8-day adventure
Ecuador Multi Activity
Ecuador
- Kandoo Multi-activity
- Kandoo Trekking
from
Enquire now
£1,499
Contact
our UK team
Our local team
Our team in Ecuador base the core values for their trips on making a positive impact in people’s lives both on the trip and locals alike, create meaningful connections and providing authentic experiences. Their expertise is second to none with high regard to the safety and wellbeing of their clients. The carefully selected guiding team is driven by a passion and love for their work. Each team member displays a high personal performance level but...
Learn more
Kandoo's view
This 8 day trip indulges in the adventurous spirit of Ecuador - a vibrant, thrilling destination, with plenty to go at! Ecuador's unique climates and diverse geography flex their talents as we spend our days hiking and biking through the amazing Andes then spending an evening with an indigenous Amazonian family, before donning our water shoes and exploring the waterfalls and canyons of the Jatunyacu River, on foot and by raft. A bout of cultural delicacy sees us browsing the Otavolo market and trying out our haggling with the locals, before the trip is rounded off with a panoramic trek of the Cuicocha Crater Lake and an evening spent relaxing in the volcanic hot springs of Papallacta. For those of us with a craving for adventure, this trip is certain to quench your appetite.
Trip highlights
- Be entranced by the beautifully scenic views of Cuicocha Crater Lake
- Explore the hidden canyons of the Jatunyacu River
- Mountain bike down epic trails through the cloud forest of Baños
- Trip fully carbon offset as standard
Experiences
-
Kandoo Multi-activity
Kandoo Adventures' trips with different activities to enjoy each day -
Kandoo Trekking
Our core collection of treks and hikes, through some of the world's most outstanding landscapes
Gallery
Itinerary
-
Day 1
Welcome to Quito
Welcome to Quito! Declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1978, the city is considered the cultural capital of South America and is located on the equator in a valley at the foothills of the Pichincha volcano. Depending on our arrival time, we can spend today exploring the old town of Quito and the surrounding area. In the evening, one of our trip leaders will meet us at the hotel’s lobby for a welcome briefing at 6pm. This is a time to ask any questions we may have regarding our upcoming adventure.
- Transport: Private transfer
- Accomodation: Hotel
-
Day 2
Trek in Cotopaxi National Park
This morning we transfer to Cotopaxi National Park where we head out hiking in the Sierra climate around the Limpiopungo lagoon on the foothills of Rumiñahui volcano. From here, we have the unrivalled views of the triangular peak of Cotopaxi, the highest active volcano in the world. Along the trail we may catch glimpses of wild horses, ox, and some beautiful bird species. We then conclude our day driving to the vibrant town of Baños. Here we can enjoy a night spent dancing with the locals.
- Hiking time: 3 hours
- Ascent: 360 m
- Max. altitude: 3870 m
- Accomodation: Guesthouse
- Meals included: Breakfast / Lunch
-
Day 3
Mountain Biking in Baños
This morning we will collect our mountain bikes and set off from the Llanganates National Park to the winding Pastaza River Canyon, glorying in the misty canopy that surrounds us. The route travels through traditional Andean farms and passes a steep canyon with waterfalls cascading down it's sides. As we descend through an area of luscious rainforest, we will catch glimpses of a breath-taking view of Baños, stretching out to the ashen slopes of Tungurahua volcano, which has been active since 1999. In the afternoon we will have some time to explore the town and visit The Swing of the End of the World, before returning to our guesthouse for the evening.
- Activity time: 3 hours
- Ascent: 152 m
- Max. altitude: 3185 m
- Accomodation: Guesthouse
- Meals included: Breakfast
-
Day 4
Canyoning in the Amazon Rainforest
This morning we will hit the road of the waterfalls, stopping first at the Bride's Veil waterfall, where a quaint cable car will take us across the deep gorge of the Pastaza River. From the other side we will hike down to the Pailon del Diablo waterfall, the second highest in Ecuador, before heading deeper into the dense Amazonian rainforest. This region is known for it's treasure hunters, with many folktales telling of explorers who have become lost and swallowed up by the eerie depths of the jungle. Our hike takes us along the tropical forest floor and down riverbeds, where we will scramble down several canyons, using ropes to help our descent in some sections. Our local native guides have extensive knowledge of the incredible flora and fauna that thrive in this untouched habitat. We then spend the night at a basic Jungle Lodge hosted by a Kichwa indigenous family.
