Self-Launched Andes to Amazon Adventure in Ecuador

Touch down at Mariscal Sucre International Airport (UIO) and hop on the Aeroservicios airport bus (~£2) or a metered taxi (~£8) into the city. Check into a hostel in the historic colonial centre — La Mariscal or the Old Town are both great bases. Spend the afternoon wandering the UNESCO-listed streets, popping into the Basílica del Voto Nacional (climb the towers for free views), and grabbing a craft beer at a rooftop bar. Head to the Mercado Central for a cheap, delicious dinner of llapingachos and seco de pollo.

🚌Airport bus Aeroservicios ~£2, or metered taxi ~£8

🛏Hostel in Quito Old Town or La Mariscal (e.g. Community Hostel or Secret Garden Quito) — dorm ~£12, private ~£22

• →Self-guided walk of Quito's UNESCO colonial Old Town
• →Basílica del Voto Nacional tower climb (~£1.50)
• →Dinner at Mercado Central — try local street food staples

Take an early bus from Quito's Quitumbe terminal towards Latacunga (~£2, 1.5hrs). From Latacunga, negotiate a shared taxi or day-tour pickup to Cotopaxi National Park (~£10–15 pp). Hike the easy, flat Laguna de Limpiopungo trail at ~3,800m — spot wild horses, finches, and, on clear days, Cotopaxi's reflection in the water. After the hike, catch an afternoon bus from Latacunga to Baños (~£2, 1.5hrs). Check into one of Baños' excellent budget guesthouses and explore the town's colourful streets on foot this evening.

🚌Quito → Latacunga bus £2; shared taxi to Cotopaxi NP ~£12; Latacunga → Baños bus £2

🛏Guesthouse in Baños (e.g. Hostal Plantas y Blanco or La Petite Auberge) — private room ~£18–25

• →Laguna de Limpiopungo hike at Cotopaxi National Park (~1hr, flat trail)
• →Wildlife spotting — wild horses, Andean birds
• →Cotopaxi National Park entry fee (~£4)

Rent a mountain bike in Baños for the classic Ruta de las Cascadas descent — most rental shops charge ~£6–8 for the day including helmet and a truck shuttle up. You'll bomb 20 miles downhill through misty cloud forest, past traditional farms and canyon waterfalls. Back in town by early afternoon, grab lunch at a local café. In the late afternoon, take a taxi (~£5 each way) up to the famous Casa del Árbol treehouse and 'Swing at the End of the World' (entry ~£2). Soar out over the edge of the mountain with Tungurahua volcano as your backdrop.

🚌Bike rental with shuttle £7; taxi to Casa del Árbol ~£5 each way

🛏Guesthouse in Baños — private room ~£18–25

• →Ruta de las Cascadas mountain bike descent through cloud forest (~20mi, mostly downhill)
• →Swing at the End of the World at Casa del Árbol (~£2 entry)
• →Tungurahua volcano viewpoint

Book a full-day canyoneering and zip-line combo tour directly with a local operator in Baños (e.g. Geotours or Imagina Ecuador) for around £35–45 pp — this covers all gear, guides, and transport. The day includes zip-lining over the Bridal Veil waterfall gorge, hiking down to the thundering Pailón del Diablo, and a canyoneering session in the jungle involving rappels, jumps, and natural rock slides through crystalline pools. These operators are bookable on-the-spot or via GetYourGuide. In the evening, treat yourself to a soak at one of Baños' thermal spring complexes (~£3–5 entry).

🚌All transport included in tour price

🛏Guesthouse in Baños — private room ~£18–25

• →Zip-line over Bridal Veil (Velo de Novia) waterfall gorge
• →Pailón del Diablo waterfall hike (~£1 trail fee)
• →Jungle canyoneering — rappels, jumps, and natural slides (book via GetYourGuide or direct with Geotours ~£40)
• →Evening soak at Baños thermal springs (~£4)

Book a Pastaza River white-water rafting session (Class III–III+) directly with a local operator in Baños — typically ~£20–25 pp including all equipment, guide, and transport to the put-in. This is your final full day in Baños, so after the rafting and a local lunch, spend the afternoon exploring the market, trying taffy (melcocha) pulled by street vendors, and soaking again in the town's famous thermal baths. Baños is a compact, very walkable town — easy to fill a free afternoon.

🚌Included in rafting tour price

🛏Guesthouse in Baños — private room ~£18–25

• →Whitewater rafting on Pastaza River — Class III/III+ rapids (~1.5hrs, ~£22 pp direct booking)
• →Baños town market and taffy-making street performers
• →Thermal spring soak at Complejo de Baños (~£4)

Take an early morning bus from Baños to Coca (Puerto Francisco de Orellana), the gateway to the Amazon (~£8, ~5–6hrs). From Coca, you'll need to pre-arrange access to the Yasuní area with a licensed jungle operator — the Huaorani Ecolodge or similar community-run eco-camps offer independent packages for around £100–130 pp per night all-inclusive (accommodation, all meals, motorised canoe, and guided activities). This is genuinely remote and cannot be done as a pure DIY — a locally-operated eco-camp is both essential and the most ethical approach. The motorised canoe ride along the Shiripuno River (~2hrs) is part of the experience — watch for river turtles, caiman, toucans, and macaws.

