Departs: Tuesdays and Saturdays (private service available daily with supplement)
DAY 01:
After an early departure, driving to the south of Quito, visit Ecuador's first National Park, Cotopaxi the highest active volcano on earth, is the main attraction. You can explore the Andean moorlands with species of highland birds, or hike up to the snow line (4,800-m/ 15.800 ft), afterwards, drive by a side of Ambato, city of flowers and fruits. On the road to Riobamba, you will pass by the Igualata ridge on the Urbina moorlands, the highest point on the Pan-American Highway at the base of Ecuador's highest mountain the snow capped Chimborazo (6.310 m. / 20.697 ft.). Riobamba is the birthplace of Ecuador's first constitution, in 1830. A short tour of Riobamba includes its French-influenced plazas, and the Cathedral. Admire the city from Quito Hill and learn about Ecuador's history from its murals. Arrive to one of Riobamba's country inns for a well-deserved rest, surrounded by volcanoes.
DAY 02:
After breakfast, start your day with a drive through some of the most picturesque indigenous areas of the country, passing by Balbanera Chapel, the oldest Catholic chapel in the country, until you reach the Alausí train station. If the train is available, you will experience the adventure of going from the high Andes to the low lands through the Devil's Nose. Box Lunch and back on the road again, as high as 3,100 m. / 10.168 ft., see Ingapirca, the most important religious and political monument left by the Incas in Ecuador and the many pre-Columbian cultures that once dwelled in this area. As you walk around the ruins, it will be easier to imagine why this site was chosen. Drive to Cuenca for overnight.
DAY 03:
To most visitors, Cuenca is the prettiest colonial city in the country. After breakfast, let its cobblestone streets, graceful wrought-iron balconies, and flowered plazas captivate you. Its market places and handicrafts are living testimony to the region's rich indigenous & artisan heritage. The handsome sunlit domes of the cathedral, the quiet convents and museums, the city's romantic Tomebamba river flanked by overhanging houses are part of an experience that no one should miss. A visit to a straw-hat export enterprise is scheduled. Lunch. In the afternoon, transfer out for your flight to Quito or Guayaquil.
ALTURA’S Included features:
* 2 nights hotel accommodation in typical haciendas or country inns.
* American Breakfasts (B) as specified in itinerary.
* Sightseeing and excursions including entrance fees per itinerary.
* Hotel taxes and service charges
* Assistance by a local English-speaking Altura Tours representative
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