- Accomodation: Homestay
- Meals included: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner
-
Day 5
Rafting down the Jatunyacu River
A thrillingly adventurous day awaits us today as we prepare our gear ready to bounce down the wild waves of the Jatunyacu River. After an important safety briefing from our rafting guides, we will start our class III rafting expedition. The Jatunyacu River is well known for it's incredible scenery, crystal clear waters and awesome rapids! We will have lots of fun playing on the waves and exploring an otherwise in-accesible canyon. We end our rafting route, stopping for a picnic that has been prepared by our guides and conclude our day driving back up into the Andes to Termas de Papallacta, where we can recharge in the volcanic hot springs, high in the midst of the mountains.
- Accomodation: Termas de Papallacta
- Meals included: Breakfast / Lunch
-
Day 6
Otavolo Market and Sacha Warmi Community Project
This morning we will visit bustling stalls of Otavalo. Here we can explore the famous handicraft market, with its wonderfully intricate textiles, alpaca throws and rugs, native paintings and tapestries, all whilst practising our haggling skills. For lunch, we will head to Pijal, a small village located in the heart of the Andes to visit a sustainable project run by our local team called Sacha WarmiKuna (women from the mountain). This is a fantastic small business developed by the local women with the main purpose of supporting their families and encouraging the position of the women in the local society. The project provides them an alternative work besides housekeeping and therefore, a new option for an in-come. Once there, we will take part in the preparation of “Aji”, a local spicy sauce that is part of the identity of these women, and a engorge in a tasty traditional lunch made with fresh products, harvested in the surrounding fields earlier that day. The women will also teach us about the weaving process of their textiles and we have the opportunity to support them further, by buying some of their handmade scarfs.
- Accomodation: Guesthouse
- Meals included: Breakfast / Lunch
-
Day 7
Cuicocha Crater Lake Trek
After a delicious breakfast at our accommodation, we take a very short drive to the Cotacachi Cayapas Ecological Reserve, which is home to the Cuicocha Crater Lake. Our adventure will take us on a trek around the stunningly turquoise waters of this still active volcano. Our guide will tell us about the many native flowers we encounter along the trail and at the end of our hike, we will take a boat ride to the center of the crater to witness air bubbles rising up from the the molten caldera below. Trek complete, we hop aboard our transfer and make the return journey back to Quito, settling into our hotel upon arrival. This evening, we can head out as a group for our final dinner and to celebrate a brilliant trip in Ecuador.
- Hiking time: 5 hours
- Ascent: 760 m
- Max. altitude: 3474 m
- Accomodation: Hotel
- Meals included: Breakfast / Lunch
-
Day 8
Departure
Today we are wished a “buen viaje” and transferred to the airport for our onwards flights.
- Transport: Private transfer
- See more
Details
Trip information
Difficulty
This multi-activity trip is of moderate difficulty. The busy nature of the trip and the fact that you will be undertaking different physical activities every day, in an environment that can be somewhat hot and humid can be tiring, so a good degree of fitness is beneficial to ensure you have an enjoyable experience. The hikes in Ecuador are not technically difficult but they often undulate quite a bit and when trekking in volcanic regions, the ground underfoot is often made up of ashen scree, resembling the feeling of walking on sand dunes. In general however, the routes are accessible to anybody with a good level of fitness and you should find them well within your capabilities. We would recommend heading out into your local hills in the months leading up to your trip to get used to being out for 4-5 hours per day. The weather in Ecuador is warm, as it sits right on the equator, so being prepared for exercising in the heat is important, especially building up a good hydration routine. It is also really important to make sure you have the right moisture wicking clothing that can assist in keeping you cool for the duration of your trip, see our Equipment & Clothing section for more information.
