- 11 Days
- Quito | Otavalo | Porvenir, Cotopaxi | Guamote | Cuenca (Ecuador) | Naranjito | Guayaquil
“A gastronomic adventure through Ecuador; diverse Andean cuisine amidst rich culture and beautiful nature“
Tour Highlights
Bizcocho Factory
Traditional Cuisine
Indigenous Communities
Volcano & Lake
The Equator
Cooking Class
Inca Ruins
Milk a Cow
about this tour
about this tour
This food focused journey through Ecuador provides travelers with a comprehensive experience of regional dishes shaped by Andean traditions, fresh local ingredients, and time honored cooking techniques. The adventure begins in Otavalo, where visits to traditional markets offer opportunities to taste authentic Ecuadorian food while enjoying sweeping views of the surrounding mountains and valleys. In Quito, travelers can savor a variety of local specialties while exploring the historic old town and taking in the charm of its well preserved colonial architecture. The itinerary continues to Cotopaxi National Park, where the iconic volcano forms a dramatic backdrop for discovering highland flavors, before reaching the striking Quilotoa Lake, celebrated for its vivid crater waters and the small villages that encircle it. In Guamote, daily life and regional cooking practices provide insight into rural Andean culture, enriched by hands-on experiences with locally sourced ingredients. Time spent in Cuenca and Guayaquil highlights both coastal and highland flavors through guided market visits and tasting sessions of traditional dishes, offering a well rounded picture of Ecuador’s diverse food culture. The journey concludes at Naranjito Hacienda, where fresh produce from the surrounding land is crafted into seasonal meals, and cooking sessions reveal the authentic techniques behind classic Ecuadorian cuisine in a serene countryside setting that encourages learning and relaxation.
This program invites you to experience the traditions of a local community, focusing on their food and spiritual practices. You’ll take part in Pachamanka, a two-hour cooking method using earth and volcanic stones, selecting and preparing ingredients yourself. You’ll also join a spiritual ritual at a sacred site called Tun Dun, guided by a Yachak. The day ends with enjoying the delicious meal you helped create, offering a rare chance to connect deeply with the community’s culture, stories, and way of life firsthand in a meaningful way.
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FAQs
1. What are the activities at the Otavalo food markets?
You walk between food stalls and small eateries, tasting traditional Andean dishes, watching how they’re prepared, and meeting vendors whose recipes are rooted in local farming and family tradition.
2. What does the Ecuadorian cooking part of the trip look like?
Along the route, a hands-on cooking class and time at Naranjito Hacienda let you cook with local hosts, using fresh farm ingredients and learning simple techniques you can repeat at home.
3. What happens on visits to indigenous communities and the bizcocho factory?
In indigenous areas and at a bizcocho bakery, you see how everyday foods are made, like crisp biscuits served with cheese and dulce de leche, and hear how these staples fit into Andean daily life.
4. How do Cotopaxi and Quilotoa Lake fit into a food-focused trip?
Visits to Cotopaxi and Quilotoa include short walks and viewpoints, plus meals in nearby villages. You connect the volcanic and lake landscapes with soups, stews, and corn-based dishes typical of highland kitchens.
5. What food experiences are in Quito, Cuenca, Guayaquil and at the hacienda?
In each city you try regional specialties in local cafés and restaurants. The trip ends at Naranjito Hacienda, where farm visits, milking a cow, and unhurried meals show a slower, countryside approach to Ecuadorian cooking.
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2-Talk With Us
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3-Trip Creation
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4-Confirmation
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Our concierges and in-country teams will look after you throughout your journey from booking until return.