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Day One – Airport transfer from Quito Airport to San Jorge Eco-Lodge, overnight lodging San Jorge/Quito
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Day Two – Old Colonial Quito City Tour We will explore the Capital of Ecuador, considered part of the Cultural Patrimony of Humanity by UNESCO. During your visit you will learn about the colonial art in the churches, history, archaeology and folklore in the museums. Your private guide will provide complete information of the baroque colonial art. Visit the most important areas: Plaza de la Independencia, Plaza San Francisco, Plaza Santo Domingo, La Merced, La Compania, Penecillo. Continue on La Mital del Mundo (equator line) Middle of the World – to Visit the outdoor museum of indigenous artifacts. Find out if water really does spin the other way South of the Equator; and enjoy several other demonstrations of gravity’s power. Lunch at typical restaurant. Overnight San Jorge/Quito (B,L,D)
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Day Three - Horseback Riding Eco-Adventure to the high barren plains at San Jorge Botanical Reserve. Experience a slice of 17th Century life! Ride Mustang Horses with traditional saddles up to Guagua Pichincha. Visit the Andes potato and cattle farms. Great sightseeing! We will go around a pre-Inca road (1500 BC) and ride up to (4700 ms osl) to the Highland Rainforest. San Jorge invites its guests to discover this unique part of Ecuadorian life.
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Day Four – Otavalo Indian Market & Surroundings Visit the world famous Otavalo Indian Market. You will have the opportunity to shop for world famous handmade wool and alpaca products. Also, visit San Pablo Lake, Cotacashi (leather village), and Cuicocha (sacred Indian lagoon), OR San Antonia de Ibarra wood carving village. Includes lunch at typical Ecuadorian restaurant. Overnight San Jorge/Quito (B,L,D)
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Day Five – San Jorge de Tandayapa Hummingbird Reserve (Cloud Forest) Hiking and nature expedition. Beautiful birds, panoramic views, hiking, wild surroundings, tropical plants/flowers, and exotic wildlife within our tropical world famous Cloud Forest. Lunch at our bungalow; overnight San Jorge/Tandayapa (B, bL, D)
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Day Six - San Jorge de Milpe Orchid & Bird Reserve (Subtropical Rain Forest) Hiking and nature expedition with swimming. Visit a wild virgin cloud forest around Pichincha Mountain and trek on great jungle trails inside a natural paradise, observing a variety of birds along the way, along with orchid observation, hummingbirds at their feeders, and bird observation on our pre-inca hillside. This is considered a bird watching paradise, of about 450 species; majestic waterfalls, wild surroundings, tropical plants/flowers/300 varieties of orchids, and exotic birds within our tropical reserve. A unique soft adventure for active people of all ages. Overnight San Jorge/Milpe (B,L,D)
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Day Seven –After breakfast, transfer to San Jorge/Quito. Sacred Waterfalls & Medicinal Plant Hiking Tour at San Jorge Botanical Reserve. We will trek to the Highland Tropical Rainforest, visiting up to 5 sacred waterfalls. Here, we will learn about some of the 250 varieties of native medicinal plants in the region. At the same time, you will take in the fabulous panoramic views of Quito, its lush valleys and majestic mountains and the volcano peaks of Cayambe, Antizana, Pasochoa, Pululahua, Pichincha, and Illalo. We can observe 11 mountains from various points of San Jorge Botanical Reserve. Picnic lunch at the waterfalls. Overnight San Jorge/Quito (B,L,D)
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Day Eight - Papallacta Natural Hot Springs Journey through the High Andes Barren Plains (4000 mts. o.s.l). Drive the same route as Francisco De Orellana walked when he discovered the Amazon River. Visit Tumbaco, Cumbaya and Pifo Valley. We will climb up the Central Andes chain until we reach Papallacta Lake where we will stop at the thermal springs. This is a wonderfully relaxing day. During the trip, your guide will give you a botanical and ecological explanation of the Coca Cayambe Reserve, which is considered a Condors area. Bring warm weather clothes for high altitude, towels from San Jorge and sunscreen; overnight San Jorge/Quito (B,bL, D)
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Day Nine - Mountain Biking Day Trip - Includes mountain bike, helmet, gloves, transportation, guide, transportation
Nono-Tandayapa Route – Downhill Trip, 55 km. Rated: Easy
This is a famous Birdwatchers secondary route. While descending from the beautiful virgin cloud forest, visit the Sierra, an enormous canyon, Tandayapa and Pichincha’s untouched foothills. This is a fairly easy ride that offers incredible sightseeing from an altitude of 3,200 mts. down to 1,500 mts. To the Cloud Forest. We will witness some amazing vegetation changes as we explore virgin rainforests on this magical tour for riders of any level! Overnight San Jorge/Quito (B, bL, D)
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Day Ten – AM transfer to Quito Airport (B)