Beauty & the Beach

Detailed Itinerary

Day One – Begin your Holidays to Ecuador

You will arrive in Quito today as your holidays to Ecuador begin. We'll be there to pick you up and take you to your hotel, which is in the heart of the capital. You will probably want some time to rest and get used to the altitude so we have left the rest of the day free for you to relax. Your hotel is close to dozens of restaurants and cafes, as well as all the other facilities you'd expect from a capital city, so if you're feeling up to it then why not head on out and explore one of South America’s most beautiful capitals.

Day Two - City Tour in Quito

This morning we’ve left you some free time to relax after your journey, then after lunch we will pick you up after lunch and take you for a tour of Quito. We’ll focus on the beautiful colonial Old Town, with its winding cobbled streets and grand plazas. The area is a designated World Heritage Site, and it’s home to some of South America’s finest colonial architecture, including the stunning Cathedral and several other churches, all overlooked from the nearby Panecillo hill by the winged statue of the Virgin of Quito. (Breakfast included)

Day Three - Cotopaxi National Park

The snow-capped mountain of Cotopaxi is one of the enduring symbols of Ecuador, and no holiday in Ecuador is complete without a trip to see it. Today we will take you on a full-day tour through the beautiful Cotopaxi National Park, including the lovely Lake Limpiopungo and the mountain refuge on the slopes of Cotopaxi itself, giving you the chance for some breathtaking photos, as well as the chance to see some of the park’s fantastic wildlife, such as the giant Andean Condors. (B/L)

Day Four - Into the Cloud Forest

You will see a different aspect of Ecuador today, as we pick you after breakfast this morning for the drive down the western slopes of the Andes, towards the town of Mindo. This area is known throughout Ecuador as “Mindo Lindo” (Beautiful Mindo) for the stunning scenery you will see along the way. We will arrive at the Bellavista cloud forest reserve in the late morning and you will have a chance to stretch your legs and settle in before lunch. In the afternoon we will take a guided hike out into the cloud forest to appreciate the huge variety of bird and plant-life we can find here. We will then return to the lodge to relax before dinner and a short briefing on tomorrow’s activities. (B/L/D)

Day Five – Bellavista Lodge

After breakfast this morning we will rise early to head out and see some more of the reserve’s amazing wildlife – toucans, parrots, quetzals, flying squirrels and agoutis can all be seen in the area and we’ll hope to see as many as possible. After a final lunch back at the lodge, we will head back to Quito, where you will arrive in the early evening. (B/L)

Day Six - On to the Beach!

This morning we'll take you to the airport to catch a flight down to the coastal city of Guayaquil. Here we'll pick you up and drive you further along the coast to the lovely Playa Canela beach, where we’ll check you in at your gorgeous ocean-side hotel and then you can hit the beach! (B)

Days Seven to Nine - Relaxing at Playa Canela

These three days are all about you kicking back on the beach and enjoy all the facilities and activities your beach hotel has to offer. All together now: take a deep breath... and relax... (B)

Day Ten – Last Day of your Holidays to Ecuador

You’ll have a free morning to soak up those last few rays or enjoy a last swim, before sadly it’s time for your holidays to Ecuador to come to and end as we pick you up and drive you back to the airport in Guayaquil to catch your international flight home. (B)

What's Included?

The standard price for these holidays to Ecuador is £1595 per person, which is based on two sharing a double or twin room in our standard hotels and lodge.

That price includes all your accommodation, internal transport, transfers, tours, guides and entrance fees, plus all your meals in the Cloud Forest, lunch in the Cotopaxi National Park, and breakfast every day.

We don't have any "local payments" or sneaky charges: everything you have read about on this itinerary is included in that price. And because everything we do is tailor-made, we don't have fixed departure dates or minimum numbers for our trips. Outside of national holidays or other special events, this price is valid for the whole of 2020.

International flights

So with the exception of a few meals, everything on your holiday is included. What we don't include as standard is your international flights, because with these you have a huge range of options depending on the date you want to travel, the route you want to fly, and your preferred departure airport in the UK.

We aren't tied to any particular airline, and we will be delighted to discuss all options with you, or you can even book the flights yourself if you prefer: it's totally up to you.