Cuenca to Quito 4 or 5 Day Tour: Discover Ecuador's Andean Highlights
5.0
17 Ratings
Embark on a private 4 or 5-day tour from Cuenca to Quito and immerse yourself in the breathtaking beauty of Ecuador's Andean highlights. Discover Cotopaxi volcano, Quilotoa crater lake, Pailon del Diablo waterfall, indigenous markets, and more.
Duration: 5 days
Cancellation: 3 days learn more
Highlights

Cuenca – Ingapirca – Alausi

Ingapirca Archaeological Complex - From Cuenca we’ll travel 48 miles north direction to the Ingapirca archaeological site, it’s the largest Incan ruins in Ecuador which encapsulates the sophisticated Inca design, architecture, and engineering. You’ll discover how, the Incas merged their own community with the native indigenous called Cañaris. This is reflected in the two separate Temples of the Moon and Sun, dedicated to the beliefs of each culture.

Please notice the Ingapirca Ruins are closed on Mondays and Tuesdays. We can still visit the site from the outside or we can propose an alternative activity instead.

Estacion Ferrocarril - Explore one of the most interesting areas in our country. “The Devil’s Nose Mountain”. On this mountain the famous Devil’s Nose Train was built. In its day it was considered one of the greatest feats of railroad engineering that the world had seen. Even-though the train is not operating at the moment, we will be able to enjoy the charming landscape on a half an hour hike in Pistishi community.

What's Included
  • All taxes, fees and handling charges included
  • Delicious lunch provided
  • Choice of 3 or 4 nights’ accommodation
  • Expert licensed tour guide
  • Private transport for convenience
  • Daily breakfast included
What's Not Included
  • Gratuities
  • Travel insurance (Available under request)
Additional Information

A great option to discover the stunning scenery and highlights of the Ecuadorian Andes on our Cuenca to Quito (One way) private 4-day or 5-day tour. Alongside an experienced tour guide, explore top Ecuador’s highlights including Cotopaxi volcano, Quilotoa crater lake, Pailon del Diablo waterfall, indigenous markets, and the Ingapirca Inca ruins. Your package is inclusive of accommodation and most meals for a hassle-free experience.

Highlights

  • Enjoy a flexible and perzonalized private tour
  • Learn about Ecuador’s history, culture, nature and geology from your licensed guide.
  • Optional excursion to Chimborazo, for an added fee.
  • Upgrade to include accommodation in top hotels.
Cancellation Policy

If you cancel at least 4 day(s) before the scheduled departure time, you will receive a full refund.
If you cancel within 3 day(s) of the scheduled departure, you will receive a 0% refund.

