Highland Experience

Day 1 – Saturday

Today you arrive in Quito and our driver will welcome you at the airport Mariscal Sucre. Quito is the capital of Ecuador and at an altitude of 2850 meters above sea level. With a population of 2 million Quito is the second largest city in Ecuador, after Guayaquil. The driver will bring you to the hotel in Quito were you will spend the night.

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Day 2 – Sunday

After breakfast the guide will meet you in your hotel and you will start with a city tour in the historic center of Quito. The guide will explain you all about the history of Ecuador and the capital. The historic center of Quito is declared by UNESCO. You will visit Plaza San Francisco, Plaza Grande and the famous church La Compañia. Lunch will be served.

In the afternoon you are going to the equator at Mitad del Mundo. In museum Inti Nan you are learning about history and all figures and facts about the Equator. With various experiments you will see that you are on the Equator, like putting an egg on a nail!

Afterwards the guide will bring you back to your hotel in Quito were you will spend the night.

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Day 3 – Monday

In the morning you will have free time to spend in the city. You can shop some souvenirs at the market artesenal, visit the Teleferico or just walk around and enjoy the movement in the historic center or the new town. In the afternoon you will have a transfer to Parque Nacional Cotopaxi were you will spend the night in a hacienda. At arrival you have some time to discover the beautiful environment and with clear weather enjoy the beautiful view on the volcanoes!

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Day 4 – Tuesday

Today you will have the highest tour during your trip in the highlands; you are going to visit the Cotopaxi volcano. You start from the parking lot climbing to the refuge to an altitude of 4850 meters. At the refuge you can enjoy the view and drinking hot chocolate. Afterwards you are visiting lake Limpiopungo. From the National Park Cotopaxi your trip will continue to the little town Chugchilan were you will spend the night.

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Day 5 – Wednesday

After breakfast you will drive from Chugchilan to lake Quilotoa. Quilotoa is a water-filled caldera and the most western volcano in the Ecuadorian Andes. The caldera has since accumulated a 250 meters deep crater lake, which has a greenish color as a result of dissolved minerals. You can walk around the lake and take beautiful pictures. Afterwards the driver will bring you back to Quito were you will spend the night.

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Day 6 – Thursday

In the morning our driver will pick you up and bring you to the cloudforest in Mindo. This subtropical area is known for its growing ecotourism industry based in the Mindo-Nambillo Protected Forest. The area boasts one of the greatest concentrations of bird species in the world with between 350-400 species as well as 40 species of butterfly and 170 species of orchids. You can do many activities in Mindo like tubing, zip lining, walking to the waterfalls or visiting the garden with butterflies. You will spend the night in Mindo.

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Day 7 – Friday

Today you will have free time to spend in Mindo. In the afternoon the driver will bring you to Otavalo. This large Indigenous town is surrounded by the peaks of the volcanoes Imbabura, Cotocachi and Mojando. The indigenous otavaleños are famous for weaving textiles, which are sold on the Saturday market in Otavalo on Plaza de los Ponchos. You will spend the night in Otavalo.

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Day 8 – Saturday

Early in the morning, between 06h00 and 08h00, you can visit the animal market. You will see how the people are selling their animals from chickens till cows, from guinea-pigs till swines. Continue to Plaza de los Ponchos were you can do some souvenirs-shopping! You will be surprised by the colorful market in Otavalo. At the end of the day our driver will bring you back to Quito were your tour will end.

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Included:

-      Overnights in hotels including breakfast (economy, moderate or luxury)

-      Transfer as mentioned in the program

-      Citytour Quito + Mitad del Mundo

-      Tour National Park Cotopaxi + Quilotoa

-      Meals as mentioned in the program

Excluded:

-      Entrance fees

-      Personal expenses

-      Tips

-      Meals not mentioned in the program