Explore Ecuador
Accommodation and meals as described on the itinerary: 4 nights at the Dann Carlton First Class Hotel in Quito, 3 nights at the Napo Wild Life Centre Jungle Lodge, 3 nights in Haciendas throughout the Ecuadorian countryside
11 breakfasts, 8 lunches & 6 dinners
Airport transfers
Transfers and excursions on shared services with local English speaking guides
Entrance fees (except to Cotopaxi national park USD 10 pp)
Train tickets are included in the rate. Price of train tickets are subject to change without prior notice. Please bear in mind that the train operation is handled directly by the Ecuadorian Railway Company, the operation and schedules are subject to change without notice.
International flights
Internal flights: Quito / Coca / Quito (USD$125.00 pp) and Cuenca to Quito (USD$85.00 pp) - prices subject to change.
Pre and Post tour Accommodation (can be arranged at time of booking)
Hotel upgrades for this tour
Single Supplement
Cotapaxi National Park entrance fee (USD$10.00 pp)
Meals not listed
Items listed in ‘Optional activities’ section
Items of a personal nature & spending money
Travel Insurance and Visas
This tour aims to make your journey as fully inclusive as possible while still giving you freedom to explore at leisure or to decide for yourselves how best to appreciate the wonderful regions through which you travel. Inclusions are clearly outlined for each trip in order to avoid any hidden costs. While we include all of the main sightseeing, optional activities do exist for people with special interests and your Tour Leader will help organise these for you as you travel. Optional activities include:
White
water rafting on the Rio Napo
Horse
riding or Quad Biking in Banos
For more options, please refer to out OPTIONAL ACTIVITIES PAGE
This tour is suited to all people of an active nature who are keen to get out and explore South America in a comfortable, secure and stress free manner. South America is a continent of diverse landscapes, vast open spaces, majestic mountain ranges, rugged coastlines, dense green forests, vibrant villages, unspoilt traditional cultures and much more. Traveling overland allows you to witness these ever changing landscapes and gives you the chance to see how local people really live away from the hustle and bustle of large cities and tourist centres. These are the sorts of experiences that allow you to really see the heart and soul of a country and its cultures.
Comfortable and quality accommodation
Throughout
your journey the number one priority is your comfort and enjoyment. Tourist class hotels and
guest houses that are centrally located with ensuite bathroom facilities and
great guest services are used throughout the tour. At times you will
stay in traditional Haciendas or estancias that offer a fine standard of
lodging. Where your itineraries include
camping, fully serviced camps with spacious walk in tents,
comfortable beds and linen are offered.
Tour Grade
These tours are of a reasonably active nature. South America
provides an abundance of wonderful outdoor activities such as hiking, cycling,
horse-riding, fishing and kayaking. Even
paragliding and white water rafting are regularly available for the adventure
seekers amongst us. However for those
who prefer a lighter style of travel there are numerous alternatives available
such as scenic train journeys, gentle walks and day hikes, scenic flights,
recreational boat cruises and much more.
Relaxed Itineraries
The relaxed itineraries allow you time to fully enjoy the many
great places you will visit. The
flexible and well paced itineraries allow plenty of free time to pursue
individual interests. You will not feel
rushed or feel like you are being carted around from A to B. Instead, as you typically stay at least two or
three nights at each destination you will feel satisfied and fulfilled due to
the wonderful quality time you have enjoyed.
Group Size
The
maximum group size on all of these journeys is 16. Not only does this minimise the impact on the
environment but it also allows experiences to be of a more intimate nature
without the fuss that comes with traveling in large groups. You will be able to share your experiences
with a small group of like minded people while also having time to pursue
individual interests throughout the trip.
Your crew
This
tour is fully escorted. Enjoy the
benefits of an expert Western Tour Leader and professional English speaking
local guides throughout your journey as well as two additional crew when
camping. All of the crew are experienced
and passionate and will share with you their knowledge and provide experiences
and information that no guide book could ever offer.
Its the little things..
It’s the little things that make your journey
special. Providing delicious cuisine and
fine wines from the region, clean filtered drinking water on board the
vehicles, a library of interesting books, hiring expert local guides and going
the extra mile to service clients are all examples of the little things that make a big difference.
The Vehicles
This
expedition is operated in a custom built all terrain expedition vehicle with
modern on board facilities such as filtered drinking water, library,
refrigerator, sound system, heating and air-conditioning, toilet, large windows
for optimal viewing and comfortable seating.
Spending Money
We
suggest that you allow about US$200 per week spending money. This is to include spending money, optional
excursions, meals out that are not included in the itinerary, drinks, emails,
souvenirs, visas and arrival/departure taxes. Of course this is only an
estimated figure as personal spending habits and budgets vary hugely from
person to person. If you plan on buying a lot of souvenirs or have expensive
taste in wine and food you may need a bit more.
Single Travelers
These tours offer a “willing to share” option for all single travelers. Providing you are willing to share we will
attempt to pair you with another 'willing to share' passenger of the same
sex. If there is no one available to
share you will have a single room but still pay only the twin share price.
These wonderful city stay packages are great for people wanting to spend some extra time, either before or after their tour. Arriving a day before your tour begins gives you time to acclimatise and relax before you begin your exciting journey.
You depart from Hotel Dann Carlton, Quito
HOTEL DANN CARLTON QUITO
Av. República de El Salvador N34-377 e Irlanda San Francisco de Quito - Ecuador
P.O. Box 17-17-443
PBX: (593) - 2 - 224 9008
Fax: (593) - 2 - 244 8807
info@DannCarltonQuito.com
www.danncarltonquito.com
*Please note that due to availability the joining hotel may change. Any changes will be notified to the client.
Please bring 2 photocopies of your passport details page to give to your tour leader. You'll need at least six blank pages in your passport, which must be valid for at least 9 months from your departure date. If you have dual nationality you can only use one passport.
Visas - Please note it is your responsibility to ensure that you have all the relevant visas that you require. If you have any doubts regarding visa requirements, please contact us or your Travel Agent. Most visas must be used within three months from their date of issue. At present, nationalities of UK, Ireland, USA, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and Canada do not require visas for Ecuador, Peru, Argentina or Chile.
For information on the location of your nearest embassy or consulate we recommend the following website: yahoo.com/Government/Embassies_and_Consulates/ . For current updates on visa information you can try the website www.visaproject.com
Personal Travel Insurance is compulsory for these tours. This must be organized prior to commencing any travel arrangements you have with us and it is your responsibility to ensure you are covered for the regions through which we will travel and for all activities you wish to undertake. A suitable policy must provide adequate cover for all necessary medical expenses and repatriation costs, loss of baggage, and cancellation or curtailment of your holiday.
It is important that you
read the terms and conditions of your policy very carefully. You should be
aware of any exclusions relating to:
Pre-existing medical conditions (including
allergies)
Certain activities deemed hazardous
Note: Travel Insurance attached to credit cards can often be very limited and is usually only affective if you have purchased your travel arrangements with your card
You will be asked by your
tour leader to provide a copy of your travel insurance policy at the
pre-departure meeting. The following information is required:
Your policy number
24 hour emergency contact number
Verification that the policy is sufficient to
cover you for the entire duration of the tour
It is a condition of booking on this tour that you provide this information to your tour leader at the beginning of the tour. Failure to provide this information may result in our refusal to accept you on the tour.
Important note: It is highly recommended that you take out your travel insurance at the time of booking as your cover for pre-departure cancellation will commence from the date your policy is issued. This means that should you have to cancel your travel arrangements for any insured reason you may be able to claim back losses. This is subject to the standard terms and conditions of your policy.