Self-Launched Andes to Amazon Adventure in Ecuador

Fly into Mariscal Sucre International Airport (UIO). Take the Aeropuerto–Centro Histórico bus (Ecovía or a local bus connection, ~£1.50) or a pre-booked airport transfer taxi (~£8-10) into the city centre. Check into a hostel in the UNESCO-listed colonial old town — options like Community Hostel or Selina Quito offer dorms from around £12 or private rooms from £25. Spend the afternoon wandering Plaza Grande, La Compañía de Jesús church, and the atmospheric Baroque streets. Head out for a solo or group dinner at one of the excellent local restaurants — try a set lunch menu (almuerzo) for around £3-5.

🚌Airport to city centre: local bus ~£1.50 or taxi ~£8-10

🛏Hostel in Quito colonial centre (e.g. Community Hostel or Selina Quito) — dorm from £12/night, private from £25/night

• →Explore Quito's UNESCO-listed colonial centre on foot
• →Visit Plaza Grande and La Compañía de Jesús Baroque church
• →Acclimatise to Quito's 9,350ft altitude with a gentle evening stroll
• →Welcome dinner at a local restaurant in the old town

Rise early and take a shared shuttle or intercity bus from Quitumbe terminal south towards Latacunga (~£2.50, 1.5 hrs). From Latacunga, arrange a shared taxi or day-tour minibus to Cotopaxi National Park (many operators run day trips from Latacunga for ~£15-20 including park entry). Pay the national park entrance fee (~£5) and hike the stunning Laguna Limpiopungo trail at 12,465ft — an easy, flat 2-mile loop around the lagoon beneath Rumiñahui volcano, with Cotopaxi's snow-capped cone behind you. Watch for finches, shore birds, and wild horses. After the hike, catch a bus or shared taxi from Latacunga south to Baños (~£2-3, 1.5 hrs). Check into a hostel in Baños — La Casa Verde or Hostal Isla de Baños are popular budget picks with dorms from £10.

🚌Quito to Latacunga: intercity bus from Quitumbe terminal ~£2.50. Latacunga to Cotopaxi NP: shared taxi/day-tour ~£15-20 incl. park entry. Latacunga to Baños: bus ~£2-3

🛏Hostel in Baños (e.g. La Casa Verde or Hostal Isla de Baños) — dorm from £10/night, private from £20/night

• →Hike the Laguna Limpiopungo loop trail (2 mi, ~1 hr) at 12,465ft
• →Spot Andean wildlife: finches, shore birds, and wild horses
• →Photograph Cotopaxi volcano (19,347ft) — one of the world's highest active volcanoes
• →Arrive and settle into Baños, Ecuador's adventure capital

Rent a bike in Baños for the day (~£5-8) and pedal the famous Ruta de las Cascadas — a thrilling, mostly downhill 11-mile route following the Pastaza River gorge past spectacular waterfalls. Stop at Agoyan Waterfall for views, then at Manto de la Novia where you can cross the canyon by cable car or zip line for an extra £3-5 (payable locally). Finish at Río Verde village, from where it's a 30-minute walk down to Pailón del Diablo (Cauldron of the Devil) — one of Ecuador's most powerful waterfalls. Entry is ~£2. Grab a truck or bus back to Baños (£1) and stop for lunch at a local comedora (~£3-4). In the afternoon, hire a taxi up to Casa del Árbol and the famous 'Swing at the End of the World' with its jaw-dropping views over Tungurahua volcano (~£5 return taxi, £2 swing entry). Return to Baños and choose your own dinner spot — the street food scene is excellent and cheap.

🚌Bike rental in Baños ~£5-8/day. Truck/bus back from Río Verde ~£1. Taxi to Casa del Árbol ~£5 return

🛏Hostel in Baños (same as Day 2)

• →Cycle the Ruta de las Cascadas (11 mi, mostly downhill)
• →Visit Agoyan Waterfall and Manto de la Novia waterfall
• →Optional zip line or cable car across the canyon (~£3-5 extra)
• →Hike to Pailón del Diablo (Cauldron of the Devil) waterfall (~£2 entry)
• →Ride the famous 'Swing at the End of the World' at Casa del Árbol (~£2)

Book a canyoning session in Chamana Canyon through one of Baños's many local adventure operators — Geotours, Pura Vida, or Expediciones Amazónicas all offer half-day canyoning for around £25-35 per person, with gear included. You'll hike, rappel (up to a breathtaking 131ft waterfall rappel!), slide, swim, and jump through pristine rainforest and crystal-clear pools — guides are safety-certified and provide all instruction. You'll be back in Baños by early afternoon with time for a self-paid lunch. Spend the afternoon at your own pace: soak in the town's famous natural thermal baths (~£3 entry), browse the local taffy (melcocha) shops, or hike a nearby trail. Dinner is your own choice tonight — Baños has everything from pizza to ceviche.

