Ecuador with Luxury & Style
(9 Days): A Sample Itinerary
ID #: DT-E-9-3-9-10-BESI
DavidTravel Itinerary Highlights include:
•
Quito — at an altitude of more than 9,100 feet — is the
second highest capital city in the world and a UNESCO World
Heritage Site
• Embark on a walking tour of Quito's Old Town to see San
Francisco Church and its religious art museum, La Compañía
Church and the Cathedral
• Explore the
Antisana Nature Reserve, where ecosystems range
from the high mountain habitats to the rainforest
• See the Antisanilla lava flow that left spectacular rocky
waves in the landscape along the Isco River. Pause for lunch
before continuing along the "Avenue of the Volcanoes."
• Drive through the Andes to see
Lake Quilotoa, a breathtaking
aquamarine crater lake, and visit the small Andean village of
Tigua
• Hike through Carihuayrazo Vicuñas Reservation to the
Abraspungo Valley. Try to spot some of the wild
vicuña who call
the area home
• Drive to the important Incan ruins of Ingapirca, once a
political and religious center used for worshiping the sun
• View glacial lakes, unusual rock formations, breathtaking
waterfalls and an array of exotic wildlife, including
condor, in
this natural wonder
• Notice the blue-domed, neo-Gothic cathedral that dominates
Cuenca's skyline. Visit it before stopping at the Cañari ruins
at Pumapungo
• Cuenca is known for its
Panama hats, and you have the
opportunity to visit a Panama hat factory
• Stop at the jewelry workshop of Simón Cordero, a prestigious
jewelry designer who has won several prizes for his silver
pieces.
Overview:
Bisected by the equator, one part
lying in the southern hemisphere and the other in the northern,
Ecuador is a land divided into three distinct geological
regions - Sierra, Oriente and Costa. These regions seem like
three different planets squeezed into one tiny country. In
addition, Ecuador controls the Galapagos Islands, which is even
more like a distant universe.
The Andes range runs through the centre of the country, with the
highest peak towering well above 6,000m (19,685ft). The
landscape is dominated by volcanoes, half of them active.
Ecuador's main cities are located in the wide valley dubbed the
Avenue of Volcanoes.