Inca Footsteps (Quito to Lima)

Day 1 to 1

Arrive Quito

Day 1 is simply an arrival day with no pre-organised activities, so you will have free time to relax and see some of the sights. Your tour begins in Quito, Ecuador's capital city. At 2,850 metres above sea level, Quito is the second highest capital city in the world after La Paz. It was founded in 1534 by the Spanish and was originally an Inca stronghold. As the headquarters of the recently formed Union of South American Nations (which was modelled on the European Union) Quito is also considered the capital of South American integration. It is situated in a hollow at the base of the live Volcano Pichincha and the whole length of the city can be seen from atop Panecillo Hill where the enormous Statue of the Virgin of Quito stands. The city has two main sections – the old and the new. The new is the main commercial area with lots of good restaurants and bars, whereas the old city is the colonial area in the centre, with steep calles (cobblestone streets), busy plazas and Indian markets. The Equatorial Monument is just 23 kilometres north of the city, and also houses an excellent museum that displays clothing, other wares and photos of the varied and colourful Ecuadorian people. If you want to have time to explore Quito properly you may want to arrive a day or two early.

Day 2 to 6

Otavalo - Misahualli -Amazon Basin/Jungle

We begin our journey by heading north to visit the famous market town of Otavalo and its surrounding area. Here you can visit Laguna Cuicocha, an extinct volcano famous for the deep lake in its crater. At certain times of year you may be able to go for a short boat ride on the lake (optional). There are also nice walking trails around the lake. On the return from Cuicocha you could visit Cotacachi, where you can buy inexpensive leather goods. The famous market in Otavalo is a great place to stock up on souvenirs and gifts for friends back home. The Otavalo Indians, who come from their villages to sell livestock, produce and textiles, are distinct in appearance – the men wear calf length white trousers and sandals and have their long hair braided, while the women wear white frilly blouses, black skirts and have gold coloured jewellery twirled around their necks. It's a wonderful place to shop for all kinds of handicrafts and great for photographs. In the afternoon, we return to Quito. From here we descend into the humid Amazon Basin on the banks of the Rio Napo. We spend one night in the jungle town of Misahuallí and the next morning travel downriver by motorised dugout canoe. Over the next two days we take many walks in the jungle led by our local guide who will explain about the plants, creatures and people of the region. Our jungle programme may also include many other activities such as visiting a native animal reserve, inner tubing and floating down the river to hear the jungle sounds at night, panning for gold and much more. We sleep in local huts made of bamboo and leaves, and eat delicious jungle meals. Finishing our excursions we head back to our hotel in Misahuallí for one more night.

Day 7 to 11

BanosCuenca

We continue by bus through spectacular scenery to Baños, a spa town famous for its hot thermal springs. Besides soaking in the pools, there are pathways to walk into the surrounding mountains and the chance to go horseback riding in the hills (optional). The less energetic can spend their time relaxing in cafés and shopping for souvenirs. Baños is the best place to buy beautifully painted balsa wood animals and try taffy, a local sweet. We travel onto the old colonial market town of Cuenca (kwen-ca) - Ecuador's third largest city. Cuenca is the home of the Panama hat and you will have the chance to visit a factory. Cuenca's beautiful colonial air of cobblestone streets, open plazas and whitewashed buildings with ironwork balconies has earned it UNESCO World Heritage status. You have the option to visit the celebrated Inca ruins of Ingapirca, the country's most important archaeological site. The fortress complex has a central platform where the Incas worshipped the Sun. The Cañari people built the original structures and you can still see the place where these pre-Inca folk worshipped the moon.

Day 12 to 16

Mancora - HuanchacoLima

Departing Cuenca we head south, crossing into Peru at Tumbes where the Spanish conquistador Francisco Pizarro first landed in 1532. We make a night stop at Mancora, a very attractive seaside town. Our next destination is Huanchaco where fishermen still ride the surf in reed boats. You have the opportunity to rent one of these boats for a paddle or race through the waves. From here you have the option to visit the largest mud city in the world at Chan Chán, which was built by Chimú Kings. Other nearby sites which you can visit include the Moche-built pyramids known as Huaca del Sol and Huaca de la Luna (temples of the sun and moon). Don't miss the excellent Cassinelli Museum in Trujillo which houses one of the best private collections of pottery (including some interesting erotic pottery) as well as a mummified baby in a bell jar. Next stop is the Peruvian capital Lima. Lima was founded by the Spanish Conquistador Francisco Pizarro in 1535, after he eradicated the Incas and made the city his capital. Lima has many fine colonial buildings and some of the best museums in South America including the Gold Museum, Museum of the Inquisition and the Catacombs below the San Francisco Church. Peru's capital has much to offer and many of the sights, including the city's two main squares the Plaza de Armas and Plaza San Martin, are within easy walking distance The Plaza de Armas houses the Cathedral, Municipal Palace and Presidential Palace where the changing of the guard can be seen every day at 12 noon. There are also many markets in Lima, possibly the best being in the district of "La Marina".

Day 17 to 17

Depart Lima

This tour concludes on day 17 in Lima.