Ecuador Family Journey: Volcanoes and the Amazon

Welcome to Quito–your arrival transfer to the hotel is included. Check in and get excited to meet your fellow travelers during a welcome meeting this evening where all families can bond before the Journey ahead.

ACTIVITY: Your opportunity to meet your CEO and fellow travellers, and learn more about your tour. Opt to join the group for a local meal afterwards. Don't forget to see the notice in the lobby (or ask reception) for the official time and place to meet up with the group.

TRANSPORT: You will be met at the airport and transferred to the hotel to start your adventure.

Head to the historical centre of Quito for a walking tour of some of the city’s important and historical sites like the main plaza and the beautiful church of La Compañía. Get ready for some sweet treats! Stop at a local artisanal chocolate shop for some samples and to learn about the cacao and chocolate making process. The earliest people known to have used the cacao plant are the ancient Mayo-Chinchipe people of what’s now Ecuador! Continue to the Yaku water museum for a visit with one of the local experts, who will guide you through the interactive and playful exhibits that encourage reflection on the importance of water to life and to our planet. It’s a great way for the family to learn about environmental conservation in an entertaining and memorable way. After lunch at a local restaurant, enjoy the rest of the day and evening with free time to explore or to relax.

ACTIVITY: Your CEOs will lead the group on a downtown walking tour of Quito. Walk past important city landmarks like, the Main Square and Compañia de Jesus.

ACTIVITY: Visit Yumbos artisanal chocolate shop and learn about the processes of creating chocolate from fermentation to final product, all demonstrated live here. Learn all about cacao, where chocolate comes from, and specifically how it's made. The earliest people known to have made use of the cacao plant were the ancient Mayo-Chinchipe living in what is now Ecuador. Taste some of these delicious sweet treats to cap off the experience.

ACTIVITY: Dedicated to the topic of water, Yaku is an interactive museum that strives to give visitors a strong attachment to this liquid gold through a variety of educational and playful experiences. Visit with a local expert guide and recognize the value of water to life on our planet as you wander through different exhibits like the ecological trail or the Mediagua eco-friendly house.

FREE TIME: Enjoy the remainder of the afternoon and evening free to do as you please with your family. Explore more of Quito together and choose to partake in some of the locally offered optional activities.

After breakfast, travel north to the Middle of the World where you’ll stop for pictures at the iconic Ciudad Mitad del Mundo monument located at the equator line—a family photo opportunity that you’ll cherish forever. Continue to the Intiñan museum to learn about the significance of our planet's equator with fun experiments like seeing if you can balance an egg on a nail or walking along the equatorial line with your eyes closed. After playing scientist, have a delicious lunch overlooking the crater of Pululahua Volcano then travel to the village of Papallacta, nestled in the mountains. Take the rest of the day to soak in the hotel's restorative thermal springs. The warm, mineral-rich waters are perfect for relaxing and letting the kids splash around at the end of the day.

TRANSPORT: Settle in and scan the scenery from the comfort of your private vehicle between Quito and Papallacta. Stop along the way to the Mitad del Mundo complex and the Intiñan Museum.

ACTIVITY: 25 Kms. (16 miles) north of Quito marks the exact Middle of the World, latitude 0º. Here you can stand with a foot on each hemisphere. Visit the Intiñan site museum (pathway of the sun) which shows the diversity of Ecuador's native groups. On the 00°00’00” line at the museum, you will have the opportunity to interact with phenomena that occur in nature which can only be tested on the magnetic equatorial line. The private experience includes an in-depth look at Ecuadorian culture with clever map booklets and numerous interactive exhibits for the entire family to enjoy. Witness the complex Coriolis Effect with demonstrations like watching water go down a drain with no whirlpool, or eggs balancing on the head of a nail, and even the loss of muscle strength felt when standing precisely on the equator line. Later, head up to Pululahua crater view point, which is one of the two inhabited volcanic calderas in the world and have lunch overlooking the crater.

ACTIVITY: After today's journey you will be able to spend an hour enjoying the soothing warm waters of the Papallacta Hot Springs. The pools vary in temperature and are perfect to relax your body as you circle through and admire the views of the Antisana Volcano in the distance.

Enjoy a full free day in Papallacta to take advantage of the hotel’s hot springs and pools created by the area’s high volcanic activity, and combined with the glacial meltwater, creating the perfect natural spa. The area was discovered by the Incas, and recognized for its fertile volcanic soil, high altitude and cold year-round weather. You can also enjoy other optional activities like going to the spa or hiking nearby trails where it may be possible on clear days to see the imposing Antisana Volcano. Regroup in the evening for a delicious dinner at the hotel.

FREE TIME: FULL DAY Take advantage of a full free day in Papallacta and choose to partake in the many amenities and activities offered by the lodge. Enjoy another calming soak in the mineral pools as a family or hike in the gorgeous surrounding landscape with a guide along the Island or River trails.

