A Lap of Luxury Self-Guided Motorcycle Tour

You'll begin and end your 11-day "Lap of Luxury" self-guided tour from our shop in the upscale neighborhood of La Carolina in Quito, Ecuador. In 1978, Quito became the first place on the planet to be designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site for having the best-preserved historic center in all of Latin America. Quito is high on the Altiplano Plateau (the highest capital city in the world) in the Andes at 9,350 feet.  We suggest that you arrive a day or two early to experience our magnificent capital city while getting acclimated to the high altitude before beginning the tour.  Our shop is located in the most luxurious and modern part of the city, so we suggest you get a hotel near our shop and take advantage of all that this city has to offer. 

During the first morning of the tour, you’ll be outfitted with the motorcycle of your choice and given a thorough orientation answering all questions concerning local customs, rules of the road, riding signals, Ecuadorian driver courtesies, and more.  We'll review the route with you in detail.  We will show you how to operate your pre-programmed GPS navigation unit.  You will also get our exclusive "Road Book," containing daily maps, including descriptions of local highlights, history, gas stations, suggested lunch stops, and other "hidden gems" that aren’t common knowledge. You can use this information to tailor your days, including as much or as little as you like.  We'll show you how to call us using the pre-paid cell phone and what to do if you have any problems along the way.  You'll head out on the bike, taking the tunnel, which is just a few blocks from our office, that takes you to the highway out of the city with very little traffic.

Inti-ñan means “path of the Sun” in the Quechua language, and the Inti-ñan Museum is situated directly on the Equator. The indigenous peoples have revered this site for thousands of years, and you will learn how ancient people came to understand that this was the center of the world centuries before the advent of modern geography or GPS devices. During your first stop directly on the Equator “red line,” you will experiment with gravity, including witnessing how water drains either clockwise or counter-clockwise, depending on which side of the Equator you are standing. You will also have the opportunity to see how the indigenous populations of Ecuador live by visiting models of their homes. This tour will enable you to understand better the cultures and ways of life that you will experience as we pass through the various regions.

Departing the Inti-ñan Museum, you are now officially outside of the Quito metropolitan region and have begun riding in the Northern Hemisphere. The second suggested stop is to view the beautiful Pululahua Crater Geo-Botanical Reserve, a crater formed by a volcanic eruption 2,500 years ago. From there, head onto the Andes' western slopes that are full of dense, green forests and steep mountains. The roads have been recently paved, and riding these sharp curves is sure to be exhilarating fun.  

You can have lunch in the garden of a fantastic restaurant in the heart of the cloudforest.   You'll watch in amazement as hundreds of colorful birds surround us as you enjoy the local cuisine.

From here, you'll continue descending the western slopes of the Andes, passing several dairy and fruit farms and small welcoming villages.  The air will be a bit thicker and warmer as you descend to the lowlands. 

Check into a unique hotel and spa - built right into a waterfall.  The owner of the Kashama Lodge based designed this magnificent place after his travels to Italy.  The cliffside town of Manarola, Italy was his inspiration.  It resembles an artist’s palette; vibrant buildings jostle each other for space.  The first thing you'll probably want to do (after checking in to your luxurious suite) is jump in for a swim in its inviting, private waterfall.  You'll be dining here with its first-class service. Dinner is included. A shamanic cleansing performed by the local rainforest Tsachilla tribe and other spa treatments are available with advanced reservations.  Contact us for details.

Enjoy breakfast alongside the waterfall and then head towards the coast, passing through landscapes of rounded, green hills peppered with horseback farmers and small friendly villages. The fertile agricultural lands produce passion fruit, cassava, melons, and other exotic fruits. Wild orchids line the side of the road, providing you with delightful aromas.

Stop in the small city of Pedernales - the center of Ecuador's shrimp trade.  Here it is your first look at Ecuador's magnificent Pacific Coast and a chance to enjoy shrimp ceviche made of the freshest, sweetest shrimp you will ever have.  Pedernales is the center of Ecuador's shrimp trade - one of its major exports - and there is no better place in the world to enjoy them!

South along the Pacific Coast, you will be passing over the Equatorial line once again and into the southern hemisphere.  Wave to the local fishermen in the villages.  Ride up on high cliffs with breathtaking vistas of the ocean below. 

You will ride through the fishing/surfing village of Canoa and continue along the coast and across the bridge at the Bahia de Caraquez.  Here - if the tide is right - you can drop onto the beach and continue for about 18 miles riding right on the beach along the cliffs.  

There are not many places left in the world where you can ride so far, right on the beach, so we hope this will be a memorable experience!  If you prefer to stay on the main road - that's entirely up to you, and you'll be rewarded with a changing climate and topography of deserts and cattle farms.

