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Route Rating Level 1 to Level 3

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Premiere Inns
  • From $6,498
    To $6,898 pp dbl. occ.
  • (+$1,400 for sgl. occ.)
  • Internal Flights: $490

Reserve early for the best available price. More Info

11 DAYS, 10 NIGHTS
ROLLOVER DATES BELOW FOR SPECIFIC PRICES
2008 DATES
CLASSIC TRIPS
2009 DATES
CLASSIC TRIPS
ROLLOVER DATES ABOVE FOR SPECIFIC PRICES
TRIP NOTES

All meals included.

Cancellation Policy

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Meet / Depart

Quito, Ecuador

Special Interest

Boat, Cruise, Culture & History, Exotic Adventure, Fine Wine & Cuisine, Geological Wonders, Horseback Ride, Kayak, Mountain Bike, Natural Beauty &/or Wildlife, Snorkel, Spa, Swim, Tropical/Winter Sunshine, Water Activities

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Contact Us

Call: 800-462-2848
or 510-527-1555
Fax: 510-527-1444
E-mail us

801 Cedar St.
Berkeley, CA 94710

Business Hours:
7 days a week
from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., Pacific Time

Or contact your travel agent

Ecuador Multisport Vacations

Ecuador & Galapagos Multisport

Biking, Hiking & Kayaking from Highlands to Islands

Pack your sense of adventure and join Backroads in Ecuador, a country of high contrasts, diverse terrain, fascinating history and remarkable natural beauty. Here, cultural encounters and wildlife sightings are part of the everyday milieu, and the impressive Avenue of the Volcanoes and pristine Galápagos Islands present the ideal playground for active explorations. In the Andean highlands, enjoy local music and handicrafts as you pedal through mountain villages. Then, sail from island to island in the marine sanctuary of the Galápagos, where giant tortoises, sea lions and iguanas make their home. This Ecuadorian adventure is truly one of a kind.

View the Family Premiere Inns Itineraries.

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Days 1-2 cotacachi

Meet in Quito Pedal the countryside around Cotacachi Hike the lupine- and orchid-lined rim of deep-blue Lago Cuicocha, set in a volcanic crater  Relax with an Andean-inspired treatment at our hotel's world-class spa or shop for handcrafted leather goods in the nearby pueblo.

Days 3-4 lago san pablo

Bike through welcoming villages in the Otavalo region, sample local fare (guinea pig!) and visit the homes of traditional weavers and musicians Hike through emerald hills to 17th-century Hacienda Zuleta, a working farm rich in pre-Inca and colonial history and the home of our host Fernando Polanco, grandson of a former Ecuadorian president   His grandmother's recipes must be tasted to be believed—lunch is a feast of Zuleta cheeses, fresh fruit and vegetables and local trout.

Days 5-6 lasso

Mountain bike across the magical windswept páramo (high plateau) at the foot of Cotopaxi, the world's highest active volcano Pedal quiet roads to the Saquisilí market, an authentic hub of local trade bursting with life and color.

Days 7-11 galapagos

Fly to the Galápagos Islands From our private motor yacht, sail from island to island with plenty of stops to snorkel, sea kayak and swim Accompanied by a park naturalist, go ashore and explore the volcanic islands on foot  Marvel at blue-footed boobies, giant tortoises, Galápagos penguins, sea lion colonies and marine iguanas in their natural habitats.

Route Rating What's this? Every Backroads trip is designed to appeal to a wide variety of interests and fitness levels. Each offers options for more or less activity, so you can decide exactly how much you want to do day by day.

Lodging What's this? Our lodgings are divided into three different categories.

Premiere Inns:These lodgings possess both elegance and authentic regional flair.

Casual Inns:These lodgings are comfortable and appropriate to the areawith such characteristics as authenticity, scenic settings and proximity to our activities.

Deluxe Camping:We set up the tents (and take them down), handle every camp chore and perform culinary magic.

