Ecuador Austral

7 DAYS / 6 NIGHTS
ITINERARY

1st Day. Arrive to Quito from internacional flight

2nd Day. City Tour and Middle of the World

3rd Day. City Tour Loja-Vilcabamba

4th Day. Malacatos-Parque Nacional Podocarpus-Saraguro-Cuenca

5th Day. City Tour Cuenca. Tarde Libre

6th Day. Cajas National Park – Guayaquil

7th Day. Transfer Out

Included

Accommodation in the Superior Tourist category
American Breakfast
3 Lunch and 2 dinners
Private tourist transport depending on the number of passengers
All transfers and visits according to the program
National guide in English
Tickets: Panecillo, La Compañía, Loja Museum, Saraguro Community, Cajas National Park.
Quito-Loja air ticket

Not Included

Meals, drinks and extras not mentioned in the program.
Tips to guide and driver
Additional tours
Expenses
International flights
Transfer Costs

Day 1

Arrival. Reception at the airport and transfer to hotel. Accommodation

Day 2

Breakfast. On this day the beautiful city of Quito invites us to visit its historical and modern treasures. Quito, the capital of Ecuador it was declared by UNESCO Cultural Heritage. The city tour begins with a visit to the modern and colonial part. First visit of the Balcón Quiteño, the Legislative Palace, the colonial center, the Plaza de la Independencia, Carondelet Palace (Presidential Palace), the Cathedral Church, the Compañía the Oro Church, and the Church of San Francisco, then visit the best viewpoint of the city, the Panecillo. Later we will taste a typical lunch in Quito and continue the transfer to the Mariscal Sucre airport, to take our flight to Loja. Upon arrival our guide will be waiting for you to take you to the city of Loja. Accommodation and dinner at the hotel.

Day 3

Loja known as the "Sentinel of the South", welcomes us to appreciate its beautiful parks, churches, and monuments. We will begin our tour in the Plaza of the Independence in San Sebastian, and then we will move to the Central Park. Here you can see the museum of Loja and the Mothers of Conceptas; as well as the most important political-administrative buildings in the city. Continuing the journey we will go to the Bolivar Bridge towards the City Gate. Then reach the San Juan del Valle parish, a small colonial corner surrounded by portals where the small Spanish-style church stands out. Later we will taste a typical lunch of the area, and we will continue our visit to Vilcabamba known as the "Sacred Valley" or "Valley of the Longevity" because a high percentage of its population reaches a long life. Transfer to the inn. Accommodation.

Day 4

Breakfast. In the morning we will travel to the Valley of Malacatos, famous for its fruits, sugar cane fields and its liquor. In this hot valley the tasty panelas made in their traditional grindings are elaborated, the exquisiteness of a black coffee, it seems that it covers of aroma to this beautiful region of Loja. Continuing our journey we will go to the Podocarpus National Park, is in an area of great biodiversity and endemism in the southern region of Ecuador, here we will take a short walk to observe and appreciate its flora and fauna typical of its cloud forest. Our next stop will be the Community of Saraguro, Ecuadorian indigenous people. The Saraguros, are a people of the Kichwas indigenous nationality of the Ecuadorian Sierra, they are identified by their black clothing and especially by their white hat with black. Here we will taste a delicious traditional lunch, learn from their lives and visit a craft workshop, to learn about the yarn of sheep's wool to its final product. Then we finally this day in Cuenca. Overnight.

Day 5

Breakfast. Transfer to the National Park Cajas, unique scenery for its diversity of lake bodies, here we will make a short walk to the Laguna de la Toreadora. Later transfer to Guayaquil we will make a city tour around the city. Accommodation and dinner.