Galaeco - Galapagos Cruises Ecuador Ecotours Galapagos yachts

In the middle of the world Quito, the capital of Ecuador, is located at 2800 meters above sea level. The magic that goes in its streets makes of Quito an especial and unique city. In four hours you can see the beauty of the city’s renaissance, classical and baroque architecture that lie in its churches and convents built in the colonial period. Their museums show us hundreds of valuable collections of paintings and sculptures from an important artistic movement called Escuela Quiteña.

Offering one-to-one Spanish lessons Cristóbal Colón Spanish School primarily use "Cursos IE" an official and modern teaching system set up by IE International del Espanol from Quito-Ecuador.
The "Coursos IE" are designed to dedicate half of a student’s study time to learning grammar, exercises & written examples with the aid of IE textbooks in class and the other half to speaking Spanish in everyday situations. (IE LEARNING SYSTEM 25% Grammar, 25% Exercises & Examples, 50% Conversation & Pronunciation)

North of Quito, you will find one of South America’s most famous indigenous markets. The Otavalo Indian is a very prosperous trade’s people, as you will see at this outdoor emporium. While the most colorful market occurs on Saturdays, there are mini-markets each day of the week. While some markets focus on agricultural products, others are famous for their refined crafts like baskets, ponchos, hats, sweaters, tapestries, leatherwork, etc.

1 DAY: $125 per two people (included:driver, bilingual guide, private transportation)

2 DAY: $290 per two people (included:driver, bilingual guide, private transportation)

Located 70 km. To the south of the equatorial line. This perfect cone shaped volcano is covered by glaciers that run down to 4.800 m. No major difficulties are encountered when climbing on the snow – route leading to the top, since relatively slid ice bridges span the crevasses.

Cotopaxi National Park is a protected area that goes from an altitude of 3.200 up to 6.000mts. It has 4 climatic zones: Andean forest, paramo, high plateau and glassier. Cotopaxi is claimed to be the highest and the most perfectly shaped mountain in the world. It is Ecuador’s most famous volcano. Technically it is not a difficult mountain but due to its height it is a must that climbers get well acclimatized. Ice- climbing gear is required. From its summit Cotopaxi offers a spectacular view; other snow-capped peaks can be seen, as well the Amazon basin.

Day 1: 08:30 A.M.Transfer to Cotopaxi National Park. Once we arrive to the parking area we will hike to the hut 45 minutes approximately, Lunch at the hut, Glassier ice briefing, Return to refuge, dinner/ refuge rest

Day 2: Around midnight, after a hearty breakfast we departure to the summit. We follow the normal north route and expect to arrive at the summit in 6 to 7 hours while enjoying the wonderful view of the crater of this impressive volcano. With good weather, we can see far in the distance the Mount Chimborazo. We descend to the refuge and afterwards to the parking lot. Return to Quito.

Included: Transportation (4X4), Basic climbing equipment: boots, crampons, harness, ice axe, additional clothes if needed, sleeping, hat, mittens, rain pants and jacket. Certified bilingual guides one for every 2 people, Mountain meals; 2 lunches, 1dinner, 1 breakfast, Beverages (non alcoholics), Refuge.

Not included: Park entrance fee $10, Meals not mentioned, Personal expenses, tips and additional beverages

We suggest bringing: Warm clothes, sun glasses, head lamp, skin protection, and rain jacket, 1 big bag for your equipment and a small bag pack for the top.

*QUILOTOA CRATER LAKE LODGE

The "Quilotoa Crater Lake Lodge " is a comfortable three hour completely paved drive south of Quito located in the Cotopaxi Province in the heart of the Andean Mountains. Our first class lodge sits just 200 m. (656 ft) away from the beautiful crater lake of the Quilotoa volcanic peak. We are at an elevation of 3,840 m. (12,595 ft). The lodge is conveniently located near the highway to the Ecuadorian coast.

Quilotoa Lodge: $27 single room $44 double room (2 people)
(Tax, services and breakfast included)

Cotopaxi
Hacienda San Agustin: $279 single room, $425 double room (Included taxes,breakfast not included). The cost for the horse ride one or two hours is $41.

Otavalo
Hacienda Pinsaqui: $105 simgle room $139 double room (Included taxes,breakfast not included) The cost for the horse ride one hour is $30.

Otavalo
Hacienda Cusin: $98 simgle room $147 double room (Included taxes, breakfast not included). The cost for the horse ride one hour is $20.

Termas de Papallacta is a health SPA & RESORT situaded in a high Andes valley forty miles outside of Quito. The resort is located on the "Cinnamon Trail", the same route thet the Spanish conquistador Francisco de Orellana followed in 1542, leading to his discovery of the Amazon River. Termas de Papallacta hot springs spa & resort serves as the gateway to the Ecuadorian Amazon region.

