Senast uppdaterad: 2010-06-18

Itinerary

Day 1

The tour starts in Quito.

Day 2, Quito

The capital of Ecuador is situated at 2.850 m and it is the second highest capital in Latin America after La Paz. It lies in a narrow valley running north to south, wedged between the slopes of volcano Pichincha (4,794metres) to the west and a steep canyon to the east, formed by the Machángara River. Quito has 1,8 million inhabitants and the city has grown rapidly during the last decades. Tourism has also increased rapidly, something that has visibly influenced the city. The capital has become more modern, not unlike many European capitals. But Quito has preserved its original Andean feeling. You will hear Quicha-speaking women in the bus queue and you will see indigenous people dressed in their traditional clothes while you´re strolling down the streets. Quito is divided in two parts, or lets say three parts. The Old Town, The New Town and Gringolandia. The Old Town is the cities highlight. It is a muddle of narrow streets and wide plazas lined with churches, monasteries, mansions and colorful balconied houses. Old Quito was declared as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1978. The city has some of the most beautiful colonial architecture on the continent and is inviting for long nice walks. The New Town is as the name gives a hint, an ordinary new town with a concentration of banks, hotels, restaurants, shopping centres and cybercafés. Luckily the main shopping streets are brightend up by numerous Otavaleño street traders, which gives the place a warmer atmosphere. Gringolandia is part of the new Town, here you’ll find American fast food restaurants, nightclubs and hotels.

Day 3-5, Trekking to Oyacachi

Early in the morning you’ll go by local bus to El Quinche (2728 m) in the surrounding hills. El Quinche is a small mestizo village about one hour drive from Quito. The village is important for the Ecuadorian people mostly for the church and the Virgen del Quinche, a lady with strength to make miracles according to the religion. During religious festivals she is visited by hundreds of people every day. From El Quinche you will start trekking further in to the beautiful mountains. After three hours you reach Cucupuru (3,000 m), a small Quichua indian community. The village lies in beautiful surroundings; magnificent mountains and a spectacular view. You will spend the night in Cucupuru in a Choza (basic cabins) and as well you’ll share a traditional meal with them. You will now experience your first night in the highland which means that it will be quite cold (4-5 degrees Celsius), and you will have your first opportunity to adapt to the altitude. You will be sleeping at 3000 masl. The next day, early in the morning, you will start the first day of trekking. You will follow the same route as Orellana, the famous Spanish Conquistador, took in order to find the Amazon River. This trekking is absolutely magnificent, you walk through lovely mountains and by the end of the day you’ll arrive to Oyacachi, which is a small Indian village. In Oyacachi you will enjoy fantastic hot springs, which I promise you will feel lovely after your walk! After the springs you will spend the night in a basic hostel in Oyacachi. Early in the morning you’ll return by bus to Quito and you´ll go to the hotel, one day to rest and enjoy Quito.

Day 6

By bus along Avenida de los volcanes to Alausi (2600 m). The bus ride takes about 6 hours and you probably need to change bus in Riobamba. It is a long bus ride. The first thing you will notice when you are approaching the city is an immense statue of Saint Peter. He’s watching (or guarding) the inhabitants while holding the keys to heaven in his hand. Alausi is a sleepy little town with a nice atmosphere. The village sits at the foot of Cerro Gampala and you’ll notice the campesinos that are coming down in order to sell their products. If you have time go and have a look at the train station, the famous train to La Nariz del Diablo passes by Alausi. The reason for coming to Alausi is in order to prepare for the upcoming trek “El Camino del Inca”.

