GT-TC-180 – ANDEAN TREASURES
TRAIN CRUCERO – ANDEAN NATURE WONDERS
QUITO – OTAVALO – IBARRA – QUITO – URBINA – RIOBAMBA – DEVIL’S NOSE BUCAY – GUAYAQUIL
2017 Departure dates from Quito
October 10 & 24, November 7 & 21, December 5 & 19
Our journey begins in the northern Andes of Ecuador, in the valley of Otavalo, where we will discover traditional cultures, handicrafts, and modern export-class rose plantations. From Quito we will start our trip to the coast, first climbing to the Chimborazo volcano moorlands along the Avenue of Volcanoes.
The Mythical “Devil’s Nose” pass awaits with its vertiginous zig-zag. Riding along the Chanchán River canyon we leave the highlands behind. We cross a cloud forest, then ride along the tropical plantations to the end of our trip in Guayaquil. We reach the shores of the Pacific Ocean after 504 km or rail and a 12,000 ft. descent to the sea.
DAY 1: Sunday – Arrival in Quito
Meeting, assistance and private transfer from airport to hotel.
Overnight accommodations at Swissotel
DAY 2: Monday – Quito (B)
Combined tour of Quito and Middle of the World
Overnight accommodations at Swissotel
DAY 3: Tuesday – Start the Tren Crucero Adventure
Quito – Otavalo – San Roque – Andrade Marin – San Antonio – Ibarra – Quito (B/L/D)
We depart from the Swissotel inQuito early in the morning (6:30AM) for a one-and-a-half drive north. In Otavalo, home of a millenary market, a carefully restored steam engine awaits us.
Otavalo-Ibarra with steam engine.
Quito-Otavalo/ Ibarra-Quito by tourist bus
San Roque: Music and textile weaving
Andrade Marín: Visit to Imbabura Textiles Museum
San Antonio: Woodcarvers
Cayambe: Roses and Lunch
Return trip to Quito, dinner and overnight.
Overnight accommodations at Swissotel
DAY 4: Wednesday – Tren Crucero: Quito – Urbina (B/L/D)
Quito – Boliche – Ambato – Urbina
Transfer from hotel to Chimbacalle train station (6:30AM) and begin your journey South along the Avenue of Volcanoes. If the weather permits, you can spot up to twenty volcanoes from the train –most extinct or dormant for centuries.
Andean Forest trail in El Boliche recreational natural area.
Lunch on Board
Urbina: Artisans’ Square and meeting with The Last Ice Merchant of Chimborazo.
Dinner and overnight in Riobamba.
DAY 5: Thursday – Tren Crucero – Riobamba – The Devil’s Nose – Bucay (B/L/D)
Riobamba – Colta – Guamote – Alausi – Mirador Nariz del Diablo – Bucay
Riobamba – Colta with steam engine.
Guamote: ancestral Andean market. Visit.
Lunch on Board
Alausi: Devil’s Nose descent and Pistishi lookout. We continue our descent along the narrow Chanchán river gorge and crossing an impressive cloud forest towards the temperate city of Bucay.
Bucay: Dinner and overnight.
DAY 6 – Friday – Tren Crucero – Bucay – Guayaquil (B/L)
Bucay – Naranjito – Yaguachi – Durán (Guayaquil)
The landscape changes again as the train leaves the tropical forest behind. Rice, sugar cane, pineapple and banana plantations pass before our eyes.
Cocoa and chocolate tasting in Hacienda. We have lunch at a traditional hacienda, where we can learn about the growing and harvesting of the best cocoa bean in the world.
Montubio culture exhibition
Yaguachi to Duran with steam engine. Later, the steam engine whites its way across the fields towards the shores of the Pacific Ocean and the end of our trip in a hotel in Guayaquil for overnight.