If you are at all unsure about your suitability for this trip please feel free to give us a call.
Food & drink
In Ecuador, expect to try a whole host of exotic foods and spices as we travel through various different regions. From the traditional foods of toasted corn and stuffed meats, to the more trendy spicy empanadas and citrus-infused cerviche the cuisine here is delicious! The guesthouses and smaller hotels we stay in will provide hearty, generous meals and in the larger cities you will have the choice of local restaurants or hotel favourites. Drinks are not included with dinner, so please make sure you have some cash with you for any drinks you may want. Please also be aware that hotels in small villages and town may not accept card payments.
In the smaller hotels, breakfasts will generally consist of a selection of fruit, bread, eggs, spreads and yoghurt. Packed lunches will be provided by the hotel or guesthouse and will range from rice and beans to sandwiches, fruit and pastries. You will carry your lunch items with you in your daysack. Remember to bring your favourite snacks (cereal or energy bars, dried fruits, chocolate) with you to keep you going through the day.
Water in Ecuador isn't necessarily safe to drink. We provide
water bottle refills every morning and evening from a filtered water source, if
you think you will need to refill your bottle during the day, we suggest you
bring a water purification system. We do not encourage the purchase of
single use plastic bottles so we would recommend either a charcoal filter or
purification tablets to make your water safe to drink.
Accommodation
Your full day by day itinerary shows what is included in terms of accommodation and meal basis. All of our pre- and post- climb accommodation is based in Quito. Where your hotel basis is B&B, you can usually purchase snacks or meals at the hotel, which can be paid in US Dollars. When you arrive at the hotel, take a moment to familiarise yourself with the layout and the procedures in the event of a fire, especially your escape routes and fire exits.
On this trip we will stay in a range of accommodation. For some of the nights in the valleys between mountain days we will be staying in family run guesthouses, know locally as Hosteria. These are small, simple hotels with basic twin or double rooms. Most of the guesthouses we use have en-suite rooms however, dependant on the location, some have shared bathrooms.
In Quito, we will be staying in a comfortable 4* hotel in en-suite rooms on a twin share basis. Single rooms are also available on request for all nights on this trip.
For our night in the Amazon we will be in a homestay run by a wonderful indigenous family. For this night rooms will be on a twin share basis and there will be separate shared male and female bathrooms.
Your guide
You will have an English speaking local guide with you for the duration of your trip to Ecuador. They will be joined by qualified, experienced guides for your biking, rafting and canyoning activities.
Luggage
On this trip you have a maximum luggage allowance of 1 x
23kg bag. We recommend using soft 80-100L duffel bags.
Your bags will be transported by vehicle between locations,
and you will carry a smaller 30-40L daysack each day.
How do I get there?
You will need to fly into Mariscal Sucre International Airport (UIO) in Quito on Day 1 of your trip.
For US travellers, there are direct flights to Mariscal Sucre airport with American Airlines, LATAM and Delta from Miami and Atlanta. They also offer services from other main hubs such as New York, San Francisco and Dallas, via Miami. Copa Airlines also offer a service to Quito via Panama from San Francisco and Los Angeles.
From the UK, Delta offer flights from London Heathrow via Atlanta (ATL) and Iberia and British Airways have flights via Madrid (MAD) from all London airports. For UK guests who live further north, KLM have flights via Amsterdam (AMS) from Manchester, Glasgow, Birmingham and other main hubs.
Upon arrival at the airport, once you have exited the Arrivals area, keep an eye out for our driver holding a "KANDOO" sign. Our hotel is a 50 minute drive from the airport.
Travelling Responsibly
Here at Kandoo, we like to support our guests to make their travel more sustainable. As of 2025, we are offsetting the carbon on all of our trips from arrival in destination to dropping you back off at the airport. As we don't include flight travel in our trips these aren't included in our offsetting calculations, so we are providing you with the calculator below for you to do this yourselves.
