8 Days - 7 Nights | Off-Road Expedition In Ecuador – Guided Tour

We started early with breakfast by the river.
We are heading towards one of the most beautiful places in Ecuador, the Quilotoa Lagoon, a few minutes after leaving the hotel we find the detour in which we leave the asphalt and take a dirt road.
We begin our ascent again towards the mountains, a little technical road but full of adrenaline and culture.
We start the road with a waterfall next to the road, with which we can verify that Ecuador is a rich country thanks to its water sources that cross the entire country.

We continue our way to meet friendly people who always greet us with a smile while they carry out their daily agricultural activities. Between cornfields, pastures full of life, green mountains lead us our way to reach a village San Francisco de las Pampas in the middle between the coast and the mountains. In this place, we can take a break and wander around its market and the happiness of the children who come to know a little more about who we are and what we do. And of course to satisfy their curiosity looking at the bikes all packed up.

We continue our way and to enter a cloud forest with lots of vegetation, animals, and water streams accompany us to cross it, with the Ecuadorian Andes mountain range as a sight to follow.

After a well-deserved rest and get dressed for what is coming, we resume our way to the highest part of our route, it starts a little cold, and the landscape changes dramatically. In the middle of nowhere, between mountains and valleys, we’ll arrive in Sigchos, a town right in the middle of the Andes mainline. Our hotel will be greeting us with a perfect view of the Base of Quilotoa, the active volcano with a lake inside its crater. We’ll go to visit Quilotoa riding to it, or leave it for the next day and relax by visiting an artisanal cheese factory nearby.

We start our day early with some dirt that will take us between the valleys seen from the top of our hotel.

A flat view crossing places that will leave us breathless with a flavor of Ecuador among pastures with cattle and crops in the area, potatoes, peas, among others while riding towards Quilotoa. The transition between off-road and asphalt in every leg allows us to have some rest while covering some distance to the next destination of interest. After approximately 30 minutes on the road, we will go out to the pavement.

A winding road between immense green mountains takes us to the coast, with a change in vegetation in every kilometer. Many contrasts of vegetation change, landscapes are taken from movies, you will think that you are in an Indiana Jones movie as we cross several towns, such us Zumbahua, Pilaló, La Maná.

We arrive at the Mana Valley, a magical place full of stories, myths, and legends. Like the Mining Goblin, history tells us that throughout the years the gold mines that formed this town were abandoned after its low production, it is here where these places became perfect places for the goblin to keep its gold, one day a group of workers entered a mine and heard that there was movement inside, after a few meters and after taking a sample of the wall they appeared a dreadful elf with gleaming rubbers that looked like gold, he exclaimed to the visitors that the gold that was in the mine was his and if they wanted to keep their lives they should leave immediately, one of the visitors asked him to share a little of his gold to which the elf reacted by hypnotizing him and making him jump for a well towards his death, the other people wanting to leave were trapped like their workers who, after finishing their work after several days, were released giving them their life as a reward. With a great landscape charm, we will have the opportunity to meet a set of waterfalls with a unique beauty Las 7 cascades del Zapanal, enjoy a moment of relaxation and enjoyment in its refreshing waters.

After lunch, we head to the city of Quevedo where we will get to know a little of its culture; it’s very warm and cheerful people to prepare, sleep early and rest for our next day.

A delicious dinner is served based on cuisine from both Coast and Andes traditional flavors.

The first step will be to cross a river part of the Daule Peripa dam over a barge, this is where we say goodbye to the asphalt again, and a great adventure begins.

The road with some loose stones and surrounded by water, green vegetation, banana and coffee plantations, leads us to the Daule Peripa dam. And to cross it we will have to drive over a floating bridge in which we can feel that we sail with our 2-wheel companions, we will have time to take pictures and enjoy it while we share with residents willing to have a good talk.

Continuing with our path and already accustomed to our motorcycles we’ll go for the longest part of our route, an open road with ascents and descents that will make us feel like true conquerors having a prize to meet at the end of the journey. Tiny farmhouses where its inhabitants are doing their daily work that will be interrupted by the roar of our engines, their smiles, and joy to see us, positive energy flow while we continue enjoying the landscapes full of red clay, green trees, and twisty roads. People around usually approach out of curiosity, which is the best hook for a conversation starter and to satisfy the mutual interest in each other’s affairs.

After our night meal, we’ll walk around the town.

We’re heading north this time, and our road takes us to our first stop in the town of Eloy Alfaro, here we will take a break after traveling approximately 1 hour, its inhabitants come to us with open arms and tell us a little about their traditions. The Manabita has unique peculiarities, which are reflected in its festivities where the religious and the pagan are mixed, inheritance of European peoples that are intertwined with the customs of the aborigines that inhabited this fertile land. Festivals such as San Pedro and San Pablo, and the famous Montubios rodeos, which have their origin in the ironwork and dressage of cattle and foals in the haciendas, are examples of the typical Manabita culture.

Manabi is a privileged area for archeology, important discoveries have been made here that have determined the existence of the first cultures of Ecuador. It is a culture forged in the time and space of this territory, an identity that generates belonging and pride of the authentic Manabitas. It is here where we say goodbye to the paved road for a moment and start a wide dirt road that will take us to our next destination, along the way we can see how cattle are transported, banana trees, cacao, palm trees, and much more.

Arriving at a small but moving town called Convento, we can enjoy a refreshing coffee ice cream, which will give us the necessary energy for the next section, a dirt road that will take us through farms, streams, hamlets that are rarely seen. We can make the most of our motorcycles in perfectly straight lines to enjoy the speed and its landscapes in the middle of tropical forests and their sounds and smells that remind us that we are a few kilometers from the expected coast and its spectacular beaches.

After approximately 2 hours we arrive again at a paved road but very little traveled that takes us to what will be for us the first look at the Ecuadorian beaches.

We will have a delicious lunch in Pedernales, the best delights of the sea, a warm climate, and the sound of the sea will accompany us for the next few days.

After making a final stretch to the hotel, we can enjoy the comforts that it offers in its swimming pools and exquisite dinner.

This day is dedicated to relaxation. We can enjoy one of the best beaches that Ecuador offers us, surfing, sand, a small hiding place to enjoy.

We have some places that we can visit this day, Playa Negra, a beach whose natural sand is black and bright. Also, Portete beach, where we will enjoy a relaxing walk along its beach and its silence, or take surf lessons To complete the day.

We said goodbye to the beach after breakfast.

Today we will have mostly asphalt to one of the most iconic places in Ecuador, the population of Mindo is known for its immense variety of flora and fauna, birds of all colors, and its beautiful waterfalls. We can see an abrupt change of vegetation while enjoying a delicious freshly opened water coconut for us.

Upon arriving in Mindo and after leaving our belongings in our selected eco-lodge you could go to a restaurant where you will enjoy the fantastic cuisine of the place most of it based on Palmito, other typical dishes, international dishes, everything is at your disposal.

In the afternoon we can enjoy a relaxing bath in one of the waterfalls of the place, get to know in-depth the process of making chocolate and its history and of course, try some varieties of this delicious product made entirely in the area.

For the night we will have a frog concert accompanied by crickets and animals that will keep us attentive to their sounds, the best company for dinner.