Custom Tours in Ecuador-The Happy Gringo Difference
Happy Gringo Travel is one of the leaders when it comes to custom tours to the jungle, the coast, the Galapagos Islands, and the highlands. Our team are active travelers in Ecuador and are passionate about helping people discover the nooks and crannies of the country. These trips can be done with a vetted guide or on your own with a Spanish-speaking driver. Keep reading for a few of our trips to use as a starting point when planning your next journey.
The Adventurer
The adventurer combines active endeavors exploring the jungle and the highlands by bike, on foot, and on the water. The trip starts biking in Cotopaxi National Park, south of Quito, where stunning scenery and paths from high vistas get things moving. The next leg takes you to the peak of Corazon Volcano, where the views open up to the surrounding volcanoes towering over the valley below.
After the highlands, the adventure continues to the edge of the jungle. After arriving in Tena and relaxing for the evening, you jump into the water for white-water rafting on the Jatunyacu River. The III / III+ class waterway is a combination of rushing rapids and quiet stretches under the jungle canopy that take your breath away.
Before headed back to Quito, you spend a day exploring the jungle with an expert guide-discovering the flora and fauna that makes the area one of the most biodiverse regions on the planet.
Historic Haciendas
Staying at Ecuador’s haciendas while in the country is an immersion into the rich culture and vast history of Latin America dating back to Spanish. This mini-tour takes you up into the lush countryside of the Andes where small towns and villages dot the landscape.
You start south of Quito at Hacienda La Cienega, where explorers and diplomats have stayed for over 300 years. The stay includes horseback riding in the nearby Cotopaxi National Park. After a second night at the hacienda enjoying the grounds and warm hospitality, the journey continues to the northern Andes. Hacienda Cusin is located fifteen minutes from the sprawling market town of Otavalo. After being restored from the ground up by the long-term owner, it’s an elegant manor where long conversations around the dinner table lead to new adventures the following day.
The last leg of the trip explores Otavalo and then heads to the town of Cotacachi-famous for its leather crafts. Before heading back to Quito later in the evening, the custom-made tour stops at Cuicocha lake; a volcanic crater whose turquoise waters mirror the blue sky above.
Happy Gringo Travel also offers tours for families-made by parents who live and travel in Ecuador. Other options include the Galapagos Islands custom tours, and kayaking trips through the deep Amazon. To plan a custom tour that fits your travel style and budget while giving you the flexibility to explore at your own pace, contact a member of our team by our toll-free number or through this site.
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