Holiday Itinerary
Day One - Arrival in Quito
As your holiday in Ecuador begins, we’ll be there to pick you up and take you to your hotel, which is in the heart of Quito. You will probably be wanting some time to rest and get used to the altitude so we have left the rest of today free for you to relax. Your hotel is close to dozens of restaurants and cafes, as well as all the other facilities you'd expect from a capital city, so if you're feeling up to it then why not head on out and explore?
Day Two - City tour of Quito
After a free morning to relax and settle into things, we will pick you up after lunch and take you for a tour of Quito’s Old Town, including the plazas, Cathedral and other sites of interest before heading out of town to the “Mitad del Mundo” (Middle of the World) centre, located right on the Equator, so you can stand astride the world!
Day Three - Into the jungle!
After breakfast this morning, we will pick you up and take you back to the airport for a flight across the Andes and down into the Amazon basin. We will land in the jungle town of Coca, from where we will head to the river to continue our journey deep into the Amazon basin by motorized covered canoe. On our journey down the Napo river, we will have plentiful opportunities to see wildlife such as hawks, large- and yellow-billed terns, and hopefully even the famous “umbrella” bird. After a two-hour trip downriver, we will arrive at the entrance to the Yasuni Biosphere reserve, and transfer to smaller canoes for the journey up a small tributary of the Napo to the shores of Añangu Lake, where the Napo Wildlife Centre is situated. We will show to your cabin and leave you to relax ahead of dinner this evening.
Day Four - Parrot clay licks
Today we will visit two of the best clay licks in the Ecuadorean Amazon, in the company of our expert local guides. After breakfast we will travel downstream again to visit the first lick, located just away from the main Napo River. We will be able to watch and get some amazing photos as hundreds of brightly-coloured parrots arrive to eat the clay which provides much-needed minerals to supplement their diets. From our specially-designed concealed blind, we can watch all the different species of Parrots (particularly Mealy, Orange-winged and blue-headed parrots) squawk and fight it out for the best spots!
When the activity at the first lick dies down, head over to the second lick, located deeper in the forest. Here, Cobalt-winged parakeets, Orange-cheeked parrots and Scarlet-shouldered parrotlets land at the entrance to a small cave to eat the clay and sip water from a pool. Birds begin arriving here in the late morning, and as the parrots enjoy their lunch we will be able to enjoy lunch here as well, from the security of another concealed viewing blind.
Day Five - Giant otters and caimans on Añangu Lake
Today we will head out onto the pristine waters of Añangu Lake. Giant otters inhabit the lake and surrounding streams, and you may encounter a family fishing in the morning or resting in the afternoon. There is also a good chance of seeing some of the 4m-long Black Caimans that live in the lake and you will see many birds and monkeys in the trees around you. After our lake trip, we will explore some of the the forest trails around the lodge area with your guide. This rich, lush primary rainforest is filled with exotic wildlife, including the golden-mantled tamarin, found only on the south side of the Napo. If you get really lucky, you might even spot a Jaguar or a Tapir!
Day Six - Jaguar-spotting
Today you will have the opportunity to re-visit some of your favourite places and get another glimpse (or the first glimpse) of some of the fabulous wildlife to be found in the Yasuni Reserve. Woolly and spider monkeys, golden-mantled tamarins, giant otters, or possibly even the elusive jaguars and manatees.
Day Seven - Back to Quito
After our final jungle breakfast this morning, we will pick you up and take you back downriver to Coca for the flight back up to Quito. On arrival, we’ll take you back to your hotel so you can get ready to head out and continue your holiday in Ecuador.
Day Eight- Onward bound!
Most flights back to the UK and to the Galapagos leave in the morning, so you’ll just have time for breakfast today before it’s time to say goodbye to Ecuador as we pick you up and take you to catch your flight either home, or on to your Galapagos cruise...
Options
Easy upgrades
As we've said, we can tailormake your itinerary to your exact specifications, and you can have a look at our Ecuador Guide or some of our other Ecuador Holidays for ideas about how to add to this holiday, but we can also offer you some easy optional extras which fit into this exact itinerary:
Alternative jungle lodges - from £50pp
This price is based on the excellent Napo Wildlife Centre. However, if you'd like to upgrade either your jungle accommodation, or your time in Quito to something with a little more luxury then please just ask and we'll make some recommendations!
Trekking in the Andes - from £200pp
If you like a bit of adventure, why not have a look at some of our treks in the Andes... We have treks from 2-10 days in some of South America's most beautiful National Parks.
Relaxing on the Pacific Coast - from £300pp
If you want a bit more relaxation time after your jungle adventure, then why not head to the warm Pacific Coast and soak up some sun? We have a range of excellent beach hotels so you can enjoy some comfort and relaxation after all that culture and wildlife...
Tailormade for you
Of course, what we want you to remember is that we're here to offer you any guidance and advice you need. We're not about trying to sell you more than you want - we want you to have the holiday that's right for you, so give us a call or send us an email and we can start to find out what sort of Ecuador holiday is right for you!
Prices
Because all our Ecuador holidays are tailormade, our prices are flexible and depend on the accommodation and activities you want. If you want to change the length of this holiday, or the activities you do, or the type of accommodation you use - let us know! We can send you a tailormade itinerary, including price, absolutely free!
Our standard price for this trip is £800 per person. This price is based on two people sharing a double or twin room in our standard 3-star accommodation (details available on request).
And what does it include?
We know that you need to be able to see how much things are going to cost you, so everything that you read about on the previous page is included in this price. The only "biggie" that we don't include is your international flight to and from the UK as these can vary depending on the time of year. However, we will do all the research for you and find you the best deal going, so you don't to have expend any effort here.
Just to be absolutely clear, here is what you're getting for your money on this holiday:
- All accommodation in superior hotels and lodges we have personally checked out
- All transfers
- All internal transport, including return flights Quito-Coca-Quito
- All entrance fees
- Half-day guided tour of Quito, including the "Middle of the World"
- Five day programme in the rainforest, including all guides
- Full buffet breakfast every day
- All meals while in the rainforest