Eight Day Multi-Sport Tour

Mountain Biking, Shamanism & Medicinal Plants, Horseback Riding Tour Rating: Easy to Moderate

Day 1: PM Transfer from Quito Airport to San Jorge Eco-Lodge & Botanical Reserve

Day 2: Guided City Tour of Old Colonial Quito Your private guide will provide complete information on the Baroque Colonial Art found in the Colonial Gold Churches. We will visit the museums where you can learn about the history, archaeology and folklore of Ecuador. Throughout the day, parks, enjoying cultural activities, music and traditional Ecuadorian life. visit the most important areas: Plaza de la Independencia, Plaza San Francisco, Plaza Santo Domingo, La Merced, La Compania, and Penecillo. Footnote: We may bike the City Tour of Quito if on a Sunday, when the streets are quiet with no cars.
Meals: B,L,D

Day 3: The Dog Circuit (42 km - 26 miles) This is a soft cross-country, farm adventure with marvelous sightseeing of the Northwest country area by secondary routes. We will explore the Nono Valley and visit the forgotten village of Nono, Santa Rosa Canyon and see farms where fightbulls are raised. Next we will visit Pululahua Mountain -an inactive volcanic crater that last erupted around 1500 BC. Then it's on to witness the Original Monument of the Middle of the World in Cala Cali, a traditional village once favored by smugglers transporting sugar cane liquor from the coastal interiors. Meals: B,L,D

Day 4: Nono Tandayapa Route Downhill Trip (45 km - 28 miles) This is a famous Birdwatchers secondary route. While descending from the beautiful virgin cloud forest, visit the Sierra, an enormous canyon, Tandayapa and Pichincha's untouched foothills. This is a fairly easy ride that offers incredible sightseeing from an altitude of 3200mts down to 1500mts. We will witness some amazing vegetation changes as we explore virgin rainforests on this magical tour for riders of any level! Meals: B,L,D

Day 5: Yanacocha Highland Rainforest (37 km - 23 miles) Biking Around Pichincha Volcano Crater Basin - a short uphill & longer downhill. Bike up to Singuna Mouth High Valley, where we will visit the Alto Peru area and Inca Ditch. While entering this natural area, we'll pass through four short tunnels (a lot of fun to ride) and then in no time be at the base of the Guagua Pichincha Crater. From here we'll continue on a flat route, ascending 250 meters in 6 km. No cars - it's all highland rain forest! Meals: B,L,D

Day 6: Shamanism Medicinal Plant & Sacred Waterfalls Tour at San Jorge Botanical Reserve we will trek to the highland tropical rainforest, visiting about 15 sacred waterfalls. Here, we will learn about the medicinal attributes of the native plants, containing up to 250 varieties in the region. At the same time, you will take in the fabulous panoramic views of Quito, it's lush valleys and majestic mountains and the volcano peaks of Cayambe, Antizana, Pasochoa, Pululahua, Pichincha, and Illalo. Return to relax at the Lodge for the remainder of the day. Enjoy our tempered swimming pool, sauna, Turkish Bath and Jacuzzi. Spend the evening at our Botanical Reserve with an Andes Highland Shaman to learn traditional medicinal practices and receive a "Cleansing". Meals: B,L,D

Day 7: Horseback Riding Eco-Adventure to the high barren plains, with private guide, boxed lunch. Experience a slice of 17th Century life! Ride Mustang Horses with traditional saddles up to Pichincha Mountain. Visit the Andes potato and cattle farms. Great sightseeing! Following a pre-Inca road (1500 BC) and ride up (4700mts osl) to the Cloud Forest. San Jorge Eco-Lodge invites its guests to discover this unique part of Ecuadorian life. Meals: B,L,D
Includes: Lodging based on double occupancy, hot showers, meals, transfers, mountain bikes, accessories, transportation, bilingual guide, professional assistance. Excludes: extra food/beverages, insurance.

Day 8: Breakfast Buffet at the Lodge and AM Transfer to Quito Airport

Multisport Tour

Tours

Old Colonial Quito City Tour

We will explore the Capital of Ecuador, considered part of the Cultural Patrimony of Humanity by UNESCO. Tour the Calle de Siete Cruces to learn about the colonial art, history, archaeology and folklore in the churches and museums. Your private guide will provide complete information of the baroque colonial art. You get to see the most important and historic parts of Ecuador: Plaza de la Independencia, Plaza San Francisco, Plaza Santo Domingo, La Merced, La Compania and Panecillo.

Optional addition: Visit to the original Middle of the World (equator line),

 

Tour to the Middle of the World (half day)

You can´t visit Ecuador without visiting the equator. Visit Mitad Del Mundo and take a tour through the outdoor museum of indigenous artifacts. Find out if water really does spin the other way south of the Equator and enjoy several other demonstrations of gravity´s power.

Otavalo Indian Market & Surroundings

Visit the famous Otavalo Indian Market. You shop for world-famous handmade wool and alpaca products as well as beautiful jewelery. Also, visit San Pablo Lake, Cotacachi (leather village), and Cuicocha (sacred Indian lagoon) or San Antonio de Ibarra wood carving village. Includes lunch in a local restaurant.

