Quito to Lima: Surf Towns & Hot Springs – Self-Launched

Fly into Quito's Mariscal Sucre International Airport (UIO). Take the Aerobús public service or a pre-booked transfer into the city centre (~£3–5 by bus). Check into a hostel in the lively La Mariscal or La Floresta neighbourhood. Head out to a local craft beer bar in the evening and meet fellow travellers — Quito's hostel bar scene makes this easy.

🚌Aerobús from airport to city centre (~£3)

🛏Hostal Casa Helbling or Secret Garden Quito (~£12–16/night in dorm)

• →Explore La Mariscal neighbourhood on foot
• →Try local craft beers at a neighbourhood bar
• →Optional: book a city walking tour for Day 2 via GetYourGuide (~£10)

Take an early morning bus from Quito's Quitumbe terminal to Tena (roughly 4.5 hrs, ~£5). On arrival, arrange a local shared truck or mototaxi out to the Quichua community of Pimpilala, where you can book a community homestay directly or through a local eco-tourism cooperative. Sleep in rustic wooden jungle huts and enjoy traditional Quichua hospitality and home-cooked meals.

🚌Bus Quito → Tena (~£5), shared truck/mototaxi to community (~£2)

🛏Pimpilala community huts or Cotococha Amazon Lodge dorm (~£15–20/night including meals)

• →Bus journey through the Andes cloud forest descent
• →Community welcome and traditional dinner with local family
• →Evening jungle sounds walk

Spend the day on guided nature walks with a community guide. Learn about medicinal plants, local traditions, and Quichua cultural beliefs deep in the Amazon. Optionally visit a local animal rescue and rehabilitation centre — several operate near Tena and can be visited independently for a small donation (~£5–8).

🚌On foot / mototaxi locally (~£2)

🛏Pimpilala community huts or local eco-lodge (~£15–20/night)

• →Guided nature walk with community guide (~£10–15 self-booked)
• →Medicinal plant demonstration
• →Optional: Animal rescue centre visit (~£5–8)

Rent a bicycle in Tena (~£5/day) and cycle to the nearby community of Shandia. Many community cooperatives here offer guided cacao farm and chocolate-making demonstrations bookable direct on arrival (~£8–12). Enjoy a fresh local lunch in the community and stay at a community eco-lodge overnight.

🚌Bicycle hire (~£5)

🛏Shandia community lodge (~£15–18/night, meals included)

• →Cycling from Tena to Shandia (~£5 bike hire)
• →Cacao farm tour and chocolate-making demonstration (~£10)
• →Fresh local community lunch included in lodge package

Take a morning bus from Tena to Baños via Puyo (~3 hrs total, ~£4–6 with connection). Baños is Ecuador's adventure capital — set beneath the active Tungurahua volcano. Check into a hostel and book your adrenaline activities for today and tomorrow: rafting, canyoning, mountain biking, and horseback riding are all easy to book on arrival directly with local operators.

🚌Bus Tena → Puyo → Baños (~£5–6)

🛏Plantas y Blanco or Hostal Plantas y Blanco dorm (~£10–14/night)

• →Afternoon white-water rafting on the Pastaza River (~£15–20 self-booked)
• →Horseback riding to Bellavista viewpoint (~£12 self-booked)
• →Evening stroll and taffy-candy street stalls (Baños is famous for 'melcocha')

A full free day to explore Baños at your own pace. Mountain bike the famous Ruta de las Cascadas — a spectacular 17km downhill through waterfalls bookable independently for just the bike hire (~£5–8). Try canyoning or ziplining with local operators (from ~£20–30). Soak in the thermal hot springs at Balneario de la Virgen in the evening (~£2 entry).

🚌Local and bicycle (~£5–8)

🛏Hostal in Baños (~£10–14/night)

• →Ruta de las Cascadas mountain bike descent (~£5–8 bike hire)
• →Optional canyoning with local operator (~£20–30)
• →Optional ziplining (~£15–20)
• →Evening soak at Balneario de la Virgen hot springs (~£2)

Take an afternoon or evening bus from Baños to Guayaquil (~5–6 hrs, ~£8–10). Guayaquil is Ecuador's largest city and port. If arriving at a reasonable hour, take a walk along the famous Malecón 2000 waterfront promenade. Otherwise, rest up ahead of the coastal leg of the trip.

🚌Bus Baños → Guayaquil (~£8–10)

🛏Nümad Hostel Guayaquil or similar (~£10–14/night dorm)

• →Malecón 2000 waterfront walk
• →Las Peñas colourful hillside neighbourhood stroll
• →Street food dinner at local mercado (~£4–6)

Take a morning bus from the Guayaquil terminal to Montañita (~3.5 hrs, ~£5–7). Montañita is Ecuador's most famous surf town — a chilled beach village with a great backpacker vibe. Rent a surfboard (~£8–10/day) or book a surf lesson with a local instructor (~£20–25). The town comes alive at night with beachside bars and bonfires.