Customer Ratings
5.0
(17 Ratings)
5 stars
4 stars
3 stars
2 stars
1 star
Input-from-eb
Dec 15, 2023
Beautiful scenery, fabulous guide, highly recommended! - We absolutely loved this tour! Our guide was Sebastian - he was always right on time, matched our activities to our needs and pace, and answered the millions of questions we asked with a smile…teaching us continuously for 5 days about the country, the landscape, the food, the people, the culture, etc. We had spectacular weather and so saw Cotopaxi, Quilotoa, Tingurahua and Chimborazo in all their glory. We loved the hikes, the views, the hummingbirds, and the history. We stayed in fabulous haciendas, and enjoyed lovely lunches. This tour is a great way to experience the Ecuadorian Andes. Enjoy!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Jamesd2779
Nov 16, 2023
You couldn’t hope for a more authentic, comfortable and expert way to see this beautiful country! - Wow what a tour we had! Javier was such a legend - so knowledgeable about everything Ecuador, perfect English, knew all the best spots and it even felt like he controlled the weather! Also he is a great driver, the transport was super comfortable and we saw and did everything we wanted to. All of the accommodation was great and the food was fantastic. Javier knew locals everywhere we went which helped to give us such an authentic feel of the country. I can’t recommend this tour highly enough - if you are considering it, just book it. You will not be disappointed!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Lhart62
Aug 30, 2023
Andean Mountains to Amazon, all in one day. - This is my third tour with Cuenca Tours and they again surpassed their previous tours. They were able to smoothly accommodate changes in plans due to delayed flights and each person we dealt with from their company was kind and generous with their time. We were taught and driven by tour guide Andres Leon, who we had requested from the year before. His knowledge on the history of the places we visited was wonderful, and he went out of his way to ensure the experience for each of us was unique. His love for his country was uplifting and we are grateful to him for all he shared. ( including his choice of lunch spots which helped to support local economy) .It was also lovely to go a bit off the beaten path and meet, listen and learn from local people which included the process of bean to chocolate, an art class from a local artist and participating unexpectedly in towns parades.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Paul_d
Jul 7, 2023
Viva Ecuador - It is jampacked with exciting historical places to visit and thrilling activities. Our tour guide Sebastian and our driver have been very helpful, knowledgeable, friendly, and courteous.
Review provided by Viator
X9955cpjamesc
Jul 4, 2023
Excellent Tour! - We did the 1-day tour from Guayaquil to Cuenca + 4 days from Cuenca to Quito. It was an amazing road trip. Sebastion was our tour guide. He is not only an excellent tour guide but also a great travel companion. Kudos to him we had a fantastic experience for the trip. Through him we also learned so much more about Ecaudor! We took the premium option. The hotels and the lunches arranged by Cuenca Bestour were all top quality. Highly recommended!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Rachel
May 12, 2023
Wonderful trip between Cuenca and Quito - My husband and I worked with Cuenca Bestours to plan a 6-day trip between Cuenca and Quito. Javier, the owner, was very easy to work with and tailored our trip specifically to our interests. He was very flexible about adding sights we wanted to see and removing ones we had already visited. He gave us a choice of accommodations (standard or first class) and we choose the standard hotels. Each hotel we stayed in was very good with excellent breakfasts. We enjoyed speaking with the owners of these smaller family-run hotels. The tour included lunches were also excellent. The first day, Sebastian was our driver/guide and Lincoln was our driver/guide the rest of the way. The landslide on the Panamerican Highway was the reason for the switch in drivers so that it would be easier for them to return at the end of the trip. Both Sebastian and Lincoln were excellent drivers – very careful especially when passing on the narrow mountain roads. They were both very knowledgeable about Ecuador and the sights we visited: Devil’s Nose Hike (unfortunately, the train is not running), Chimborazo Wildlife Refuge, Baños, Quilotoa Lake, Cotopaxi National Park and Limpiapungo lake, and Mindo Cloud Forest, hummingbird farm, and chocolate factory. Both Sebastian and Lincoln were very patient and encouraging as we are slow hikers and take lots of pictures. They were also very good about stopping for unique photo opportunities. Both were quite willing to take pictures of us with our camera. Lincoln also took photos with his cell camera during the trip and shared them with us which was very nice. Sebastian and Lincoln were always willing to discuss options and other things to do if we had extra time. It was also nice to share their insights as to what life is like in Ecuador and compare with the way things are done in the USA. It was a wonderful trip, and we enjoyed every minute. We would highly recommend working with Cuenca Bestours to plan your excursions in Ecuador.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Ethelc774
Mar 4, 2023
Off to new heights - Our 4 day trip covered so many incredible sights. Our guide and driver, Sebastian, gave us more information than we could ever hope to remember. The Ingapirca site was impressive along with the Inca trail. We made the hike to the second refuge on Chimborazo reaching 4867 m (16,000 ft.). This was the highlight of the entire trip. Our stop in Alausi for lunch and shopping gave us an opportunity to eat local foods and buy local crafts. The Alpaca sweaters there were an incredible buy. The Treehouse in Banos with its swing was not for the feint of heart! Crater Lake was a beautiful sight. We were fortunate that the skies were mostly clear so we could see the lake. Each time I mentioned that I wanted to find a hat, honey, or a jacket, Sebastian would know a place to find the items I wanted. The hotels we stayed in were first rate, the food along the journey was interesting and tasty and plentiful. I can’t say enough good things about our guide, Sebastian or about the company he works for, Cuencas Bestours and Javier the owner. I would use them again if we ever return to Ecuador.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Vnadfw
May 24, 2022
Great Guide = Terrific vacation. Absolutely one of the best tour guides we've had. - When you go to a country far away from home...it is good to have a friend. Javier (and Sebastian) put up a perfect tour for us, showed us mainland Ecuador south to north... we were put up in some of the best hotels, did all activities we wanted to do and we had an absolute great time for all the five days. Thank you, Javier!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Azuro5
Feb 22, 2022
Avenue of Volcanoes 5 day tour - Greatly enjoyed this trip and we were very well looked after by Cuenca Bestours. The Andean region in Ecuador is really beautiful and we enjoyed staying in the haciendas out in the countryside. Especially loved the day trip to Quilotoa Lake and could have spent more time hiking in the nearby countryside. Thank you Javier, Wilson and Andres!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Ioanac478
Aug 28, 2021
Excellent tour - Memorable experience from beginning to end. We got to see the highlights along the way from Cuenca to Quito (Ingapirca, Banos, Quilotoa, Cotopaxi, to name a few), as well as some off the beaten path attractions like visits to local markets. We wouldn't have been able to organize everything so well on our own. Devil's Nose is not to be missed even if the train is not working right now. Javier was an excellent guide.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Select Date and Tickets
up to 15 guests
1 Adult
May 2024
Sun
Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu
Fri
Sat
Today