8 days tour

Ecuador Express Tour

Ecuador Express Tour

This tour includes:

Guide

All of our tour leaders are exceptional! They are fluent in English and Spanish. They are from the local areas where they guide and are among the very best guides available in each region. Our tour leaders treat our travelers like friends, showing visitors both the major highlights and the local treasures.

Meals

Some meals are included. We have tried to balance flexibility and convenience regarding meal options. For this reason, we include meals on any of our tour days when you are traveling off the beaten path where restaurant choices are limited. For example, meals are usually included on all of the rainforest and Galapagos segments of our Ecuadorian tours. In the major cities, where there are a wide variety of restaurants, very few lunches or dinners will not be included, to allow our travelers the flexibility of choosing their own food preferences. Your tour leader or hotel staff can recommend some great restaurant options. (Please check itinerary for detail on meals included each day.)

Transport

Our Ecuador tours utilize a variety of transportation including private vans/ cars, comfortable tourist buses, flights, canoes, etc. We use a mix of private/ public transportation to provide travelers with the safest and most efficient transportation in each area. If you have additional questions, just ask!

Accommodation

In Ecuador, we use charming accommodations that are locally owned and characteristic of the area. They can best be compared to small, family run bed and breakfasts, although you can also easily find international chain hotels around. All the hotels we have selected for the tours have private bathrooms, hot water, and clean comfortable rooms. Most are located within walking distance of the town center and the reception generally speaks English. You can also find historic haciendas in the Ecuadorian countryside, which provide comfortable accommodations complete with walking or horseback riding trails that trail through nearby orchards or forests.

Flights

Flight Included: Manta - Quito

Not included:

Insurance

Trip insurance is not included in your trip cost. Ecuador Express highly encourages purchasing insurance as the unforeseeable is just that, unforeseeable. Shortly after registering for your trip your Trip Specialist will send you information if you wish to purchase travel insurance through us, or please feel free to do this with your local insurance company.

Start planning your experience

Itinerary of your trip Ecuador Express Tour

  • Day 1 Day 1: Guayaquil
    • 12:00 am - 11:59 pm

      Day 1: Guayaquil

      After being picked up from the airport we will take you to the hotel and provide you with an evening welcome meeting. All general information about the tour will be provided by one of our destination experts. Roomโ€™s distribution will be provided at the hotel. Relax at your hotel in Guayaquil for the night and prepare for your adventure!

  • Day 2 Day 2: Guayaquil / Salinas / Puerto Lopez
    • 12:00 am - 11:59 pm

      Day 2: Guayaquil / Salinas / Puerto Lopez

      In the morning we will work our way to the famous beaches of Salinas where we will spend the day enjoying the fabulous golden sand and the refreshing ocean. We will head to Puerto Lopez by the end of the day.

  • Day 3 Day 3: Puerto Lopez / Isla De La Plata
    • 12:00 am - 11:59 pm

      Day 3: Puerto Lopez / Isla De La Plata

      In the morning we will head towards Isla de la Plata which is home to many peculiar birds: Blue-footed, Red-footed, and Nazca boobies, magnificent frigate birds, waved albatrosses, tropicbirds and Peruvian pelicans. Isla de la Plata has marked trails that will guide you to walk through the island. Afterwards we will have lunch and go for a snorkel. If we are lucky, we might see whales, dolphins, or orcas on our way to or from the island. If so, the captain will stop so you can observe them.

  • Day 4 Day 4: Puerto Lopez / Parque National Machalilla / Manta / Montecristi
    • 12:00 am - 11:59 pm

      Day 4: Puerto Lopez / Parque National Machalilla / Manta / Montecristi

      In the morning we will go to Los Frailes Beach, which is one of the most beautiful beaches in Ecuador for its white sand and tranquility. It belongs to the Machalilla National Park. To get to the beach we will cross a beautiful dry forest that exhibits species of flora and fauna typical of the area. For lunch we will go to the city of Manta. In the afternoon we will visit the small town of Montecristi, famous because this is where panama hats were born.

  • Day 5 Day 5: Manta / Papallacta
    • 12:00 am - 11:59 pm

      Day 5: Manta / Papallacta

      After breakfast we will fly to Quito. From here we will go to Papallacta, one of the most famous and award-winning hot springs in South America.

  • Day 6 Day 6: Papallacta / Quito
    • 12:00 am - 11:59 pm

      Day 6: Papallacta / Quito

      After leaving from Papallacta we will visit the world-famous monument of the middle of the world and the Intiรฑan museum. We will have city tour in the afternoon and explore the city, and at night we will enjoy a Jacchigua Ballet presentation. This performance is considered the best folkloric representation of its kind in the continent.

  • Day 7 Day 7: Quito / Ibarra / Salinas
    • 12:00 am - 11:59 pm

      Day 7: Quito / Ibarra / Salinas

      After breakfast in the hotel, we leave for Ibarra where you will embark on the โ€œLa Libertadโ€ train expedition. We will go across seven tunnels that were once dug with a pick and shovel and tall bridges across steep canyons. The la Libertad Train offers a unique journey starting from Ibarra towards Salinas. In Salinas we will discover colorful murals commemorating the history and culture of Afro-Ecuadorian people. You will visit museums and enjoy the local cuisine in a trip full of memorable experiences. On our way back, we will stop by the charming city of Ibarra, after this visit we will head to our hotel in Quito.

  • Day 8 Day 8: Quito
    • 12:00 am - 11:59 pm

      Day 8: Quito

      We will be taken back to the โ€œMariscal Sucreโ€ International Airport, to catch our flight back to our city of origin. End of Tour!

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Experience Style

Experience Style

Mixed

There will be challenging activities such as hiking, biking, canyoning and trekking, but youโ€™re also going to have other means of transportation and relaxed moments to just chill.

Accomodation level

Accomodation level

Medium

This accommodation includes essential services like a hot shower, electricity, and a nice and comfy bed.

Experience Type

Experience Type

Small Group

Youโ€™ll be accompanied by a small group of travelers just like you.

Physical Rating

Physical Rating

Average

There are several physical activities that last from 2 to 6 hours in easy terrains, low altitude flats, or water experiences. Please ask if youโ€™re not sure this applies to you.

Age range

Age range

Min: 2 / Max: 99

Age range allowed for this experience.

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