Top Ecuador Day Trips - page 4

The villages of Gualaceo and Chordeleg with their traditions of producing fine local handicrafts lie just east of Cuenca. With this private tour, browse the colorful wares at your leisure while learning about traditional artisan techniques. Watch as guitars, filigree jewelry, Panama hats, and shawls are being made, taste local fruits only found in Ecuador, and sit down for a local lunch. You’ll have plenty of time to shop in each village.

This itinerary is an exceptional combination because it manages to bring together history, adventure, science and nature in one day, allowing you to experience the diversity of Ecuador without getting too far away from Quito. You will start at the Pululahua Geobotanical Reserve, one of the few inhabited volcanoes in the world. The stop at Cascada El Rayo adds the perfect dose of adrenaline. It’s not just watching water fall; it’s a short hiking tour but ideal for enjoying nature and the pure air of the Andean Choco. The Alambi Reserve is a bird lovers’ paradise. It is famous worldwide for the ease with which hummingbirds of all colors can be observed at very close range. The “vibe” here is one of absolute peace; it is the perfect time to relax and marvel at the country’s biodiversity. Ending this magnificent day in Half the World gives the perfect cultural and scientific closure to the tour. It's the opportunity to set foot in each hemisphere at the same time.

Venture to some of the most remote parts of the Galapagos Islands on a spacious luxury yacht. The small-group tour is led by a naturalist guide and filled with opportunities for wildlife-spotting—see sea lions, frigate birds, nazca boobies, blue-footed boobies, petrels, pelicans, flamingos, and more. You'll also enjoy snorkeling in marine wildlife-filled waters, fishing, and exploring unique landscapes.

The Galapagos Islands are a UNESCO World Heritage site and one of the most bio-diverse places on earth, but you don’t have to take a pricey multi-day tour to experience Ecuador’s wildlife haven. Discover Seymour North Island on this full-day tour from Santa Cruz and marvel at blue-footed boobies, sea lions, and other wildlife. Hotel pickup is included.

If you’ve just got one day to explore Quito, make the most of your time in Eduador’s culture-rich capital with this attraction-packed day tour. You’ll explore at your own pace in your private group, and cover plazas and churches in the UNESCO-listed Old Town as well as the Middle of the World Monument, which marks the site of the equator.

Take a break from Quito's busy streets and spend a day in the cloud forest on this day trip to Mindo. Join a small group and discover the unique fauna and flora of the region. Walk through the forest to see hummingbirds and butterflies, soar through the treetops on a series of ziplines, and hike to beautiful waterfalls all in one day.

Experience unique Ecuadorian culture on a full-day market tour to Otavalo and Cotacachi Market. Comfortable transportation will pick you and other group members up from two convenient Quito locations, before taking you to the Mazapan handicrafts market in Calderon.  A stop at the Otalvo market is the perfect opportunity for taking photos.  You’ll enjoy a hearty lunch in Cotacachi before exploring the natural area surrounding it.

This exclusive experience will introduce you to the Andes Mountain Range landscape and wildlife. Your profesional tour guide will pick you up at your hotel or airbnb to start the tour and go to Cotopaxi. The 90 minutes drive from Quito to Cotopaxi is full of beautifull mountains and cosy small villages. Arriving to Cotopaxi the local guide will be waiting with helmets, ponchos and horses. Then you will ride a horse for 2-3 hours around the grassland and the beautifull volcano. In the way back we will enjoy a lunchbox and then continue to the Limpiopungo lagoon. The lagoon is located in a flat highland where you will hike for 1 hour around it. That is an amazing place to see the local plants, flowers and birds. At the end you will come back to Quito or stop in a local restaurant to have a lunch. Dropoff at your hotel

In the fleeting embrace of time, the vast tapestry of Ecuador unfolds before you. Picture this: a caldera, spanning a vast three kilometers, its birth a testament to nature's raw power, carved from the earth by a cataclysmic eruption some eight centuries ago. And then, the towering majesty of one of the planet's highest active volcanoes, standing as a sentinel of nature's fiery heart. As you find respite in the historic charm of Quito, remember, each stop on this journey is but a brief interlude, a mere 30 minutes. Yet, in that half-hour, vistas of unparalleled beauty unfurl, beckoning you to capture their essence in frames that will forever echo the spirit of Ecuador."

Make the most of your visit to Cuenca with a day trip to three important artisan villages of Ecuador. After pickup from your hotel, take in the Andean landscape on your way to Chordeleg and San Bartolomé. You’ll get an immersive look at the craftsmanship that goes into textiles, guitars, and more.  Let your private guide help you decide on what to eat for your included lunch in Gualaceo.

Discover the best that Ecuador’s capital has to offer on this private sightseeing tour of Quito. Join a local guide for a tour focused on the geography, history, culture, and architecture of the city, visiting landmarks in chronological order. Highlights include the Intinan Equator Museum, Old Town Quito, and several Catholic landmarks to learn about Ecuador’s colonial history.

