Avenue of the Volcanoes: Self-Launched Ecuador Adventure
6 days · Ecuador
G Adventures charges £1,250
No-markup version: ~£437 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A 6-day independent version of G Adventures' Quito-to-Quito circuit along Ecuador's Avenue of the Volcanoes. Using local buses and shared shuttles instead of a private van, you'll straddle the equator at Quitsato, bargain at the Otavalo market, overnight in a highlands hacienda, loop around snow-capped Cotopaxi, and use Baños as a base for hot springs, rafting, mountain biking and waterfall chasing. All costs are approximate backpacker/budget rates in GBP and exclude international flights.
Day-by-day
Quito to Otavalo via the Mitad del Mundo / Quitsato Sundial
Quito → Otavalo
Leave Quito early and head north. Catch a local bus to La Ofelia terminal (or a taxi, ~£2) and take a bus to Cayambe or the Quitsato turn-off (roughly 1.5-2 hrs, ~£2). Quitsato is a solar sundial site right on the equator line where you can straddle both hemispheres - entry is about £3 and includes a short explanation of Ecuador's pre-Inca astronomy. Continue by local bus to Otavalo (~1 hr, ~£1.50). Spend the afternoon at the Plaza de Ponchos market, South America's biggest Andean craft market - go late afternoon when prices soften. Optional detour to the leather workshops of Cotacachi (~30 min bus, £1). If you happen to be there on a Saturday, the market is at its full, enormous best. Overnight in Otavalo town or a nearby hacienda-style guesthouse; budget haciendas around Otavalo cost £25-40 a double, so £15-20 pp with a shared room.
🚌City taxi to La Ofelia terminal ~£2; local bus La Ofelia-Cayambe/Quitsato ~£2; bus to Otavalo ~£1.50; local buses to Cotacachi ~£1 each way
🛏Budget hacienda-style guesthouse or hostel in Otavalo (~£15-18 pp in a twin/dorm)
- →Quitsato solar sundial on the equator line (entry ~£3)
- →Otavalo Plaza de Ponchos handicraft market (free to browse)
- →Optional leather-shop wander in Cotacachi
Avenue of the Volcanoes scenic run to Cotopaxi
Otavalo → Cotopaxi National Park area
Retrace the Pan-American Highway south along the Avenue of the Volcanoes - on a clear morning you'll see Pichincha, Iliniza and the huge Antisana ice cap from the bus window. Bus back to Quito's La Ofelia or Carcelen terminal (~£2.50, 2 hrs), then take a bus to Machachi or El Chasqui at the entrance to Cotopaxi National Park (~£2, 1.5 hrs). From there, arrange a shared 4x4/pickup with other travellers or through your hostel to reach the park's Limpiopungo lagoon and the parking area below the José Rivas refuge (expect £15-25 pp return, shared). Park entry is about £8 for foreign visitors. Come acclimatised - the parking area sits near 4,500 m, so walk slowly and skip the refuge climb if you feel rough. Overnight in a mountain lodge or hostel near Machachi/El Chasqui (£15-20 pp).
🚌Bus Otavalo-Quito ~£2.50; bus Quito-Machachi/El Chasqui ~£2; shared 4x4 into Cotopaxi NP ~£15-25 pp return
🛏Mountain lodge/hostel near Machachi or El Chasqui (~£15-20 pp)
- →Cotopaxi National Park entry and Limpiopungo lagoon walk (~£8 entry)
- →Avenue of the Volcanoes scenic bus ride
- →Views of Cotopaxi's cone from the park road
Cotopaxi to Baños, the adventure capital
Cotopaxi → Baños
Head back to the Pan-American and catch a southbound bus to Latacunga or Ambato (~£1.50-2), then a connecting bus to Baños (~£1.50-2, about 1.5 hrs from Ambato). Total travel is 4-5 hrs with connections. Baños sits at the foot of the very active Tungurahua volcano, flanked by green ridges - check local advisories on volcanic activity and follow any evacuation signage. Afternoon: walk the town, hire a mountain bike for the Ruta de las Cascadas (the waterfall road, ~£8-10 hire) and freewheel past the Pailón del Diablo area, or simply soak in the town's thermal baths (Termas de la Virgen, ~£3-4). Overnight in a Baños hostel or guesthouse (£12-18 pp).
