Itinerary
- Day 1
Frankfurt to Quito to Otavalo
Your flight from Frankfurt lands in Quito, where your guide meets you at the airport. From there, it's a drive up to Otavalo in the highlands. You'll check into your guesthouse and settle in for the night after traveling.
- Day 2
Otavalo
After breakfast, head to the Indio market in Otavalo where hundreds of vendors sell colorful textiles, crafts, and local goods. The market's busy with activity and worth spending a few hours wandering through. Later you'll do an easy hike to Peguche waterfall, which helps you get used to the altitude. Dinner that evening is traditional Ecuadorian food.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner (Typical Ecuadorian dinner)
Included Activities
- Explore Indio market in Otavalo
- Hike to Peguche waterfall
Landmarks Indio Market, Otavalo Peguche Waterfall 
- Day 3
Cotacachi-Cayapas National Park to San Clemente
You'll travel to Cotacachi-Cayapas National Park and hike around the crater lake Cuicocha, a good way to keep acclimatizing. On clear days you can see the Cotacachi and Imbabura volcanoes from up there. After finishing the hike, drive to San Clemente, an indigenous community near Ibarra, where local hosts show you how people live in the rural highlands.
- Meals
- Lunch
Included Activities
- Hike around Cuicocha crater lake
- Visit indigenous community of San Clemente
Landmarks Cotacachi-Cayapas National Park Cuicocha Crater Lake Cotacachi Volcano Imbabura Volcano 
- Day 4
Imbabura Volcano Climb
Starting before sunrise, you'll climb Imbabura volcano, trekking through indigenous forest and paramo grassland before hitting the stony sections. The final part goes around the crater rim to the summit at 4610m/15,125ft. After taking photos and soaking in the views, you'll head back down the same route.
- Meals
- Lunch
Included Activities
- Climb Imbabura volcano to 4610 m summit
Landmarks Imbabura Volcano - Day 5
Equator to Quito
After saying goodbye to your hosts, travel to the famous Equator Monument and Inti Nan Sun Museum where you can stand with one foot in each hemisphere. The afternoon is yours to explore Quito on your own and check out whatever interests you.
- Meals
- Lunch
Included Activities
- Visit Equator Monument
- Visit Inti Nan Sun Museum
Landmarks Equator Monument Inti Nan Sun Museum - Day 6
Cruz Loma Viewpoint
Take the Teleferico cable car up to Cruz Loma viewpoint at 4050m/13,287ft. From there you'll hike through paramo landscape with great views of Quito and the surrounding volcanoes. If you want even better views, you can hike up to Mirador de los Volcanos for a different perspective of the clouds and city.
- Meals
- Lunch
Included Activities
- Teleferico cable car to Cruz Loma viewpoint
- Hike through paramo landscape at Cruz Loma
Optional Activities
- Hike to Mirador de los Volcanos
Landmarks Cruz Loma Viewpoint Mirador de los Volcanos - Day 7
Quito Old Town to Hacienda
Walk through Quito's old town on foot, going down narrow streets and stopping at Plaza Grande with its government palace and cathedral. You'll see El Sagrario church and La Compañía, the impressive UNESCO-listed church, plus Plaza de San Francisco and its convent. In the afternoon, drive south along the Avenue of the Volcanoes to a family hacienda with a dairy farm where you can see snow-covered Ilinizas and Cotopaxi on clear days.
- Meals
- Lunch
Included Activities
- Explore Quito old town on foot
- Visit Plaza Grande
- Visit El Sagrario church
- Visit La Compañía church
- Visit Plaza de San Francisco and convent
- Visit family-run hacienda with dairy farm
Landmarks Plaza Grande, Quito Cathedral of Quito El Sagrario Church La Compañía Church Plaza de San Francisco, Quito 
- Day 8
Quilotoa Trek Day 1
After breakfast, start the first day of a 2-day hike to Quilotoa crater lake. From the hacienda, you'll hike across farms and through valleys over gentle hills to the Rio Toachi. Then descend into the Toachi canyon and climb back up to the indigenous community of Shalala at 3800m/12,467ft where your tent camp is set up.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Hike from hacienda to Rio Toachi to Shalala
Landmarks Rio Toachi Toachi Canyon - Day 9
Shalala to Quilotoa to Cotopaxi
Continue hiking to Quilotoa crater lake, one of Ecuador's most beautiful lagoons. You'll walk along the crater rim and see how the lagoon's colors change from greenish to turquoise to blue depending on the light, with mountains all around creating nice contrasts. That afternoon, drive to your accommodation near Cotopaxi.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Hike to Quilotoa crater lake
- Hike along Quilotoa crater rim
Landmarks Quilotoa Crater Lake 
- Day 10
Cotopaxi to Ruminahui to Baños
A short drive gets you to Laguna Limpipungo, where you'll start climbing Ruminahui's central peak at 4634m/15,203ft. The hike begins gently through paramo, then you reach rocky sections and scramble slowly to the summit. From up there you can see Antisana, Sincholagua, and Cotopaxi. After coming down, you'll drive to Baños for the night.
