Patio Andaluz, Quito

Day 1 & 2

You will be met on arrival at Quito airport and privately transferred to your hotel for the next 2 nights, The Patio Andaluz which is a colonial-style hotel in the heart of Quito's Old Town. This is an excellent option when looking for a well-situated and comfortable Ecuadorian hotel. They even offer cooking classes if you would like to have a go at making a traditional dish or two.

You then have full day to explore Quito, which is at an altitude of 2,850m. Its historic quarter presents glorious churches and monasteries, cobbled old squares and steep narrow streets. The city lies at an important meeting point of traditional trading routes, hence it was developed by the Incas and then by the Spanish. Its setting is spectacular. The city isn't simply surrounded by mountains; it huddles beneath volcanoes – with Volcan Pichincha occasionally puffing out smoky ash to the west.

Cabanas San Isidro, Cosanga

Day 3 & 4

Today you will be tranferred back to the airport to collect your rental vehicle (with English-speaking assistance provided). You will drive east towards the Amazon basin, first climbing through the Cayambe Coca Reserve and your first recommended optional stop, an hour later, will be at Papallacta natural hot springs resort. At Cabanas San Isidro there is a self-guided walking trail, or you might want to relax pool-side and watch the hummingbirds go by.

Hamadryade Lodge, Misahualli

Day 5 & 6

Today is all about chocolate as you visit a cocoa cooperative and learn all about the process. Enjoy lunch here. Drive on to your home for the next 2 nights. Hamadryade is an Amazon Lodge offering a large range of activities (payable locally), such as rafting, jungle hikes discovering the jungle vegetation, canoe trips and visits to indigenous communities as well as water sports like rafting and kayaking.

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Samari Spa Hotel, Banos

Day 7 & 8

Today your objective is the town of Puyo, a busy centre for the communities who live in the remoter regions of the Amazon, who come here to get their provisions. Enjoy a guided tour of the nearby Ethnobotanical Reserve and then lunch before driving on to Banos, popping in to see the Devil's Cauldron waterfall which is well worth it. Baños sits in the shadow of the impressive Tungarahua volcano, and is surrounded by steep lush green hills. Your hotel is just at the entrance to the town as you approach from the South. Total travel time approx 3.5 hrs.

You will have time to enjoy Banos and some of the adrenalin adventures to be found in the area. The town is sleepy in the week, but comes alive at the weekends.

Chilcabamba Lodge, nr Cotopaxi

Day 9

Today you’ll be heading North, making the transition from the Amazon to the Andes. Your route winds along the impressive Avenue of Volcanoes (a stretch of 14 active, semi-active and dormant volcanoes : passing the cities of Ambato and Latacunga; traditional haciendas, indigenous villages and protected natural areas. You’ll also get a taste of the local culture: a visit to one of the fascinating indigenous markets in towns along the way is well worth the effort. Each is held on a particular day of the week, so we’ll let you know which one to visit, depending on your travel plans. You’ll enter Cotopaxi National Park from the South and cross it from South to North. A relatively long, but great day.

Depart Quito

Day 10

Enjoy the morning at the lodge, where you might like to go for a horse ride from 1 - 4 hrs or there is a classic hiking trail (2 - 4 hrs) to the Pita river. In the afternoon you should make your way back to the airport to drop off your vehicle and check in for your flight home (or how about combining this self drive with a trip to the Galapagos?)