Pre-trek briefing
It is a requirement of joining any of our trips that you attend a pre-trek briefing the evening before the trip begins. This gives our guide team the opportunity to review the plans for the trip with you, make sure you have all the right gear and answer any questions you may have. The briefing in Quito is held the at 6pm the evening before the trip begins in the hotel lobby. Should you arrive on a late flight, you will have your briefing on the morning of Day 2.
Budget & change
The main currency in Ecuador is the US Dollar (USD). These can be easily exchanged before travelling. It is very important that US bills be new (no more than 10 years old), crisp and untorn. You will also be able to exchange money upon arrival in Quito. Most hotels, banks and exchange bureaus will exchange money for you and our guides are happy to assist you to do this. Please note that whilst you are out of the big cities there won't be anywhere for you to exchange money, so we would recommend doing this before leaving Quito. Credit cards are accepted in most restaurants and shops in the cities however in the smaller towns and villages they will be useless, so please make sure to have some cash on you as well. If you are relying on a credit or debit card for emergency funds, make sure you tell your card issuer that you will be using it abroad, or you may find that it won't work when you really need it.
Depending on how many souvenirs you want to buy, we would suggest a recommended budget of US$150 to $200, in addition to your tips.
Tips
Tipping customs vary all over the world and can be very
confusing when travelling to a new country. Tipping is completely voluntary in
Ecuador, and at your discretion. In restaurants and bars there is an official
10% service tax. For the team on your trip, the decision on how much to
tip should be determined by how well they serve you whilst you are on your
adventure.
Tips should be made in US Dollars and we recommend
allocating the following per trekker per day for your tips:
Guides - US$10
Drivers - US$5
Formalities & health
Passport
Most travellers require a passport that is valid for at least six months after the return date. It is your responsibility to confirm your specific passport requirements and please be aware that proof of onwards travel may be required. You can check your requirements on the website provided by the Ecuadorian government.
Visa
United States and UK passport holders do not require a visa to enter Ecuador. On arrival you will be granted a maximum 90 day stay in the country. This information may be subject to change, without notice, by the local authorities. It is your responsibility to check the latest travel requirements and information before departure.
Vaccinations
The World Health Organisation recommend the following vaccinations for travel to Ecuador:
Tetanus
Hepatitis A
Hepatitis B
Diphtheria
Typhoid
Rabies
Yellow Fever - This is necessary for all citizens of Peru, Bolivia, Columbia and Brazil and for any guests who have spent 10+ days in these countries prior to their Ecuador trip. It is also necessary if travelling from a country with Yellow Fever or transiting through one for 12+ hours.
It is your responsibility to check the latest health information before travelling.
Tetanus
Hepatitis A
Hepatitis B
Diphtheria
Typhoid
Rabies
Yellow Fever - This is necessary for all citizens of Peru, Bolivia, Columbia and Brazil and for any guests who have spent 10+ days in these countries prior to their Ecuador trip. It is also necessary if travelling from a country with Yellow Fever or transiting through one for 12+ hours.
It is your responsibility to check the latest health information before travelling.
Insurance
Before you can join any Kandoo Adventures trek, you will need to insure yourself against accident, injury, and illness. Your insurance must cover the cost of rescue and repatriation if necessary. Make sure your insurer knows of your travel plans, and verify that your policy fully covers your trek and any other activities you will participate in. Specifically, for our Peaks of Ecuador trip, you need to be covered for trekking up to 6500m and for our Volcanic Adventures trip you need to be covered for trekking up to 6000m. It is your responsibility to ensure that you are fully and adequately insured for the duration of your trip. Please ensure that all activities, excursions and destinations in your itinerary are included in your travel insurance policy, in addition to your regular cover for cancellation and medical expenses.
We ask that you keep a copy of your policy summary (containing policy number and the emergency contact number for your insurer) in your day sack at all times, so that we can access this information should we need to contact the insurer on your behalf. You will also need to bring details of your insurance cover to the pre-trek briefing.
We ask that you keep a copy of your policy summary (containing policy number and the emergency contact number for your insurer) in your day sack at all times, so that we can access this information should we need to contact the insurer on your behalf. You will also need to bring details of your insurance cover to the pre-trek briefing.
