Highlights
- See the highlights of Quito lit up after dark during an evening tour
- Spot monkeys and parrots in the rainforest around your Amazon ecolodge
- Sample corn beer in an Indigenous Amazon village
- Spot blue-footed boobies and sea turtles on Isla de la Plata near Puerto López
Brief Itinerary
| Day | Highlights | Overnight |
|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Arrive in Quito, Self-Guided Exploration, Night City Tour | Quito |
| Day 2 | Transfer to the Yacuma Natural Reserve in the Amazon | Tena |
| Day 3 | Rainforest Trek & Cultural Excursion | Tena |
| Day 4 | Morning in the Amazon, Transfer to Quito | Quito |
| Day 5 | Fly to Puerto López via Guayaquil, Explore the Picturesque Fishing Town | Puerto López |
| Day 6 | Sailing Trip to Isla de la Plata, Transfer to Guayaquil | Guayaquil |
| Day 7 | Depart Guayaquil |
Detailed Itinerary
Day 1: Arrive in Quito, Self-Guided Exploration, Night City Tour
¡Bienvenidos! Welcome to Ecuador! Your flight touches down in Quito, one of the world's highest-altitude capitals at 9,350 feet (2,850 m). After settling into your hotel, you'll have the rest of today to explore the city independently, from the UNESCO-listed historic center to the lively bars around Plaza Foch. Walk through Parque Metropolitano Guangüiltagua, the largest urban park on the continent, or ride the TelefériQo to the top of Cruz Loma for dramatic skyline views.
This evening, join a city tour to see Quito's most important sites under the streetlights. Start in Plaza de la Independencia and visit the Palacio de Carondelet and the Palacio Municipal. Stroll through the Old Town's narrow streets to see lit-up churches, such as the Baroque La Compañía, with its gold-covered interior, and the neo-Gothic La Basílica del Voto Nacional. Next, climb to the top of El Panecillo, a 656-foot (200 m) hill that offers sweeping views. End your tour on La Ronda, one of the oldest streets in the city, and have dinner in one of the traditional restaurants.
Day 2: Transfer to the Yacuma Natural Reserve in the Amazon
Leave Quito and begin the journey to Yacuma Ecolodge, located in the upper basin of the great Río Amazonas, where you'll spend the next two nights. Pass through the small city of Tena and onward to Santa Rosa, stopping at scenic viewpoints your driver deems worthwhile. You'll then board a dug-out canoe or speed boat to navigate along the Río Napo in the Yacuma Natural Reserve for 30 minutes to reach your accommodations at the ecolodge.
The lodge staff will welcome you with some traditional guayusa (a caffeinated herbal beverage). After a short welcome talk, you'll be taken into your comfortable traditional-style bungalows. Solar panels provide hot water and ambient lighting.
Later, venture to the nearby Hidden Lagoon for bird-watching; spot kingfishers, egrets, blue herons, and more. You can also try fishing for piranhas, which you can have for dinner if you catch one! Head back to the lodge for dinner, and afterward, take a 40-minute night trek, where you'll watch and hear the forest come alive with nocturnal wildlife, from insects to snakes.
Chat with a local specialist who can help organize your trip.
Day 3: Rainforest Trek & Cultural Excursion
After a hearty breakfast, begin a two-hour hike in the rainforest reserve. Your local guide will point out various species of birds, and you might spot monkeys and capybaras. You'll also see many species of plants used for medicinal purposes and learn about their usage in shamanic healing rituals.
In the afternoon, you'll visit the home of one of the members of the Kichwa Chontayacu community. During the walk there, you'll see local crops like coffee, bananas, cacao, cassava, papaya, pineapple, and oranges, which provide sustenance for the jungle's inhabitants. Once there, you'll observe Indigenous crafts and ceramic manufacturing, then take a float on the Río Chontayacu. Visitors can also purchase locally produced handicrafts or chocolate and sample traditional chicha (corn-based beer). Return to the lodge and enjoy a bonfire with music after dinner.
Day 4: Morning in the Amazon, Transfer to Quito
This morning, you'll visit the Mirador de Yacuma for dramatic rainforest views, then punctuate your Amazon experience with a memorable bird-watching event. With your guide, walk for 30 minutes to a vertical cliff, where scores of parrots gather to lick the wall's clay. This natural phenomenon is a sight as the iridescent and emerald-colored flocks take wing and settle across the steep cliffside.
After enjoying this spectacle, return to the lodge for breakfast and say your goodbyes. Then, board a canoe or speedboat back to Santa Rosa and on to Quito, where you'll have the evening free to relax after your private 3.5-hour transfer.
Day 5: Fly to Puerto López via Guayaquil, Explore the Picturesque Fishing Town
Catch an early flight from Quito to Guayaquil this morning, then meet your driver at the airport. Then, it's about a four-hour drive up the coast from Guayaquil to Puerto López, an idyllic coastal village and prime surf destination. This small fishing village is the gateway to the dry forests, desert islands, and dramatic coastline of Machalilla National Park, which surrounds the town. Though the drive is long, it's never dull, as you'll pass some of the finest coastal scenery along the Pacific.
Once in Puerto López, check into your hotel and spend the rest of the day at your leisure. Hit the sands at Playa Puerto López and watch the colorful fishing boats come in, sip on a cocktail at a seaside bar, or, if you have time, hike around Playa Los Frailes, part of the nearby national park. You can also grab a surfboard, as the town has become popular among surfers in recent years due to its consistent waves, warm water, and laid-back vibe. Otherwise, fishing is the primary industry here (as well as tourism), so when evening falls, head out for a seafood dinner at a local restaurant.
Day 6: Sailing Trip to Isla de la Plata, Transfer to Guayaquil
The high seas beckon today as you board a small, family-friendly yacht and sail for Isla de la Plata (Silver Island). This natural landmark earned its name from local lore that claims Sir Francis Drake buried treasure here. The island is home to incredible marine life like sea lions, blue-footed boobies, frigatebirds, and waved albatrosses, earning it the nickname of the "Poor Man's Galápagos." Hike around the island before diving into the water and snorkeling the coral reefs surrounding the island to spot more wildlife, such as sea turtles and colorful fish.
On the boat ride back to Puerto López, keep your eyes out for migrating humpback whales and pods of dolphins—whale watching reaches its peak from mid-June to October here. Once you arrive back ashore, you'll hop on another four-hour transfer to Guayaquil.
If you're up for exploring Ecuador's chief coastal city after your arrival, visit the Parque Seminario, where you can spot iguanas scurrying about. After visiting the park's neo-Gothic cathedral, continue north to Las Peñas, a colorful 16th-century neighborhood famous for its cobbled streets and pastel hilltop homes. Eat dinner here before returning to your hotel for your final night in Ecuador.
Day 7: Depart Guayaquil
It's time to say goodbye this morning. If you have some free time, don't miss a stroll through colorful Guayaquil, where you can explore the historic cobblestone streets of Puerto Santa Ana and the busy riverfront boardwalk Malecón 2000. When the time comes, you'll meet your driver for a transfer to the airport, where you'll catch a flight to destinations elsewhere. Safe travels!
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