Ecuador: Cotopaxi & the Amazon Jungle

This week-long tour by G Adventures invites travellers to traverse diverse Ecuadorian landscapes, starting with acclimatising in Quito before heading to Cotopaxi National Park. There, hikers tread paths reaching 4,800 metres, passing archaeological remains and volcanic vistas, accompanied by local guides who also offer a cooking class demonstrating regional fare.

Next, the journey cycles from La Suiza to Baños, where waterfalls thunder nearby and melcocha cotton candy is made by hand. Baños is a small town with an active volcano, Tungurahua, providing a constantly changing backdrop. The pace shifts as the group floats down the Napo River, boarding a motorised canoe bound for an Amazon jungle lodge. In the rainforest, days include meeting a local family, river tubing, and spotting caimans at a lagoon, all framed by humid canopy and the scents of the jungle.

Throughout, travellers stay mostly in lodges and small hotels without lifts, navigating stairs and uneven paths. The tours are led by a CEO (Chief Experience Officer), with support from local guides, aiming for a blend of activity and downtime that respects the varied pace of the group.