Ecuador has many different protected areas only hours away from Ecuador's
main cities, and yet.......... very few of those jewels of nature are ever
visited. World traveler of 80+ countries and renowned national parks adviser of
the World Bank and United Nations, Dr. Daan Vreugdenhil, developed the “ECUADOR
NATIONAL PARKS TOUR” which takes you to 8 protected areas in 9 days. Having
been part of the United Nations team that selected the majority of the protected
areas of Ecuador between 1974 and 1976, nobody knows the ecology and protected
areas system of Ecuador better than
Dr. Daan Vreugdenhil, aca "Parks Man Daan".
But there is more.....
The National Parks Tour also takes you to all cultural
highlights of the country - Otavalo, Guayaquil, Cuenca and Ingapirca - while at
the same taking you on a journey of discovery of a fabulous representation of
all major ecosystems of the Andes and the Coast, thus combining the the visit
of the top 15
most beautiful places in Ecuador in one tour.
Our National Parks tours have been designed to complement
existing tours to Galapagos and/or the Amazon. They can start from different places, particularly Quito,
Guayaquil and Cuenca. While the full program lasts as many as 9 days, it is
possible to make a limited selection of parks like the 6 days' module
"Andes and Coast". 5-6 days' modules are also available from Cuenca and
Guyaquil.
For those who want to complete their Ecuador visit with a
guided tour to Lima, Cusco and Machu Picchu, we even offer a 5 – 7 days module,
with which you get the most spectacular highlights of nature and culture of
South America in one epic journey! We first present the full tour, while at the
end of the page you get several modular options on how to break it up into
shorter modules.
Pick up from hotel in Quito
to travel to
Cotacachi-Cayapas Ecological Reserve to visit the Cuicocha
Caldera with the incredibly blue Cuicocha
Crater Lake. Mammalian wildlife is not
commonly seen, but several species of ducks and grebes are usually found on
the lake;
Visit the
Peguche Forest
Reserve of
Otavalo with the famous Peguche Waterfall. A trail through an old
grove eucalyptus forest usually gives sightings of song birds and several
species of hummingbirds;
Depart for the
El Angel
Ecological Reserve, a paramo (Andes meadow) reserve in Northern Ecuador,
where the famous “Frailejones Asters” almost reach their Southernmost limit.
Visit the Voladero Lake where you will also see some of the most spectacular
and ancient bromeliads of the Andes, the Herculas Club. Some 320 species of
birds are known to the park, including the Andean Condor, a variety of
hummingbirds, as well as several species of ducks and grebes, etc.;
Return to Quito, Airport, in the village Tababela at 10 minutes from the
airport;
Spend the night at Tababela.
Lake Voladero in El Paramo del Angel Ecological
Reserve.
The famous Frailejones Aster.
Day 3: Fly from the
Andes to the
the coastal city of Manta
Pick up from the hotel to
fly to the city of Manta;
Drive from Manta to Machalilla National Park;
Excursion into the
interior of Machalilla National Park to get to know the extremely rare
Tropical Pacific dry forest, which only occurs in a narrow stretch of land
between the wet tropical coastal forest near the border with Colombia and
the desert starting in the south of Ecuador near the Peruvian border.
Machalilla National Park is the only main park in the world protecting this
type of forest.
Afternoon excursion at Les Frailes Beach and
swim;
Spend the night at Puerto López.
Entrance to Machalilla National
Park at Los Frailes Beach.
Surrounded by natural dry forest, the most natural beach
of Ecuador, Los Frailes, which is part of Machalilla National
Park.
Visit Isla de la Plata, part
of Machalilla National Park, where one – depending on the season – can see
Red-, Nazca- or blue-footed booby nesting colonies and with some luck a
colony of Frigate birds. While ecologically not really correct, one can
observe how touroperators have joined together to feed wild green turtles in
the harbor of the island, allowing visitors to see the turtles right under
their boat in the cristal clear sea water. Sea Lions frolic in the deep blue
waters surrounding the island, while different species of whales migrate
along any time during the months of June – September (sightings are not
guaranteed);
After return time off for a
late afternoon swim at the beach in Puerto Lopez;
Spend another night in Puerto
Lopez.
Getting to Isla de Plata, the
"mini Galapagos".
About 10 oceanic birds breed
on Isla de la Plata, and many are just as tame as
on the Galapagos Islands, like this Blue-footed Booby.
Drive to South America's
southernmost important mangrove in Churute Ecological Reserve, where more
than 250 species of birds have been recorded, including Frigate birds, Brown
Pelicans, Spoonbills, a multitude of different herons, White Ibises, etc. ;
Other fauna elements include
different crabs as well as dolphins;
Travel to Cuenca;
Time permitting, stroll the
colonial streets of Cuenca at night after dinner;
Spend the night in your
hotel in Cuenca.