🚌Bus Guayaquil → Montañita (~£6)

🛏Hostal Papaya or Baja Montañita (~£10–14/night dorm)

• →Surfing or surf lesson with local instructor (~£20–25)
• →Beach time and swimming
• →Beachside bar evening with fellow travellers

Another day of surf, sun, and Pacific coast vibes. Hire a bike and cycle to nearby Olón — a quieter beach just 3km north — for a peaceful morning swim. Return for more surf or try a stand-up paddleboard session. In the afternoon, explore the local craft market and try fresh ceviche at one of the beachfront restaurants.

🚌Bicycle locally (~£3–5)

🛏Hostal in Montañita (~£10–14/night dorm)

• →Cycle to Olón beach (~£3–5 bike hire)
• →Stand-up paddleboard session (~£10)
• →Fresh ceviche lunch at local restaurant (~£4–6)
• →Craft market browse

Take a bus north along the coast from Montañita toward the Peru border at Huaquillas/Aguas Verdes. Cross the border on foot (~£0, just passport stamp) and pick up a connecting bus or shared colectivo to Máncora (~total journey 7–9 hrs, ~£12–18). Máncora is Peru's premier surf and party beach town with a great backpacker scene.

🚌Bus Montañita → border, colectivo/bus to Máncora (~£14–18 total)

🛏Loki Hostel Máncora or DCO Suites (~£10–15/night dorm)

• →Border crossing experience at Huaquillas–Aguas Verdes
• →Arrival and evening on Máncora's main strip

Spend the day at one of Peru's best beaches. Take a mototaxi out to the Piscinas Naturales (natural rock pools) at Los Órganos (~£2 each way) — perfect for snorkelling. Rent a surfboard or take a beginner lesson on Máncora's consistent waves. Fresh seafood is excellent and affordable at local restaurants.

🚌Mototaxi locally (~£4)

🛏Hostel in Máncora (~£10–15/night dorm)

• →Surfboard hire or lesson (~£10–15)
• →Mototaxi to Piscinas Naturales (~£2 each way)
• →Snorkelling at natural rock pools
• →Fresh ceviche or seafood dinner (~£5–8)

Book an overnight bus from Máncora to Trujillo with Cruz del Sur or Oltursa (~7 hrs, ~£12–16). Arrive in the morning and check into a hostel. Trujillo is one of Peru's most elegant colonial cities with a vibrant main plaza. Visit the nearby Chan Chan ruins — the largest pre-Columbian city in South America — bookable directly at the site (~£4 entry).

🚌Overnight bus Máncora → Trujillo (~£14)

🛏Overnight bus (sleeping seat, ~£12–16) + arrive early morning

• →Chan Chan archaeological ruins visit (~£4 entry, combo ticket with Huaca de la Luna)
• →Huaca de la Luna pyramid (~included in combo)
• →Plaza de Armas colonial architecture walk

Take a bus from Trujillo to Ica (~8 hrs, Cruz del Sur or Oltursa, ~£12–15), then a short taxi/colectivo to the oasis lagoon of Huacachina (~£2). This desert oasis surrounded by massive sand dunes is unmissable. Book a sandboarding and dune buggy session through a local operator directly on arrival (~£10–15 per person) — far cheaper than pre-booking.

🚌Bus Trujillo → Ica (~£13), taxi to Huacachina (~£2)

🛏Desert Nights Hostel or Huacachina Hostel (~£10–14/night dorm)

• →Sandboarding on the Huacachina dunes (~£10–15)
• →Dune buggy sunset ride (~included in package)
• →Sunset from the dunes over the oasis

Take a morning bus from Ica to Lima (~4.5 hrs, ~£8–12 with Cruz del Sur or TEPSA). Arrive in Lima and head to the Miraflores or Barranco neighbourhood — both have great hostels and Lima's incredible food scene. Lima is one of Latin America's culinary capitals: eat ceviche at the Surquillo market, try anticuchos (beef heart skewers) from a street vendor, or splash out on a set lunch at a top restaurant for ~£15–20.

🚌Bus Ica → Lima (~£10)

🛏Kokopelli Hostel Miraflores or The Point Hostel Miraflores (~£12–16/night dorm)

• →Miraflores clifftop Parque del Amor walk
• →Surquillo Market food tour (self-guided)
• →Ceviche lunch at Mercado Surquillo (~£5–8)
• →Barranco bohemian neighbourhood evening

Spend your final morning exploring Lima's historic centre (Centro Histórico) — a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Visit the Plaza Mayor, the Monastery of San Francisco with its famous catacombs (~£4 entry), and pick up souvenirs at Mercado Indio. Head to Jorge Chávez International Airport for your departure flight. Book the Airport Express Lima bus from Miraflores (~£4) for a hassle-free transfer.

🚌Airport Express Lima bus to Jorge Chávez Airport (~£4)

🛏Check-out (or final night in Lima hostel ~£12–16 if late flight)

• →Centro Histórico walking tour (self-guided, free)
• →Monastery of San Francisco & catacombs (~£4)
• →Final ceviche or Peruvian lunch (~£6–10)
• →Airport Express Lima bus to airport (~£4)