Welcome to Ecuador! Upon your arrival in Quito, your driver will meet you at the airport, holding a sign with your name, assist you with your luggage, and then accompany you to your hotel for check-in and a restful evening.

Guide: Included for the day

Accommodation:

• Default: Ikala Quito Hotel, José Tamayo, Quito, Ecuador (or similar)

Today, with your private guide, you will explore Quito's historic city center! Quito stands at an altitude of 2,850 m, and the city center was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1978. Stroll through the narrow streets and visit some of the most important churches, such as La Compañia (its interior is covered in gold), a great example of the "Baroque School of Quito." Explore "La Ronda," one of the oldest streets. 

Later, you will enjoy a memorable gastronomy experience during your cooking class; you will learn and cook local dishes with your chef, and enjoy lunch you helped prepare. 

In the afternoon, we will visit the famous "Middle of the World." Inti Ñan Museum is an interesting and interactive site where you will participate in funny experiments and learn about ancient Ecuadorian culture. Will you be able to balance an egg on a nail? Try it out!

Guide: Included for the day

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Accommodation:

• Default: Ikala Quito Hotel

Your adventure today takes you with your private guide to the Cotopaxi National Park. Cotopaxi is one of the highest active volcanoes on Earth, and the views of its perfectly shaped cone and the surrounding volcanoes are incredible. The park is also home to wild horses, which can sometimes be spotted. With a bit of luck, you might even spot an Andean condor—the biggest flying bird in the world! After a walk around Limpiopungo Lagoon, you can trek upwards to the refuge of Jose Rivas at 15,748 feet (4,800 m)—and even further to the base of the glacier! Once you've enjoyed a marvelous day, you'll check in at your Hacienda or Lodge in the Cotopaxi area to spend the night.

Guide: Included for the day

Meals: Breakfast

Accommodation:

• Default: Hotel Cuello de Luna - Cotopaxi

Today, we will visit the stunning turquoise crater lake of Quilotoa, the pinnacle of the ecological reserve of Ilinizas, and the most western volcano in the Ecuadorian Andes. You have the chance to hike down into the crater for approximately 45-60 minutes. At the bottom, there is the opportunity to hire a kayak to paddle into the middle of the lake and take another glimpse of the jaw-dropping 360-degree views. We will walk back up the trail to the edge of the crater after spending some time enjoying the view. Alternatively, if you don't want to head down to the lake, you can follow the path at the crater rim to various viewpoints. 

After lunch at the top (optional), we will return to Quito.

Guide: Included for the day

Meals: Breakfast

Accommodation:

• Default: Ikala Quito Hotel

After a short flight to Coca and a brief car ride, you'll arrive at a private dock. Here, you can relax, use the facilities, enjoy a refreshing drink, and receive a packed lunch before boarding a covered boat.

A two-hour boat journey on the Napo River will take you to the lodge. The indigenous Kichwa Añangu Community will greet you with a traditional drink. After a briefing on hotel services and settling into your jungle-view room, you'll have time to prepare for your first afternoon activity.

You can choose between a hike to a 40-meter observation tower offering panoramic views and opportunities to spot diverse wildlife like birds, monkeys, and sloths, as well as enjoy a stunning Amazonian sunset. Alternatively, you can take an exciting kayak ride on the Napo River to witness the colorful jungle sunset from the water.

Following your activity, you'll return to the hotel to freshen up and relax before dinner.

Guide: Included for the day

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Accommodation:

• Default: Napo Cultural Center Lodge

Your day begins with an early breakfast before heading out by motorized canoe to the Parrot Clay Lick on the Napo River, a highlight of the Yasuní Biosphere Reserve. Remember your binoculars and camera to spot various parrots and parakeets, including blue-headed, yellow-crowned, and dark-headed species, directly from the canoe.

Next, a 30-minute walk on the Parakeet Trail leads you to a forest viewpoint offering a direct view of the clay lick, where you can observe up to five species of parrots and parakeets. Occasionally, mammals like howler monkeys, tapirs, and even jaguars visit this spot for water and vital minerals.

The morning concludes with a visit to the Kury Muyu intercultural interpretation center (meaning 'golden seed'), managed by the community's women, known as 'mamakunas.' Here, you'll learn about Kichwa culture, including their music, dances, customs, and traditional use of natural resources, directly from the Añangu Community. You'll also have time to browse their handicraft store, featuring unique handmade pieces for sale.

Afterward, you'll return to the community center for lunch and a rest at the lodge. In the afternoon, embark on an exciting boat trip along the Añangu Creek, a dark water ecosystem where you might spot monkeys, caimans, and sometimes even giant otters.

The evening offers a unique activity on the Napo River aboard an ancestral catamaran. You'll learn about the Kichwa community's legends and traditional songs while the women roast delicious snacks over a fire to share with guests.

Guide: Included for the day

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Accommodation:

• Default: Napo Cultural Center Lodge

Start your day by enjoying the sunrise during breakfast and learning about the Kichwa worldview through visits to sustainable community projects. Afterward, take a walk along one of the trails in the terra firme forest, offering an excellent chance to observe diverse wildlife, ceiba trees, stranglers, bamboo, vines, and endemic shrubs unique to Yasuní.

Return to the hotel for a delicious lunch and a well-deserved rest. Later, embark on a hike to a second observation tower, standing 36 meters high, where you'll have great opportunities to spot various birds, howler monkeys, squirrel monkeys, and other species.

In the afternoon, relax at the hotel and prepare for a traditional dinner featuring local Amazonian flavors, such as maito (grilled fish wrapped in a bijao leaf). For the adventurous, there's also chontakuru (roasted chonta worms).

After dinner, grab your flashlight for a night walk to observe different types of insects, reptiles, and even nocturnal mammals like some monkeys.

Guide: Included for the day

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Accommodation:

• Default: Napo Cultural Center Lodge

To conclude your trip, you can choose to participate in the guayusada ritual at 4:30 AM. This ancient Kichwa ceremony involves sharing the sacred guayusa drink, where the family passes down ancestral knowledge. You'll hear traditional songs and can even have your dreams interpreted by a wise mamakuna for a mystical experience.

Afterward, you'll have breakfast while your luggage is prepared for the return journey to El Coca. You'll travel back by comfortable motor canoe, offering a final chance to appreciate the beautiful Ecuadorian tropical jungle landscape before reaching the port.

Then, you’ll be transferred to Coca airport, from where you will take your flight to Quito. Upon arrival at Quito airport, you will connect with your flight to your next destination.

Guide: Included for the day

Meals: Breakfast