Ecuador Adventure

Touchdown in Quito, the second highest capital in the world at 2,850 metres, after La Paz Bolivia, and one of the most endearing. Receive your A&K welcome and enjoy a private transfer to your boutique accommodation in the historic centre. After time to relax and refresh, take a short private visit to nearby Carmen Alto cloister, which dates to the 17th century. Spend time with the Carmelite nuns who still live there and sample their traditional sweet treats before returning to the hotel.

Casa Gangotena

Delve deeper into Ecuador’s captivating capital and learn first-hand how it earned its status as one of the first UNESCO World Heritage sites. Meander through colonial streets and cobblestone plazas amongst flowering balconies and intricate woodcarvings. Linger in the San Francisco Church, the bustling Independence Plaza and La Compañía, where seven tonnes of gilded shimmering walls will take your breath away. Spend the afternoon at leisure. Head to the hotel’s terrace and enjoy a drink as you soak up the views across San Francisco square. Alternatively explore more of the city brimming with friendly locals, hearty foods, colonial architecture.

Casa Gangotena | Meals: B

A private journey north to the Equator at the Mitad del Mundo (Middle of the World) and experience the bizarre sensation of standing in both hemispheres at once. Spend some time learning about the unique astrology and science of the Equator in the Intiñan Museum. Continue over the pass towards the Pacific Ocean and arrive at Mashpi Rainforest Biodiversity Reserve, one of the world’s most important biodiversity hot spots, home to thousands of plant species and more than 500 species of bird. Be hypnotised by the lively flying machines at Hummingbird Viewpoint before arriving at your luxury hideaway. Following lunch, meet your expedition leader and discuss the menu of unique eco-adventures led by expert naturalist and local community guides. Pedal over gorges and treetops on a sky bike. Explore forest trails, or take a dip in the nearby waterfalls. Don’t miss the opportunity to explore the wilderness by night on a guided walk.

Mashpi Lodge | Meals: BLD

Discover, experience and cherish the wonders of Mashpi. Rise early to hear the choir of birds welcome the day. Venture into the forest and navigate trails of wondrous wildlife, with ferns towering above and a carpet of mushrooms underfoot. Seek out waterfalls and wade through refreshing rivers, all while learning the secrets of the forest. Visit the Life Centre to discover more about your surroundings, or simply laze in a hammock with a cup of locally-grown coffee, mesmerised by the vivid butterflies and birds. Climb the observation tower for a birds-eye vista.

Mashpi Lodge | Meals: BLD

Enjoy a final activity this morning before leaving this secret wonderland and heading north into the dizzying heights of the Andes, to a family-run hacienda and your home for the next two nights. Hear stories of this 1600-hectare farm, which has been in the family of the late Galo Plaza Lasso, a former president of Ecuador, for more than 100 years. Then, seek out your favourite spot for a glass of wine before dinner.

Hacienda Zuleta | Meals: BLD

Rise early to glimpse rare species of birds on a gentle walk around the property. Take a hike on any of the self-guided paths around your hacienda. Visit the Galo Plaza Lasso Foundation, which has set up a wild condor rehabilitation project on the estate, or you may enjoy exploring the hacienda’s organic garden and cheese factory, with an opportunity to even try your hand at milking a cow.

Hacienda Zuleta | Meals: BLD

Depart for the bustling small town of Otavalo. Meet the friendly Otavaleños and discover strange-looking produce at the world-famous market (Saturday is the main market day) that’s been gathering since pre-Incan times. Continue your morning filled with talent and artistry in the small mountain village of Peguche. Step inside a music-filled home where your talented hosts craft and play traditional instruments, then learn the ancient art of weaving. Enter a world of delicate colour in the rose plantation of Hacienda La Compañía which originally belonged to the Jesuit order and is now home to one of UNICEF’s Flowers for Kids educational initiatives where you will enjoy a delicious local lunch. Continue your journey south along the aptly-named Avenue of Volcanoes to Cotopaxi, the highest of Ecuador’s volcanoes at almost 6,000 metres. Arrive at your historic hacienda for an unforgettable stay.

Hacienda San Agustin del Callo | Meals: BLD

Spend time today in the park on a gentle walk to the beautiful Laguna Limpiopungo, at the base of Volcán Rumiñahui, home to local and migrating waterfowl. Return to the hacienda and enjoy the afternoon at leisure soaking up the splendid views of the perfectly cone-shaped Cotopaxi. For the more active, head out on a horse ride, explore by mountain bike or visit nearby rose plantations.

Hacienda San Agustin del Callo | Meals: BLD

Journey this morning along the mountainous spine dotted with villages and farms to the Andean crater lake of Laguna Quilotoa. Visit the nearby villages of Tigua and Pujili and browse artisan crafts. Continue to Riobamba, once the capital of Ecuador and now a vibrant town brimming with colonial treasures. Meander through the old town, enjoy religious art in the Concepción Convent and expand your knowledge in the Natural Science Museum.

Hacienda La Andaluza | Meals: BLD

Head south stopping at the village of Guamote where you will visit a social project providing education and crafts workshops to assist underprivileged local people in the area, especially young girls and women. Their program includes computer classes, sewing courses, musical classes, pre-school and English classes. Get hands-on as you learn how to make traditional Andean snacks with your hosts.

Following a simple lunch at a local restaurant, head to the complex Inca ruins of Ingapirca, a place of extraordinary historical significance and a site that was originally used as a political and religious centre. Later continue your adventure to historic Cuenca, a UNESCO World Heritage site and your boutique colonial hotel.

Hotel Cruz del Vado | Meals: BL

Immerse yourself in the “Athens of the Andes” and discover why it’s hailed the hidden treasure of Ecuador and considered the most beautiful city in the country. Meander along cobblestone streets and through flowery plazas to the striking cathedral with three blue domes. Be sure to peek inside at the jaw-dropping gold altar. Later, enjoy the quirky Homero Ortega Panama Hat factory before swapping the city charm for the creative villages of Santa Ana Valley. Meet the guitar-makers of San Bartolomé, visit jewellery workshops in Chordeleg and seek out gems in the colourful markets of Gualaceo.

Hotel Cruz del Vado | Meals: BL

Begin the day with a private journey over the continental divide to the El Cajas National Park, a UNESCO-protected site on Cuenca’s doorstep. Take some time to explore the park, with its rolling lakelands, ancient woods and sprawling cloud forest set against a jagged skyline of rocky peaks. Continue to Guayaquil, the nation’s principal port and gateway to the Galapagos Islands. End your journey here or continue to the Galapagos Islands.

Meals: BL