🚌Bus Cotopaxi/El Chasqui-Ambato ~£2; bus Ambato-Baños ~£2
🛏Hostel/guesthouse in Baños (~£12-18 pp)
- →Ruta de las Cascadas by mountain bike (~£9 hire)
- →Termas de la Virgen hot springs (~£4)
- →Tungurahua viewpoint stroll
Full adventure day in Baños
Baños
Free day with plenty of self-bookable options. Whitewater rafting on the Río Pastaza is the headline act - book direct with one of the town's many agencies (or via GetYourGuide) for about £25-30 including gear and transport. Alternatives: canyoning (~£25), the Casa del Árbol swing at the end of the world (~£1-2 entry, reachable by local bus ~£0.50), horseback riding (~£20), or the Pailón del Diablo waterfall walk (~£2). Eat cheaply at the Mercado Central - a set almuerzo (soup, main, juice) runs £2.50-3.50. Overnight in Baños.
🚌Local buses and shared pickups around Baños ~£3 total
🛏Hostel/guesthouse in Baños (~£12-18 pp)
- →Whitewater rafting on the Río Pastaza (~£28)
- →Casa del Árbol swing (~£2)
- →Almuerzo at Mercado Central (~£3)
- →Optional canyoning (~£25) or horseback riding (~£20)
Baños free morning, then back to Quito
Baños → Quito
Use the morning for any activity you missed - a short hike to the Mirador de la Cruz for volcano views (free), another soak in the hot springs, or a coffee-and-fruit morning around the market. Mid-afternoon, take a bus to Ambato (~£2) and connect onward to Quito's Quitumbe terminal (~£4, 2.5-3 hrs). Arrive evening and taxi or Trolebus into the historic centre (~£1). Overnight in a Quito hostel or budget hotel in the Old Town (£18-25 pp).
🚌Bus Baños-Ambato ~£2; bus Ambato-Quito ~£4; local transport in Quito ~£1
🛏Hostel/budget hotel in Quito Old Town (~£18-25 pp)
- →Mirador de la Cruz hike (free)
- →Mercado Central breakfast
- →Optional final hot springs soak (~£4)
Depart Quito
Quito
Depart at any time. If your flight is later in the day, the Old Town's Plaza Grande, La Compañía church and the Basílica are all walkable and cost little (La Compañía ~£3). Local buses or the airport bus run to Mariscal Sucre Airport for £1-2; a taxi is £8-10. Allow 3 hrs before an international flight.
🚌Airport bus ~£1.50 or taxi ~£9
🛏None (departure day)
- →Optional Old Town church and plaza wander (~£3)
Self-launched vs. G Adventures
| This itinerary (self-launched) | G Adventures | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£437 | £1,250 |
| Duration | 6 days | 6 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £813 per person (65%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more G Adventures-style trips? Check them out here.~£437
estimated per person
You never pay Travel Crew for this — you pay hostels, transport, and activity providers directly, the same as if you'd booked it all yourself.
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Frequently asked questions
How much does Avenue of the Volcanoes: Self-Launched Ecuador Adventure cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £437 per person for 6 days in Ecuador. This is an AI-generated estimate based on typical budget-traveller prices — actual costs will vary by season and how you book.
Is this cheaper than booking with G Adventures?+
Yes — G Adventures charges around £1,250 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £437 — a saving of roughly £813 (65%) per person.
How long is the Ecuador trip?+
This itinerary runs 6 days, covering 6 day-by-day stops through Ecuador.
How do I join this trip?+
You can join an existing open departure using this itinerary if one is scheduled, or launch your own departure with your own dates and invite other travellers to join you — no tour operator required.
Isn't it easier to just use a tour operator?+
Well, yes, a tour operator will book all the individual parts of your travel for you and provide a guide. That's obvious, but doing this has the potential to save the group thousands, which can in turn improve your itinerary substantially or save you huge amounts of money. Also, when you launch a departure, Travel Crew has tools in place to help you book the individual sections of the trip or make it easier for you to do this as a group. Really, you do not need a middle man. If you are more comfortable paying more and using a middle man, then you should certainly do this.
Is it safer to book through a tour operator?+
Arguably, there isn't much difference. A self-launched trip runs on the same principle as a group travel crew: collective responsibility, everyone looking out for each other, the same way it would if a group of friends organised the trip themselves — because that's exactly what's happening. You should always take out travel insurance before you go, self-launched or not; that doesn't change either way. Every open departure is published publicly with real dates and a real trip organiser, so it's never an anonymous arrangement, and our support team is reachable any time you need help, including in an emergency while you're away. Longer-term, we're building direct relationships with ground DMCs in popular destinations, offered as an optional paid add-on for extra on-the-ground support. Ultimately, though, the group is responsible for its own conduct and safety on a self-launched trip, same as on any trip you plan yourself.
What kind of trip is this?+
This is a adventure, culture, hiking trip through Ecuador, self-launched rather than run by a tour operator — you organise it with a group you find or bring yourself.
Would you like to name the operator, name the trip, or have any suggestions about how to improve this itinerary?
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