Day 7-9, Trekking to Ingapirca

Now starts the trek along Ecuador’s best preserved Inca trail. It is part of the old Inca trail that once started in Cuzco in Peru and ended in Quito. You start by going with a pickup along the winding roads up to the small village of Achupallas. The scenery is marvellous! Achupallas is a good place for you to look over your packing again and have a final rest before we start our walk. Three days of lovely walking through different landscapes even though the páramo will dominate. This Inca trail is not at all like the one that leads to Machu Pichu, the landscape is very different. You will walk through moon-landscapes, green fields, lakes and of course the impressive Andes. Brilliant snow covered peaks will line your way and if you’re lucky you will be able to see condors circulate around them, just to make the picture perfect! You will meet children (out in what seems to be nowhere) guarding domestic animals. Don’t be surprised if you have to walk through enclosed pastureland with some bulls. Local guides will go with you and mules will carry your luggage, the only thing you carry yourself is your little backpack with water and some lunch. The guides will also cook for you. You’ll sleep in tents (make sure you bring a warm sleeping bag because it can be quite cold) close to old Inca ruins. The nights will be cold and it might rain sometimes during these days. The last day the landscape will change since you’re walking down hills and you’ll walk through small villages. Around noon the last day you will reach Ingapirca (3180 m) Ecuador’s most impressive Inca ruin. Take your time in order to explore this site. The archaeologists are not quite sure what Ingapirca was. Was it a sun temple or a fortress or was it both? Make sure you see La cara del Inca before you leave Ingapirca. After spending some time here you’ll go by local bus to Cuenca.

Day 10-11, Cuenca

Cuenca (2535 m) is the most beautiful city in the country according to the Ecuadorians. It has a colonial touch and of course it’s not as busy as Quito. The atmosphere is friendly, nice and laid-back.. You will have time to walk around in the beautiful city centre and try some of all the nice cafés and restaurants. It seems like this city has a speciality in pastries and ice cream! Enjoy your time in Cuenca to rest and to get prepared for the next adventures.

Day 12-13, Into Peru

You will travel by bus to Piura in Peru, where you will continue straight away to Chiclayo by local bus. The trip from Piura to Chiclayo takes you through a spectacular desert like landscape and it lasts for about 3 hours. If you didn´t have time to buy something to eat in Piura there are plenty of vendors trying to sell you sandwiches and Inca Cola. Chiclayo is sandwiched between the Pacific Ocean and the Andes e.g. the setting is very beautiful! Spanish priests founded the city in 1560s as a rural Indian village. Chiclayo belongs to Lambayeque Department and it is one of Peru’s principal agricultural regions. Rice and sugar cane are the most important crops. Chiclayo is dubbed ”The Capital of Friendship” and it is a city with pulse. There is an earthiness and vivacity about Chiclayos citizens that definitely sets it apart. Walk down to the Plaza de Armas and observe the daily life or pop in to the cathedral that is right on the Plaza as well. Or enjoy the big bubbling Mercado Modelo which is one of northern Peru’s liveliest and largest daily markets, the fruit section is my favourite one. The city is the commercial centre in the Lambayeque region and it also boasts a distinctive cuisine and musical tradition (Marinera, Tondero and Afro-indian rhythms). Chiclayo is also famous for its Wizards’ Market (Mercado de Brujos) and for its archaeological sites and ethnographic heritage such as El Señor de Sipán in Sipan and Huaca El Mirador, Huaca Las Estacas, Huaca Pintada and Huaca de las Balsas in Túcume. Did you by the way know that Thor Heyerdal spent his last years in Túcume in order to investigate and try to solve the historical mysteries here? The last evening you’ll catch the night bus to Chachapoyas.

Day 14, Chachapoyas

You’ll arrive in Chachapoyas early in the morning and there is not much for you to do in this sleepy little village apart from going to the hotel at this time of the day. You’ll have this day free in order to prepare yourself for the upcoming trekking. How about visiting El Mercado, Plaza de Armas or/and have a cup of coffee at a nice café.