Catch an early flight from Quito to Coca. From there, take in the magnificent sights and sounds as you travel by private vehicle and canoe to your accommodations deep in the Amazon Rainforest. Imagine the wonder on your young explorers' faces as they encounter all the fascinating sights and experiences awaiting them along the way. Fill up on lunch at the lodge before an afternoon activity in the 5,000-acre ecological reserve where you’ll walk across a bridge suspended 94 ft (36 m) high over the jungle canopy. Enjoy a bird’s-eye view of flora and fauna seldom seen from the ground. You may also hear the wildlife below including the roar of the howler monkeys echoing through the trees at sunset.*There may be activities available at the lodge that are not part of this itinerary

ACTIVITY: For a couple hours you'll walk through the forest canopy and cross the rainforest from above on a 94ft (36m) high bridge over the treetops. The placement of this 940ft (275m) long walkway offers prime spots for wildlife viewing to spot dozens of animals seldom seen from the ground. You might even follow along with troops of monkeys as they forage through the forest canopy. And if you don’t see them, you’ll almost certainly hear them.

TRANSPORT: Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.

TRANSPORT: Paddle by canoe through the lush scenery of the might Amazon down a river to your lodge stay in the jungle.

TRANSPORT: Look! Up in the sky! It's a bird! It's a plane! It's... yup, it is a plane, actually.

Wake early and join a local guide for a morning visit to a local community and learn about a project their working to support the females who are part of the nearby village. Witness their daily lives and learn about how they survive in harmony with the harshness of the jungle. As you walk through the community, you will witness firsthand how important it is for scientists to keep protecting this magnificent ecosystem to preserve the lives of the animals, plants, and humans that call this place home. After lunch back at the lodge, the group will visit Kapok Tower, a 135 ft (43m) observation platform built on the highest branches of a giant kapok tree. The panoramic views of the forest below are epic. Try spotting one of the 500 species of birds registered in the area including rainbow-colored toucans and parrots. Spend some free time at the lodge before dinner then set out on a night expedition to look for caimans on the lake.*There may be activities available at the lodge that are not part of this itinerary.

ACTIVITY: In the afternoon the group will visit the Kapok Tower and enjoy the view from the 136ft (43m) high platform built into the highest branches of a giant Kapok tree. Search for one of the 500 different birds that live in the area like rainbow-coloured toucans and parrots. If you're feeling really adventurous try climbing a little higher to the crows' nest offering 360-degree views of the jungle.

ACTIVITY: This morning visit Yasuní, a local community benefiting from a project focused on supporting the females of this particular village. During the visit the group will learn about their day-to-day lives, like how they successfully dry clothes in the jungle and the challenges of getting to school. Then, help them prepare and taste some of their traditional foods amid the cacophony of sounds from the jungle.

ACTIVITY: Set off on a night-time expedition to look for caiman on the lake. Under the cover of darkness you'll take the canoe out onto the water under a sky of stars and look for the ghoulish glow of the caiman's eyes in the torchlight.

FREE TIME: Enjoy free time at the lodge between today's activities to further experience the gorgeous jungle environment right outside your rooms.

Your day begins with a creek paddling excursion by dugout canoe through the streams close to the lodge. The hanging branches over the water create a sort of tunnel, bringing you into what feels like a lost world. The sound of bird calls surround you as you keep a lookout for families of monkeys that may be seen leaping from the branches above. Later, your local guide will teach you how to fish for piranha, a thrilling chance for the entire family to learn about Amazon wildlife while having some hands-on fun during a catch and release activity. Then, head to Danta tower nestled within a swamp habitat offering a unique perspective of the rainforest’s mid-story canopy. Head up the 22-meter-high tower to experience the diverse wildlife that thrives just beneath the treetops. Afterwards, spend free time at the lodge before dinner then embark on a final night walk through the forest searching for nocturnal creatures that call the jungle home such as tarantulas, frogs, and boas.*There may be activities available at the lodge that are not part of this itinerary.

ACTIVITY: Enjoy a fabulous creek paddling excursion in dug-out canoes down a river which requires little physical exertion as you coast with the current. Paddle through tunnels made by trees growing on the banks and listen to the sounds of birds calling above you while monkeys leap from branches as the world wakes up to a new day.

ACTIVITY: Enjoy a catch and release activity with a local guide as you fish for piranhas.

ACTIVITY: Visit the 22m high platform nestled within the jungle swamp and hidden in the depths of the Amazon. Called Danta Tower this unique location allows for a rare change to observe the rich biodiversity that thrives in such a specialized environment.

FREE TIME: Spend free time at the lodge in the Amazon surrounded by the sounds of the jungle.

Enjoy an early breakfast buffet at the lodge before transferring to the airport via canoe and private vehicle. Fly from Coca back to Quito and arrive at your accommodations outside the city. Enjoy a free afternoon to utilize the activities at the hotel property like, swimming or horseback riding. Tonight, sit down for a final group dinner together and share stories of your once-in-a-lifetime family journey to Ecuador and into the Amazon jungle, creating unforgettable memories for all.

FREE TIME: Spend free time enjoying the amenities at the hotel property in Quito like the pool or horseback riding.

TRANSPORT: Settle in and scan the scenery from the comfort of your private vehicle from the airport to your accommodations on the outskirts of Quito.

TRANSPORT: Look! Up in the sky! It's a bird! It's a plane! It's... yup, it is a plane, actually.

TRANSPORT: Paddle by canoe back to civilization from your lodge in the Amazon to Coca.

Depart at any time.