Ecuador in 14 days

Individual tour with, hotels/transport and excursions included

You can choose this tour in 3 Options

1 Budget tour : in hostals/ local transport / excursions in international group

2 classic tour: in 3* hotels/ mix local transport – private / mix private excursions – international group

3 Luxe tour: all 4 * hotels / private transport / private excursions/ included entree fees

How do we work ?
In our packet, you travel all by yourself, Southamerica planet take care for you, we reserve all your hotels and transport.  The excursions you do in International groups with English speaking guides.

Our local agent arrange also your transfers and give you the bus tickets to go from  A to  B, like this, you travel around by yourself but without worry’s , all arranged thru  southamerica planet. If there are any problems, you always find support by contacting our offices via whatsapp

What is included?
* All bus transport, all hotels and all the tours as indicated in the program.
* All hotels are based on double room with private bathroom, single rooms on request for an extra price, all buses are based on good buses
* all the transfers

Not included
* Your food, in the hotels is breakfast included.
* The entry fees and taxes, like airport tax.
*Local and international flights
* Optional excursions

Day 1              Quito
Arrival in Quito from where you will have a transfer to your hotel where you will spend the night. Quito, the Ecuadorian capital, existed before the Inca´s arrived in the 15th century. Just before the Spaniards invaded the city in 1534 the Inca General Rumiñahui has put the city into ashes. He rather destroyed the city than put it in the hands of the Spaniards. The city was then rebuilt and as a result of that, the Spaniards have had major influence on the current status of the city. Quito is located at 2850 meters altitude, is 70 meters long and its widest part is 8 km. Quito is located in the Pichincha province, named after the volcano that lies next to the city.

Day 2              Quito

Free day to acclimatize and visit the historic center of Quito.

The capital of Ecuador has just like the country many faces and therefore there is something for everyone! You have time to visit the beautiful historic center (of course we can organize this tour with one of our guides). Besides Quito it selves you also can make nice bike rides to Cotopaxi or Papallacta. Visit the park to observe the local life, visit the new center with hip bars or admire one of the many museums. Another option is to visit a project: for example, you can help with cooking for the elderly, or choose to lend a hand at a school for teenage mothers.

Day 3              Quito – Otavalo

After a quiet start in the morning, you will depart for a nice drive through the Andes. Along the way you will see several snowy peaks of the volcanoes in good weather. The ride takes about 3 hours with private transport, but before arrival you first visit the Equator Line. Here is a nice scientific explanation about the Equator and the starry sky.

Day 4              Otavalo
Day off where you can enjoy the life of Otavalo. You can visit an impressive cultural market and / or local factories at Peguche. Here you also can find the waterfall and a scared tree. Option I is to stay with a local family from noon. Option II is a “development” tour where you will view small business and agricultural projects. From Otavalo it is also possible to make a nice 3 day trekking

Day 5              Mindo

The driver takes you from Otavalo to Mindo through the Intag valley. This route of about 5 hours is special and is rarely used. You will also pass the Cuicocha volcano lake and a coffee roaster. weather conditions or the condition of the road, the driver may have to choose the alternative (comfortable) road more over the asphalt. In the afternoon a visit to a small chocolate factory in Mindo on your own.

Mindo is a subtropical village of the cloud forest and is centrally located in Ecuador in a green valley. With the subtropical forest and the many waterfalls, it is an ideal habitat for birds and butterflies.

Day 6              Mindo
This morning you will go or on a bird tour very early in the morning with a guide or a Canopy tour where you zoom high above the trees of the cloud forest *. In the afternoon you can, for example, visit the butterfly garden with many exotic colorful butterflies or take a walk along the waterfalls. From Mindo you can also travel to a special community, namely the Tsachilas Indians.

Day 7              Mindo – Cotopaxi

Travel day, duration 5 hours by private transport with visit to the center of the earth “Mitad del Mundo”. Today you will visit the Cotopaxi National Park and make the “ascent” to refugio on the volcano *. You will stay in a beautiful environment, really in the middle of the park at the foot of the Cotopaxi volcano. The best view in the park! You do not necessarily have to be a mountaineer. This ecological hotel is located at 3720 meters. Enjoy the landscape here that is transformed into a magical-realistic canvas under the moonlight and the stars. The evening meal is also included with this stay. Option is to take a beautiful horse tour through the park the next morning.

Day 8              Baños

In the morning you wake up in one of the most special places in our world. After a nice breakfast you can take a walk, horseback tour or enjoy the view. Then there is the departure with private transport to Banos (3 hours). In consultation, this ride can be adapted with an extra trip to the volcano lake Quilatoa, this beautifully colored lake looks different every day. It can be chilly here so make sure you have warm clothes with you. after the stop, travel on to Banos. This travel day lasts about 6 hours. After arriving in Baños you can relax in the town and enjoy the fine restaurants. You can also visit the hot water baths. There is something for everyone in the pleasant town of Baños. In the coming days, you can take a nice mountain bike ride along various waterfalls. If this goes too fast you can also take a lovely walk along these waterfalls. Even more refreshing activities include river rafting or a Canyoning tour. In the evening you can enjoy the local cuisine in one of the many restaurants.