For decades, the soothing healing thermal waters and pure nature surrounding Termas de Papallacta made it a "must do" Ecuador in tourism attraction.

spa: Entrance fee: US$18 adult; US$12.50 child
The rate includes: towel, locker and a cap

Room 1 – 3 people: US$125 per night
Room with whirlpool: US$145 per night
Suite 1 – 3 people: US$145 per night
Maximum capacity per room or suite is for 4 people between adults and children

Cabins Accomodation:
Cabin 6 people: US$180 per night (two floors, one bathroom)
The cabin is up to 6 people in one double room and 4 single beds in the second floor, it has one bathroom, social area and fireplace.

Note: The cabin is up to 6 people in one double room and 4 single beds in the second floor, it has one bathroom, social area and fireplace.

It is located 1hour 45 minutes from Quito in Mindo-Nambillo Protected Area. In Mindo you will discover all the beauty of the nature, their forest, orchids and mainly the diversity of birds. Mindo is the main attraction of the ecologic tourism; some of their attractions are the waterfalls, the rivers, bird watching and the thousands of butterflies. The temperature of Mindo is 16° y 22° C approximately; the sunny months are from June to September. You can do many activities like trekking, visits to the waterfalls, rappel, rafting, and tubing, also you can visit the butterfly farm and the orchid’s garden.

Offer the experience of staying in comfortable cabins on the trees built with materials from the area like stones, wood, bamboo and guadua. There are 5 cabins all equipped with private bathroom and hot water. There are also rooms for 2 up to 6 people. Besides nature and beautiful landscapes, we have three pools, 2 Jacuzzis and steam bath. Visit the river, practice sport fishing in the little lagoon and take a short walks in the natural paths through the forest.

TOUR 2 DAYS 1 NIGHT./ Included: 1 breakfast, 1 lunch and 1 dinner. Visit to the butterfly farm, short walks by the paths with native guide, 1 night in standard accommodation, tubing (guide and equipment included), Visit to the Mindo Nambillo waterfall with a native guide and taxes.
Price: US$74 per person.

TOUR 3 DAYS 2 NIGHTS./ Included: 2 breakfast, 2 lunches and 2 dinners. Visit to the butterfly farm, short walks by the paths with native guide, 2 nights in standard accommodation, tubing (guide and equipment included), Visit to the Mindo Nambillo waterfall with a native guide and taxes.
Price: US$110 per person.

TOUR 4 DAYS 3 NIGHTS./ Includes: 3 breakfast, 3 lunches and 3 dinners. Visit to the butterfly farm, short walks by the paths with native guide, 3 nights in standard accommodation, tubing (guide and equipment included), Visit to the Mindo Nambillo waterfall with a native guide and taxes.
Price: US$165 per person.

Bellavista offer a unique stay above the forest canopy! Some prefer the 4-storey, thatch-roofed geodesic dome, while others prefer the unusual Bamboo House, the half-timbered Trailhead House, or the House in the Woods.

The 360 degree view from the dome allows you to gaze upon the rugged peaks of Pichincha and Cotacachi in the distance. You can also sit out on your private balcony and observe the activity at your own hummingbird feeder.

The Lodge offers all the comforts of home: hot showers, comfortable beds, friendly staff, plenty of relaxation, and delicious food.

2 DAYS 1 NIGHT ./ Included: Accommodation, round trip transportation, naturalist guided hikes, 4 meals, and taxes

3 DAYS 2 NIGHT./ Included: Accommodation, round trip transportation 8h30, retorno 5, naturalist guided hikes, 7 meals and taxes

Tandayapa is a lodge designed by birders, owned by birders, and run for birders by birders. This is a place where your passion for birds and wildlife is shared by the other guests and staff. It's a place where you can see twenty hummers in a day, a dozen other species passing by the dining room windows over breakfast, and over one hundred species from our balcony alone. The lodge has a single building with twelve bedrooms and a spacious balcony nestled within the cloudforest. The lodge is designed so that you can relax in comfort after a day's birding. The rooms are near to the main lounge so there is no need for a hike between where you sleep and where you relax and eat. Rooms all have hot water, electricity, and private bathroom.

Prices include: three meals per day, all taxes, and service charge.These rates do not include guiding or transport.

birding tour packages:
These are private tours with your own expert bird guide and need to be booked well in advance - it is unlikely that guides will be available at the last minute. These are totally customizable - if you have particular birds that you would like to see or sites you want to visit, just let us know and we will make it happen. Longer trips are also available upon request.