Not very far from Guayaquil,
Churute Ecological Reserve combines great mangrove with
lowland hill forest.
On excursion in the hill forest, where howler monkeys are
almost always seen.
Visit the UNESCO World Heritage site Ingapirca, a mixed Inca and Canari [ a
contemporary culture to the Incas and subjected to them]
style fortress, which was the northern-most main defense fortress of the
Inca Empire;
Get to know the Vicuñas of
Chimborazo
Fauna Reserve. As anywhere high
up in the mountains, one may stumble upon an Andean Condor and other birds
of pray;
Visit the Refugio - 4800m masl - for a brief high elevation walk and exploration of the high paramo of the highest mountain in the world measured from the center of the
earth. The vegetation is very sparse at this elevation. Be careful, you are
extremely high up and the oxygen level is very low;
Spend the night in a hotel near Cotopaxi National Park.
Get to the highest point on
earth where you can get by car and enjoy the roughest
landscape. Either enjoy outside or from the shelter
while enjoying a hot drink.
The Chimborazo Volcano also is the highest point on earth
to see vicuñas, as they roam past 5000 m into the snow.
Visit
Cotopaxi National Park - the world's highest active volcano - to rise
to the “refugio” parking lot;
Visit Limpiopungo Lake;
Look for Andean Wolfs;
Return to Quito.
The last destination of the
National Parks Tour is Cotopaxi National Park.
The Andean Wolf is a rather common sight in Cotopaxi.
MODULES
We developed several shorter modules, that still give you an
impression of the Andes and coastal habitats. These modules, vary depending on
your place of departure being Quito, Guayaquil or Cuenca.
After Machalilla, either return to Quito (6 days) or
travel to a hotel near
Chimborazo Ecological Reserve
Day 7: Visit Chimborazo
Ecological Reserve
See the vicuñas along the highway passing by the
reserve; Ascent to the mountain house of the volcano. Drive over the new
western highway to Quito to admire the alpaca's that usually can be seen
along that route;
Arrive in Quito to be dropped off at hotel (last hotel not included).
OPTION C: START AND
FINISH IN GUAYAQUIL (5-days tour)
While starting in Guayaquil,
Option C visits:
Machalilla for 2 nights;
Returns
to Guayaquil;
Visit the Malecon or Historic Park;
Visit the Churute Mangroves;
Spend the night in Cuenca;
Visit Cajas National Park;
Return to Guayaquil in your hotel (last not included).
OPTION D: START IN CUENCA
AND FINISH IN GUAYAQUIL (5-days tour)
Transportation:
All ground transportation on the National Parks tours;
In-country
flights where included in the national parks tour program, but NOT to/fro Galapagos
or Lagoagrio;
An English speaking naturalist guide. A German or
French speaking guide may also be available, but can't be guaranteed.
All entry fees.
NOT INCLUDED:
Meals and beverages.
Amazon Tours
Lodging;
Excursions with professional nature guides;
All Amazon
programs
include all meals, and fruit juices served with the meals. Our restaurants serve
a mix of international cuisine and occasionally, the Cofan Lodge offers a
sample meal of traditional Cofan dishes.
Meals include coffee, tea and bottled
water;
Transportation between Lagoagrio and the access
rivers.
NOT
INCLUDED:
Bottled and alcoholic beverages need to be paid.
COMBI-DISCOUNTS
Depending on the program you selected, we always try to give you
a discount on combined modules. Groups above 4 passengers will receive discounts, depending on group size.
HOW TO BOOK A TOUR?
Our programs are rather customized and we try to
accommodate the travel needs of our customers. To avoid misunderstandings, we
don't offer a prepaid travel option.
Just send an email to
or contact us through our contact data below.
From Abroad:
Sending money from abroad is rather costly and we try to minimize money going to
bank transfers.
Once your schedule has been worked out, we kindly request you to make a reservation guarantee
transfer of only $100 by
Western Union or
Moneygram. The balance you pay in CASH in
Quito upon arrival (we don't take credit cards!) This way you don't lose a lot
of money sending money. The $100 is NOT recoverable upon cancelation.
Why we don't accept credit cards in Ecuador either? The credit card services
charge 7%! We would have to charge you for that, making your trip more
expensive. We do everything to make your trip as cost effective as possible.
Already in Ecuador?
You can pay in our office mentioned below. We apply a cancelation fee of $100.
+593 2 2 50 5310, +593 96 29 35 271
PARKS
AND TRIBES
