Ecuador for the family

After landing you will be picked up at the airport Mariscal Sucre in Quito and transferred to your hotel.

At the equatorial monument “Mitad del Mundo” you can stand on the northern and southern hemisphere at the same time! Explore the wonders of the “middle of the world” and get to know the ancient culture of the native people. In the experimental museum IntiÑan you can experience the special features of the equator in a playful way.

Today you will take a day trip to Otavalo and enjoy the beautiful nature in the area. First you will drive to the crater lake Cuicocha, which you can admire during a boat trip and look at the beautiful mountain landscape around the lagoon. The next is the 18 meter high waterfall Peguche, which makes a great photo opportunity from a wooden bridge. Afterwards you return to your hotel in Otavalo.

Today you can choose whether you prefer to take the cable car up to Quito’s 4,100-meter-high local mountain “Pichincha” OR get to know the historical center of Quito! The afternoon is at your free disposal.

Today’s drive takes you to the idyllic health resort of Papallacta, which is famous for its thermal springs. After this relaxed morning program we continue towards Oriente, the rainforest region. Here you will reach the small Hakuna Matata Lodge, hidden in the rainforest, where you can comfortably end the day.

During an easy morning hike you can see different plant species and different insects. Your guide will explain the usefulness of the flora and fauna for the rainforest and its inhabitants. After a refreshing lunch at the lodge, you will continue by horse. With a local guide you can enjoy the beautiful landscape and exciting trails during a ride through the jungle and through the river. Children have the possibility to ride on their own or to master the adventure together with a guide.

Today you start the day with a canoe trip in a lagoon around an island where monkeys hang from tree to tree. You continue to the harbour of the jungle town of Misahualli, where with a little luck you may see monkeys playing around. From here you will take a motor canoe up the Napo River to the Kamak Maki Nature and Culture Museum, where you can see more of the jungle’s animals. After getting to know the culture of the indigenous people of the jungle, you will go downriver to an indigenous community where you will have lunch and learn about other traditions through various activities.

Before you leave for the small town of Baños today, there is a gourmet highlight on the program in the morning: a chocolate workshop, where you can make your own chocolate together with your children and taste your final product. Afterwards you will set off for Baños. On the way you will stop at the waterfall “Pailon del Diablo”.

This morning you spend in the animal and theme park Runtún at the Tungurahua volcano. Here you can discover and feed extraordinary animals. For a small fee, you can ride a pony or a horse. At the “swing at the end of the world” Casa de Árbol, you can also enjoy the view of the volcano and have fun with a small cable car and balancing trunks. In the afternoon you will explore Baños with your guide: Experience the preparation of the local sweet “Melcochas” and taste the delicious juice of the sugar cane.

Today you will continue to the 34.000ha large Cotopaxi National Park with the lagoon Limpiopungo and the Cotopaxi Volcano. Here you can explore the area on foot along the Limpiopungo Lagoon or on a horse back (not included). Afterwards you will go to the cozy Hacienda in Machachi.

Continue your journey along the Garden Route. The Garden Route is the stretch between Tsitsikamma and Mossel Bay, here you will find many lagoons and inland seas. This route runs between the Tsitsi Ridge Mountains, the Outeniqua Mountains and the Indian Ocean. We recommend a stop in Wilderness, known for its long white beaches and lagoon. Continue to Mossel Bay. This harbor town is popular with tourists and the area is also an important farming region for the Western Cape. Here you can visit the Post Tree, which offers much history from the Portuguese seafaring days. Participation in a farm tour is possible. 1 overnight stay at the Skeiding Guest Farm.