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Welcome and
Orientation:
Upon your arrival, you are welcomed and guided to your room. Unpack and settle in by relaxing and unwinding by the game room, outdoor heated pool or whirlpool. Meet others from this group by the pool and enjoy corn pastries (humitas), tamales and coffee this evening. The cook will prepare traditional and authentic Ecuadorian meals, giving you a true Ecuadorian experience.
Your adventure vacation menu and excursion itinerary will be discussed with a resort representative. All food served and prepared is 100% organic. Breakfast will consist of eggs, bread, coffee or tea and an exotic tropical juice. Vegetarian meals can also be easily prepared.
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Breakfast is served from 6:00 am to 8:00 am.
At 8:30 am, a private tour bus will take you to the great farmers market located in Tumbaco where fresh fruits and vegetables are sold. You will see a wonderful array of colorful, edible and exotic items.
Freshest Local Foods
Farmers market, Rain Forest: Welcome and Animal Rescue Center-El Arca
You continue on you expedition to a paradise that offers a unique destination into the heart of the Amazon Rain Forest, surrounded by lush vegetation, tropical fruits, medicinal plants and trees, flowers, birds and local fauna.
In this Amazon lodge you will be 800 meters above sea level, in a surprisingly privileged climate. During the day it gets hot, but it gets cooler in the afternoon. At night it gets cooler, so sleeping becomes no problem with a light and warm comfortable blanket. Other people in the Amazon will miss these pleasant temperatures since it is usually hot and humid at night.
After lunch in the lodge, you will go experience your first activity.
You will visit the Animal Rescue Center-El Arca that is recognized by the Ecuadorian Ministry of Environment. This is a great opportunity for visitors, since it may be difficult to see many animals in the jungle. The animals in the jungle do not attack, but hide when they notice the presence of strangers. Our eye is not used to the jungle and it is sometimes difficult to distinguish the animals from the thick vegetation around us. For this reason a visit to “El Arca” turns into a great opportunity to see jaguars, anacondas, monkeys and much more!
Dinner will begin at 7:00 pm and will consist of the following:
Main Dish: Chicken fried steak and rice
Sides: Stuffed Green Plantain Soup, organic salad
Tropical Juice: Watermelon juice
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Breakfast is served from 6:00 am to 8:00 am.
Rain Forest: Hike and Petroglyphs
A native guide will take you through the primary forests and show you medicinal plants that are used in the kichwa culture and endemic plants such as heliconias and bromelias.
 
This is a fun tour, since you will be trekking thru places with lots of mud, water, trees & plants.
You will have a chance to learn about slate used once for school purposes, lemon ants for lemon flavor seasoning, leaves used as dinner plates, plants used as food and medicine while encountering breathtaking waterfalls.
Return to the lodge for lunch.
After lunch you will go on the Petroglyph Tour. Petroglyphs are stone carvings of figures with carving dates or meanings that are still open questions. These petroglyphs have high spiritual meaning for the Kichwa shamans and are an essential part of this rich culture.
You will be in the Sacred Valley of Cotundo, part of the biggest agglomeration of petroglyphs found within the Ecuadorian Amazon. Only 3 km away, visit an archaeological park where you will be able to see these interesting stone carvings that show symbols of ancient cultures.
Return to the lodge for dinner and rest for the following day.
Dinner will begin at 7:00 pm and will consist of the following:
Vegetable Soup
Main Dish: Chicken cutlets and rice
Sides: Vegetable soup, organic salad
Tropical Juice: Blackberry juice |
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Breakfast is served from 6:00 am to 8:00 am.
Rain Forest: Jumandy Caves
In the Sacred Valley of Cotundo there is a system of caves that are connected by underground tunnels. You will have the possibility to visit them in a safe way under professional guidance and discover this fascinating underground world full of stalagmites and stalactites.
Only 5 km away from the lodge you will reach the Jumandy Caves . The Kichwa community of Mondayacu manages these caves and provides a local guide. You will have a chance to discover within these caves the following: plant life, river and waterfalls.
Return to the lodge for lunch.
Return to Mountain Views Inn and stop at the Papallacta Hot Thermal Spring Pools.
