Ideal mainland extension for active travelers, this short but exciting Ecuador trip itinerary includes volcano hiking and mountain biking.
Ideal mainland extension for active travelers, this short but exciting Ecuador trip itinerary includes volcano hiking and mountain biking.
For the active and adventurous looking to squeeze in some mainland Ecuador adventure pre- or post-Galapagos, or to simply use as part of a longer Ecuador trip, this is your ticket. Mountain biking and ice hiking help you be a part of volcano country and gets closer to the regions cultures and traditions.
After arriving internationally or from the Galapagos explore Quito’s historic old quarter.
Mountain bike ride to Incan ruins Pucara de Salitre and atop Cotopaxi Volcano. Enjoy a traditional meal at a hacienda and get to know Ecuadorian cowboys and their lifestyle before zooming down the volcano by bike to Machachi village. Visit a saddle and leather shops before returning to the hacienda for the night.
*Optional horseback riding in the morning
Start hiking at the base of off-the-beaten-path Antisani Volcano. After arriving to the tree line, continue to the edge of a glacier. After being fitted for crampons, ice axes, and being roped up, enjoy some introductory ice hiking atop the glacier. Return to Quito in time for evening international departing flights.
A more active approach to Ecuador’s countryside and ‘Avenue of the Volcanoes’ region, this Ecuador adventure tour is ideal as an active family trip, or for active couples travel. Can be used as a pre- or post-Galapagos adventure or as part of a more complete mainland Ecuador adventure trip.
Knowmad has vast knowledge and operations in Ecuador; this is a private trip and we are happy to modify excursions, accommodations, and the flow of the itinerary to perfectly suit your travel style and interests.
Listed prices are approximations. All Knowmad trips are custom and exact pricing is provided in your trip proposal.
TYPE Flexible Date Private Departures
MODERATE TO VIGOROUS TRIP Activities include biking, hiking, ice-walking, cultural opportunities, history, train shopping, wildlife viewing.
DEPARTURES Year round; can be set up to match your dates
LENGTH 3 days – 2 nights comfortable hacienda hotel
BEGIN / END Quito, Ecuador
International Airfare is not included in the land cost of our trips. You may arrange your international airfare independently, or we are happy to offer our feedback and assistance in helping you book it.
Ready for the trip of a lifetime? Signing up is easy. Call us at 612-315-2894 or email [email protected] and reserve your spot. Or simply download our registration form, fill it out, and send it back to us along with your trip deposit. Please refer to registration form for terms & conditions.
Prior to your departure, you are provided a detailed pre-trip information packet including a recommended pack list, information about the regions you’ll be visiting, suggested readings, up-to-date health information including any recommended vaccinations and more.
Our trips feature comfortable accommodations that complement their surroundings. We seek out intimacy and character, but never sacrifice cleanliness and security. We also find the best value for quality. In general, our physically moderate to vigorous trips feature hotels classified as 3+ to 4 stars, while less physically demanding trips feature 4+ to 5 star hotels.
As South American travel specialists, we’re experts and have inspected hundreds of properties. Knowmad is happy to suggest upgrades and alternative hotels based on your preferences to ensure your trip is perfect for you. Photos below are from this itinerary’s preferred accommodations. For more specifics, call or write to request more info.
Accommodations featured in this itinerary are the following:
Day 1 Quito
Upon your arrival to the Quito airport you will be met by a Knowmad Adventures representative and transferred in to Quito where you will check in to the very charming boutique-style Café Cultura Hotel. Enjoy the afternoon exploring Quito’s old town (now a UNESCO World Heritage Monument collectively) and it’s incredible colonial architecture on your own (if you prefer a guided exploration with transport this can be arranged as well).
Day 2 Cotopaxi Mountain Biking
Enjoy a filling breakfast at your hotel before being picked up by your guide. Heading out by van you’ll leave the city and climb into the Ecuadorian countryside and into the famed Avenida de los Volcanes, Ecuador’s volcano country. Enjoy a nice warm up ride to the Incan ruins Pucuara de Salitre. After exploring the ruins climb back on your bikes and ride on to Hacienda El Porvenir on the Cotopaxi Volcano. Enjoy a delicious traditional meal while meeting some chagras (Ecuadorian cowboys) and learning about their traditions.
