Participants will be based in Quito. From this city, you will have all the departures to the nearest attractions in the region. Each day, our personal guides will take care of you, showing this fantastic opportunity to see the real Ecuador and its beauty.
Ecuador offers different adventure, cultural, historical and natural opportunities for you not to miss. It maintains a unique contact with its ancestral indigenous cultures and is one of the most biologically diverse countries in the world.
The Andes region, with its majestic snow-capped mountains and active volcanoes surrounded by hot springs, humid cloud forests and fertile valleys, colorful Indian markets, lovely colonial towns, ancient haciendas and historic cities, make of this area a paradise on its own.
Quito – Ecuador (Google Map)
Once you land in Quito, you will be met at the airport and taken to your hostel in Quito. You will be free for the remainder of the day to explore Ecuador’s capital city.
On Monday morning a member of the Lead Adventures staff will meet you at your hostel and accompany you to our office where you will receive a comprehensive orientation about Ecuador and the program itself. The rest of the afternoon, our personal guide will explore the city in the city tour arranged to you.
This comprehensive city tour includes visits to residential neighborhoods at the northern end of the city, continuing through the Gran Colombia Avenue up to the Basilica Church, where we will make a brief stop, next to the “San Juan Mirador” for a beautiful view of Colonial Quito. While walking through the colonial streets we will stop at the Independence Plaza with a chance to admire the Cathedral, the Government’s Palace, and the Archbishop’s palace. We then visit the stunning La Compañia Church with its adornments and gold altars. Finally we drive on to the “Panecillo Mirador” for a breathtaking view of Quito.
This will be a private tour with an English speaking guide in a private car.
In the morning we will visit the cable car. Quito Teleferico, is located in the Pichincha volcano, an area of 160 hectares. It has 18 comfortable cabins with panoramic windows that allow visitors to 6 each, take a trip of 8 minutes starting at a height of 3045 meters above sea level to climb to 4050 meters at the top. During this trip will enjoy a beautiful view of Quito, the valleys and mountains that surround it lovingly.
After this visit, we head to the monument of the Middle of the World, geographically located at 0 degrees and 0 minutes, 0 seconds and marks the division between northern and southern hemisphere as established by French Geodesic Mission in the eighteenth century, we will know the Ethnographic Museum in which you can observe all ethnic groups in Ecuador, plus the history of each of their lifestyles. This is an opportunity to be photographed with the feet on the northern and southern hemispheres at once. Also visit the resort, whose city is a replica of colonial Spanish architecture that provides a wide variety of tourist attractions including the main square, church, post office, bullring, cafeterias, restaurants and various craft centers.
The tour includes private transportation, entrance tickets and bilingual guide.
Cotopaxi National Park is one of the most visited natural areas in Ecuador due to its amazing scenery, proximity to Quito and status as a national icon.
We set off from Quito for Cotopaxi National Park early in the morning. We continue on to the Park, where we visit the Park Visitors Centre. After crossing the páramo plains, we reach the car park below the climbing hut, where we start our hike up to the hut (or “refugio” in Spanish) at 4,800m. (15,744 ft), and come face to face with the imposing, snow-clad mass of this lord of the Andes.
We then continue on our way, stopping next at Limpiopungo Lake, where we will be served a delicious box lunch. After lunch, we get back in the vehicle and drive across this wild landscape as far as the Pucará del Salitre, an ancient Inca fortress on the route to the Amazon basin.
Return to Quito.
The tour includes private transportation, entrance tickets and bilingual guide.
East of Quito, on the main road that leads into the Amazon basin, you will find Papallacta. Although it is primarily known for its mineral hot springs (“Termas de Papallacta”), you will also have the opportunity to go hiking, birding, and horseback riding.
Papallacta is located in an area between two Andean-Equatorial volcanoes (Cayambe and Antisana), and therefore its hydrothermal waters are very rich. Legends suggest that the Inca Royalty appreciated its healthy thermal waters emerging from deep geological layers, more than 500 years ago! The tour includes private transportation, entrance tickets and bilingual guide.