- Meals
- Lunch
Included Activities
- Hike and climb Ruminahui summit to 4634 m
Landmarks Laguna Limpipungo Ruminahui Volcano Cotopaxi Volcano Antisana Volcano Sincholagua Volcano - Day 11
Baños
This is a free day to rest and prepare for the trekking ahead. Baños sits at the foot of Tungurahua volcano and has a subtropical climate, with thermal pools and a waterfall road nearby. If you feel up for it, there are optional activities like canyoning, cycling, or rafting available.
- Meals
- Lunch
Optional Activities
- Enjoy thermal pools in Baños
- Visit waterfall road near Baños
- Canyoning
- Cycling
- Rafting
Landmarks Tungurahua Volcano 
- Day 12
Baños to Carihuairazo Trek Day 1
Leave Baños in the morning and drive to the starting point of a 4-day trek northeast of Carihuairazo at 3800m/12,467ft. Your equipment gets transported to the campsite while you trek toward Pampas de Salasaca, and you'll get rubber boots for crossing swampy areas. You'll walk through montane Andean forest with piquil and polylepis trees, then paramo grassland, reaching the first camp at 3850m/12,631ft.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Trek towards Pampas de Salasaca
Landmarks Carihuairazo Volcano Pampas de Salasaca - Day 13
Carihuairazo Trek Day 2
Hike up to a pass at 4270m/14,010ft with views of Tungurahua, Altar, Carihuairazo, and distant Cotopaxi. You'll be walking far above the tree line where twisted polylepis trees (paper trees) with thin-layered bark grow. Keep an eye out for birds of prey like the carunculated caracara and potentially the rare Andean condor. Camp at the foot of Carihuairazo at 3990m/13,091ft.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Hike to pass at 4270 m with volcanic views
- Trek through Polylepis forest and paramo
Optional Activities
- Birdwatching for caracara and Andean condor
Landmarks Tungurahua Volcano Altar Volcano Carihuairazo Volcano Cotopaxi Volcano - Day 14
Carihuairazo Trek Day 3 to Mechahuasca Lodge
Hike around the southern flank of Carihuairazo, ascending to 4500m/14,764ft before descending into Abraspungo Valley with views of cliffs and glaciers at Chimborazo over 5000m/16,404ft. Cross the valley and drive to the indigenous community of Mechahuasca at 4270m/14,010ft, where your lodge is run by Marco Cruz, an Ecuadorian mountaineering legend.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Hike around southern flank of Carihuairazo
- Trek through Abraspungo Valley
Landmarks Carihuairazo Volcano Abraspungo Valley Chimborazo Volcano - Day 15
Chimborazo Summit Trek to Riobamba
Do your final hike to Chimborazo. Drive up to Carrel hut at 4850m/15,912ft, then hike to Whymper hut at 5000m/16,404ft. After a short rest, continue to Condorcocha lagoon at 5100m/16,732ft. If you want, you have the option to climb Chimborazo itself at 6263m/20,551ft. Then return to Carrel hut and drive to Riobamba for the night.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch
Included Activities
- Hike from Carrel hut to Whymper hut
- Hike to Condorcocha lagoon at 5100 m
Optional Activities
- Summit climb of Chimborazo (6263 m)
Landmarks Carrel Hut Whymper Hut Condorcocha Lagoon Chimborazo Volcano - Day 16
Riobamba to Frankfurt
Depending on when you need to leave, spend the morning relaxing in Riobamba before driving to Quito airport for your flight back to Europe, ending your Ecuadorian adventure.
- Day 17
Arrival at Home
You're home now with memories from your trek and a full memory card of photos from Ecuador.
