Day 1 London to Quito
Fly from London with Iberia Airlines via Madrid to Quito where on arrival you will be met and transferred by car to the Swissôtel or to the Patio Andaluz Hotel.

Day 2 Quito (2820m)
Today tour this stately capital and UNESCO World Heritage Site. Visit La Compania with its awe-inspiring gold-leaf interior and one of the world’s finest collections of colonial art. Also visit the baroque-style San Francisco Convent – the first great religious building in South America dating from 1535. A visit will also be made to the Equatorial Monument and to Panecillo Hill topped with a statue of Quito’s ‘Winged Virgin’ and commanding spectacular views of both the surrounding mountains and city below.

Day 3 Quito to Cotacachi – 130kms
Drive north from Quito through dramatic mountain landscapes dotted with tiny villages, white churches and blue lakes, to Cotacachi. Stay for two nights at the La Mirage Hotel & Spa.

Day 4 Cotacachi
Today explore the local market villages around Cotacachi which are noted for their traditional handicrafts.

Day 5 Cotacachi to Quito –130kms
This morning visit colourful Otavalo, home of the most famous market in the area, trading since pre-Incan times. Afterwards take lunch at a local hacienda and later return to your hotel in Quito for the night.

Day 6 Quito to Cotopaxi – 70kms
Travel south through the ‘Avenue of the Volcanoes’ to Cotopaxi (2930m) to discover the flora and fauna of this beautiful region. Enjoy lunch at a local hacienda before continuing on to the Hacienda San Agustin de Callo for your overnight stay.

Day 7 Cotopaxi to Riobamba – 106kms
Drive through stunning scenery to Banos, a small market town situated in a beautiful valley of waterfalls and hot springs. After lunch continue to Riobamba (2750m), take in the wonderful views of five volcanic peaks – Chimborazo, Altar, Tungurahua, Carihuairazo and, on a clear day, Sangay. Stay overnight at Albergue Abraspungu, a comfortable country inn close to Riobamba.

Day 8 Riobamba to Cuenca – 254kms
If possible join the train for a spectacular ride to Alausí and then via the Devil’s Nose to Huigra. Continue by car to the country’s most renowned Inca site at Ingapirca, before travelling on to Cuenca. Stay for two nights at Mansión Alcazar.

Day 9 Cuenca (2535m)
This morning enjoy a sightseeing tour of Cuenca, Ecuador’s most beautiful Spanish colonial city and now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Cuenca is also an important handicrafts centre, famous for its ikat shawls, Panama hats, ceramics and jewellery. Afternoon at leisure on your own to further explore the cobbled streets of the old city with their wooden doors and
ironwork balconies.

Day 10 Cuenca to Quito – by air
In the afternoon you will be taken to the airport for your flight to Quito. On arrival you will be met and transferred to the Patio Andaluz Hotel.

Day 11 Quito to London
This afternoon depart on the Iberia Airlines flight via Madrid to London.

Day 12 Arrive London
Arrive London Heathrow in the evening.