Health
Malaria
There is low to no risk of malaria in any of the regions we operate in Ecuador. When the risk is low to none, antimalarials are not normally advised.
There is low to no risk of malaria in any of the regions we operate in Ecuador. When the risk is low to none, antimalarials are not normally advised.
Medication
Your guide will carry a group first aid kit, however you will also need a personal first aid kit to include - tape, antiseptic wipes, assorted plasters, wound dressings, lip balm, re-hydration sachets, blister dressings, antihistamines, pain killers, Vaseline.
Equipment & clothing
Equipment supplied by Kandoo Adventures
For this trip you will need specialist equipment for your activities. We provide the following equipment as part of your trip package. This equipment is regularly checked and updated to meet regulations.
- Trek X Caliber MTB (hydraulic disc brakes, front suspension)
- Helmets
- Finger gloves
- Rubber boots
- Ropes
- Harnesses
- Aire and NRS 7-people- rafts
- Life jackets
- Paddles
- Splash jackets
- Trekking poles
Clothing to bring
HEADGEAR
- Neck gaiter or scarf - A scarf or balaclava comes in useful as a warm layer for your neck and face!
- Sun hat – preferably wide-brimmed for protection
- Sunglasses – high UV protection
- Headlamp (plus extra batteries)
UPPER BODY
- Thermal or fleece base layer
- Long sleeve shirt/tshirts – light or medium weight, sun shirts work well
- Short sleeved shirt/tshirts – lightweight, moisture wicking
- Fleece or soft shell jacket
- Thin insulated jacket/midlayer
- Water/windproof hard shell outer jacket
- Gloves – lightweight, fleece or quick drying fabric
- Swimming costume - for hot springs
LEGS
- Trekking trousers – light or medium weight – convertible trousers work well
- Waterproof hard shell trousers
- Gaiters
FEET
- Trekking boots – with good ankle support
- Training shoe or similar – to wear in the evenings, you may wish to bring a spare pair to wear whilst rafting
- Mid-weight trekking socks
- Breathable, high-wicking liner socks
Equipment to bring
TREKKING GEAR
- Small Rucksack or Daypack (30-40 litres) to carry water and personal items
- Water bottle or hydration bag – must be able to carry 1.5-2L of water
- Water purification system - a charcoal filter or chlorine tablets will work well
OTHER ACCESSORIES
- Sunscreen and lip balm - high SPF
- Toiletries
- Camera and spare batteries
- Plug adapter, for charging devices in hotels
- Personal medication and first aid kit
- Personal snacks and energy bars – dried fruit and nuts are a good option
- Isotonic drink powder / energy drink powder to mix in with your water
Dates & prices
| From | To | Price | Availability | Book | Enquire |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 08/11/2025 | 15/11/2025 | £1,499 $1,949 |
Available
|
Book now | Enquire now |
| 06/12/2025 | 13/12/2025 | £1,499 $1,949 |
Available
|
Book now | Enquire now |
| 10/01/2026 | 17/01/2026 | £1,499 $1,949 |
Available
|
Book now | Enquire now |
| 14/02/2026 | 21/02/2026 | £1,499 $1,949 |
Available
|
Book now | Enquire now |
| 14/03/2026 | 21/03/2026 | £1,499 $1,949 |
Available
|
Book now | Enquire now |
| 18/04/2026 | 25/04/2026 | £1,499 $1,949 |
Available
|
Book now | Enquire now |
Want to ask us a question or book a private trip? Don't hesitate to contact us!
Contact usPrice includes
- Airport transfers
- Pre and post trip accommodation in Quito
- English speaking local guide for duration of the trip
- Qualified activity guides to join for biking, canyoning and rafting
- All equipment for activities
- All luggage transfers between accommodations
- All meals stated on itinerary
- Filtered water available
- All land transfers in private vehicles
Price does not include
- International flights and visas
- Travel insurance- including all activities on itinerary
- Meals not mentioned on itinerary
- Drinks and personal expenses
- Extra optional activities not included in itinerary
- Tips for your guide
You may also like