After lunch it’s all downhill as you zip down the volcano to the town of Machachi where you’ll still see chagras on horseback in the town’s streets. Visit a saddle making and other shops in the town known for its leather craftsmen before heading back by van to the hacienda and its sweeping volcano vistas for the evening.
Day 3 Volcano Hiking
Departing Cotopaxi by van you will head to the much lesser known and visited Volcano Antisani. Antisani is home to abundant birdlife as well as a total sense of vast and remote. Hiking up a gentle but steady grade you will emerge at the tree line and continue on for another hour or so reach the edge of a glacier that spills down the volcano. Awaiting you will be an additional guide specialized in ice hiking and the necessary gear. You will be given an introduction to equipment, technique, and safety before gearing up with crampons, ice axes, and ropes. Your guide will lead you on an exciting and surreal walk atop the glacier; an exciting and unique way to be a part of the volcano and Ecuador’s diverse landscapes.
After the excursion you will be taken back to Quito in the afternoon. This itinerary works well as an extension to time in the Galapagos and aligns with evening international departing flights. It can also be shuffled to be a great adventure prior to the Galapagos.
After a thorough exploration of mainland Ecuador, fly west to the Pacific for a Galapagos adventure cruise.
This incredibly vast archaeological site – lost to the world until well into the twentieth century – is perched amidst Andean peaks and lush cloud forest making it as breathtaking as it is intriguing. Arrive by train or by a day’s hike on the Inca Trail.
Planning a trip to South America might seem a little overwhelming at first. Knowmad offers door-to-door trip planning: first, we listen, and then we help you navigate the seasonal differences and itinerary options, resulting in a holistic, seamless, and custom-crafted experience, all at a guaranteed best value.
The simplest way to get started is to give us a call at 612-315-2894or to fill out this short form so we can learn more about your travel preferences.
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The Knowmad team put together the trip of a life time for us. Everything was perfect, from the guides to the accommodations to the activities, and your extensive knowledge of the area and personal relationships with the people we met in Chile were invaluable. We can’t recommend Knowmad highly enough.
By traveling alongside Knowmad you will be taking part in culturally and environmentally sustainable travel. You will be spreading the love, and the wealth. You will be doing Good Works. Learn more about Knowmad’s eco-travel efforts.
The Knowmad team put together the trip of a life time for us. Everything was perfect, from the guides to the accommodations to the activities, and your extensive knowledge of the area and personal relationships with the people we met in Chile were invaluable. We can’t recommend Knowmad highly enough.
After traveling to Chile two years ago with Knowmad Adventures there was no question as to who was going to help plan my trip to Peru! Thank you so much to Knowmad Adventures. The places they recommended, connections, and knowledge of these regions were impeccable. I highly recommend using Knowmad Adventures to plan your next trip to Peru or Chile!
Our trip was everything we dreamed it would be and more. Your group did a great job everywhere we went. We especially loved our guide Paula, and Explora was top notch too. All perfect.
Please don’t ever change the way you operate. You fulfill lifelong dreams and provide people with the chance to live what they thought could only be read about.
You put together a one-of-a-kind vacation for my group that I’ll long remember and enthusiastically recommend. I thank you and look forward, with much anticipation, to my next adventure with you.
We got back last night and I must say that the organization of the entire trip was AMAZING. We all loved Peru and thanks to Knowmad we even enjoyed it a lot more. Thanks a lot Jordan for everything as we had sooooo much fun. I’ll definitely recommend you to anybody that wants to experience Peru.
Journey through the rugged and otherworldly terrain of Southern Bolivia, exploring lagoons, volcanoes and Uyuni salt flats before ending in the capital of La Paz, perched atop the Andes Mountains, stopping at the historical rich communities of Potosi and Sucre along the way. Ideal connection with Chile’s Atacama Desert or start and finish in La Paz.
