Quito ·

Old Town & Acclimatization & middle of the World

The brief someone sent Tomo

“6 nights in Quito — Settle into Old Town and explore Quito's UNESCO colonial core at an easy altitude-friendly pace.”

6 days1 flight1 stay€1,078Culture

Quito

Why this trip

6 nights in Quito, mapped out day by day through Quito — a place to sleep and something worth doing on every one of the 6 days.

Good to know

Best season: 7-13 September
Pace: Busy, back-to-back plans
Where you sleep: Garden villa, Old Town
Getting around: Trains, transit, and walking
Length: 6 days
Budget: €1,078

The trip, day by day

1
Old Town & Acclimatization
Check in to the Garden Villa in Old Town
Stroll Plaza Grande and the Presidential Palace
Visit La Compañía de Jesús church and Basílica del Voto Nacional
Sunset drinks on a rooftop overlooking the historic centre
Early night to acclimatize to 2,850m
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2
Middle of the World
Morning tour to Mitad del Mundo monument
Straddle the equatorial line for the classic photo
Intiñan Museum experiments (balancing egg, Coriolis demo)
Viewpoint over the Pululahua volcanic crater
Return to Old Town for dinner
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3
TelefériQo & Rucu Pichincha Hike
Morning TelefériQo cable car ascent to Cruz Loma (~4,000m)
Hike the ridge trail toward Rucu Pichincha summit
Photo stops over the Quito valley and surrounding volcanoes
Descend and warm up with locro de papa soup
Rest afternoon back in Old Town
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4
Cotopaxi Volcano Day Trip
Early departure to Cotopaxi National Park
Drive up to the parking lot (~4,500m)
Hike to the José Rivas refuge (~4,864m)
Walk around Limpiopungo lagoon with volcano views
Wildlife spotting (wild horses, condors) en route back
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5
Otavalo Market Day
Morning drive north to Otavalo
Explore the Plaza de Ponchos artisan market
Shop textiles, alpaca goods and handicrafts
Visit Peguche Waterfall
Stop at Cuicocha crater lake or Cotacachi leather town on return
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6
Mindo Cloud Forest
Drive west into the Mindo cloud forest
Birdwatching and butterfly farm visit
Waterfall circuit via the tarabita cable car
Artisanal chocolate farm tour and tasting
Return to Quito for evening departure
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The trip, chapter by chapter

Day 1 · Quito

Old Town & Acclimatization

Settle into Old Town and explore Quito's UNESCO colonial core at an easy altitude-friendly pace. Check in to the Garden Villa in Old Town and Stroll Plaza Grande and the Presidential Palace.

Trip budget

€1,078

Flights: €274
Stay: €804
Per night: €180

Estimates — the booking site shows the real price.

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Day 2 · Quito

Middle of the World

Head to the equator monument and interactive Intiñan science museum, then explore the Pululahua crater rim. Morning tour to Mitad del Mundo monument and Straddle the equatorial line for the classic photo.

Day 3 · Quito

TelefériQo & Rucu Pichincha Hike

Ride the cable car to 4,000m and hike toward the Rucu Pichincha summit for panoramic Andean views. Morning TelefériQo cable car ascent to Cruz Loma (~4,000m) and Hike the ridge trail toward Rucu Pichincha summit.

Day 4 · Quito

Cotopaxi Volcano Day Trip

Full-day excursion into Cotopaxi National Park with a hike to the glacier refuge and Limpiopungo lagoon. Early departure to Cotopaxi National Park and Drive up to the parking lot (~4,500m).

Day 5 · Quito

Otavalo Market Day

Saturday trip to South America's largest indigenous craft market, with Andean lake and waterfall stops. Morning drive north to Otavalo and Explore the Plaza de Ponchos artisan market.

Day 6 · Quito

Mindo Cloud Forest

Descend into the lush Mindo cloud forest for birdwatching, waterfalls and a chocolate tasting before departure. Drive west into the Mindo cloud forest and Birdwatching and butterfly farm visit.

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