Escape to the Baths of Papallacta on this full-day tour from Quito. Enjoy a scenic journey through the Andes until you reach this natural paradise, famous for its relaxing hot springs. Live a complete experience combining wellness and nature with a guided walk through the Andean forest, where you can observe native flora and unique landscapes. Then relax in thermal pools surrounded by mountains, ideal for disconnecting and recharging. This tour is perfect for those looking for balance between gentle adventure and rest, with comfortable transportation and professional accompaniment throughout the experience.

Nature, tradition and multicolored market you can experience all of this on this excursion. On our trip to Otavalo we will visit the City of Cayambe, known for its “bizcochos”, a type of baked bread that is accompanied with the so-called “Queso de Hoja” and milk delicacy. Then we will visit the Quitsato sundial museum and continue until we reach the Otavalo Market, where you can see crafts of all kinds made by the skilled indigenous artisans of the area. Then we advance until we reach Cotacachi, a picturesque town famous for its creation of leather goods, here our guide will suggest and give the necessary time for lunch. Later we will visit the Cuicocha Lagoon, which originated after a volcanic explosion thousands of years ago. After this visit we will return to the city of Quito.

Discover the long history of the Incas in Ecuador on a private tour to the Ingapirca ruins archaeological complex. Complimentary hotel pickup and drop-off ensures that your journey is comfortable and secure from beginning to end. After a private tour of the ruins, enjoy lunch (included) at a traditional Ecuadorian lunch. On the way back to Cuenca, stop in Biblian to visit the hilltop Gothic-style church, the Sanctuary of the Virgen del Rocio.

Combine culture with nature on a private full-day city and cocoa farm tour from Guayaquil. Designed for travelers passing through Guayaquil, this excursion takes you to a rural cocoa farm where you’ll tour the plantation and make chocolate from scratch. Then, you’ll embark on a sightseeing tour of Guayaquil city, home to attractions such as Las Penas neighborhood, Malecon 2000, and Parque Historico. Hotel pickup and drop-off are included.

Ecuador’s capital is a UNESCO World Heirtage site and one of the highest cities in the world, located right by the Equator Line. This tour offers a comprehensive introduction to the city, ideal for first-time visitors. Explore the historic Old Town, see the Compania and San Francisco churches, and admire the views from Panecillo Hill. Plus, ride the Teleférico cable car to Pichincha Volcano and visit the Middle of the World monument.

Otavalo is one of the most famous indigenous fair in the country; although the market has greater activity on Saturdays but it is open every day with an impressive variety of handcrafts, tapestries and weaving made by indigenous people of the surrounding villages. Meanwhile, tourists test their Spanish and bargaining skills at stalls vending colorful and inexpensive knitted sweaters, hats, gloves and much more.

Take a break from the busy streets of Quito and visit Ecuador’s second-highest summit, Cotopaxi Volcano, on this full-day tour. With a private guide, head to the top of the volcano and take in the surrounding views. Learn about the geological history of Ecuador, home to several volcanoes, and enjoy a short hike around Limpiopungo Lake.

Maximise your time in Quito with a private full-day tour that checks off all of the capital’s most popular attractions. Take in the highlights of the UNESCO-listed historic center; admire landmarks such as Plaza de la Independencia, San Francisco Monastery, and the Panecillo; then walk along the Equator Line at the Intiñan museum. Hotel pickup and drop-off is included.

This tour is for the more adventurous! It will be a complete jungle, river and waterfall experience from 9am to 6pm. You will explore caves, enjoy an exquisite meal and an incredible adventure walking to the Grand Canyon of ñachiyaku.

The Cotopaxi National Park is a popular day trip destination from Quito and visiting on a private tour means you can explore at your own pace. This full-day tour is tailor-made for you, so you can enjoy spectacular views of Cotopaxi Volcano, hike around Limpiopungo Lake, or tuck into a typical Ecuadorian lunch at a mountain lodge. Hotel pickup and drop-off is included.

Don’t stress about time-consuming public transport; instead, opt for this private full-day excursion to El Giron Waterfall and Busa Lake from Cuenca. Relax and enjoy the scenery of the Tarqui Valley as you’re driven from point to point, stopping to hike through a cloud forest and lunch at a local restaurant. Ideal for first-time visitors, this tour is an easy way to see places you might otherwise overlook.

With this private adventure, there’s no need to worry about navigating your way through Mindo Cloud Forest. Let a guide show you around and benefit from the perk of having in-depth commentary along the way too. The trip is a great way to tick off lots of nature stops on one tour, with a route that showcases Alambi Cloud Forest Reserve, Cascada de Nambillo, and Mindo Butterfly Farm.

Cuenca apart of its history and culture has something particular and it is a craft beer that this city has. In this experiences you will know about the history of cuenca and you will taste the traditional beer of this beatiful city