Day 9              Baños – Guamote

This day is free for you. We ensure that bicycles * are available or you can walk into nature from your hotel. Several hiking trails have been set out to various waterfalls. You can easily undertake these walks on your own. Of course you can also extend the day with, for example, a varied bike ride to, among others, the river “Rio Verde” with the impressive waterfall, “Pailon deDiablo”, 20 km from Baños towards Puyo. Canyoning tour, rafting or just relaxing in the hot water baths. Another option is to make a full day program from here to the Jungle at Puyo, you will visit the secondary forest, canoe trip on the rivers, visit a family, and an educational walk along the forest giants and medicinal plants.

Day 10                        Guamote – Cuenca
This morning you go further south and a travel day with public transport is planned (6 hours). If desired, we can also use one of our drivers for this ride so that you can travel with private transport. In that case, a stop is possible at the Inca Ruine ingapirca. (The train is currently on hold and the famous train route Nariz del Diablo is not possible. In the evening you have free time to do a city tour and admire the beautiful colonial Cuenca, because Cuenca is the colonial city of Ecuador, where you stately mansions with large patios, charming squares and many churches and cathedrals, both during the day and at night you can relax and stroll through the streets along cheerful flower stalls, vegetable markets and stock up on souvenirs at the artisan market for your home.

Day 11                        Cuenca
In the coming days, the city will be home to the most diverse activities that you can easily do yourself! Bored is not an option. For example, you can visit the mysterious “Parque Cajas” at 3800m with its special “paper trees”. If you prefer to stay in the city: the UNESCO-protected historic center with its many markets and small streets is definitely worth a visit. Cuenca is also known for its good museums and of course the Panama hat factory. In the area are many small villages with local markets that are very interesting to visit. Or something completely different: go to the sauna in a cave!

Day 12                        Cuenca – Puerto Lopez
Today there is a spectacular but long travel day on the program. You will choose all the climate zones in Ecuador in one day. From the high Andes you will descend to Guayaquil where you will be welcomed by the banana and cocoa plantations. From there you travel further to coast and follow a beautiful stretch of the Ecuadorian coastline to Puerto Lopez. The west coast of Ecuador is extra special because of the nature park “Machililla”. This way you will not only be pampered by a beautiful sea, but also a beautiful nature. Be pampered here with fantastic fish meals, the relaxed atmosphere and a dip in the water. These days you stay wonderfully on the beach on a private piece of paradise in Puerto Lopez. Here you can enjoy peace and quiet and walk straight onto the beach. The village itself is less than 15 minutes walking distance.

Day 13                       Puerto Lopez

Today you will make a nice day tour. You cannot miss a visit to the island of “Isla la Plata” or “Poorman’s Galapagos” when you visit Puerto Lopez. Humpback whales can even be seen from June to September. With a boat trip to the island. There you will take a three hour walk, where you can see different birds up close, such as the famous “Blue Footed Boobies” and Frigatebirds just like on Galapagos. After the hike you will have the opportunity to take another refreshing dip in the water and admire the underwater world. The snorkeling takes about 45 minutes. *

Day 14                        Puerto Lopez – Guayaquil
In the afternoon you go with the driver (PV) to Guayaquil. There you will fly home with the international flight, arriving the next day.

In case it is possible we will offer a Special Stay option as well.

* Activity package

Activity:  (3st Birdtour Mindo o Canopy, visit Cotopaxi with guide, bike tour Banos)

Transport Private  extra charge  (Banos –Cuenca en Cuenca-Pto lopez)

Option: City tour Quito or horse ride  extra charge

Let op verblijf inclusief ontbijt en privé kamer, Cotopaxi ook inclusief diner, Jungle tour inclusief alle maaltijden

Tours
Please take into account that throughout the country there are several markets and each market has a special market day.

In case of other tours it is important to mention that not all are possible in private. In the description of the tours it will be mentioned if It is possible or not.

Transport
All transport will be with Spanish speaking drivers. English speaking drivers are available on request.

Galápagos:Galápagos Click here for our programs 
Galapagos is a special place with even more special conditions. You might already know them but just in case I´ll mention the most important below so that you can take it into account in case you are interested in going to Galapagos:

In case clients are interested in a land tour or a cruise availability must always be checked. We can offer all cruises. To be able to check availability please send us the following information:

*  Number of days passengers want to travel
* Kind of cruise or land tour
* Kind of rooms (on cruises mainly double rooms are available). In case of single, please inform if you are  willing to share a cabin (in case of cruises) to save costs
Once we have this information we will check availability and will send you an answer
*Please take into account that all boats have certain itineraries and have fixed departure dates. Therefore it is easier if passengers are a bit flexible in their departure date to Galapagos so that we have more options to offer.

* In case clients are interested in one of the cruises or land tours offered we can take an option for maximum 5 working days. The option is free of charge and will expire automatically if we don´t have an answer from your side.
*If passengers want to make a reservation we need to receive the copies of their passports. Without the copies we cannot book.
* Itineraries for the Galapagos are always subject to change
* Most of the time we have the obligation to buy the flight tickets with the cruise company. In case passengers (or SAP) books their own tickets we cannot be held responsible for any extra costs and/or missing (part of) the cruise.