Ecuador Quest: Self-Launched Andes, Baños & Amazon
8 days · Ecuador
G Adventures charges £635
No-markup version: ~£420 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
An 8-day self-launched version of G Adventures' "Ecuador Quest" — colonial Quito, the adventure town of Baños, two nights in a Quichua community homestay in the Amazon near Tena, and the volcanic hot springs of Papallacta. Everything is bookable independently: intercity coaches instead of a private vehicle, a community-run jungle lodge booked direct, and self-booked canyoning/ziplining through local operators or GetYourGuide. Costs are approximate per person, excluding international flights.
Day-by-day
Arrive in Quito — colonial old town at altitude
Quito
Land at Mariscal Sucre airport and take a taxi or the Aeropuerto–centro bus into the city centre (~£2-6). Check into a hostel in La Mariscal or in the historic centre. Altitude is 2,850m, so take it easy: wander the Plaza Grande, the Basilica and Calle La Ronda, drink plenty of water and skip a heavy night. Pick up a SIM/eSIM data plan if you haven't already. Note the airport has scheduled runway closures on several 2026 dates (check before booking flights).
🚌Airport taxi ~£6 (shared) or Aeropuerto bus ~£2
🛏Hostel private double or dorm in Quito old town / La Mariscal (~£12-20 per person)
- →Self-guided walk of the historic centre (Plaza Grande, La Compañía, Calle La Ronda)
- →Optional: GetYourGuide Quito city tour + Mitad del Mundo equator line ~£25-35
Quito to Baños — waterfalls and hot springs
Baños
Head to Quitumbe terminal and take a direct coach to Baños (roughly 3.5-4.5 hours, ~£5-8; book at the terminal or via Cooperativa Flota Pelileo/Amazonas). Baños sits at 1,800m at the foot of Tungurahua volcano. Afternoon: ride a rented bike or local bus along the Ruta de las Cascadas to the Pailón del Diablo waterfall (~£4 entry) and finish in the town's thermal pools (~£4).
🚌Intercity coach Quito–Baños ~£6; local bus/bike to the waterfalls ~£3
🛏Hostal/guesthouse in Baños (~£12-18 per person)
- →Ruta de las Cascadas bike ride
- →Pailón del Diablo waterfall
- →Baños thermal baths
Baños adventure day
Baños
Full free day for the town's adventure menu, all bookable locally or via GetYourGuide: canyoning (~£25-30), ziplining bundle (~£20), whitewater rafting (~£28), horseback riding (~£20) or the free hike up to the Casa del Árbol swing (bus ~£1 each way). Pick one big activity plus the swing, and eat cheap almuerzos in the market (~£3).
🚌Walking / local bus to trailheads ~£2
🛏Hostal/guesthouse in Baños (~£12-18 per person)
- →Canyoning (self-booked, ~£25-30)
- →Casa del Árbol swing and viewpoint
- →Optional ziplining or rafting
Baños to the Amazon — Quichua community homestay
Tena / Amazon
Bus to Tena (via Puyo, ~3-4 hours, ~£5) and onward transport arranged by the community lodge to a Quichua village near Tena. Book a community-run jungle lodge or homestay directly (e.g. via a local Quichua tourism association) — two nights with meals included typically runs £25-40 per person per night. Afternoon jungle walk with a community guide, learning about medicinal plants and local life.
🚌Coach Baños–Tena ~£5; community pickup truck/boat transfer ~£5
🛏Rustic jungle hut / homestay with a Quichua family, multi-share (~£25-35 per person incl. meals)
- →Guided nature walk with community guide
- →Cultural evening with host family
Full day in the Amazon
Tena / Amazon
A full day with your hosts: morning hike to a waterfall or river tubing on the Napo tributaries, a visit to a cacao or chakra (traditional garden) plot, and a night walk to spot insects, frogs and fireflies. Bring a headtorch and insect repellent. Meals are with the family.
🚌Walking and short boat/walk transfers with the community
🛏Rustic jungle hut / homestay, multi-share (~£25-35 per person incl. meals)
- →River tubing or waterfall hike
- →Traditional garden and cacao visit
- →Night walk wildlife spotting
Cycle Shandia, then hot springs at Papallacta
Papallacta
Rent a bike and ride to the community of Shandia with a local guide from the village (~£10-15) — the equivalent of G's 'Shandia Biking & Community Experience'. Then take a bus back through Tena and on toward Papallacta (Tena–Baeza–Papallacta, ~4-5 hours total, ~£7). Check into a simple hostal or the Termas Papallacta complex lodging and soak in the volcanic hot pools (~£6-10 entry for day visitors).
🚌Bike hire ~£8; local buses Tena–Baeza–Papallacta ~£7
🛏Simple hostal in Papallacta or Termas Papallacta budget room (~£20-35 per person)
- →Shandia community bike ride with local guide
- →Papallacta hot springs
Papallacta to Quito
Quito
Morning soak at the springs at 3,300m with views of the Antisana volcano, then catch a bus or shared van back to Quito (~1.5-2 hours, ~£3-5). Afternoon free in Quito: the Intiñan equator museum, the cable car up Pichincha (~£7) or the Museo Nacional. Final dinner in La Mariscal.
🚌Bus Papallacta–Quito ~£4; local taxi/bus ~£3
🛏Hostel in Quito (~£12-20 per person)
- →Morning hot springs
- →TelefériQo cable car or Intiñan equator museum (~£7)
Depart Quito
Quito
Free morning for markets and coffee, then transfer to the airport for your flight home. If your flight is on one of the 2026 runway-closure dates (e.g. Apr 11, May 9/16/30, Jun 6, Sep 5/12/26, Oct 3 or 17), double-check timings with your airline.
🚌Airport taxi/bus ~£2-6
🛏None (departure day)
- →Optional last-minute market shopping
Self-launched vs. G Adventures
| This itinerary (self-launched) | G Adventures | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£420 | £635 |
| Duration | 8 days | 8 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £215 per person (34%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more G Adventures-style trips? Check them out here.~£420
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.
This publishes your dates so other travellers can find and join you — no tour operator needed.
Customise with Tour BusterCreated by
Travel Crew
0 trips
Frequently asked questions
How much does Ecuador Quest: Self-Launched Andes, Baños & Amazon cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £420 per person for 8 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 £635 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £420 — a saving of roughly £215 (34%) per person.
How long is the Ecuador trip?+
This itinerary runs 8 days, covering 8 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, hiking, culture 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?
Drop your comment below — if you've done a similar route, tell us what worked, what you'd add, or what you'd skip.
No comments yet — be the first to share your take.
Sign in to leave a comment.