Itinerary
- Day 1
Quito
You'll arrive in Quito after a 45-minute drive from the airport and check into your hotel. The city sits at one of the world's highest altitudes, so you might want to take it easy your first day. Plaza Foch is great for people-watching and grabbing a bite, or if you're feeling up for it, head to Parque Metropolitano Guanquiltagua, one of the Americas' largest urban parks. There's also a cable car that takes you up to Cruz Loma for views across the entire city and surrounding mountains.
- Start point
- Quito, Pichincha, Ecuador (Quito)
- Accommodation
- Hotel (Comfort Hotel in Quito #1)
Optional Activities
- Walk through Plaza Foch
- Visit Parque Metropolitano Guanquiltagua
- Ride cable car to Cruz Loma for skyline views
Landmarks Plaza Foch Parque Metropolitano Guanquiltagua Cruz Loma - Day 2
Quito to Cuyabeno
This morning you'll do a guided tour of Quito's colonial center, walking through Plaza Grande and visiting the historic La Compañía and La Basílica churches. After that, head north to Mitad del Mundo where you can stand right on the equator with one foot in each hemisphere. The area has several museums worth checking out, including the Planetarium, Ethnographic Museum, and if you're into craft beer, the Artisanal Beer Museum. Later in the evening, you'll head out toward El Puente del Cuyabeno to begin your journey into the Amazon.
- Meals
- Breakfast
- Accommodation
- Hotel (Comfort Hotel in Quito #1)
Included Activities
- Guided city tour of colonial center (UNESCO World Heritage Site)
- Visit Plaza Grande
- Visit La Compañía church
- Visit La Basílica church
- Visit Mitad del Mundo (Middle of the World) monument
Optional Activities
- Visit Planetarium near Mitad del Mundo
- Visit Ethnographic Museum near Mitad del Mundo
- Visit Artisanal Beer Museum near Mitad del Mundo
- View small-scale model of Quito
Landmarks Plaza Grande La Compañía La Basílica Mitad del Mundo - Day 3
El Puente del Cuyabeno to Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve
You'll spend the morning resting at the Mariscal District before catching the shuttle bus at 10:30 PM for an overnight drive to Cuyabeno. By morning you'll arrive at El Puente, the main entrance to the reserve, grab a box lunch, and then hop into a motorized canoe for a three-hour ride down the Cuyabeno River. Keep your eyes open for monkeys and tropical birds along the way. Once you reach the lodge, you'll settle in, take a quick introductory tour, get briefed on tomorrow's activities, and have dinner.
- Meals
- Lunch (Box lunch), Dinner
- Accommodation
- Lodge (Lodge in Cuyabeno)
Included Activities
- Motorized canoe ride on Cuyabeno River (3 hours)
- Introductory tour around lodge area
- Wildlife observation during canoe transfer
Landmarks Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve Cuyabeno River 
- Day 4
Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve
Start early with breakfast, then head out on a guided rainforest walk through the tropical forest. Your guide will point out medicinal plants and share local knowledge while you look for amphibians, butterflies, snakes, birds, monkeys, and other wildlife. After lunch back at the lodge, you'll take an afternoon canoe trip on the Cuyabeno River to spot more monkeys, toucans, sloths, and river dolphins. Once the sun starts to set, there's a nighttime forest walk where you can see nocturnal insects, spiders, snakes, and frogs that come out after dark.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
- Accommodation
- Lodge (Lodge in Cuyabeno)
Included Activities
- Guided rainforest walk with wildlife observation
- Medicinal plants education tour
- Canoe excursion along Cuyabeno River
- Nocturnal forest walk
Landmarks Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve Cuyabeno River 
- Day 5
Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve
Start with an early forest walk to observe monkeys and birds, then return for breakfast. The morning canoe trip takes you along the Turtle Path to the Seoqueya community where indigenous Siona families teach traditional cooking, specifically how to make cassava bread. You'll get your hands dirty trying to make it yourself under their guidance. Later in the afternoon, canoe to Laguna Grande to explore the flooded forest ecosystem, swim in the calm water while watching the sunset, and spot nocturnal caimans on the way back. The evening wraps up with making cocktails using local ingredients.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
- Accommodation
- Lodge (Lodge in Cuyabeno)
Included Activities
- Early morning forest walk with wildlife observation
- Motorized canoe to Seoqueya community
- Visit indigenous Siona community
- Traditional cooking demonstration and cassava bread preparation
- Hands-on bread making with local family
- Canoe excursion to Laguna Grande
- Flooded forest (igapó) exploration
- Swimming in Laguna Grande
- Nocturnal wildlife observation
- Cocktail mixing class with local ingredients
Landmarks Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve Seoqueya Community Laguna Grande - Day 6
Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve
After an early morning forest walk to catch monkeys and birds, you'll have breakfast back at the lodge. From there, take a motorized canoe along the Turtle Path to visit the Seoqueya community and learn traditional cooking from the indigenous Siona family. You'll participate in making casave, the yucca bread they prepare daily. In the afternoon, canoe to Laguna Grande to walk through the flooded forest ecosystem, cool off with a swim during sunset, then head downriver to watch for nocturnal caimans before returning to the lodge for the night.
- Meals
- Breakfast
- Accommodation
- Hotel (Comfort Hotel in Quito #1)
Included Activities
- Early morning forest walk with wildlife observation
- Motorized canoe to Seoqueya community
- Traditional cooking demonstration (casave preparation)
- Hands-on bread making with indigenous Siona family
- Canoe excursion to Laguna Grande
- Flooded forest (igapó) exploration
- Swimming in Laguna Grande
- Sunset viewing
- Nocturnal caiman observation
Landmarks Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve Seoqueya Community Laguna Grande - Day 7
Cuyabeno to Quito
A representative will pick you up from your accommodation and drive you to Quito airport for your flight. You'll leave with memories of time spent in the Andes Mountains and deep in the Amazon rainforest.
- End point
- Quito, Pichincha, Ecuador (Quito)
- Meals
- Breakfast