3 Days / 2 Nights:
Day 1: 5:30am pickup from your hotel in Quito. Birding at Yanacocha and the Nono-Mindo ecoroute with a packed lunch. Night in Tandayapa Bird Lodge.
Day 2: Full day birding in the Tandayapa Valley. You can have lunch at the lodge or take a packed lunch. Night in Tandayapa Bird Lodge.
Day 3: Most of the day birding in the Milpe Bird Sanctuary with a packed lunch. Optional visit to the Mirador Rio Blanco tanager feeders ($3 extra per person). Afternoon return to Quito, arriving around 6pm at your hotel.

Prices are based on the nomber people in the group as follows:
1 person: $1340 per person in single room
2 people: $790 per person in double/twin room
3 people: $600 per person in double/twin room
4 people: $510 per person in double/twin room

THE LONG RUN (Class II-IV) - ECUADOR'S LONGEST ONE DAY RAFT TRIP
The ríos Toachi and Blanco are a fantastic introduction to the rivers of Ecuador. Flowing off the coastal side of the Andes they have some of the longest navigable sections of whitewater in the country. Combine this with the sights and sounds of the forest we pass through and you are guaranteed a day to remember.
Before setting off we will fit you with life jackets and helmets, give you a comprehensive safety briefing and train each crew in the paddling techniques needed to navigate our way down the river. Once on the river you can expect both the action of thrilling whitewater and the tranquility of drifting silently through tropical rainforests. So while you´re guaranteed to get wet you´ll also have the opportunity to be absorbed by the sounds of the forest and to see wildlife up close from our mobile "viewing platform".

Depart Quito 6.30am. Travel west down through beautiful cloud forest to the shores of the river.

Safety briefing & paddle practice on arrival at the river.

THE LONG RUN.
Jun-Feb Over 3 hours of on-river time plus a stop for our delicious riverside picnic lunch. 27km.

Mar-May Over 4 hours of virtually non-stop whitewater on the upper río Blanco. 45km.

Finish the river trip with some well-earned icy cold cervezas and return to Quito. Arrive approx. 7.30pm.

Departures:   Daily with minimum 4 people.
Price:            $79
Includes:       Professional guides, top of the line rafting equipment, a delicious lunch plus snacks and beers, transport ex Quito, and fun all the way! Wetsuits are available for rent on the sometimes chilly Upper Blanco river (Mar-May) for $5.

THE DOWNRIVER RUN (Class IV-VI+) World class rafting in the beauty of the Quijos valley!
World class rafting in the beauty of the Quijos valley! The Quijos is Ecuador's premier whitewater trip with mile after mile of class IV rapids and spectacular rainforest and basalt canyon scenery. Expect to run more whitewater in a day here than you'd do in a week elsewhere. This trip is for experienced rafters or adventurous first-timers that are confident swimmers. No wimps please!
We take on the very same rapids that challenged two hundred and fifty of the world's best rafters as they battled it out in October 2005 to be crowned World Champions. But don't panic - it was our years of experience running the Quijos that convinced us to invite them all to compete on this truly remarkable river. No-one has rafted the Quijos for as long or as often as Yacu Amu Rafting. So rest assured you can be in no better hands.

Depart Quito 6.30am. Travel east up across the páramo and down through beautiful cloud forest to the Yacu Amu Rafting base in the Quijos valley.

Country style breakfast and get fitted with wetsuits, life jackets and helmets.

Thorough safety briefing, swim test, and intensive in-boat paddle practice.

THE DOWNRIVER RUN
Raft the upper canyons of the Quijos plus our delicious riverside picnic lunch.

Finish the river trip with some well-earned icy cold cervezas and return to Quito. Arrive approx. 7.00pm.

Departures: Daily from October to February
Price: $ 89 ex Quito or Termas de Papallacta

Includes: Professional guides, expert safety kayaker, all rafting equipment, wetsuits, a delicious breakfast and lunch plus snacks and beers, transport from your point of departure, and fun all the way!

A scenery packed trip down the Avenue of the Volcanoes to Ambato, followed by a stop at the village weaving center of the Salasaca Indians, famous for their figurative wall hangings. Continue on to Baños, high above the Amazon basin, an area of waterfalls and orchids and beautiful scenery to photograph.

It is located in the Tungurahua province 13km from Ambato City. The market is in the main plaza, open seven days a week, full of colorful shigra bags, jet-black ponchos and most of all, the delightful Salasaca Tapestries.

Route of the Falls

Baños de Agua Santa is refugee for more than 60 waterfalls, among which are: Pailón del Diablo, Manto de la Novia, Cabellera de la Virgen, San Jorge, Chamana, Machay, el Salto de Agoyán, del Placer, Inés María, etc. They can be visited using different transportation means or by well-signaled walking trails.

