Cuenca & Andes Highlands

Day 1:
(Lunch & Dinner)
We start the trip by driving through the south of Quito, where we will visit Ecuador's first National Park, where Cotopaxi Volcano, the highest active volcano on earth, is the main attraction.

You can explore the Andean moorlands with more than 90 species of highlands birds or hike up to the snow line ( 4,800 mts).

We will stop for lunch in one of the local traditional haciendas.

Afterwards, you can enjoy the panoramic view of Ambato, the city of flowers and fruits, also known for its fine leather industry. On the road to Guano, you will pass by the Igualata ridge, the highest point on the Pan-American Highway at the base of Mount Chimborazo.

Riobamba is the birthplace of Ecuador's first Constitution, which was created in 1830.

If time allows, a short night tour of Riobamba will be included and you can view its French-influenced plazas, the Basilica, and the Cathedral. You can admire the city from Quito Hill and learn about Ecuador's history from its murals.

At the end of the day, we will arrive in Riobamba's country inn or hacienda for a well-deserved rest, surrounded by volcanoes. Accommodations are included.

Day 2:
(Breakfast-Box, Lunch & Dinner)
We will start the day with an American breakfast after which we will drive through some of the most picturesque indigenous areas of the country.

We will pass by Balbanera Chapel, the oldest Catholic chapel in the country, and then we will reach Alausi train station.

When the train is available, you will experience the adventure of going from the highlands to the lowlands through the Devil’s Nose.  We will turnaround in Sibambe and take the train back to Alausi. From there, a van will take us back on the road to Cuenca.

You can eat your box lunch on the way to the Ruins of Ingapirca, the most important religious and political monument left by the Incas and the many pre-Columbian cultures that once dwelled in this area. After Ingapirca, we will arrive in Cuenca. Accommodations are included.

Day 3:
(Breakfast & Lunch)
To most visitors, Cuenca is the prettiest colonial city in the country. Let its cobblestone streets, graceful wrought-iron balconies, and flowered plazas captivate you.

Its market places and handicrafts are living testimony to the regions rich indigenous & artesian heritage.

The handsome sunlit domes of the cathedral, the quiet convents and museums, and the city's romantic Tomebamba river flanked by overhanging houses are part of an experience that should not be missed.

After lunch, you can enjoy a visit to one of the straw hat export enterprises and a ceramic factory. We will then head to the airport, where you will catch a flight to Quito. Upon your arrival, you can settle into your hotel.

 

Prices 2011
Description	Price Per Person (Standard Hotel)	Price Per Person (Luxury Hotel)
1 person	$985	$1115
2 people	$595	$655
More than 4 people	$465	$525

Please ask for single accommodations available.

Prices include:

• Private transportation
• English speaking guide
• Double room accommodation
• All meals
• Train ticket and Ingapirca entrance.

Prices do not include:

• $10 Cotopaxi National Park entrance fee
• $69 Air ticket Cuenca - Quito

Hotels:

• Standard & Luxury