Bathe in the natural thermal spring pools of different sizes and temperatures. This soothing volcanic natural thermal spring water contains sulfites and heat that produce a very therapeutic feeling of rejuvenation and wellness. You will depart at 5:00 pm.
Dinner will begin at 7:00 pm and will consist of the following:
Quinoa Soup
Main Dish: Spaghetti with a ground beef sauce
Sides: Quinoa soup, organic salad
Tropical Juice: Naranjilla juice |
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Healing Papallacta Springs:
Submerge in pools of the thermal water which has the power to alleviate illnesses such as arthritis, acne, bad circulation and other ailments. Enjoy a relaxing bath while admiring the snow-covered summit of the Antisana Volcano. Visitors relax by alternating from hot baths with fleeting immersions in the pool of cold mountain water. |
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Breakfast is served from 7:00 am to 8:00 am.
Otavalo Indian Market and Cuicocha Lake
On route to Otavalo we will stop at a monument that denotes where the equator runs thru. See if you can make the egg balance on its point. It can only be done on the equator. You definitely want to take a picture of this.
For centuries, regional markets have played an important role in Indian life by providing regular gathering places for trade and socializing. The colorful local Otavalo Indian Market is famous for their handcrafts. This Centuries Old Market is the perfect place to shop for anyone back home. Enjoy lunch at a local restaurant.
At 2:30 pm you then travel a short distance to Cuicocha Lake.
This is a lake within a volcanic crater, at the foot of the dramatic, yet dormant, Cotacachi Volcano (4039 meters). There are two small islands in the center of the lake that were formed by eruptions after the collapse of the pre-existing crater. We will take a 40 minute boat ride around the 2 islands and stop midway to learn about this fantastic crater.
Afterwards we can hike on the edge of the crater to see the panoramic view of the crater and landscape.
Dinner will begin at 7:00 pm and will consist of the following:
Potato Soup
Main Dish: Stewed Chicken and Rice
Sides: Potato soup, organic salad
Tropical Juice: Passion fruit juice (maracuya) |
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Breakfast is served from 7:00 am to 8:00 am.
Tour Quito and Equatorial Monument
You then continue to tour Quito, which brings the past to life in its museums with centuries old Pre-Columbian treasures, convents, the carved stone facades and golden altars of its many churches. Enjoy lunch at a local restaurant at the Middle of the World. After lunch stand with a foot on each hemisphere on the Equator and tour the Equatorial Monument Museum.
Dinner will begin at 7:00 pm and will consist of the following:
Pork With Rice
Main Dish: Pork with rice
Sides: Tomato soup, organic salad
Tropical Juice: Pineapple
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Breakfast is served from 7:00 am to 8:00 am.
Ilalo and Guayasamin Museum
This is a wonderful location only 25 minutes from Mountain Views Inn. It has thousands acres of fauna and plant life. While having an adventurous hike, discover the medicinal plants, animals, caves, rivers and spectacular views of this Reserve. You will visit caves used by Shamans (high level priests) to perform the wonderful cleansing rituals.
You will stop in to eat some humitas (corn pastries) and quimbolitos (wheat based pastry) with coffee at a local café shop.
Established in 1977, the non-profit organization of Fundación Guayasamín acted to promote the masterpieces and ideology of Oswaldo Guayasamín (1919-1999). It was Guyasamín's goal to create a comprehensive center of culture.
His striking art portrays the humanity and suffering of the repressed classes and people throughout the world. Considered an expressionist, Guayasamín used bright colors, symbolism and images of pain and torment to create truly unique and memorable works.
Guayasamín is considered one of the greatest artists in Ecuador and his works are truly insightful.
You arrive at 6:00 pm and arrive in plenty of time to pack and eat a fabulous farewell dinner. Ecuadorian Folklore Group will perform to send you off in a true Ecuadorian fashion.
Dinner will begin at 7:00 pm and will consist of the following:
Pan Roasted Pork
Main Dish: Pan Roasted Pork
Sides: Cheese empanadas, corn mote, sweet plantain, corn tostado, salad
Tropical Juice: Pineapple
Dessert: Tomato pastry |
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Breakfast is served from 7:00 am to 8:00 am.
MVI transportation will take you to your flight 3 hours before your scheduled departure. It was a pleasure to have you as our guests and look forward to having you, your family and your friends return. |
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