Detailed Itinerary No itinerary available at the momentSorry no detailed itineraries available yet, please call 800-GO-ACTIVE for more information

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Trip praise

I had an AMAZING time on this trip, as I know the other guests did. All in all, the dynamic of the group and our leaders was wonderful. I couldn't help but rave about the trip to colleagues and friends, and even referred a couple of people to Backroads as a result! Trips, groups and leaders like this are what I think Backroads is about and what will inspire me to continue traveling the globe with you.
Jennifer D. - Chicago, IL

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For more than 29 years, Backroads has been perfecting the art of active travel. We are the Ecuador tour experts. For multisport tours in Latin America, trust our in-depth connections. To see all our Latin America multisport tours click here. For our selection of award-winning Latin America biking tours click here. For our selection of award-winning Latin America walking and hiking tours click here.

Ecuador & Galapagos Multisport

GLORIOUS SURROUNDINGS : Premiere Inns*

La Mirage Garden Hotel & Spa

Cotacachi (2 nights): A Relais & Châteaux retreat with exquisite cuisine, spacious suites with fireplaces, a pool, elegant spa and gardens complete with resident peacocks.

Hacienda Cusin

Lago San Pablo (2 nights): “Don't miss Hacienda Cusín,” says Travel+Leisure of this 17th-century garden estate, where guest rooms are decorated with local textiles and restored antiques.

Hacienda San Augustín de Callo

Lasso (2 nights): A welcoming hostería in the foothills of Volcano Cotopaxi, where a Spanish courtyard rubs elbows with ancient stonework, and meals are served by candlelight in a 500-year-old Inca hall.

Chartered Yacht

Galápagos (4 nights): Travel between wildlife-filled islands on a private yacht fully outfitted for comfort and watersports.

* With 4 Casual Inn nights

Ecuador & Galapagos Multisport Ecuador & Galapagos Multisport

La Mirage Garden Hotel & Spa

View the Family Premiere Inns Itineraries.

Ecuador & Galapagos Multisport

Route Rating

Daily Mileage Options & Cumulative Elevation Gain

Day 1
  • Level 1 1 Route Option Available
  • Biking 5 miles
  • 0 - 500 feet elevation gain
Day 2
  • Levels 1 2 Route Options Available
  • Walking 3.1 miles
  • 1000-1500 feet elevation gain
  • Biking 12 miles
  • 0-500 feet elevation gain
Day 3
  • Levels 1 to 2 3 Route Options Available
  • Biking 8, 17, 22 miles
  • 500 - 1500 feet elevation gain
Day 4
  • Levels 2 to 4 2 Route Options Available
  • Walking 7, 10 miles
  • 500 - 1500 feet elevation gain
Day 5
  • Levels 1 to 2 2 Route Options Available
  • Biking 9, 21 miles
  • 500 - 1000 feet elevation gain
Day 6
  • Levels 1 to 2 3 Route Options Available
  • Biking 15, 21, 28 miles
  • 0 - 1000 feet elevation gain
Day 7
  • Start of four-day cruise 
  • Snorkeling
  • Nature walk
  • 0 - 500 feet elevation gain
Day 8
  • Level 1 1 Route Option Available
  • Nature Hike
  • 0 - 500 feet elevation gain 
  •  
  • Kayaking
  • Snorkeling
Day 9
  • Level 1 1 Route Option Available
  • Nature Hike
  • 0 - 500 feet elevation gain
  •  
  • Snorkeling
Day 10
  • Volcano Hike
  •  
  • Snorkeling & Kayaking
Day 11
  • Wildlife Excursion
Ecuador & Galapagos Multisport Ecuador & Galapagos Multisport

Trips For All Abilities

Every Backroads trip is designed to appeal to a wide variety of interests and fitness levels. We know your pace may vary from one day to the next-and your traveling companion's may differ somewhat from yours. So we present a range of mileage options, and each day you decide exactly what and how much you want to do.

Activity Level Average Time Average Distance
    Biking Walking
& Hiking
1 2-3
hours		 10-20
miles		 2-5
miles
2 2-4
hours		 21-30
miles		 5-7
miles
3 3-5
hours		 31-40
miles		 7-9
miles
4 4-6
hours		 41-55
miles		 9-11
miles
5 5-7+
hours		 56-75+
miles		 11-13+
miles