Luxury Cultural Immersion in Quito & the Amazon - 7 Days

Highlights

• Experience Spanish-colonial Quito and Indigenous culture in nearby Imbabura
• Stay at a remote lodge set amid its own 5,000-acre (2,023 ha) Amazon reserve
• Enjoy nature hikes and shaman-led purification rituals in Yasuni National Park
• Cap the adventure with relaxing soaks in natural hot springs

Brief Itinerary

Detailed Itinerary

Day 1: Arrive in Quito, Ecuadorian Cooking Class

Welcome to Ecuador! Many travelers know this South American nation for its Spanish-colonial heritage and diverse ecosystems, from the Andes highlands to the Amazon rainforest. You'll get to experience all this, plus spend ample time immersing yourself in the Indigenous Kichwa cultures that have existed here since long before the Spanish conquistadores arrived. 

It begins with your arrival in Quito, the nation's capital. At the airport terminal, your personal driver will pick you up for the ride to Casa Gangotena. Located in the city's historic Old Town, this luxurious 5-star hotel is situated in a beautifully restored mansion overlooking Plaza San Francisco. Each of its elegant rooms and suites is outfitted with mod-cons and luxury amenities, from flat-screen TVs to plush bedding. You can dine at the hotel's gourmet restaurant, which celebrates traditional Ecuadorian cuisine, enjoy a smart cocktail at the classic mahogany bar, or relax in the garden amid lush greenery.

Later, you'll transfer to a nearby kitchen for a half-day private cooking workshop. Under the tutelage of expert chefs, you'll don an apron and learn to prepare classic Ecuadorian dishes, like savory empanadas and tangy ceviche. Learn the culinary techniques for preparing these recipes, which have been handed down over the generations, as you learn the flavor profiles that define Ecuadorian cuisine. At the end of the cooking process, savor the fruits of your labor by sitting down to enjoy a freshly cooked meal.

Day 2: Quito Old Town Tour, Museums & Chocolate

After breakfast at the hotel, you'll meet a local guide and embark on a private walking tour of Quito's colonial center to see firsthand why it's listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Admire the intricate stone carvings of Iglesia La Compañía and wander the 16th-century Iglesia San Francisco cloisters. Wrap up the historical center leg of your tour with a walk down La Ronda, once a pre-Columbian walking trail, now a romantic pedestrian street full of cafés, live music venues, and eclectic shops. 

After all that walking around, you'll take a break at El Panecillo, one of the city's most prominent hills, capped with the iconic Virgin of El Panecillo statue. Here, enjoy lunch at a traditional restaurant—try the cuy (roast guinea pig); it's a local favorite. Later, you'll visit the former house and museum of Oswaldo Guayasamín, Ecuador's most famous artist. Nicknamed the "Painter of Ibero-America," Guayasamín was of Indigenous heritage and became famous for his Cubist-styled depictions of Latin American people. You'll see a vast collection of his works, which also include religious art.

In a tasty change of pace, the Guayasamín Foundation has teamed up with a local chocolatier to create a combined art and chocolate experience. So, after admiring the works of one of South America's masters, a private guide will lead you on a tasting journey of Ecuadorian dark chocolates. Akin to a wine tasting, you'll sample raw and roasted cacao (cocoa) beans and different chocolates as you learn about the production methods, from fermentation to barrel-aging and more. It's a great primer for the dinner you'll enjoy later, which involves a farm-to-table meal served at Foresta, one of Quito's top restaurants. 

Day 3: Day Trip to Imbabura & Cultural Exchange

A country's culinary and cultural heritage derives from it's people, which is why this morning, you'll embark on a private, full-day immersion into Ecuador's patrimony by visiting its native residents in Imbabura. This province is located about 2.5 hours north of Quito and is famous for its Indigenous heritage and scenic landscapes, which include its namesake volcano. During the drive, you'll enjoy plenty of spectacular highland scenery, like the snowcapped crown of the Cayambe volcano. There will also be stops along the way to enjoy roadside snacks like local pastries and farm-fresh cheeses.

Your ultimate destination is near the town of Cotacachi, where you'll visit a local Angla community, an Indigenous, Kichwa-speaking people native to this region of Ecuador. Over the centuries, the Angla have maintained their rich cultural traditions, from their handmade clothing and annual festivals to traditional music and dance. Upon arrival, you'll be warmly welcomed into the house of an Angla family and sit down to a home-cooked lunch. Get to know your hosts over the meal, after which you'll take a driver to a nearby waterfall.

