TRAIN CRUISE:  Train to the Clouds

Guayaquil - Quito

4 days / 4 nights (Sat - Tue)

In this journey on board Tren Crucero, we climb 3600 meters in barely 450 km, experiencing one of the most dramatic changes in vegetation and scenery in the world.

From the fertile plains in the coast, we climb to the highlands in the Andes through the mythical Devil’s Nose pass, a magnificent work of engineering.  Riding across the Avenue of Volcanoes we reach Quito, Cultural World Heritage by UNESCO.

Day 1:  Duran - Yaguachi - Alausí

• We depart from Durán in the coast early in the morning, our heritage convoy pulled by a vintage steam engine. We switch engines in Yaguachi and continue across rice, sugar cane, banana, and pineapple plantations.
• Lunch is served in a traditional hacienda, where we will learn about the best cocoa bean in the world and taste home-made chocolate.
• After lunch, we will continue with our journey by bus to Alausí, rising at a height of 2347 meters above sea level.  During this trip, we can witness the sudden change of climate, vegetation, and geography upon entering the Ecuadorian highlands.
• The first day culminates in the comfort offered by the selected hotels where we can rest and, in the evening, enjoy the local cuisine at dinner time.

Day 2:  Alausí - Devil's Nose - Colta - Riobamba

• The second day starts at the Alausí station, where a different convoy that dates from the 20th century will be waiting for us to descend through the breathtaking pass of the Devil's Nose: an intricate zigzag that allows the train to descend 450 meters in just 12 kilometers of railway.
• When we return to Alausí, we will visit the market of this town where we will be able to know the products that are part of both the local gastronomy and the daily life of this population.
• We will board the bus that will take us to Palmira, where our Train Cruise awaits us to take lunch on board, while we continue the trip to Colta where we will be waiting for the "Black Monster", an impressive steam locomotive Baldwin that will take us to the station of Riobamba. Transfer to the selected hotel for a delicious dinner and a well-deserved rest.

Day 3:  Riobamba - Lasso

• In the morning, our adventure continues aboard the Train Cruise to head towards Jatari.  A short walk will take us to La Moya Community, an artistic community center that opens its doors to our passengers to show the close relationship of Taita Chimborazo with the indigenous communities, their customs, and traditions.
• After this visit, we headed to the Urbina station, the highest point of our route.  There, on the slopes of the Chimborazo volcano, Baltazar Ushca, the last ice builder, awaits us to tell the story of his ancestral trade.
• We move north along the Avenue of Volcanoes, a corridor formed by the western and eastern ranges of the Andes, where we can find more than 20 volcanoes, some of them showing their eruptive processes while we enjoy a delicious lunch on board.  On the way, a group of devils will take the train by surprise when the famous Diablada of Píllaro is celebrated on board, a parade full of colors, music, and joy that reminds us of the spirit of the Andean communities and their cosmovision.
• At the Latacunga station, we will take a bus that will take us to the selected hotel to enjoy dinner and rest.

Day 4:  Lasso - Quito

• Our last day begins with a visit to the Cotopaxi National Park towards the Limpiopungo lagoon at the foot of the Cotopaxi Volcano.  We will board our Train Cruise at El Boliche station to head towards Machachi, where we will have lunch service at a beautiful local hacienda.
• We advance in our adventure to our next stop, the Hacienda La Alegría, where we will be part of the daily activities of the hacienda.  Upon our arrival, we will be received by the "Chagras", who will show off their skills as riders and teach us a little of their culture and traditions.
• Our expedition ends at the Eloy Alfaro station, in the beautiful city of Quito, declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.  The capital of Ecuador will host us tonight.

TRIP RECOMMENDATIONS

• CLOTHING: Wear layers, a jacket for cold weather and a light coat for the rain (coast). Comfortable walking shoes, hat, sunscreen with high SPF, repellant, sunglasses.  Don’t forget your camera!  ALTITUDE: It ranges from 80 to 3,610 meters above sea level. The temperature ranges from 14 ° to 35 °C.

IMPORTANT NOTICE:  All itineraries are subjected to change due to force majeure or technical, operational circumstances.