Lagunas del Compadre (Old Chaps Lagoon) Eco-expedition, Southern Ecuador

This tour package has been designed for people who enjoy nature, extreme trekking and camping. This tour takes place in the Podocarpus National Park and requires tourists to be in good physical shape. During this tour tourists are required to trek for 7 hours for two days and with backpacks on their shoulders. Due to its high demand of energy this tour has been categorized as an eco-expedition.

The Lagunas del Compadre (Old Chap's Lagoons in English, is a set of glacial lagoons located in the heart of the Podocarpus National Park. Although very tiresome, this expedition is a good way to test your self determination and also allows you to visit places that few other people have visited, both Ecuadorian and foreign. Due to climatic reason this expedition only takes place during the months of November and December.

Day 1 & 2: Early in the morning (6:00 am) we will have to be at the airport in order to catch our plane, which will depart at 6:45 am from Quito to the city of Loja. Once we arrive at Loja's airport we will drive to the sacred valley of Vilcabamba. Once here, we will proceed to the Rumi Wilco Nature Reserve, where we will spend our first night in a beautiful and unique eco-lodge that lies inside the reserve and has the same name as the reserve. During the rest of the morning we will walk along the trails of the reserve. During the afternoon we will walk to the town of Vilcabamba. The morning and afternoon of the next day we will visit some farms and do some mountain biking. During the night, having a bonfire to warm up, we will plan our expedition to the Lagunas del Compadre.

Day 3 & 4: We will have to wake up early and after breakfast we will proceed to the Cajanuma entrance to the Podocarpus National Park. Cajanuma is the door that will lead us to the Lagunas del Compadre, which means something like the Old Chap's Lagoons. In order to reach these set of lagoons, we will have to undertake a 7 hour hike. This hike might be the most challenging part of the tour; however, the scenery along the way and the lakes themselves are worth the sacrifice!

Once we arrive at the main lagoon, we will set camp and proceed to have a late lunch. During the afternoon we will explore the area. We will spend the night by the the main lagoon, where it can get pretty cold during the night; hence, it is here where you will appreciate having brought with you a warm sleeping bag. During our fourth day we will do more exploring.

Day 5: Early in the morning after breakfast, we will make our way back to Cajanuma. By 1:00 pm we will arrive at Cajanuma where we will proceed to have a plentiful late lunch. After lunch we will drive to Loja and spend the night in a cozy hostel. Loja has a population of 120,000 and is a very clean and friendly city. This city is at an altitude of around 2100 meters above sea level and the average temperature is 16 degrees Celsius. Loja won in 2001 a third place in a world-wide contest on environmental-friendly cities.

Day 6: We will have to wake up at 5:00 am so that we can have a quick breakfast and make our way to Loja's airport. At 7:15 am our plane departs from the city of Catamayo, where the airport that serves the city of Loja is located, to Quito. We should arrive at Quito's airport at 8:00 am. Once in Quito we will proceed to drop you off at your hotel.

ALL-INCLUSIVE PRICE:	$620 US
PHYSICAL ACTIVITY:	HIGH
MIN. - MAX. GROUP SIZE:	4 - 6 PEOPLE
DURATION:	6 DAYS
AVAILABLE:	NOV. & DEC.

The price of this tour includes,

All required transportation while on tour (except air flight to Southern Ecuador), all required meals while on tour (non-alcoholic beverages included), all required accommodation while on tour, Podocarpus National Park entrance fee, Ecuadorian taxes.
Tour guide and tips.
All activities mentioned in the itinerary.

The price of this tour does not include,

The air ticket to Southern Ecuador and back, departure from Ecuador tax ($31.60 US), costs of alcoholic beverages, medical expenses, insurance, phone calls, nor any extra activities you may wish to part-take.

Instead of a plane you can take a bus and save around $80 US, but you'll have to engage in a 12-hour bus ride from the city of Quito to the city of Loja and back. Please contact us for more details on discounts.

To book this tour please use the on-line reservation form, give us a call or write us an e-mail using the contact info provided.

Don't forget to check-out our suggested things to bring list and the immunization requirements needed for this eco-adventure tour.

BOOK THIS ECOTOUR