Then, visit a family-run shop selling artisanal items like handicrafts and textiles made from alpaca wool. Watch as the owners demonstrate the artistry of time-honored weaving techniques on a traditional pedal loom. Afterward, you'll return to Quito and enjoy dinner at a historic hacienda.

Day 4: Fly to Yasuni National Park, Transfer to Sacha Lodge

Your Amazon adventure begins today! Rise early and transfer back to the airport for the flight to Coca. Located in the northeastern Amazon region, on the Río Napo, this small city is a transport hub for excursions deep into the jungle. That's exactly what you'll do when, upon arrival, you transfer to the dock and hop on a private canoe for the two-hour ride downriver to Sacha Lodge.

This remote jungle lodge is the perfect escape for those who want to mix adventure with luxury. Sacha lies within a 5,000-acre (2,023 ha) ecological reserve, blending seamlessly into the heart of the rainforest. All around the rustic (yet well-equipped) property are fun natural attractions, like nature trails, a suspended walkway over the trees, and the "Canopy Exploration Crane"—a metal basket suspended from a metal jib 140 feet (42 m) above the ground which offers panoramic views over the jungle canopy.

The lodge is also adjacent to Yasuni National Park. The equator, Andes, and Amazon biomes meet within this 3,792-square-mile (9,820 sq km) protected area, home to thousands of species of mammals, plants, insects, reptiles, and amphibians. You don't have to wait to enjoy these natural wonders, either. After checking into the lodge, set off on an introductory jungle hike to the blackwater lake known as Pilchicocha for a refreshing swim. Then, an expert guide will lead you on a nocturnal nature hike after dinner. Expect to see exotic animals like bats, ocelots, sloths, and caimans.

Day 5: Sacha Lodge Activities: Canopy Hike & Shaman Ritual

The day starts at 6 am as you leave on a hiking trail that will take you to viewpoints offering grand vistas over the forest canopy. There are also towers with observation decks you can stop at. From these vantage points, you'll see colorful birds flitting about, like toucans and macaws. After the 1-mile (1.6 km) canopy walk, an Indigenous guide will lead you on another excursion through the forest. During the hike, the guide will point out the different species of medicinal plants that have been used by the region's Indigenous tribes for hundreds of years.

Later, after a break for lunch, you'll spend the next two hours on a different kind of journey as you participate in a traditional purification ritual. It takes place at an Indigenous cultural center, where a local shaman will immerse you in the ancient ritual of cleansing, the result of which is a profound connection to the land and people as you release and renew your energy. Later, you'll enjoy another nature hike then return to the lodge in time for dinner.

Day 6: Sacha Lodge Activities: Canoeing, Fishing & Boating

Your final day in the Amazon includes various activities highlighting the wonders of this pristine ecosystem. Set off on a morning nature hike to another blackwater lake, Lagartococha. There, you and your guide will board a canoe for an exploration of these wetlands and surrounding forests, which the Indigenous people believe are home to the spirits of their ancestors. During the canoe ride, you'll likely spot aquatic animals like anacondas, caimans, and capybaras. Also, keep an eye on the treeline to spot playful capuchin and and squirrel monkeys leaping from branch to branch.

Return to the lodge and relax in a hammock or take a dip in the river. After lunch, your guide will teach you how to fish for the infamous piranha. Despite being famous for their razor-sharp teeth, piranhas will never attack a person, and you can even swim alongside them. Later in the afternoon, you'll enjoy another boat ride through a wetland forest to a 125-foot (41 m) tower built around a towering kapok tree. From its observation deck, you'll do a bit of birding with the help of some powerful binoculars. If you like, watch the sunset from the tower before returning to the lodge.

Day 7: Transfer to Quito via Papallacta Hot Springs, Depart

It's a big travel day, as this morning, you'll hike back down to the river and hop in a canoe for the two-hour ride back to Coca, where you'll catch a 35-minute flight back to Quito. There, a driver will pick you up for the 1.5-hour ride southeast of the city to the famous Papallacta Hot Springs. Situated at 12,100 feet (3,700 m) in an evergreen páramo landscape, this area is renowned for its healing volcanic waters. If the weather is clear, you'll spot the giant Artisana volcano looming above.

You'll also spend time at the Termas de Papallacta Resort and Spa, which offers nine warm and three cold pools at various temperatures, plus an on-site spa with multiple health and beauty treatments, including hydromassage, a Turkish steam bath, and a mud wrap. It's also a great spot to have lunch with local dishes such as fresh-grilled trout. When the time comes, you'll get back on the road and return to Quito and the airport, where you'll catch your flight home. Safe travels!

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