Driving north of Quito is the most famous indigenous market of Ecuador: Otavalo, full of traditions and handcrafts. Following the route is Cayambe, the perfect place to see how people prepare biscuits using a traditional technique. Next stop will be a view point to enjoy the landscape of Imbabura volcano (4610 mts.) and San Pablo lagoon.
Your next and most anxious spot will be Otavalo market, where you will spend time shopping and some quality time with your friends. You will fall in love with all variety of handicrafts. Then you will go to Cotacachi to have a delicious lunch and explore the leather local work shops for a great landscape ending at Cuicocha´s view point. The tour includes private transportation and bilingual guide.
This day you can explore the city by your own and prepare your departure the next day.
Free morning to get ready for your international flight departure.
Our Hostel is a new arrival on the Quito hotel scene. Its refurbishment began on October 16th, 2008, in the heart of the La Mariscal neighborhood. It is a family-owned business, managed by professionals in the tourism and hospitality industry who have worked in some of the finest hotels in Ecuador and guarantee quality service. They work hard to make this hostel, one of the best places to stay in Quito.
Quito: enjoy the Old Town-churches, government, squares and shopping. The historic old own of Colonial Quito is the jewel in Ecuador’s crown. The city was designated the first UNESCO World Heritage City in 1978 in recognition of the importance of its colonial architecture (ahead of cities like Bath and Venice).
Middle of the World (Equateur line): The Ciudad Mitad del Mundo (Spanish: Middle of the World City) is a tract of land owned by the prefecture of the province of Pichincha, Ecuador. It is located at San Antonio parish of the canton of Quito, 26 km north of the center of Quito. The grounds contain the Museo Etnográfico Mitad del Mundo, a museum about the indigenous ethnography of Ecuador.
The 30-meter-tall monument was constructed between 1979 and 1982 by Pichincha’s Province Council to replace an older, smaller monument built by Government of Ecuador under the direction of the geographer Luis Tufiño in 1936. It is made of iron and concrete and covered with cut and polished andesite stone. The monument was built to commemorate the first Geodesic Mission of the French Academy of Sciences, led by Louis Godin, Pierre Bouguer and Charles Marie de La Condamine, who, in the year 1736, conducted experiments to test the flattening at the poles of the characteristic shape of the Earth, by comparing the distance between a degree meridian in the equatorial zone to another level measured in Sweden. The older monument was moved 7 km to a small town near there called Calacalí.
Otavalo: capital of Otavalo Canton, is a largely indigenous town in the Imbabura Province of Ecuador.
The indigenous Otavaleños are famous for weaving textiles, usually made of wool (that is sometimes as black as a raven), which are sold at the famous Saturday market. Although the largest market is on Saturday, there is a very wide range of wares available throughout the week in the Plaza de los Ponchos, and the many local shops. The shops sell textiles such as handmade blankets, tablecloths, and much more.
The Otavalo market consists of ninety mushroom-shaped concrete umbrellas with benches. The market was designed and built in 1970 by Dutch architect Tonny Zwollo. During the market’s peak, almost one third of the town becomes full of stalls selling textiles, tagua nut jewelry, musical instruments, dream catchers, leather goods, fake shrunken heads, indigenous costumes, hand-painted platters and trays, purses, clothing, spices, raw foods and spools of wool.
Otavalo was an area made up principally of farming communities due to the rich volcanic soils in this area, but with the growth of tourism, the town has begun to focus more on the making of handicrafts which have made the Saturday market a popular stop with visitors to Ecuador. Tourism has become the town’s main industry and as a result there are many more hotels, hostels, and tour operators than other similarly sized Ecuadorian towns, such as nearby Cayambe. Further, Otavaleño (people from Otavalo) have had notable success selling their goods abroad.
As Otavalo is famous for its textiles, many of the nearby villages and towns are famous for their own particular crafts. Cotacachi, for example, is the center of Ecuador’s leather industry. In San Antonio, where the local specialty is wood carving, the main street prominently displays carved statues, picture frames, and furniture.
