From the heights of the Andes to the lush verdant rainforest, this ten day trip is packed with varied highlights.  Browse the handicraft markets at the shopper's paradise of Otavalo, learn about jungle plants, medicine and shaman rituals on our jungle trekking excursion through the rainforest, sleeping at night in a bamboo lodge.  Visit the spectacular emerald crater-lake of Quilotoa and travel though Ecuador's spectacular scenery: lush fertile landscapes on the slopes of towering volcanoes.  In the shadow of snow-capped Cotopaxi, hike to glaciers and perhaps spot condors circling, relax in front of an open fire at our hacienda, then top off your trip with Salsa classes on your return to Quito.

Otavalo.  We leave Quito on a day trip to Otavalo market, heading north across the Equator, past snowcapped volcanoes and dramatic Andean peaks to the famous indigenous market town of Otavalo. Otavalo is situated slightly lower than Quito at 2650m and due to the local tradition of weaving, the town has has one of the best textile markets in Ecuador. Your guide will explain the history of the market and the indigenous people that run it, as well as giving tips on bargaining for prices. After an orientation of the town there is free time to explore and shop for handicrafts. You can easily spend an afternoon shopping in the Plaza de Ponchos, buying hammocks, colourful blankets and soft Alpaca jumpers. And if you are all shopped out, the stunning surroundings of Otavalo are great for hikes and bike rides. We return to Quito where we spend the night.

Rainforest Lodge - Amazon Rainforest.  We wake up and have an early breakfast and leave the lodge to make a canoe trip down the Napo River to the Amazon animal rescue center, which specialises in the rescue and care of wild animals in distress. Here we can see toucans and macaws as well as various species of monkey, capybara, caiman and more.

We enjoy lunch on the river shore and this is followed by a chance to swim or relax.

In the afternoon we visit a local Quechua community to learn about their culture, traditions and way of life. This includes demonstrations of rinsing for gold in the river, traditional pottery making, use of a blowpipe for hunting, and the production of chicha (local alcohol made from yuca).

The following day we make a morning trek through secondary rainforest to the Las Latas waterfall with chance to swim and relax when there, and an afternoon trek in the primary forest surrounding the lodge. Your guide will point out and explain about the animals and plants that we discover along the way.

Salasaca to Quilotoa.  After a traditional Salasacan breakfast we will explore some local handicraft workshops and see a demonstration of weaving and other techniques as well as a chance to buy some of the local handicrafts.  We head to Quilotoa in the afternoon. Quilotoa is a rarely visited highlight of Ecuador, and this will be our first glimpse of the spectacular crater-lake: a huge volcanic crater filled with a spectacular emerald-green lake. We trek down into the crater and ride mules out. After we enjoy dinner we will hear stories of the legends of the lake around an open fire and sleep overnight in basic accommodation in the village of Quilotoa.

Cotopaxi National Park.  A spectacular day in the Cotopaxi National Park!

A private bus takes us from our Hacienda into the Cotopaxi National Park. The highlight of the day is the trek up to the volcano refuge (approx 1 hour) to see the glaciers. We also trek around the Lake Limpiopungo, enjoying some stunning views of both the national park paramo scenery and the Cotopaxi Volcano. We also make a visit to the national park museum.

Upon return to Quito we organise a 1-hour group salsa class before celebrating the final night of the tour with a group dinner (optional) and by visiting some popular local bars.

Overnight Quito

Hotel Jardin del Sol
Calama 166 y Diego de Almagro
Quito new town
Ecuador

Tel: +593-2-2230941 / +593-2-2230945

Travel insurance is compulsory for all tours. All clients MUST be insured to cover personal accident, medical expenses, cancellation, curtailment, repatriation, etc. Also, be aware that many activities such as trekking, bungy jumping or white water rafting may not be covered on your insurance policy. If you plan on doing any of these activities please purchase additional insurance. We recommend that you have a photocopy of this document, which you keep separate from the original. If you have not already arranged your own travel insurance then Kumuka can do this for you. Please visit our Travel Insurance page for more information.

Please Note: You will not be permitted to join a Kumuka Tour without travel insurance.

It is important that you obtain the appropriate visas before you embark on your South America trip. Please consult your Travel Agent or relevant embassy for all details such as opening hours or costs.

EACH CLIENT IS SOLELY RESPONSIBLE FOR OBTAINING ALL NECESSARY VISAS BEFORE JOINING A TOUR.

Please note that clients travelling on SA6 Buenos Aires to Rio tours should be aware that Brazilian visas (if required) can take up to 3-4 working days to issue.  We strongly advise that you arrive into Buenos Aires at least 4 working days before your trip starts in order to ensure that you have sufficient time to obtain your Brazilian visa.

Kumuka does not accept responsibility for changes in regulations or requirements for visas. The information provided is given in good faith.

If you are beginning your trip in one of the Andean countries (Peru, Ecuador or Bolivia) please be aware that you may be susceptible to some form of altitude sickness. If you are starting your trip in La Paz, allow 2 days to adapt to these conditions.

You may feel nauseous, overwhelmingly tired, short of breath or experience headaches. There are methods though of minimising the levels of altitude sickness that each person experiences.