Overnight accommodations Hotel Wyndham or similar category
DAY 7: Saturday – Guayaquil
For this day we offer the following options:
Optional day tours in Guayaquil and surroundings
Optional expeditions to the Galapagos Islands
Assistance and transfer from hotel to airport for your next destination
RATES PER PERSON BASED ON DOUBLE OCCUPANCY:
| TRAIN CRUCERO TOUR OPTIONS | ADULT | CHILD (2 TO 11) |
| Four Day: Tren Crucero Program (Day 3-7) | $ 1,650.00 | $ 1,485.00 |
| Seven Day: Quito + Tren Crucero (Day 1-7) | $ 1,994.00 | $ 1,694.00 |
GT-TC-185 – ANDEAN TREASURES
TRAIN TO THE CLOUDS
GUAYAQUIL – DURAN – NARANJITO – BUCAY – RIOBAMBA – OTAVALO – QUITO
SIX DAYS / FIVE NIGHTS
HIGHLIGHTS
In this journey on board Tren Crucero we climb 3600 meters in barely 450 km, experiencing one of the most dramatic changes in vegetation and scenery in the world. From the fertile plains in the coast we climb to the highlands in the Andes through the mythical Devil’s Nose pass. Riding across the Avenue of Volcanoes we reach Quito, Cultural World Heritage by UNESCO, to continue to Otavalo, amidst the Northern Andes, where we will explore the quichua culture, skills and traditions and have lunch in a very singular hacienda, amidst export-class roses. In the evening we return to Quito.
2017 Departure dates from Guayaquil
October 14 & 28, November 11 & 25, December 9 & 27
DAY 1: Friday – Arrival in Guayaquil
Meeting, assistance and private transfer from airport to hotel.
Overnight accommodations at Wyndham Hotel
DAY 2: Saturday – Start your Tren Crucero Adventure (B/L/D)
Guayaquil – Durán – Yaguachi – Naranjito – Bucay
Private guided transfer from hotel in Guayaquil to train station in Duran
*Stretch Durán to Yaguachi operated with steam engine
We depart from Durán 8:00AM on the heritage convoy pulled by a vintage steam engine. We switch engines in Yaguachi and continue across rice, sugar cane, banana and pineapple plantations to Naranjito.
Lunch is served in a traditional hacienda, where we will learn about the best cocoa bean in the world and taste home-made chocolate at a cocoa plantation.
After a show of Montubio culture we continue our trip towards Bucay. If the day is clear, we will get tour first glimpse of the Andes in the distance. Upon arrival in Bucay, dinner and overnight accommodations.
DAY 3: Sunday – Tren Crucero (B/L/D)
Bucay – Huigra – Devil’s Nose – Alausi – Colta – Riobamba
As we travel along the canyon of river Chanchán the vegetation and temperature change abruptly. The cloud forest clears out and the sparse vegetation of the highlands takes its place, while the stone walls of the Andes loom in the horizon.
The train makes a stop at Pistishi lookout and the mythical Devil’s nose. Later visit the Palacio Rea indigenous community. Upon arrival in Riobamba dinner and overnight accommodations.
DAY 4: Monday – Tren Crucero Adventure
Riobamba – Urbina – Boliche – Quito (B/L/D)
We depart for Urbina, the highest point in our itinerary at 3600 m.a.s.l. Visit Artisans’ Square and the last Ice merchant of Chimborazo. Then we ride north along the Avenue of Volcanoes. In clear days you can spot up to twenty volcanoes from the comfort of your seat. In the skirts of Cotopaxi volcano. Upon arrival in Quito dinner and overnight accommodations.
DAY 5: Tuesday – Tren Crucero (B/L)
Quito – Otavalo – San Roque – Andrade Marin – San Antonio de Ibarra – Quito
We depart the hotel in Quito at 6:30AM Our journey continues to the Northern Andes. In Otavalo, home to a millenary market, we board the train, pulled by a lovingly restored steam engine. After having lunch in a very singular hacienda, we head back to our last night in Quito.
Overnight accommodations Hotel Swissotel
DAY 6: Wednesday – Quito
For this day we offer the following options:
Optional day tours in Quito and surroundings
Optional expeditions to the Galapagos Islands
Optional expeditions to the Amazonia
Assistance and transfer from hotel to airport for your next destination
RATES PER PERSON BASED ON DOUBLE OCCUPANCY:
| TRAIN CRUCERO TOUR OPTIONS | ADULT | CHILD (2 TO 11) |
| Four Day: Tren Crucero Program (Day 2-6) | $ 1,650.00 | $ 1,485.00 |
| Seven Day: Quito + Tren Crucero (Day 1-6) | $ 1,839.00 | $ 1,674.00 |