Papallacta spring hot water pools: Papallacta is a small village in Napo Province, Ecuador located at an altitude of 3,300 m in the Andes just off the Eastern Cordilleras on the road from Quito which leads into the Amazon jungle. The scenic drive from Quito to Papallacta passes through several towns and small villages before ascending to a peak of over 4,000 m where views of mountains and glaciers are visible. Descending from the peak to Papallacta, one passes through the portal where the ecosystems transforms from alpine to tropical jungle.
The village of Papallacta itself is not known as a tourist destination but houses several hot springs and spas. Many of the local restaurants are known for their steamed trout and a hearty meal can be had for just a few dollars. For lodging, there are several tourist hotels and a resort.
Cotopaxi Volcano: Cotopaxi National Park (Spanish: Parque Nacional Cotopaxi) is a protected area in Ecuador situated in the Cotopaxi Province, Napo Province and Pichincha Province, roughly 50 km south of Quito. The Cotopaxi volcano (supposedly meaning smooth neck of the moon) that lends its name to the park is located within its boundaries, together with two others: the dormant Rumiñawi volcano to its north-west and the historical Sincholagua volcano (last major eruption: 1877) to the south east. Cotopaxi is among the highest active volcanoes in the world; its last significant eruption took place in 1904.
Currency
The currency of Ecuador is the United States dollar, accepted as the national currency of Ecuador in January 2000. The money that is circulated includes notes and coins. Notes are of the denominations of US 50, 20, 10, 5, 2 and 1 while the coins are in denominations of US$1 and 50, 25, 10, 5 and 1 cent. Please note that most shops and restaurants will not accept bills over $20, so it is worth having small currency denominations on you.
ATMs are also available in almost all parts of the country. Credit cards, mainly Visa and MasterCard, are also accepted in Ecuador. Additionally, you may use traveler’s checks; in Quito there are traveler check exchange bureaus that are easily accessible.
Passport and Visa Requirements
All tourists need a valid passport and an entry form-tourist card which is provided by your air carrier. This will be available at either the ticket counter when checking in for your flight to Ecuador or once on-board.
Citizens of Canada, UK and USA do not need to obtain a visa for stays up to 90 days. If you are of a different nationality, please check with Lead Adventures staff and your local Ecuadorian Embassy. For stays longer than 90 days, you must obtain a 6-month Tourist visa (12-IX) at your local Ecuadorian Embassy. Lead Adventures will provide you with more information about visas and immigration if needed.
Health and Vaccinations
When traveling abroad it is important to seek advice on the potential hazards, understand how best to protect your health, and minimize the risk of harm and disease. Planning ahead and taking preventive measures will reduce the risk of accident and of acquiring disease. We are not qualified to assess individuals health, therefore we highly recommend that you seek the attention of a medical professional regarding specific vaccinations and medications.
You can visit http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/ for additional helpful information.
Lead Adventure Support
Ensuring our volunteer´s safety is of the utmost importance. Prior to your departure, our program coordinators will work with you to plan and prepare for your trip with us. Upon your arrival to Quito, you will receive a detailed orientation and last minute questions will be addressed. Additionally, you will be given a 24 hours emergency contact number for our on-call Ecuadorian based coordinators.
Weather
Ecuador’s climate varies with its regions. This area has an altitude of about 7550 ft (2300 m) above sea level and because of this, the temperature is comfortable, and does not get too hot. The climate is mild, often warm and dry, with an 18°C average temperature during day and 11°C at night.
Ecuador Time Zone
Standard time zone: UTC/GMT -5 hours
Electrical Standards
Ecuador’s electrical current is 120/60 (volts/hz) Type A and Type B Electrical Outlet (same as North America)
FAQs
The program accepts departures from 2 passengers and on.
Yes, we have received participants since 2004
There are not any special requirements.
It is recommended to bring and/or purchase the following items:
-Long sleeved clothing for cool nights
– Repellent in the Amazon region
-Good flashlight or headlamp with spare batteries (if you are staying at the center it might be helpful but not necessary)
-Reading material, playing cards, travel games, or other forms of entertainment as you will have some down time.
– Internet cafes are available in Quito.
Transportation
All our tours are privates with personal bilingual guides and transportation.
Public buses during the trips to the Amazon region.
