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Adventure Tours |
 P3 SOUTHERN ANDES This one-week trip is one of our most popular tours, where we get to know the Andes mountain region between Quito and Cuenca with its many natural and cultural attractions. Cotopaxi National Park with the world's highest active volcano, Chimborazo, Ecuador's highest mountain, old colonial towns with Cuenca as its jewel, the Inca ruins of Ingapirca and a train ride on a one hundred year old track, winding down Devil's Nose are all part of this adventure. Day 1 We leave Quito in the morning and head south on the Pan-American Highway to Machachi, where we take the road leading into Cotopaxi National Park. We spend the day in the National Park, exploring the different sites which offers the area, like the pre-Inca site of El Salitre, Limpiopungo lake and the Park museum. In the afternoon we head to Pelileo, from where on a clear night, we can see the eruptions of Tungurahua volcano with emissions of fire and smoke. Day 2 In the morning we drive to Baņos to visit this small tourist town and its beautiful zoo. After lunch there, we drive to Riobamba by way of Penipe passing Tungurahua and the beautiful Altar mountain. In the afternoon we get to know Riobamba, provincial capital of Chimborazo. In the evening we buy the tickets for the train ride at the station. Day 3 At 7 am the train leaves for Alausi and from there you go down the famous Devil's Nose and return later to Alausi by the same way. After that exciting adventure, which lasts till 1.30 pm we continue by jeep on towards Cuenca, with a stop at the Inca ruins of Ingapirca, Ecuador's most famous Indian heritage site. Day 4 We spend the whole day in Cuenca, Ecuador's most charming colonial town, visiting the old colonial center with its churches and old grand houses. In the afternoon we visit a Panama Hat factory to learn about the production and marketing of this world famous hat. We stay a second night in Cuenca. Day 5 In the morning we turn back north again and our first stop is Chordeleg, a small town famous for its silver jeweler work. After doing some real or window shopping, we continue on north and before Alausi we head to Achupallas, a small Andean town. From there we head to the paramo lakes of Ozogoche, where we spend some time enjoying the high Andean surroundings. We return and spend another night in Riobamba. Day 6 Early in the morning we head up to the refuge of Chimborazo, the highest mountain in Ecuador, where we arrive at an altitude of 5000m in this adventure. From there we have the mighty glacier just in front of us and a great view to the valleys below. Later on we head by way of Guaranda to Ambato and Latacunga, where we spend the last night of our trip. Day 7 In the morning we head north again and visit Pasochoa Mountain Forest, a private nature reserve, one hour south of Quito. After hiking through the forest on the well-maintained paths and admiring its many birds and flowers, we drive back to Quito, our final stop of our one-week adventure.
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