This trip was amazing. The hike is so worth doing and the bike ride is a nice break from the hike. When you get breakfast, make sure to buy Coca at the shop!! My guide and driver totally took care of me. Due to the holidays, I hiked Cotopaxi on my seconds day in Ecuador. Not recommended due to the altitude but it was the only time in my schedule allowed it. The rest of the group had already been in Ecuador for a few days/week so they were acclimated. They all literally hiked way ahead of me. My guide came back to make sure I was Ok. I was Just hiking that slow - you will feel the altitufe :). When you get to Refugio, make sure to get your name on your country flag! Afterwards, We did a bike downhill to the lake. You don’t have to do it. You can just get in the van and the driver will drive you. I did It bc I wanted the exercise. But I was that slow bc the road is gravel and I was Trying to chill out from the hike. Driver stayed behind me the whole time to make sure I was Ok. If you have more time, def worth staying overnight at Cotopaxi. But if you’re pressed for time like I was, this one day excursion is perfect. You’re well taken care of. Bring water, layers, good shoes and your altitude meds!

I was picked up at the airport and brought to the center of the world and to old town. I had an extremely great guide that was very helpful and knowledgeable. He made very good suggestions for a restaurant. He was able to get me back to the airport in plenty of time

In the middle of the Ecuadorian Amazon you will find this hidden gem…Waita Lodge. Our family of 2 adults and 4 kids spent five days there and absolutely loved every second of it. Every detail was very well organized, food was great, accommodation clean and comfortable. The daily schedule was a perfect balance of different kinds of activities (birdwatching, boat rides, jungle hikes, paddle boarding, piranha fishing, etc) and rest time. Our guide always checked with our group if we were all agreeable to do certain activities at certain times. The lodge is located in a quiet area in the Cuyabeno Reserve away from any other lodges so you truly feel immersed in nature. All the staff were very welcoming. But what made our experience truly memorable was our guide, Carlos. His passion for nature was clearly evident. He was extremely knowledgeable about all the wildlife and plants that we encountered. His English was very good which meant our kids with their limited Spanish, were also able to learn a lot from him. We have been traveling in Ecuador for three months and this was one of our favorite experiences and we can’t wait to be back to the Waita Lodge to explore more of the Amazon rainforest.