Colombia-Ecuador Hotel Based Self Drive Adventure
Soak in the Papallacta hot springs beneath Cotopaxi and Chimborazo’s majestic volcanoes, then visit the ancient Ingapirca ruins near Cuenca – thirty-five nights across Colombia and Ecuador.
Tell us your trip details and we'll put together a complimentary Stradora Expedition Pack for the journey.
35 nights through Colombia
Thirty-five nights across Colombia and Ecuador, self-driven with a support vehicle, an escort and a local guide, with two internal flights included.
The operator flags this as a new route run for the first time and asks for patience and flexibility, which is worth taking at face value: a thirty-five-night expedition across two Andean countries on a first running will have rough edges.
Colombia opens it with Villa de Leyva, a colonial town with an enormous cobbled square, then Laguna de Tota and Mongui, Medellin, the coffee country, the painted town of Guatape and Los Nevados National Park. A flight carries the group from Bogota to Quito. Ecuador follows with the Otavalo markets, the edge of the Amazon, the Papallacta hot springs, and the volcanoes: Cotopaxi, which is among the highest active ones in the world, and Chimborazo, whose summit is the furthest point from the centre of the earth. Cuenca and the Inca ruins at Ingapirca close the route, with a flight back to Quito and an optional Galapagos extension.
The transfers, both internal flights, the SUV with standard insurance, a two-way radio, twin or double accommodation, all breakfasts, fifteen lunches and ten dinners, the listed activities, a support vehicle, an escort and a local bilingual guide are all included; international flights, fuel, the vehicle excess, parking and tolls, other food, tips, insurance and the Galapagos extension are not. A chauffeured option is available in place of self-driving. The dry seasons differ between the two countries, so the dates are set by the operator rather than chosen, and altitude is a consideration in Ecuador, where Quito sits at 2,850 metres and the route goes considerably higher.
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Images selected by Stradora to represent the journey.
What's included
- Arrival and departure transfers
- a flight from Bogota to Quito
- SUV hire with standard insurance
- a handheld two-way radio
- twin/double accommodation
- all breakfasts
- 15 lunches
- and 10 dinners
- activities as outlined
- a one-way flight from Bogota to Quito and from Cuenca to Quito
- a support vehicle
- a Self Drive Adventures escort and local English/Spanish-speaking guide.
Not included
- Return airfares to South America
- fuel (approx. USD250 per car)
- vehicle excess
- secure parking and tolls (approx. USD85 per car)
- food beyond the itinerary (approx. USD375-400pp excl. drinks)
- optional activities (budget approx. USD100pp)
- local tips (approx. USD350pp)
- travel/medical evacuation insurance
- visas
- vaccinations
- the Galapagos extension.
Ready to drive it?
35 days, from £12,260pp
