Highlands-Amazon Tour 13 days program

Tour Info

• Tour Type: Highlands Amazon
• Tour Start: Sunday September 8th 2013
• Tour End: Friday September 20th 2013
• Base Price: $2250 per person (double accommodation)
• Group size: Single supplement US$ 200 (Minimum 10 people / Maximum 20 people)
  

Highlights

• Travel through the Andes discovering indigenous villages and stunning landscape
• Visit indigenous communities in the amazon
• Cable cart ride through waterfalls
• Boat ride in Amazon river
• Discover colonial downtown Quito (World Heritage UNESCO)

 

Details

INCLUDED IN TOUR PRICE	NOT INCLUDED IN TOUR PRICE
12 Nights Friendly Accessible Accommodation All tours and activities specified in program All entrance fees during tours and activities specified in program All meals specified in program Private Adapted Transportation and Bilingual Guide Ecuador for All Tour Leader Assistance throughout the tour	Any expenses not specified in program (personal expenses, alcoholic beverages, souvenirs, laundry, etc) Equipment rental or supply (if necessary) Personal insurance Any medical expenses International AIR fare to and from ECUADOR

 

Tour Overview and Photo Gallery

Day 1 Arrival in Quito. Pick up from airport and transfer to hotel. Depending on arrival time, lunch and quick drive or walk around tourist district in Quito near by the hotel. During an early dinner we will have a get together to go over the tour by our tour leader and get to know each other. Quito Holiday Inn Express D

Day 2 Today we will start our adventure by driving south in the Andes. We will cross several mountains observing green farms on both sides of the road. Finally we will enter the Cotopaxi National Park area. <Cotopaxi volcano is one of the highest active volcanoes in the world>. We will check in at a cozy little lodge, where will be our headquarters for visiting several attractions. In the afternoon we will visit the Cotopaxi National Park. During this visit you can observe llamas and typical landscape from this area. For the night, we will enjoy a hot drink in-front of the fire. Quito - Cotopaxi (approx. 2 hour drive) Cuello de Luna B L D

Day 3 Ecuador is famous for the quality of its roses. Today, we will visit a rose farm plantation where we will learn the entire process of producing the finest rose in the world. After lunch we will drive towards Baños de Agua Santa which is a cute little town in the entrance of the Amazon. This town lies at the bottom of the Tungurahua volcano. This is an active volcano, which to observe the fumes coming out has been a tourist attraction for the last 5 years. We will arrive to Baños around 5 pm and after checking in, we will walk around its streets to get to know the town, have a typical dinner and enjoy a cup of coffee or hot chocolate. Cotopaxi – Baños (approx. 2 hour drive) La Floresta B L D

Day 4 After breakfast we will go to the “tarabita” which is a portable box, which travels from one side of the mountain to the other side. It is very safe, and it lets you admire the beauty of the nature of this area. After lunch, we will drive towards the Amazon. Arrive to Huasquila Amazon Lodge in the Napo Province. After checking inn, we will have the afternoon to enjoy the views from our hut, enjoy the Jacuzzi or pool. Baños –Amazon (approx. 2 hour drive) Huasquila Lodge B L D

Day 5 After breakfast we will have a quick walk into an amazon secondary rainforest path to observe natural medicinal plants native from the Amazon. For this activity we will use an off road wheelchair which depending on the weather conditions may allow us to do the walk. In case we are not able to take the walk we will have a presentation of this medicinal plants at the lodge restaurant by our native indigenous guide. After lunch we will visit an animal rescue center/zoo which host the typical species of animals found in the amazon. Here we will have the opportunity to interact with some animals, such as boas, birds, and monkeys. Amazon Huasquila Lodge B L D

Day 6 In the morning we will travel to the Anzu river (1,5 hour drive), where we will take a raft in a very calm river (class II). We will start our adventure of going down the river admiring the Amazon nature on each side of the river. During the trip we can stop at several points of interest to take pictures and relax in the river. Even though the river is very calm, of course we will cruise down the river with several kayakers at all time for safety reasons. We will finish our journey around 3:00 pm and start our way back to the lodge. Dinner and rest of the evening for chatting at the lodge (play games, cards, etc) enjoying a delicious tropical juice or wine Amazon Huasquila Lodge B L D

Day 7 After breakfast we will visit the town of Tena and Archidona. While in Tena we will visit a cacao/chocolate collection center where a local organization from indigenous collect their cacao, ferment and dried it. They export the cacao beans directly to buyers in Europe to prepare some of the finest chocolate in the world. We will also have time to interact in Tena and Archidona with local people, learn the way they live and just observe a typical morning in these towns. After lunch we will visit a typical indigenous community called Rukullacta. There we will learn about the way the indigenous from this area keep their traditions and at the same time have adapted to 21st century costumes. We will also see some typical dances performed by an indigenous group and for the ones who are more adventure a shaman (indigenous doctor) will be ready to perform a limpieza (cleansing of the body and the soul). Amazon Huasquila Lodge B L D

