The Indian Trail (LFIT-11)

	Duration: 11 days Departing: Daily
	Itinerary Day 1 Transfer In Day 2 Historical City Tour in Quito & Middle of the World Day 3 Quito – Cotopaxi - Riobamba Day 4 Riobamba – Train ride – Ingapirca - Cuenca Day 5 Cuenca - Quito Day 6 - 10 The Amazon Rain Forest Day 11 Transfer out
	Package Descriptions

Day by Day Itinerary

Day 1

Upon your arrival in the capital of Ecuador, you will be met by our representative and transferred to your charming hotel in Quito, where you will receive your full itinerary and information about Ecuador and your trip.

Day 2 - Quito City tour

After breakfast, your will visit “Quito” the most beautiful and colonial city in South America declared by UNESCO part of the Cultural Heritage of mankind. Your visit starts in Ecuador’s House of Congress where you will appreciate its stone-carved facade depicting scenes from Ecuadorian history. Explore the Independence square, with the presidential palace, the city hall, the Sagrario church and the Cathedral. Visit San Francisco church and museum-monastery (1535), San Agustin monastery and the finest example of baroque art in America, La Compañía church (1605) and its breathtaking gilded altars. Visit the art & crafts gallery of Tianguez and finally, drive up to the Panecillo hill to have a spectacular view of Quito and to see the only winged Virgin in South America.

After visiting the Colonial center of Quito you will arrive to the Middle of the World Monument and Museum, which is located 25 km north of Ecuador’s capital. There you will find the monument on the exact equatorial line marking latitude 0° 0´0”, where you will have the opportunity to stand in both hemispheres at the same time, and take wonderful. Here you can also visit the ethnographic museum on site. Accommodation (B)

Day 3 - Cotopaxi Volcano

Your adventure will start driving south of Quito where you will admire the Cotopaxi (19,347 feet), the highest active volcano on earth and its National Park. Upon you arrival to the park you will visit the interpretation center where you will find history about the last Cotopaxi eruption as well as information about the flora & fauna of this beautiful national park. Afterwards you will visit the Limpiapungo Lake and admire the Andean highlands with its exotic birds, or you can start climbing up to the snow line and arrive to the Cotopaxi’s first shelter located at 15,744 ft.

Lunch will be served at a typical nearby hacienda. After lunch you will stop in a typical indigenous market and you will admire Ecuador’s highest mountain the snow capped Chimborazo (20,697 ft.) on your way to Riobamba, which is the birthplace of Ecuador’s first constitution (1830). Here you will take a brief tour of the city, which includes its French-influenced plazas, the Cathedral, admire the city from Quito hill and learn about Ecuador’s history from its murals. Accommodation (B - L)

Day 4 - Andean Train & Ingapirca Ruins

After an early breakfast you will continue your excursion south passing by a picturesque indigenous area in the highlands of Ecuador. Here you will admire the oldest Catholic chapel in the country “Balbanera chapel”.
You are going to arrive to Alausi train Station. If the train is available, you will experience the Devil’s nose route going from the highest Andes to the low lands. After a Box lunch on the road you will arrive to Ingapirca ruins, the most important religious and political complex of Inca ruins in Ecuador. Drive to Cuenca for an overnight stay. Accommodation (B – Box Lunch)

Day 5 - Cuenca City Tour

Discover Cuenca, one of the most beautiful colonial cities in Latin America, located at 2,500 meters above sea level in a valley surrounded by 4 rivers and mountains with colorful countryside. Cuenca is famous for its art and history; here you can admire its beautiful marble Cathedral, its cobblestone streets, graceful wrought-iron balconies, flowered plazas and museums. Continue to Gualaceo valley where you will admire the beauty of this region. After Lunch you will be transferred to the airport for your flight to Quito. Accommodation (B – L)

Day 6 – 10 - Amazon Rain Forest

You will transfer to the airport to take a brief flight east of Quito the jungle town of Coca where in the next 5 days you will explore one of the most diverse, unique and richest rainforest environments. Explore this gigantic and mysterious jungle visiting the rain forest tower (135 ft), explore the jungle in a 900 ft long canopy walkway or take a canoe ride in search of howler monkeys, caimans, all kinds of birds and parrots, and a fascinating wildlife. You will visit Ecuador’s largest butterfly farm and the parrot clay lick, which attracts a host of colorful birds. Meet native communities that have inhabited in this land for over 10,000 years. You will find that specially designed trails that will let you unveil the secrets of the rainforest making the best of your jungle journey. Accommodation (B – L – D)

On the morning of day 10, you will transfer to the airport to return to Quito. Accommodation (B)

Day 11

After breakfast you will be transferred to the airport for your flight home (B)