Located at 2800 meters above sea level at the ruins of what once had been an important place for trading goods and indigenous knowledge, the city of San Francisco de Quito started construction around 1534.  In this century their people faced an arduous task of avoiding precipices that divided the land from west to east.  It was built on such irregular landscapes with such a great deal of effort and creativity, the city initially was shaped as a chest board, in a traditional square division which was the most common urban design used for cities in Europe back in the 16th century.

The raw talent of locals for the constructions was manifested with an interesting was of handling tools and construction systems that left impressive buildings, some of them to this day and age still continue to provide the same service they were initially designed for centuries back, such is the case of religious temples.

Quito came to be famous in the 20th century as the city with the biggest perimeter in colonial architecture in Latin America, in addition to a considerable amount of buildings; there was the quality in the patrimony considered by UNESCO as a unique and exceptional testimony of traditional culture.  The city is a masterpiece of creative human cleverness, an outstanding example to illustrate significant stages in the history of man.  Under these precepts, UNESCO decides to appoint Quito as Cultural Patrimony of Humanity in 1978, becoming the first city in the continent to ever receive this distinction 

1. GLECTQ.- City Tour  (03 hours)

Shared basis: USD 25.00 per person
Departures: Daily

Private basis: USD 45.00 per person 
Departures: Daily

A comprehensive city tour includes visits to residential neighborhoods at the northern end of the city, visiting the “ Guapulo Mirador”, passing through the 12 of October Avenue up to the Culture House and the Legislative Palace (Congress) where the rock murals that are related to the history of Ecuador can be appreciated..

The tour will then continue through the Gran Colombia Avenue up to the Basilica Church, we will make a brief stop and next the “San Juan Mirador” will be waiting with a beautiful sight of Colonial Quito. 

Walking through the colonial streets we will then stop at the Independence Plaza admiring the Cathedral, the Government’s Palace, and the archiepiscopal palace.  Furthermore, we will visit La Compañia Church where adornments and gold altars can be appreciated, a visit to the Sagrario Church and San Francisco which was built in the XVII century will be also done ( entrances are not included)  Then we will be heading to the “Panecillo Mirador” (entrance is included) a beautiful place from where a sight of colonial and modern Quito will be taken.

2. GLECTA.- City Tour with lunch (5 hours)

Private basis: USD 115.00 per person 
Departures: Daily


Same as GLECTQ with lunch.

3. GLECTM.- City Tour and Archeological Museum (5 hours)

Private basis: USD 60.00 per person 
Departures: Daily

Same as GLECTQ with a visit to an archaeological museum entrance is included, can be changed for the City Museum or “Capilla del Hombre”

4. GLEQNO.- Quito by night (2 hours)

Private basis: USD 55.00 per person 
Departures: Daily

The tour will start at the Guapulo Mirador and will continue through the colonial part of the city with a breathtaking site of the illuminated colonial churches, in the colonial coaches pulled by horses trough the narrow streets of the colonial part of the city, the Panecilllo will be the next stop with a panoramic night time view of Quito. 

5. GLEQNC.- Quito by night with dinner (3 hours)

Private basis: USD 115.00 per person 
Departures: Daily

The tour will start at the Guapulo Mirador and will continue through the colonial part of the city with a breathtaking site of the illuminated colonial churches, in the colonial coaches pulled by horses trough the narrow streets of the colonial part of the city, the Panecilllo will be the next stop with a panoramic night time view of Quito.  Dinner at a typical restaurant and return to the hotel.

6. GLEBFJ.- Jacchigua Ecuadorian Folkloric Ballet - 19h30 (2 hours)

Shared basis: USD 40.00 per person
Departures: Wednesday

Private basis: USD 80.00 per person 
Departures: Wednesday

Transfer and entrance tickets are included to admire the "Jacchigua" folkloric ballet that represents the traditions and customs of the indigenous of Ecuador.  Return to the hotel.

7. GLEBFC.- Jacchigua Ecuadorian Folkloric Ballet with dinner (3 hours)

Shared basis: USD 60.00 per person
Departures: Wednesday

Private basis: USD 115.00 per person 
Departures: Wednesday

Same as GLEBFJ with dinner.

8. GLEMMQ.- Equatorial Monument & Teleferiqo (Skylift) (3 hours)

Private basis: USD 45.00 per person 
Departures: Daily

We will start at the northern part of the city heading up to the “Middle of the World City” (entrance is included) where the monument that divides the Northern Hemisphere from the Southern Hemisphere will be visited. It was built during the XVII century when a French Expedition defined the precise location of the equatorial line. The Ethnographic Museum or the Scientific Museum Intiñan can be also visited (Ticket not included). Later on the visit to the sky lift complex (Ticket not included).     

9. GLEMMA.- Equatorial Monument & Teleferiqo with lunch (5 hours)   

Private basis: USD 110.00 per person 
Departures: Daily 

Same as GLEMMQ with lunch.

