baños is not paved because geological landslides are caused in this area several times a year by the very active Tungurahua volcano. We spend the night in the small town in a simple hotel.



Day 6 - Baños de Agua Santa – accommodation
Today you can rest or go on an adventure. Here you can choose from a day of rafting or kayaking on some great rapids, bungee jumping, canyoning (or abseiling from a waterfall), a jungle tour, mountain biking or mountain climbing. Tonight you can enjoy a nice dinner again, there is a wide choice here.

Day 7 - Baños de Agua Santa - Puerto Misahuallí
After a day of rest, start with a drive along the eastern slopes of the Andes. The winding asphalted road passes several cliffs and beautiful waterfalls. The Paillon del Diablo is one of Ecuador's most breathtaking waterfalls. The water falls more than 90 meters. You can make a jump here from a suspension bridge or go down the stairs. Then we drive along the Pastaza River. We then descend and arrive in the town of Puerto Misahualli. This vibrant city is home to the westernmost navigable port in the Amazon network of rivers. This small port is where the culture and way of life revolve around the river, canoes, and wildlife in the Amazon jungle. A playful population of monkeys also lives here. We will sleep tonight in the luxurious El Jardin Misualli Lodge Cabin. We can enjoy local food again.

Day 8 - Puerto Misahuallí – Orellana
We follow the Rio Napo all day. We cannot drive along the banks of this wide river and drive over the mountain ranges that run along it. Some parts are unpaved. We have beautiful views of the valley below us. Orellana is a larger town at the intersection of two rivers. We will spend the night here in a hotel near the shore.



Day 9 - Orellana – Lumbaqui
We descend again part of the way towards the Amazon rainforest. This is a very fertile area due to the many rivers that flow here. In the afternoon we climb again part of the way to the Cayambe Coca park.

Day 10 - Lumbaqui – Montufar
We follow a beautiful winding road to the north. The countless bends take us to the border with Colombia. We follow this to a large extent. Almost the entire route is on not too difficult unpaved roads. Lumbaqui is a small town not far from the border with Colombia.

Day 11 - Motnufar – Quito
We are back in the high parts of the Andes. We follow the main road for the first part of the morning, then we turn west. We follow an unpaved road. This descends with sharp hairpin bends to the river and then climbs back up again. It's a spectacular ride. We arrive back on the main road just before Quito. After the busy ride into the city we hand in the bikes and go back to the hotel.

Day 12 - Quito – Stay
While you are there, it is nice to have an extra day in beautiful Quito. Walk through the cozy streets again, buy the last souvenirs and enjoy the beautiful city.

Day 13 - Quito – Departure
In the morning you will leave for the airport for the flight back home.

Day 14 - Arrival – Country of origin