Cotopaxi Volcano

The highest active volcano in the world. Drive through the volcanoes avenue crossing all the southern area of Pichincha Province. When in Cotopaxi National Park, you will visit Limpiopungo Lake and do soft hiking around the area. Visit and take in breathtaking sights from the garage of the refuge.

Excludes Cotopaxi National Park Entrance fee of $10 p.p.

Horseback Riding Expedition on the Last Incan Emperor's Trail

Mount San Jorge´s beautiful Mustangs to ride around the reserve and up to the high barren plains. Experience a slice of 17th Century life! Ride Mustang Horses with traditional saddles up to Guagua Pichincha, the smaller of the two Pichincha Volcanoes. Visit the Andes potato and cattle farms. Great sightseeing! The guide takes you through the Pre-Inca road up to the Paramo.

Papallacta Natural Hot Springs (full day)

Journey through the High Andes Barren Plains over the same route Francisco De Orellana walked when he discovered the Amazon River. Visit Tumbaco, Cumbaya and Pifo Valley. We will climb up the Central Andes chain until we reach Papallacta Lake where we will stop at the thermal springs. This is a wonderfully relaxing day. During the trip, your guide will give you a botanical and ecological explanation of the Coca Cayambe Reserve, which is considered a Condors area.

 

Botanical Reserve Hike

Visit two sacred waterfalls on San Jorge property while learning about hundreds of Shamanic medicinal plants. Hike down into a canyon where you can see up to 250 varieties of native medicinal plants.

Day tour with bilingual English-speaking guide, includes box lunch.

 

The Last Incan Emperor's Trail-Archeological tour

Hike the same trails as the Incas and sugar cane smugglers through San Jorge and up to the various points of the Reserve. From the top, you can take in the fabulous panoramic views of Quito, its valleys and mountains along with views of the volcano peaks of Cayambe, Antizana, Pasochoa, Pululahua, Pichincha and Illalo. Eleven mountains can bee seen from the higher points of San Jorge Botanical Reserve.

Day tour with bilingual English-speaking guide, includes box lunch.

 

San Jorge de Tandayapa

Ride to the beautiful subtropical Cloud Forest for sightseeing and wonderful birding opportunities. Hike up to a covered picnic area for lunch surrounded by native hummingbirds. Tandayapa is an incredible location with fantastic views of the valley as well as exotic birds.

Day tour with bilingual English-speaking guide, includes box lunch.

San Jorge de Milpe ECOLODGE NEW!!!

At San Jorge de Milpe you hike down through a beautiful, green subtropical rain forest to beautiful waterfalls where you can swim in the river and stand in the waterfalls. You also have the opportunity to see several rare species of birds and many colorful butterflies ,frogs and insects.

Shamanic Cleanings

Spend the evening at San Jorge or Otavalo with a real touch of Indian culture. Remove sickness and stress with a natural and ancient Andes treatment made by a real Indian doctor. Herbs, tobacco, cologne and eggs are the main ingredients used for your treatment. Open to questions and an incredible, unique experience.

 

Tour Rating: Challenging

Day 1: PM Transfer from Quito Airport to San Jorge Eco-Lodge & Botanical Reserve

Day 2: Guided City Tour of Old Colonial Quito Your private guide will provide complete information on the Baroque Colonial Art found in the Colonial Gold Churches. We will visit the museums where you will learn about the history, archaeology and folklore of Ecuador. Throughout the day, parks, enjoying cultural activities, music and traditional Ecuadorian life. Meals: B,L,D
Footnote: We may bike the City Tour of Quito if on a Sunday, when the streets are quiet with no cars.

Day 3, 4, 5, 6: Mountain Biking Lloa Mindo Only third class and small roads, down in the Western Pichichas area. We will cross the Pachincha mountain range (Guagua and Rucu). And make our way downhill by the highland rain forest and cloud forest in the western region. We begin our journey at 3300mts and ride down to 1200mts through an area in which roads were destroyed by volcanic eruption- in many cases, we will have to make our own roads! We will also have to cross the Cristal River a few times to complete the trek. This is a total adventure experience for Adrenaline People only! We will be sleeping overnight in tents and lonely farms, very few creature comforts on this one, but tons of fun. Something to tell the grandkids about! Meals: B,L,D

Day 7: Papallacta Hot Springs - Take a trip to the High Andes Barren Plains (4000mts) to the Papallacta Natural Hot Springs. Drive the same route as Francisco De Orellana walked when he discovered the Amazon River. Visit Tumbaco, Cumbaya and Pifo Valley. We will climb up the Central Andes chain until we reach Papallacta Lake where we will stop at the thermal springs. This is a wonderfully relaxing day. During the trip, your guide will give you a botanical and ecological explanation of the Coca Cayambe Reserve, which is considered a Condors area. Meals: B,L,D

Day 8: Breakfast Buffet at the Lodge and AM Transfer to Quito Airport

Includes: Lodging based on double occupancy, hot showers, meals, transfers, mountain bike, accessories, transportation, bilingual guide, professional assistance. Excludes: hot springs entrance fees, extra food/beverages and insurance.