Ecuador - Andes To Amazon

Arrive in Tumbaco, a quiet rural neighbourhood of Quito located around 20 minutes from the airport and 45 minutes from the downtown city centre. Ecuador's mountain capital is, at 2,850m, the second highest capital in Latin America, lying in a narrow valley at the foot of the Pichincha volcano. Arriving into the city by plane is quite spectacular as you approach over snow-capped mountains and extinct volcanoes - a window seat is recommended! Due to the number of evening flights into Quito, your Leader plans to do the welcome meeting on the morning of day two, and will leave a message in reception with details on timings and everything else that you'll need for the day. There are no activities planned today, so you are free to arrive in Quito at any time. If you would like to receive a complimentary airport transfer today, you'll need to arrive into Quito's Mariscal Sucre International Airport (UIO), approximately a 10 minute drive from our hotel. Should you miss the meeting, your leader will inform you of any essential information as soon as you catch up. The hotel is a tranquil, family property with a large garden and mountain views. If your flight arrives earlier in the day we recommend resting here and acclimatising to the altitude before the trip begins. It's approximately a 45 minute drive into downtown Quito, and the hotel can organise transport for you if you arrive early in the day and wish to visit the city.

We'll go straight to rural Ecuador today, driving north towards the small market town of Otavalo, crossing over the equator line and stopping to commemorate this at the Quitsato Equator Monument. Set within a fertile valley encircled by imposing sacred mountains, Otavalo is well-known for its thriving indigenous communities. This area is a real introduction into the Andean landscapes and culture that make Ecuador so special. We'll take a drive to San Pablo Lake, idyllically situated at the foot of the Imbabura volcano, and stretch our legs. It's a gentle walk at the lake before returning to Otavalo. The afternoon is at your leisure. You may wish to spend some time discovering the local market. The Otavalenos are an incredibly dignified and assured people, proudly displaying their cultural traditions and ancient heritage through their handmade leather goods, wood carvings and weavings. After exploring the market, the visual majesty of the setting and colourful dress of the local communities make Otavalo a great place to sip a coca tea and watch the world pass by.

We'll drive out to the tranquil setting of Cuicocha this morning, a turquoise crater-lake located at 3,100m, approached through a wonderful landscape of alpine vegetation. We will walk on a segment of the trail that goes around the lake (an easy walk of approximately one and a half hours), and perhaps try to spot the King of the Andes - the wide-winged condors that soar high above the valleys in graceful flight. Returning towards Otavalo, we stop at a neighbouring indigenous community, diving deep into their day-to-day activities, customers and way of life. This sharing of rural life is what makes Otavalo come alive, and we'll get a taste of this over a home cooked lunch - seasonal food will be on the menu, which could be a traditional locro de papa (potato and cheese soup), fritada (fried chunks of pork served with all types of corn), yucca or quinoa served with meat and vegetables. We'll also continue this afternoon to the village of Peguche, which is famed for its local families who make and play panpipes - a very Andean tradition. We'll get a taster of how these are made, as well as hearing a bit of this music played by the experts.