Baños is a natural sanctuary, where tranquility and spirituality flow. It is the perfect setting for meditation and relaxation of the soul. The city has thermal waters of more than 130 F, as well as a variety of SPAS that offer several therapies such as: fang therapy, Pedi therapy, massages, box baths, aromatherapy, etc… These therapies help strengthen the spirit of the visitors.

(Steam bath) Banos de Cajon

A in a wood box filled with steam vapour is a therapy from the “Thermal Doctrine of Health” which also strengthens the immune system, helps to purify the blood in a natural way, improves circulation and increases your body’s vital energy. The treatment has duration of 45 minutes approximately.

Cuenca is a lovely city, preserving the past in elegant ways. Charming flower boxes adorn wrought iron balconies, and the blue domes of the New Cathedral tower over white walls, the roofs, and ornate churches and cobblestone streets.

The tour begins with a city to the city’s Historic Center:

San Sebastian, a picturesque and traditional neighborhood of Cuenca, houses the Modern Art Museum, where the famous International Biennial of Painting takes place permanently.

Also, tourists visit the Calderon Park (central park), the Flower Plaza, the Church “del Carmen”. They visit the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, best known as the “New Cathedral,” considered as of the biggest churches in Latin America.
There is also a visit to the Cathedral “El Sagrario,” commonly known as the “Old Cathedral,” the city’s first Cathedral. Afterwards, tourists visit a Paja Toquilla Hat Factory, where they observe the elaboration process of the finest hats.

The route continues with the visit to the “Barranco,” which constitutes a communion between architecture and the natural environment. The houses are attached to the incline, displaying their majesty and charm.

The visit is finished at the “Mirador de Turi” (scenic viewpoint) where the landscape of a valley full of red roofs and church domes is framed by imposing mountains.

Only 30 minutes away from Cuenca we find the Cajas National Park; it consists of over 200 lagoons and has a surface of 28.544 hectares. It is a very important water resource for Cuenca and Ecuador. It has gained the international categories of Wetland RAMSAR (Humedal) in 2002, Area of International importance for the conservation of birds – IBA 2003 and Candidate for Natural World Heritage by the UNESCO. Rivers that originate in the area flow into other rivers that are tributaries to the Pacific Ocean and the Amazon River. Also, we can find the “Intercontinental Water Division” in this area.

We visit the lower part of the park, where we observe the Ecosystem of Primary Montano Forest and the high part where we have a walk of approximately three hours. We have lunch at one of the best Restaurants of the area. Return to Cuenca.

The tour begins by traveling to the little town of San Bartolomé where we visit its church, the central park, a typical house of the area and its gardens with medicinal plants; here we taste a cup of coffee or aromatic tea made at the moment from plants right out of the garden, along with “delicate” bread with “panela” (whole sugar).

During this tour we observe the elaboration of the “Paja Toquilla” hat, visit a little guitar craft shop. Also, we visit the canton of Chordeleg, famous for its gold, silver, filigree, wood, and ceramic crafts, among others. We visit the main park and have enough time to shop.

Continuing with the tour, we go to the canton of Gualaceo where we visit its two markets: the fruit and typical food markets.We have lunch at a beautiful and old country house. We finish our tour with a visit to a craft shop where the famous “Macanas” or shawls are made, typical clothing of our “Chola Cuencana.” The artisans explain the elaboration process of these famous and unique weavings. Return to Cuenca.

The day begins early in the morning to Ingapirca. During the Route, the tourists have the opportunity to observe the artisans who weave the paja toquilla.
Once in Ingapirca, we visit the Archeological Complex and museum. Our guide will explain the history of our Cañar-Inca ancestors and how the complex was built. Walk around the Archeological Ruins (2 hrs approximately)
Lunch at an inn of the area. On the return trip to Cuenca, we make a stop in Biblián, where we can find the church of the Virgen del Rocío, well-known for its architecture, antiquity, and construction at the top of the mountain. After lunch, we return to Cuenca to visit the main touristic attractions of the city: Calderon Park, Old and New Cathedral as well as the Barranco and the Puente Roto, and hat factory. Cava Ron San Miguel (optional $4.00). Return to the hotel.

Canyoning, Canopy, Rock climbing, Bicycle tous: Cajas National Park (share tour: wednesday, friday, saturday and sunday), Horse riding tours, Bicycle tours (Cuenca half day), Cables and ropes 2 days 1 night, Cables and ropes 3 days 2 nights.

If you like to visit other part in Ecuador that you cant see here, just let us know and we will help you. In all our country we count with guides (speak English, French, German, Italian) and private transportation.