Day 15-18, Trekking to Kuelap

Now it’s time for an amazing expedition, which will take you to places that you can hardly imagine. You will explore places like Sarcófago de Karajía, Pueblo de los Muertos and Cohedián, Valle de Huaylla Belén, Gran Vilaya, La Pequilla before you reach the big goal, Kuelap. This masterpiece is also called the Machu Picchu of Northern Peru. Some people find Kuelap more fascinating and interesting than Machu Picchu. The first day you travel by bus to Huaylla Belén. From there the trekking begins. You will pass through a rolling landscape, through cloud forest and coffee fields, and come to places that do not host hardly any tourists at all. Of course, part of the trekking will be on old Inca trails, there are plenty of them in this area. The nature and the views are spectacular. This area is as well the new archaeological area in Peru, the last discoveries (280 mummies) were found in the late 1990’s near Laguna Colorada. You will spend the nights in different small villages, e.g. you will not sleep in tents. During the nights you’ll hopefully experience the local culture and the local food. Folklore is very popular here. Another cultural ingredient, which is important up here in the Andes, is Shamanism. The people believe in it and hopefully you’ll meet one of the local Shamans. Do you dare to give him free hands on you? You will definitely experience how the Peruvians live here in the immense Andes. In the evening the last day you’ll return with the night bus to Chiclayo.

Day 19-20, To Cusco

From Chiclayo we continue by plane to Lima and Cusco. Cuzco (3330 m) is the old Inca capital, with many old sites from its time of greatness, but also many colonial buildings. You live in San Blas, a quiet and nice area only a few minutes walk from the center of Cusco. The advantage of living in San Blas is that you can live central without being bothered by the city’s heavy traffic. And from San Blas you have a splendid view over the Cusco valley.

Day 21-23, Manu

Early in the morning you’ll leave Cusco by Pick-up to Manu National Park. You travel over the eastern slopes of the Andes and cross the cloud forest where you can see the national bird of Peru, cook of the rock, and you’ll descend until mid elevation forest to sleep in a basic hotel in Pilcopata Town. Here you’ll get the chance to see and visit the crops of the area, among them coca plantations. This was once part of the Inca trail that was used to get supplies as fruits, vegetables and coca leaves to Cusco and to develop a relationship with other ethnic groups to extend the influence of their social project. The next morning you’ll walk early to visit a indigenous community in the jungle. You will have the opportunity to get to know some ethnic groups living together, Huachipaeris, Matshiguengas and Quechuas, see their customs and their culture. Later in the afternoon you’ll continue the descent even more until Atalaya by motor canoe by the Upper Mother of God River until the lodge. The last day will be for excursions around the area visiting a small lake and rain forest. You’ll spend the day doing excursions looking for animal activity. Manu is one of the most biodiverse areas in the world.

Day 24, Cusco

One more day in this interesting city. In the afternoon you can take a ”City-tour” that shows you the city and also archaeological sites outside Cusco like Sacsayhuaman, Qenqo Tambomachay and Koricancha the sacred temple of the sun. Or maybe you want to sit on a café balcony at Cusco's Big Square and look at people, write in your diary or write postcards, take a bus to another village or go to the Cusco market. 

Day 25, Machu Picchu

Finally it is time to visit the ancient Inca citadel Macchu Picchu among green mountains and hills on 2.200 meters attitude. You leave early in the morning with train from Cusco and travel through the landscape in a modern tourist train. The train stops at Aguas Calientes, the little village in the valley below Macchu Picchu (The Old Mountain). When you stand down there and look up at the steep hillsides you can not see any signs of the Inca citadel 600 meters above. That is the reason why the Spanish conquistadors never found Macchu Picchu and the city remained unknown by the western world until 1911. Those who want to can climb up to the top of Huayna Picchu (The young mountain), the view from there is magnificent (but nothing for those who suffers from vertigo). You take the train back to Cusco in the afternoon.

Day 26, Lima

You go by air to Lima and get some time to discover Peru's energetic capital. Lima has 8 million inhabitants and is one of Latin America's biggest cities. The city has very interesting museums, great food and active night life.

Day 27

The the tour ends.