🚌Local — all activities within reach of Baños on foot or short taxi

🛏Hostel in Baños (same as Day 2) — last night in Baños

• →Half-day canyoning in Chamana Canyon: rappel, slide, swim and jump through 4 waterfalls
• →Final 131ft waterfall rappel — the highlight of the canyon
• →Afternoon free: soak in Baños thermal baths (~£3) or explore town
• →Self-chosen dinner in Baños

Catch an early morning bus from Baños to Puyo (~£2, 1 hr), then a connecting bus to Misahuallí or Tena (~£3, 1.5-2 hrs). From here, arrange a transfer to your jungle lodge — several community-run and boutique lodges operate in the Alto Misahuallí area, such as Arajuno Jungle Lodge or La Casa del Suizo. Budget lodges/ecolodges with meals start from around £40-60 per person per night. After arriving and settling in with lunch, head out with a local nature guide (booked through your lodge, ~£10-15 extra) to explore the Ushpayacu Estuary — a remarkable network of natural springs and water sources leading to Ushpayacu Waterfalls. Cool off with a wild swim in the crystal-clear rainforest pools. Return to the lodge for a locally sourced dinner. Opt into the optional nocturnal wildlife walk with your guide (~£8-10 extra) to spot frogs, insects, and nocturnal mammals.

🚌Baños to Puyo: bus ~£2. Puyo to Misahuallí/Tena: bus ~£3. Local transfer to lodge: ~£8-10

🛏Amazon jungle lodge with meals included (e.g. Arajuno Jungle Lodge or similar ecolodge) — from £40-60/person/night all-inclusive

• →Jungle hike through the Ushpayacu Estuary (7 mi, ~5 hrs)
• →Wild swim at Ushpayacu Waterfalls deep in the rainforest
• →Spot Amazonian wildlife: birds, monkeys, reptiles
• →Optional nocturnal wildlife walk after dinner (~£8-10 extra)

After breakfast at the lodge, join a half-day river kayaking session on the Alto Misahuallí River, arranged through your lodge or a local operator in Misahuallí (~£20-25 including guide and gear). Navigate Class II rapids with a qualified guide who'll coach you through the best lines and keep you safe. The riverbanks are draped in dense jungle and you may spot birds and river wildlife from the water. Return to the lodge for lunch. In the afternoon, relax and enjoy the lodge's natural surroundings — hammocks, river swimming, or birdwatching. In the evening, take part in a local cooking class organised through the lodge or a nearby indigenous community (~£12-18), learning to prepare traditional Amazonian dishes using locally grown ingredients.

🚌All local — transfer to river put-in arranged through lodge (~£5)

🛏Amazon jungle lodge (same as Day 5)

• →Half-day river kayaking on the Alto Misahuallí River (Class II rapids)
• →Birdwatching and wildlife spotting from the river
• →Afternoon relaxation at the jungle lodge
• →Amazon cooking class with locally grown ingredients (~£12-18)

Today's centrepiece is a full-day whitewater rafting trip on the Jatunyacu River — a glacial tributary of the Amazon fed by snowmelt from Cotopaxi. Book through your lodge or directly with local operators like Ríos Ecuador or Aguas Bravas (~£30-40 per person, all gear included). You'll tackle a lively Class III stretch of whitewater, paddling through rolling rapids and quieter jungle-lined sections. A picnic lunch is typically included and can be enjoyed on a remote river beach. Cool off with a swim in calmer sections. Return to the lodge by early evening for your final Amazon dinner — a great chance to share stories with fellow travellers you've met along the way.

🚌Transfer to river put-in arranged through lodge or operator (~£5-8 return)

🛏Amazon jungle lodge (same as Day 5) — last night in the Amazon

• →Full-day Class III whitewater rafting on the Jatunyacu River
• →Picnic lunch on a remote Amazon river beach
• →River swimming in calm sections
• →Final dinner at the Amazon lodge

Start the morning with a gentle yoga session at the lodge — many Amazon lodges offer morning yoga, or follow a free guided session online. After breakfast, arrange transport back towards Quito, stopping at the famous Papallacta Hot Springs en route. Take a bus or shared shuttle from Tena/Misahuallí towards Quito and ask to be dropped at Papallacta (~£6-8, ~3 hrs). Check into Termas de Papallacta or the nearby Hostería Los Pinos — public thermal bath entry is around £5-8. The complex includes several thermal pools set against stunning Andean scenery. Treat yourself to a massage or private pool access for an extra charge. Enjoy a group dinner at the Papallacta spa restaurant or a local spot nearby — a memorable final evening.

🚌Misahuallí/Tena to Papallacta: shared shuttle or bus via Quito route ~£6-8

🛏Hostería or spa hotel near Papallacta hot springs (e.g. Hostería Los Pinos or similar) — from £25-45/night

• →Morning yoga session at the jungle lodge
• →Soak in Papallacta's volcanic thermal baths (~£5-8 public entry)
• →Optional private thermal pools or spa massage (extra charge)
• →Final group dinner and photo-sharing at Papallacta

Enjoy a final leisurely morning soaking in the thermal baths before checkout. Grab breakfast at the hotel or a local café. Take a shared bus or shuttle from Papallacta back to Quito (~£3-5, 1.5 hrs) — buses run regularly and will drop you at the city centre or you can connect to the airport. If your flight is later in the day, consider storing luggage at your Quito hostel and making one last stop at a rooftop café in the colonial centre for a farewell lunch. A taxi from Quito city centre to the airport costs around £8-10, or take the Aeropuerto bus for ~£2.

🚌Papallacta to Quito: shared bus/shuttle ~£3-5. Quito city to airport: taxi ~£8-10 or Aeropuerto bus ~£2

🛏N/A — departure day

• →Final morning soak in Papallacta thermal baths
• →Scenic 1.5-hour bus ride back through the Andes to Quito
• →Optional last wander through Quito's old town before departure
• →Transfer to Mariscal Sucre International Airport (UIO)