DAY ONE - Travel from Ibarra to Otavalo and enjoy the Indigenous Market of the Andes. Visit Cascada de Peguche and then Laguna de Cuicocha. You can choose to walk around this amazing volcanic lake or take a boat ride. Return to Ibarra. 

 

DAY TWO - Travel by bus from Ibarra to Mindo, a village in the Andes, north west of Quito. Mindo is well known for many bird species, orchids, and butterflies that are found in this Cloud Forest - Mindo-Nambillo Reserve. A cable car runs from the Nambillo River to the top of the mountain where trails lead to Cascada Nambillo and other waterfalls. After the waterfalls visit the Mariposario. For me, this was an exhilarating experience. You can also choose to take a tour of the chocolate factory and visit the orchid garden. 

 

DAY THREE - Take the bus from Mindo to Manta. $10/about 10 hours.

 

DAY FOUR - Take the local bus from Manta to Montecristi $0.30. This is the town where the Panama Hats are made. They come in a wide range of quality, ranging in price from $10 to more than $500. I bought a few in the lower price range and mine, which cost about $50, was incredible, although it is almost destroyed today and used by the construction workers building the house in Popayán. Return to Manta and go to the beach to watch the fishermen coming in with their catch. Then enjoy a great sea food lunch on the beach. Take the bus from Manta to Porto Lopez.

 

DAY FIVE - ​Puerto Lopez is a fishing village located on a bay and it's main industries are fishing and ecotourism. This village is a great beach living option, as is Montanita. Both are situated on the Ruta del Sol. June to October are the best months for whale watching. Some of the tours include snorkeling and walking Isla de la Plata. Another option is a diving experience out of Puerto Lopez. In the late after noon take the bus from Puerto Lopez to Salinas and settle in for the night.

 

DAY SIX - Enjoy the beach in Salinas. This is a large beach city in Ecuador. Compare this option with the much less populated Bahia de Caraquez (it was hit by the April 2016 earth quake), if you are serious about city beach living in Ecuador. Go to Puntilla Santa Elena. This is the most western point of mainland Ecuador. Awesome beaches, surfing, wale watching, and the only sea lion colony on the Ecuadorian coast is found in Puntilla Santa Elena. 

 

DAY SEVEN - Take an early bus from Salinas to Guayaquil. Fly from GUAYAQUIL to SANTA CRUS ISLAND, Galapagos Islands ($211.00 Latam Air). I recommend booking a 5 day/4night cruise once in Puerto Ayora. Last minute deals  are in the range of $1000-$1300. instead of $3000. You obviously need to be flexible but that is in fact an important characteristic to develop on your evolution of consciousness journey. If cruising is not in your budget then here are other options:

 

DAY EIGHT TO DAY TWELVE - 5 day/4 night cruise.

OR

DAY EIGHT - Visit Tortuga Bay with it's baby powder white sand, magic blue waters, marine iguanas, and occasional flamingos. It is 2.5 Kms from Puerto Ayora on a nice brick path of about 30-45 minutes. Then visit Las Grietas a great spot for photography and swimming. You can visit the Lava Tubes at El Mirador (3 km from Pto. Ayora).

 

​DAY NINE -  You can choose a full day yacht tour to Bartolome Island and explore the extraordinary fauna and flora. Bartolome Island has the most spectacular landscapes . It is the most photographed island out of all the Galapagos Islands.

 

DAY TEN AND ELEVEN -  You have the option of  yacht trips to other Galapagos Islands or a diving/snorkeling experience in the Galapagos such at the Daphne Island Major, a volcanic tuff cone located off the north coast of Santa Cruz Island. The choice to relax for 2 days with no specific plans may be just what serves you best.

 

DAY TWELVE - Take a boat transfer from Puerto Ayora on Santa Cruz Island to San Cristobal Island.

Once settled into your chosen accommodation, visit the Interpretation Centre of the Galapagos National Park. Then hike to Cerro Tijeretas for spectacular views of the bay and the town as well as possible glimpses of two species of the frigate bird. Cerro Las Tijeretas is a good place for whale watching between June and October. Cabo de Horno is a white-sand beach at the northern end of town that offers swimming and snorkeling opportunities. 

 

DAY THIRTEEN - A popular attraction is La Loberia. It is accessed via a long trail that begins at the west end of town, where you can enjoy the antics of a playful sea lion colony and the landscape views. The Breeding Center Jacinto Gordillo “Galapaguera”is a new visitor site in the northeast of the island about 1hour by road. Giant tortoises can be observed along the 1km trail. They live there wild but in a protected area to assure their survival, by sealing them off from predators. Land and sea birds as well as blue-footed boobies are also found on the trail.

Visit El Junco, a freshwater lake inside an active volcano. One can hike around the rim of the volcano with a guide. Afterwards you can visit one of the many beaches; Cerro Brujo.

 

You can also choose a certified diving or snorkelling trip to the striking rock formation of Kicker Rock, a couple of hours west of SanCristobal.

 

DAY FOURTEEN - Fly back from SAN CRISTOBAL to GUAYAQUIL ( $182.00 Latam Air). Take the bus from Guayaquil to Baños. Many good hostels are available for $10/night. Baños is well known for hot springs and offers many other activities such as: hiking, bird watching, bungee jumping, rappelling down the waterfalls, and unique swings. 

 

DAY FIFTEEN TO SEVENTEEN -    You can choose a 2 day tour to Puyo, the Ecuadorian Amazon jungle, leaving the morning of day sixteen. 

                                                           If you prefer adventures, then you may choose to stay in Baños and fill 3 days with everything from extreme                                                            sports to walks up and around the volcano.

 

DAY EIGHTEEN - ​Take the bus from  Baños to Latacunga. Get off the bus at the entrance of  Cotopaxi National Park. Guides with 4x4 vehicles are parked at the entrance and will take you to the base where the climb up the volcano starts. The Cotopaxi volcano at 5,898 meters is the highest active volcano in the world. The hiking tour to the refuge at 4,800 meters takes about 2 hours, you can also stop at the lagoon at 3,800 meters. Take the bus to Quito.

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DAY NINETEEN - Take the bus from Quito to Papallacta. Papallacta is the highest town in Ecuador at 3,300 meters and it is surrounded with natural hot springs. Local trout is delivered daily to the restaurants in town. After a relaxing day in the hot springs, return to Quito.

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DAY TWENTY - Visit Mitad del Mundo. A city bus ($0.25) takes you there in 45 minutes.

 

DAY TWENTY ONE - Return fight home or extend your journey for more adventures.

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OPTION:

Ecuador Amazon tour: 4-days/ 3-nights. A short  25-minute flight takes you from Quito to Coca. From there the group is taken on a motorized canoe for 2 hours down the Napo River. Napo is a tributary of the Amazon River. Guides from the lodge lead the group on a walk through the jungle to a remote lodge. The next 3 days  are spent enjoying the Amazonian Jungle. 

               

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                                                                                            InfiniteLove

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