Ecuador Self-Launched: Amazon, Cloud Forests & Crater Lakes
9 days · Ecuador
G Adventures charges £700
No-markup version: ~£560 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched 9-day loop from Quito hitting the same beats as the G Adventures 18-to-Thirtysomethings trip: an Amazon community lodge near Tena with cacao and waterfall walks, a bike ride to the Shandia community, adventure capital Baños with hot springs and canyon swings, and the turquoise crater lake of Quilotoa with a Kichua community visit. You book the same lodges, buses and local guides directly instead of paying for a group leader, private vehicle and set departure. Costs are rough backpacker estimates in GBP and exclude international flights.
Day-by-day
Arrive Quito — old town and altitude acclimatisation
Quito
Land at Mariscal Sucre airport (check the runway closure dates in the source notes if travelling in 2026) and take an authorised taxi or the shuttle into the centre — around £8-12 for 45 minutes. Check into a hostel in La Mariscal or the old town (Hostel Revolution, Secret Garden Quito and Community Hostel are reliable solo-friendly picks). Quito sits at 2,850m, so take it easy: wander Plaza Grande, the Basílica and La Ronda, then eat locro de papa (potato soup) and empanadas de viento for under £5. Buy your bus tickets for tomorrow from the Quitumbe terminal or a local agency tonight.
🚌Airport taxi/shuttle ~£10
🛏Hostel dorm in La Mariscal or Centro Histórico, ~£12/night
- →Old town orientation walk (Plaza Grande, La Ronda)
- →Buy Quito–Tena bus ticket
- →Optional: free walking tour of the historic centre
Bus into the Amazon — Tena and cacao
Tena
Morning bus from Quito's Quitumbe terminal to Tena with Cooperativa Baños or Amazonas — roughly 5-6 hours, £8-10, dropping steeply through cloud forest into the Amazon basin. From Tena take a local taxi or pickup (£3-5) to your jungle lodge; several community-run lodges around Shandia and Ahuano (e.g. Shandia Lodge, Yacuma, or Amazon PSI) will arrange a guide for a chocolate-making session from bean to bar for around £10-15 per person. If cacao is in season you'll pod it yourself. Eat dinner at the lodge (included-style set meals ~£5).
🚌Bus Quito–Tena ~£9; local taxi/pickup ~£4
🛏Community-run Amazon lodge, dorm or basic double, ~£15-18/night including meals
- →Cacao and chocolate-making experience with a local family
- →Jungle night walk with lodge guide (optional, ~£8)
Bike to Shandia community & Pimpilala waterfalls
Tena
Hire a mountain bike in Tena (around £8-10 for the day) or arrange one through your lodge and ride the back roads to the Kichua community of Shandia — rivers, banana and cacao plots, and a chance to buy crafts direct from families. Ask your host to arrange a community visit so your money goes straight to the village. In the afternoon take a local guide (or walk with the lodge) to the Pimpilala waterfalls and swim in the natural pool at the base — guide fee roughly £8-12. Back at the lodge, free time for river swimming and wildlife spotting (toucans, monkeys if you're lucky).
🚌Bike hire ~£9; no bus needed
🛏Community-run Amazon lodge, ~£15-18/night
- →Mountain bike hire and ride to Shandia community
- →Guided walk to Pimpilala waterfalls and swim
- →River beach wildlife spotting
Public bus Tena to Baños — hot springs
Baños
Exactly what the group tour does: the local bus from Tena to Baños (Cooperativa Baños/Amazonas, ~3.5-4 hours, £4-5) with dramatic views of the Pastaza valley and Tungurahua volcano. Check into a hostel in Baños (Hostel Princesa María, Plantas y Blanco, or similar, £10-14 dorm). Afternoon: soak at the Termas de la Virgen hot springs (£3-4) or the fancier El Salado pools, then dinner on the strip (grilled trout, choclo con queso) for £5-7.