Day 8 We have all of our meals included in this day, however it is a relax day for everybody, to simply enjoy the pool, a good book at the hut or restaurant…..Just to have some time on your own. Amazon Huasquila Lodge B L D

Day 9 After breakfast we travel back to the highlands. On the way we will cross seven different climate floors. The views from this trip are spectacular and we will discover why Ecuador is one of the 10 most megabiodiverse countries (lots of vegetation changing along the way). Check in hotel in San Pablo Lake. San Pablo Lake will be our headquarters for visiting Otavalo, Cotacachi and the surrounding lakes. We will have a typical lunch which includes potato tortillas, pork, avocado, peanut sauce and boiled corn. Check in at a very cozy hotel at the Lake shore. Mid-afternoon we will visit the Peguche Village, where music wind instruments are manufactured by indigenous people. We will also admired how they manufacture some instruments and performed a dance for us. Amazon- Highlands (approx. 4,5 hour drive) Cabañas del Lago B L D

Day 10 After breakfast around 9:30 to 10:00 am we will visit Otavalo, the most famous indigenous market. We will experience a mix of exotic colors, sounds and smells. Hundreds of local artists offer their products in this market. We can learn about the process of manufacturing the handicrafts, while we have a conversation with the indigenous. After lunch we visit Ibarra city, which is a small colonial city that lies in the Andes. It is a very calm town, and we will visit the most representatives plazas and squares, to finally enjoy a typical ice cream (helado de paila) around the park. Return to Cabañas del Lago. Early evening we will have a ride in a boat around the lake with a typical Andes group performing some of their songs for us. Highlands Cabañas del Lago B L D

Day 11 After breakfast we visit the town of Cotacachi (20 minute drive) which is the most famous town in Ecuador for leather products made by local indigenous people. After lunch we drive back to Quito (2 hours). Arrive to Quito mid-late afternoon. Check in at hotel. Highlands- Quito (approx. 2 hour drive) Holiday Inn Expres B L D

Day 12 After breakfast we will visit colonial downtown Quito, to discover one of the biggest and well preserved colonial downtowns in Latin America, which is also declared World Heritage by UNESCO. Afternoon we will visit the skylift of Quito and admire the city from 4100 meters above sea level. Farewell dinner. Quito Holiday Inn Expres B L D

Day 13 Transfer to airport for departure. Quito B

ITINERARY NOTES

About the tour operator:

• Ecuador for All EFA www.ecuadorforall.com is a legal tour operator based in Ecuador which specializes in accessible tours through the Andes, Coast, Amazon and Galapagos Islands for people with physical disabilities.
• EFA has been operating accessible tours over the last 5 years, offering group tours to clients from USA, Canada, Denmark, Holland, France, Germany, Israel, Switzerland among others.
  We do understand your specific needs, which combine with excellent product knowledge results in a memorable trip for YOU
• EFA has agreements with major hospitals in Ecuador, to receive clients in case of any emergency. Clients should have their own insurance.

 

About the tour:

• Highlands Amazon program is a tour that combines a bit of adventure, culture, nature and leisure.
• It is an all-inclusive basis tour. All meals, transportation, accommodation, guide and activities included.
• Hotels throughout the Highlands and Amazon present a good level of accessibility. Some have roll in showers, some have small (5 inches) step to get into showers, grab on bars, but in general they adapt their facilities to host people using a wheelchair.
• Transportation for the tour: EFA provides a VAN and/or a bus with an electric lift (max 35 people). Individual or assisted manual transfer into seats is required
• Re guides, EFA provides bilingual certified guides for all activities throughout the tour.
• Re assistants or help. We do recommend clients to use a manual chair, since the entire country is not 100% accessible, therefore we will provide one assistant per client to assist with the wheelchair when needed. This will only be for tours and activities, NOT personal activities or duties
• We will provide refrigerated facilities throughout the tour. We can label each bag from clients and storage in the hotels where we will be staying. Once on the road we will use coolers with ice to make sure all medicines remain at the appropriate temperature

 

About the clients:

• Client must be able to do individual or assisted manual transfers into bus seats, shower chairs and others

 

DISCLAIMER
Ecuador for All gives faith that all information here supplied is accurate. However due to factors outside our responsibility itinerary, activities and services could change without previous notice. We will do our best to informed you with time of such changes if they ever happen.