NUEVO MUNDO EXPEDITIONSHandcrafted adventures in Ecuador since 1979 Don’t miss complementing your stay with these cultural and adventure programs for a better understanding of what makes Ecuador so captivating for travellers and potential ex-pats the world over!Bellavista Cloud Forest (NME-01) August 1 – Full day tourEcuador has the greatest number of hummingbirds and orchids in the world. This outing not only converts anyone into a birdwatcher, but also makes it easy when these fast-zooming creatures hover over strikingly colorful wildflowers. Leave Quito in the early morning hours to bird along the way to a unique ornithological reserve in the cloud forests of the western Andes. Right at breakfast you will feast your eyes on dozens of hummingbirds curiously swarming around flowering bushes. Then take a hike to explore the lush surrounding vegetation, while your bird list starts to increase. Lunch and more afternoon fun before returning to the city. Come and see — it’s fantastic! (BL)USD 90 per person (minimum 3 people) – includes transportation, professional guide, nature hikes, breakfast, and lunch.Colonial Quito (NME-02) OR Equator Monument (NME-03) August 2 – 8:30 AM to 12:30 PMChoose one of these tours for an eye-opening morning!Quito’s colonial area is the best preserved in the whole of Latin America. See historical Plaza Grande, a forgotten cloister, picturesque La Ronda Street, dazzling gold-covered La Compañía Church, bustling San Francisco Square, a bird’s-eye view atop Panecillo Hill, plus some more great surprises. Ecuador is named for the equator it straddles. Experience an interactive, open-air museum that proves you’re on latitude zero, plus a forgotten village where the original 1936 monument awaits you, away from the tourist crowds.USD 25 per person – includes transportation, professional guide, and entrance fees. Minimum 2 people.Chocolate-making lesson (NME-04) August 3 – 6:30 PM to 8:30 PMEcuadorian cacao has become increasingly famous around the world and chocolatiers have recognized its incredible aroma and taste. Now, it’s your turn to make chocolate from scratch! Start by roasting the cacao beans, then peel them, grind them, and turn them into a delicious chocolate sauce. Have it over fresh fruit and enjoy a nice, homemade dessert!USD 30 per person – includes transportation from Swissôtel, instructor, ingredients, and chocolate tasting.Antisana Condor Reserve (NME-05) August 5 – Full day tourAntisana Volcano is a massive snowcap that surpasses 5,700 m (19,000 ft) above sea level, but because of its position some 48 km (30 miles) southeast of Quito, it is well away from any major road. We can take you there in just a day’s outing to enjoy its main attraction: the Andean condor. The páramos also highlight unusual bromeliads called “puyas”, “frailejones”, Andean cushion plants, and a variety of birds and other species that flock around small lagoons and deep ravines, cut by 200-year old lava flows.USD 80 per person (minimum 4 people) – includes transportation, professional guide, and lunch.Otavalo backcountry (NME-06) August 5-6Day 1: Visit the Otavalo region our way. Get to know its people in-depth through cultural interaction. We leave early in the morning to reach more than just one market site for greater variety and fun. Then we enjoy the landscapes and quaint indigenous villages in the afternoon, including a visit to musicians, weavers, and other artisans. Surprise activity in the afternoon! In the evening, enjoy dinner home-cooked with love and overnight at a lodge in the foothills of sacred Imbabura, the Father Mountain that looks after us. (LD)Day 2: Take the old cobblestone roads unknown to regular tour groups to witness the natural, everyday lifestyles of these remarkable people that have managed to combine the best of their two worlds. We will also see a rose plantation, not only a most colorful visit, but also an excellent example of the many possibilities that Ecuador offers for the export business. Optional visit to the Quitsato Monument in Cayambe which straddles the equator. We will return to Quito in the afternoon with fond memories of this “awakening valley”. (BL)USD 255 per person (double occupancy) – includes transportation, professional guide, accommodations, 4 meals, and activities. Minimum 4 people.Cuenca via the Central Andes (NME-07) August 6-10Day 1. Quito / Indigenous market / Baños Morning departure via the Avenue of Volcanoes through the central Andean plateau to a weekly market packed with color and tradition. Fruits and vegetables will be interspersed with handcraft bargains, like ponchos, scarves, baskets and more. We then take a fork in the road and descend into the lush eastern valleys, interrupted by the striking Pastaza River Canyon. It is here where we might get a glimpse of one of Ecuador´s most active volcanoes, Mt Tungurahua. We will overnight at a small, cozy hotel in town. (LD) Day 2. Cloud Forest / Riobamba Early morning rise for an invigorating dip in the thermal springs in the outskirts of town. After a hearty breakfast, we take a field trip along the Pastaza River Canyon into the lush cloud forests and then backtrack to the main road and head towards Riobamba, near Mt Chimborazo, a snowcapped giant that surpasses Mt Everest from the earth´s center by 7,049 feet (geodetically speaking)! Overnight at a lodge in the outskirts of town. (BLD)Day 3. Devil´s Nose Train / Ingapirca We journey south, past beautiful indigenous villages to reach the famous Devil’s Nose railway section in the town of Alausí. This incredible engineering feat of the early 20th century uses three switchbacks to descend more than 1,000 feet in a just a few miles of track. After catching our breath and emotions, we continue by road to the region of Ingapirca, where we will be guest at an old colonial hacienda with delightful rooms and warm hospitality to keep us cozy (in addition to a hot water bottle under the covers!). Afternoon visit to Ingapirca, Ecuador’s most important and largest archaeological complex that combines Cañari and Incan cultures. (BLD) Day 4. Ingapirca / Cuenca After breakfast, we continue our journey south to Cuenca, a World Cultural Heritage site. Afternoon visit to the Panama hat cottage industry, museums, handcraft centers, squares, and more. Overnight in the heart of town at a charming colonial establishment with modern-day conveniences. (BL) Day 5. Cuenca Today your personable guide will take you to the outskirts of town to either Chordeleg and Cualaceo villages, or the lush Yunguilla Valley, depending on your interests. (BL)USD 790 per person (double occupancy) – includes transportation, professional guide, accommodations, meals as indicated B breakfast – L lunch – D dinner, train ticket, and museum fees. * Tour ends in Cuenca; minimum 4 people.Manatee Amazon Explorer cruise (NME-08) August 6-10We own and operate the only cruise in the Ecuadorian Amazon basin. Travel in comfort and explore one of the most biologically diverse places on Earth, including the Yasuní National Park, Pañacocha Reserve, and Añangu Community.For full tour information please check our website: www.manateeamazonexplorer.travelUSD 1,065 per person (double occupancy) – includes accommodations, meals on board, guided excursions, rt airfare to Coca, and entrance fees.NOTE: We specialize in tailoring adventures for your specific interests, so if there is anything you want to do or see but it is not mentioned here, just drop us an email with your request and we will make it happen!For inquiries and reservations, please email us at operations@nuevomundoexpeditions.com
