Baños Cloud Forest & Surroundings

Rates include: 1 night Swissotel or LeParc in Quito and 2 nights at local hacienda

4 star accommodations: $761 per person (min 2 guests)
5 star accommodations: $834 per person (min 2 guests)

Departure Days: Every day

Program Description:

Day 1: Pujili Indigenous Market
Early in the morning we travel South of Quito, through the "Avenue of Volcanoes" to enjoy the experience of visiting one of the non tourist indigenous markets in the area. A weekly gathering for sellers and buyers coming from the surrounding villages and mountains. Your senses will be overwhelmed by the variety of colors, textures, fragrances and noise of a typical Andean market, you will find an incredible variety of fruits, vegetables, roots, grains, herbs, spices, live small and large animals, forage, typical clothing, agricultural tools, traditional prepared food... and more. In the afternoon travel towards Baños, arrive by mid-afternoon to enjoy the hacienda ambiance. (breakfast, lunch and dinner included)
Overnight at: Manteles (4 stars) or Luna Runtun (5 stars).

Day 2: Baños and Surroudings
The extreme vertical nature of this region makes for stunning views, but the real eye-catcher is the 16,000-ft (5016-m) erupting Tungurahua volcano. Today we will explore waterfalls, crystal clear rivers, hike or horseback ride with spectacular views of the surrounding mountains and valleys in an environment ideal for bird watching and orchid-searching in cloud forest as well as transitional forest between the highlands and the jungle. (breakfast, lunch and dinner included)
Overnight at: Manteles (4 stars) or Luna Runtun (5 stars).

Day 3: Baños and Return to Quito
After a relaxed breakfast ,we will go to the small town of Baños, cradled in a deep sub-tropical valley, on the slopes of Tungurahua volcano, this village developed due to its rich agricultural soil, thermal springs and mild temperature throughout the year. The last stop for travelers and settlers of the Ecuadorian Amazon basin, the town became also a commercial center for jungle products and a religious destination for pilgrims. Today we will visit the zoo, the Virgin's shrine, handcraft stores for beautiful balsa or vegetable ivory figures and hike up to the cross to take a bird's eye look of the town. After lunch we will return to Quito, arrive late in the afternoon. (breakfast and lunch included)
Overnight at Swissotel or LeParc