Treasures of Ecuador & the Galápagos

Not long after landing in Ecuador, most people rush off to the Galápagos. Admittedly, it’s an archipelago of otherworldly proportions but why should it have all the fun? This sixteen-day luxury holiday in Ecuador shows you the mainland also has plenty of jewels of its own.

If you were in any doubt of Ecuador’s capacity to amaze you, you’ll begin in Otavalo, where indigenous locals from over 70 villages come to host a gigantic Saturday market. Once you’ve finished browsing its craftwork, clothing and carvings, you’ll hop from the island-pocked crater lake of Cuicocha to Ecuador’s capital Quito for a guided tour of its cobbled colonial heart and crayon-coloured buildings.

Squeezed in between the mountain peaks of the Andes, Quito is blessed with constant reminders of Ecuador’s larger-than-life landscapes and now’s the time to make a make for the great outdoors. First, you’ll respond to the call of Cotopaxi National Park, famous for its snow-speckled namesake volcano and grass-covered prairie patrolled by Andean condors, white-tailed deer and Andean foxes. Then, you’ll wind past the waterfalls that seep from the Pastaza River gorge and the steaming Chimborazo volcano, before taking on the Devil’s Nose, a dramatic rail journey that switchbacks its way up and down a sheer rock face.

Over the following few days, we’ll take you on a hop, skip and a jump through Ecuador’s culture, history and wildlife. Ponder over the pre-Columbian ruins of Ingapirca, learn how to make a Panama hat in the colonial streets of Cuenca and spy Andean toucans, condors, llamas and pumas among the lakes and páramo of El Cajas National Park.