• Taking the following steps will greatly help in minimising the level of altitude sickness, but please be aware that every individual reacts differently to it.
• Drink plenty of bottled water. At high altitude your breathing is rapid and shallow, causing you to dehydrate. 2 litres of water per day is the recommended amount.
• Avoid alcohol.
• Avoid smoking. If you are a heavy smoker they should either cut down or stop completely for their time in the altitude (although some smokers say they have an easier time because they are used to having less oxygen).

Taking the above measures will in most cases mean that within 2 days your body should adjust to taking less oxygen but each individual will be affected differently.

• We recommend that you do not take unnecessary valuables with you. Wearing jewellery and expensive watches will attract attention.
• A money belt, or something similar, worn close to your body is the best way to carry passports, airline tickets and money.
• DO NOT leave any valuables in ANY hotel room, please use SAFETY DEPOSIT BOXES. Items are left at your own risk.
• Pickpockets operate everywhere, particularly in tourist areas and in crowded markets; you must always exercise care. Be aware that anything left lying around will also be liable to theft.
• Kumuka overland vehicles carry a safe on board.  We recommend using it to store your valuables.  They also have secure doors and windows but it is never foolish to be cautious.

We suggest passengers budget for between US$25-30 per day for personal expenses, souvenirs, evening out, alcoholic drinks etc. Be aware that some countries are more expensive than others and that if you are travelling through several your expenses will vary enormously. Similarly there will be some days when you spend nothing at all and others when you exceed your budget.

Take your money is US dollars only. This the only foreign currency readily exchanged in Latin America

Traveller’s cheques should be AMERICAN EXPRESS. American Express is the most widely accepted. Cash is far easier to exchange than Travellers Cheques, but also more risky as once lost, is irreplaceable.

However, we do recommend that you take some US dollars cash in small denominations ($10 and $20). In many countries, you may exchange US Dollars traveller’s cheques for US cash, or retrieve US dollars cash from ATMs (with a credit card), usually for a small commission but please do not rely solely on this option.

Credit cards are accepted frequently, particularly in the larger cities. They can also be used to get money from ATMs. Visa, MasterCard and American Express are the most widely accepted credit cards. Visa being the most useful.

How much should I take?

• The best rule for packing is to limit your self to a weight limit of 15 KGs. It will inconvenience you and your fellow passengers if you bring more. If your luggage does not arrive at the airport, please inform your crew at the Pre Departure Meeting.
• A frameless or internally framed backpack is the best way to carry your belongings since it is easy to lift on and off vehicles. Please note that we do not recommend that passengers bring suitcases.
• A small daypack is practical for keeping general items (e.g. camera, books, wallets etc.) at hand when your main pack is out of reach. It is also handy for day trips and excursions. This can also be used for carrying 2 days of clothing so it is not always necessary to unload the large backpacks every night.

You will be in hotels and hostels for the majority of the tour but you may wish to bring the following for the Inca trail, although these can be hired in Cuzco for a small cost of approximately US$8 per day.

• Sleeping Bag - a good quality sleeping bag, rated for sub-zero conditions is the best for tours, which travel through the Andes and Patagonia. You can purchase extra blankets in South America cheaply. We recommend a Four Seasons sleeping bag.
• Inner Sheet - for your sleeping bag. Can also be used as a sleeping bag when it's hot.
• We also recommend that you keep your passport, credit cards travellers cheques etc. on you at all times, preferably in a money belt worn under your clothes.

TRAVEL TIP: You might be tempted to buy a few souvenirs here and there, so leave a little room for those extra purchases!!

Most passengers will travel with digital cameras. Should you run out of memory you can download your photos onto CD at the local internet cafes or camera shops on your tour. Alternatively, you may be able to purchase extra memory cards.

With regards to film, all types of camera film are readily available in South America. However, it is often cheaper to purchase it in your country of origin or through duty free.

Please remember, we are guests in the countries through which we travel and we may sometimes inadvertently cause offence by taking photographs without first asking permission. Most Latin American countries have very strict rules about taking photos of army, police or any official personnel; restrictions apply at borders, bridges and any government building. Please exercise care in this regard as the penalty may be to have your camera confiscated. It is absolutely forbidden by law to take photos at any borders, as they are all active military installations.

Whilst on tour you will probably want to stay in touch with family and friends. There are several ways of doing this:

Mobile Phone – Before departing your home country check with your phone supplier to see if it compatible with the mobile phone networks in the countries that you are traveling to, and how much will it cost to use abroad. You can opt to use an International SIM Card.

Email – Internet Cafes are very cheap and popular, and you are sure to come across several during your tour. If you haven’t done so already, set up a free Google Mail, Hotmail, or Yahoo email account which you can then access from any computer. Internet Cafes will charge a nominal fee for using their computers.

Blog – You can keep your friends and family updated by blogging about your adventures. You can create your free blog by registering on our forums.

Postcards – The good ol’ fashioned postcard. But you will probably get home before the postcard does!

Under no circumstances are any illegal drugs allowed on any part of the trip. Anyone discovered in possession of any such drugs, will be asked to leave the tour immediately without question or refund.