🚌Public bus ~£5; local taxis ~£3
🛏Hostel dorm in Baños, ~£12/night
- →Scenic public bus Tena–Baños
- →Termas de la Virgen hot springs
Baños adventure day — canyon swing, zipline, canyoning
Baños
Book direct with local operators the night before — Baños is full of them and prices are public: Casa del Árbol 'swing at the end of the world' entrance ~£2 (take a local bus or shared taxi, ~£2 each way), zipline bundle ~£20, canyoning ~£25, rafting ~£28. Pick two to keep costs sane, or combine Casa del Árbol plus the Ruta de las Cascadas by rented bike (£8) past the Pailón del Diablo waterfall (£2 entry). Evening: salsa bar or 2x1 cocktails on Calle 16 de Diciembre.
🚌Local bus/shared taxi ~£5
🛏Hostel dorm in Baños, ~£12/night
- →Casa del Árbol swing
- →Zipline bundle or canyoning with local operator
- →Ruta de las Cascadas bike ride and Pailón del Diablo
- →Optional whitewater rafting
Baños to Quilotoa via Tigua art workshops
Quilotoa
Take a bus to Latacunga (~2 hours, £3) then a local bus or shared pickup up to Quilotoa village (~2.5 hours, £3-4); alternatively book a shared shuttle from Baños direct for ~£12-15. Break the journey around Tigua — the village is famous for its painted sheepskin art, and the workshops along the highway welcome drop-ins (small tip or purchase expected). From the rim, hike the steep trail down to the crater lake (roughly 45-60 minutes down, 1-1.5 hours back up — allow for altitude at 3,800m) or hire a mule for the climb back (£8-10). Check into a simple hostal or eco-lodge on the rim (~£15/person, multi-share is standard here). Bring cash — ATMs are scarce.
🚌Local buses Baños–Latacunga–Quilotoa ~£8
🛏Rim-side eco-lodge/hostal near Quilotoa, ~£15/night
- →Tigua painted-art workshop visit
- →Hike down to Quilotoa crater lake
- →Sunset over the caldera
Guayama Grande Kichua community day
Quilotoa
Arrange a visit to the Guayama Grande / Kichua Panzaleo community directly through your lodge or the community tourism office in Quilotoa (entrance and guided visit roughly £8-12). Spend the morning learning about local weaving, farming and daily life, with lunch at the community restaurant (~£4). Afternoon back at the lodge: cards, journal, or walk part of the Quilotoa Loop rim trail for free. Optional extras include a traditional weaving workshop or cooking demo (~£8-10 each).
🚌Local pickup ~£4
🛏Rim-side eco-lodge/hostal near Quilotoa, ~£15/night
- →Guayama Grande community visit
- →Optional weaving workshop or cooking demonstration
- →Rim trail walk
Quilotoa back to Quito — La Carolina and a night out
Quito
Morning bus back via Latacunga to Quito (~3.5-4 hours, £7-9). Check into a hostel, then eat your way through the afternoon: ceviche, llapingachos, and the Mercado Central for £6-8. Walk La Carolina Park and the Botanical Garden (£2 entry) at golden hour, then head to La Mariscal or the La Ronda bars for a final night out — hostels here run pub crawls if you want instant company.
🚌Buses Latacunga–Quito ~£8; city taxis ~£5
🛏Hostel dorm in Quito, ~£12/night
- →Mercado Central food crawl
- →La Carolina Park and Botanical Garden
- →Night out in La Mariscal
Depart Quito
Quito
Free morning for last-minute shopping at the Mercado Artesanal or a coffee in the old town, then an authorised taxi to the airport (~£10). If you have time, add a day trip to Mitad del Mundo or the TelefériQo cable car (£7) before flying. Remember to leave a buffer for the 2026 runway closure dates flagged by the operator.
🚌Airport taxi ~£10
🛏None (departure day)
- →Optional Mitad del Mundo or TelefériQo visit
- →Souvenir shopping
Self-launched vs. G Adventures
| This itinerary (self-launched) | G Adventures | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£560 | £700 |
| Duration | 9 days | 9 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £140 per person (20%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more G Adventures-style trips? Check them out here.~£560
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.
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Frequently asked questions
How much does Ecuador Self-Launched: Amazon, Cloud Forests & Crater Lakes cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £560 per person for 9 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 £700 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £560 — a saving of roughly £140 (20%) per person.
How long is the Ecuador trip?+
This itinerary runs 9 days, covering 9 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, backpacker, 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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