🚌Baños → Coca bus ~£8; canoe to camp included in lodge package

🛏Eco-glamping in Yasuní area (e.g. Huaorani Ecolodge or Shiripuno Lodge) — all-inclusive ~£110 pp/night

• →Bus from Baños to Coca (~6hrs, £8)
• →Motorised canoe along Shiripuno River to eco-camp (~2hrs)
• →Wildlife spotting en route — caiman, monkeys, tropical birds

Rise at sunrise for a dawn canoe glide along the misty Shiripuno River — the best time to spot monkeys, capybara, herons, and hawks. After breakfast at camp, join a Huaorani guide (typically Gaba or another community leader) for a 4–5 hour jungle trek focused on wildlife tracking, ethnobotany, and survival skills. Visit a clay lick where macaws gather to feed. All of this is included in your eco-lodge package. Dinner is served early — fall asleep to the soundtrack of the Amazon.

🚌All transport by canoe, included in lodge package

🛏Eco-glamping in Yasuní — all-inclusive ~£110 pp/night

• →Dawn canoe wildlife-spotting along Shiripuno River
• →Guided jungle trek with Huaorani guide (4–5hrs) — wildlife tracking, ethnobotany, clay lick visit
• →Introduction to Huaorani traditional plant knowledge

Another early start — paddle canoes to a section of rainforest known for giant otters, piranhas, caiman, and boas. Guides know the best spots for anaconda sightings. After the paddle, embark on an adventurous 5-mile jungle hike, culminating on a hilltop with 360-degree views over the unbroken forest canopy. Return to camp in the late afternoon. After dark, join a guided nighttime wildlife walk — low river levels can attract jaguars, capybaras, and caimans to the banks. All activities included in lodge package.

🚌All transport by canoe, included in lodge package

🛏Eco-glamping in Yasuní — all-inclusive ~£110 pp/night

• →Morning canoe paddle — giant otters, piranhas, caiman, anaconda spotting
• →Jungle hike to 360-degree hilltop viewpoint (~5mi)
• →Guided nighttime wildlife walk — nocturnal jungle sightings

A final morning jungle hike — keep an eye out for the giant Eunectes Akayima anaconda. The afternoon is dedicated to a deeply memorable cultural experience with the Huaorani community — traditional hunting and gathering demonstrations, blowpipe practice, and an evening of traditional chants and Amazon storytelling. This cultural exchange is a highlight of the entire trip and a unique privilege — be present, be respectful, and tip your guides generously. All included in eco-lodge package.

🚌All transport included in lodge package

🛏Eco-glamping in Yasuní — all-inclusive ~£110 pp/night

• →Final jungle hike — anaconda tracking (~3hrs)
• →Huaorani community cultural afternoon — traditional skills, blowpipe, storytelling
• →Traditional chants and farewell evening around the camp

Wake at sunrise for one last canoe ride down the Shiripuno River before being transferred back to Coca by motorised canoe. From Coca, take a bus or pre-arranged shared transfer towards Quito (~£8, 6–8hrs), stopping en route at the small Andean village of Papallacta (~1hr before Quito). Check into one of the guesthouses adjacent to the famous Termas de Papallacta thermal pools — the resort's public hot springs are open to all for ~£10 entry. Soak away your Amazon aches in volcanic mineral pools surrounded by cloud forest and Andean peaks. This is one of the finest hot spring experiences in South America.

🚌Canoe back to Coca included in lodge package; Coca → Papallacta bus ~£8

🛏Guesthouse near Termas de Papallacta (e.g. Hostal Coturpa or Hostería La Pampa) — private room ~£25–35

• →Final canoe ride down the Shiripuno River at sunrise
• →Termas de Papallacta public thermal pools (~£10 entry)
• →Optional: spa treatments at the resort (paid locally, ~£20–40)

Enjoy a final breakfast with stunning Andean views before catching the local bus from Papallacta to Quito's Quitumbe bus terminal (~£2, ~1hr), then a taxi or metro to the airport (~£5–8). Alternatively, flag down a direct bus towards Quito on the main highway. If your flight is in the evening, consider being dropped in Quito city centre for one last wander through the Old Town. Buen viaje!

🚌Papallacta → Quito bus ~£2; taxi/metro to airport ~£6

🛏N/A — departure day

• →Final breakfast at guesthouse
• →Optional last-minute exploration of Quito Old Town if flight permits