10. GLECLQ.- City Tour,  Equatorial Monument & Teleferiqo (6 hours)

Shared basis: USD 35.00 per person
Departures: Daily

Private basis: USD 75.00 per person 
Departures: Daily

A comprehensive city tour includes visits to residential neighborhoods at the northern end of the city, visiting the “ Guapulo Mirador”, passing through the 12 of October Avenue up to the Culture House and the Legislative Palace (Congress) where the rock murals that are related to the history of Ecuador can be appreciated..

The tour will then continue through the Gran Colombia Avenue up to the Basilica Church, we will make a brief stop and next the “San Juan Mirador” will be waiting with a beautiful sight of Colonial Quito. 

Walking through the colonial streets we will then stop at the Independence Plaza admiring the Cathedral, the Government’s Palace, and the archiepiscopal palace.  Furthermore, we will visit La Compañia Church where adornments and gold altars can be appreciated, a visit to the Sagrario Church and San Francisco which was built in the XVII century will be also done ( entrances are not included)  Then we will be heading to the “Panecillo Mirador” (entrance is included) a beautiful place from where a sight of colonial and modern Quito will be taken.

We will continue at the northern part of the city heading up to the “Middle of the World City” (entrance is included) where the monument that divides the Northern Hemisphere from the Southern Hemisphere will be visited. It was built during the XVII century when a French Expedition defined the precise location of the equatorial line. The Ethnographic Museum can be also be visited ( entrance is not included)  

Finally we canl visit the Sky lift complex (ticket not include), passengers returns to hotels by their own in this case.

11. GLECLA.- City Tour,  Equatorial Monument & Teleferiqo with lunch (7 hours)

Private basis: USD 140.00 per person 
Departures: Daily 

Same as GLECLQ with lunch .

12. GLEOTA.- Otavalo Market (8 hours)

Shared basis: USD 50.00 per person
Departures: Saturday & Tuesday

Private basis: USD 110.00 per person 
Departures: Daily

Departure from Quito through The Panamericana North Highway.  Brief stop at Calderon, a town where the famous “masapan” dolls are made, we will continue passing through Guayllabamba town with its typical fruit cherimoyer, we will stop at the highway that conduces to Cayambe to admire and take pictures of the beautiful landscape and snow caped mountains of the zone, crossing the equatorial line at Cayambe we will pass by Guachala (used to be the middle of the world monument), before we head up to Otavalo we will make a stop at Mira Lago to take pictures of the beautiful San Pablo Lake.  The tour then continues to Otavalo here the Otavaleños (natives) set up a market in which a bartering manner of shopping is taken.  The market hosts a variety of different handcrafted items.  Continuing the trip, we will go to the town of Peguche and visit a typical house of this zone.  Finally, a visit to the leather shopping stores at Cotacachi is planned before returning to Quito through the Cajas-Tabacundo road.

13. GLEOTL.- Otavalo Market with lunch (8 hours)

Shared basis: USD 65.00 per person
Departures: Saturday & Tuesday

Private basis: USD 160.00 per person 
Departures: Daily 

Same as GLEOTA with lunch included.

14. GLECOT.- Excursion to the Cotopaxi National Park & Hacienda (8 hours)

Shared basis: USD 55.00 per person
Departures: Thursday

Private basis: USD 120.00 per person 
Departures: Daily

Departure from Quito through The Panamericana South Highway, enjoying the beautiful landscapes of the place, we will visit the Saquisilí market  (only Thursdays) where native people of the region expose and sell their handicrafts, continuing we will arrive at the impressive active volcano Cotopaxi (5.897 m. High).  During our staying at the National Park we will visit its museum, the natural environment of the place, its animals and plants, stop a the  Limpiopungo lake ,  continue to the typical hacienda where a typical appetizer will be served and then visit to its installations optional to this you can have lunch, ride horses or walk trough their nature paths.

Return to  Quito in the afternoon

Entrance to the Cotopaxi National Park is not included.

15. GLECOA.- Excursion to the Cotopaxi National Park & Hacienda with lunch (8 hours)

Shared basis: USD 80.00 per person
Departures: Thursday

Private basis: USD 170.00 per person 
Departures: Daily 

Same as GLECOT with lunch included.

16. ZTP9.- QUILOTOA LAKE (10 hours)

Shared basis: USD 70.00 per person (min. 2)
Departures: Monday

Private basis: USD 165.00 per person 
Departures: Daily 

We depart early in the morning through the Avenue of the Volcanoes to visit the La guna Quilotoa which is one of the most beautiful and breathtaking, a tranquil, mesmerizing glass-green lake lying in the crater of an extinct volcano. The volcanic crater is still perfectly formed, allowing visitors to see its past history and formidable power. We will walk down from the top of the crater to the lake's edge. Once at the bottom of the lake, there isn't much to do other than relax and enjoy the tranquility. The return walk back to the top of the crater you can ascending to the top by mule. Optional Lunch and return to Quito. (Mules and lunch not included)  

IMPORTANT REMARKS:

• Private prices based on double occupancy
• All entrances to museums, churches, shows, meals, etc are included only as they are outlined in each tour description