Welcome to Quito! The largest, best-preserved colonial city of America – declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1978. The city is considered the Cultural Capital of South America and is located on the equator in a valley at the foothills of the Pichincha volcano.
Depending on arrival time, you can spend your day exploring the old town of Quito and the surrounding area. ADVENTURE JOURNEYS can help you to organize a day trip (please request in advance). In the evening, one of our trip leaders will meet you at the hotel’s lobby for a welcome briefing at 18:00 hours. At this time we will discuss the details and questions you may have regarding the adventure. Our first day is an acclimation and information day.

We will enjoy a scenic drive going across the eastern range of the Andes, with views of majestic volcanoes and the lush, green cloud forest. Along the way, we will make a stop in the high mountain town of Papallacta to experience the volcanic hot springs. Later, we continue driving to the Amazon Basin and go hiking into a canyon right in the heart of the Llanganates National Park.

On our third day, we will experience local life in the jungle with a family, seeing and learning about the processes and products they use for their consumption, as well as learning about important medicinal plants and their uses. We will hike, collect plants, weave with vines, and do other activities with the locals here.

Today we will walk for approximately 1 hour to Wuaysayacu, this is a group of lagoons and waterfalls where you can go swimming and explore this area of the pristine jungle. In the afternoon we will go panning for gold and at night we will enjoy stories in front of the bonfire.

This is probably one of the most exciting days of sharing with the local family since we will venture deeper within their customs and be part of the preparation process of the traditional drink CHICHA that the locals drink with meals or use as a type of alcoholic drink when it is given time to ferment. We will start in the morning, looking for the roots and collecting them from the fields, as well as collecting some special plants that are going to be used in the preparation of our drinks. Cacao is also an important part of Ecuador. It originates in the Amazon of Ecuador and Colombia. Locals make chocolate products in many ways as a source of income, we will learn the very simple authentic method of producing 100% pure chocolate. At night, we will have a cultural night, enjoying local music and learning about parties and social activities, marriage customs, and also  mythical shamanism.

This will be our last morning with the family, it is time to say goodbye to this unforgettable place and people. Then, there will be a transfer back to Quito.

Today our trip will end and you will have your International departures. Take with you your memories and photos and leave a piece of your heart, as you will want to return to Ecuador soon to experience more of this enchanted land. We wish you a “buen viaje”!