You'll end the day's ride in a deluxe suite at the luxurious and beautiful Palmazul Hotel & Spa and explore the friendly beach town that is popular with retired ex-pats and locals alike.

129 km | 80 miles | 4 hours riding time

Enjoy a last swim on the beautiful beach in San Clemente and enjoy a filling breakfast (we recommend the shrimp omelet).  You'll be heading further down the coast today and into Ecuador's tuna fishing port city of Manta.  Here, skilled workers still build the wooden fleet along the beach as they have for centuries.

Further south, you'll take narrow paved roads through goat farms on cliffs that look down on the white coral sand and turquoise waters.  A stop in the friendly, windsurfing village of Santa Marianita is always lovely, with its constant cooling breeze. 

Negotiate your way around trips of goats from the small farms in the dry forest, then suddenly a few miles later, you are in lush rainforest and then riding along sandy beaches.  The incredible diversity of climates, ways of life, and terrains of Ecuador is undeniable through this region of the coast and recognized as Ecuador's natural treasures. 

As you may already know, the "Panama" hat made famous by US President Teddy Roosevelt during the building of the Panama canal is not actually from Panama. Panama hats originate from this area of Ecuador. The hats are hand-woven from a straw derived from the leaf of a type of palm tree that grows here. Be sure to stop in the village reputed to make the best "Panama" hats in the world.  You can visit with a weaver who will show the technique and why it takes between 1 month and three years to weave a single hat.  Some of the hats are incredible works of art. Recently, one sold to a Hollywood actor for $25,000! 

You will end the day just outside the small fishing town of Puerto Cayo.  The town is known for its calming coastal beauty and is a semi-tropical paradise with 300 sunny days per year, with an average annual temperature of 25° C (77° F). Tanusas Spa & Retreat will astound you. You will check into your own private thatched-roof villa complete surrounded by swathes of virgin greenery with private access to the beach, private swimming pool. In the lodge, you will find a full swimming pool, and the Alain Ducasse-trained chef Rodrigo Pacheco’s rainforest-and-ocean-sourced cuisine is the paper parasol on top of this piña colada-hued hideaway’s offerings.

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Break Day! Relaxation, fun, and sunshine!

You can take the bike out to explore the surrounding jungle in the shadow of the cloud forest mountains of Cantagallo. Go in search of howler monkeys, delight your soul with a variety of 150 types of birds or revel in the flora and fauna that surrounds you.

You cannot help but be drawn to the ocean here — the beautiful warm waters. The wide, long sandy beach laid out in all its glory is there to be enjoyed. Never surfed before? No problem. Sign up for a private surf lesson, and you'll be a pro in no time. 

As marine natural reserve including well known Isla de la Plata, you can see a whole other world under the Pacific Ocean. Go scuba diving and see giant manta rays, humpback whales and so much more life in the surrounding coral reefs.

Or, you can pull up a chair at some of the great hang-outs, beachside bars and restaurants in nearby Puerto Cayo and enjoy a relaxing day.

327 km | 203 miles | 6 hours riding time

After leaving the peaceful town of Puerto Cayo, you turn your motorcycle inland and on the road over a mountain range with twisty curves, climbing to about 1700 feet in elevation. 

Then you will head into a different world comprised of a mix of farmlands and forests. This part of the country is home to several fishing birds species and a natural, dry forest kept intact by the locals, where hundreds of South American squirrels live in the wild. You will hear - and may be lucky to glimpse - the famous howling monkey.  

The population in this area of Ecuador make their living from agriculture - mostly rice and cattle.

Here you will see many of the majestic Ceibo Trees.  These trees were fabled by the ancient people to be the Earth's ties to the spiritual world.  Since the only place they grow in the world is along the equatorial belt, their bare branches were thought to be roots that kept the world attached to heaven. They flower only once every five years and can store thousands of liters of water in their massive trunks.

 You will pass through the friendly town of Santa Ana and the tranquil countryside of Los Rios and Guayas Provinces.  Here you will see the landscapes change as you enter the flood plains.  The farming changes here, and you will see plantations of bananas, teak, and chocolate - crops that require abundant water and sunlight.

You'll pass through the center of Ecuador's finest chocolate growing region.  French chocolatiers settled Vinces in the 19th century and still retains its French architectural heritage.  The area is famous for producing the world's best chocolate, known as "Arriba" chocolate.  The chocolate is called "Arriba" because when the first European chocolate makers came here, they noticed the locals were carrying some of the best smelling and delicious chocolate in their canoes.  When asked where the chocolate came from, the locals replied, "Arriba," which meant up-river, where Vinces is located today.

The ride ends and the base of the Andes mountains in one of Ecuador's most exclusive Haciendas. Hacienda La Danesa has been in the Olsen family for over 50 years and is currently owned by the third generation and operated by Niels Olsen Peet. Hacienda La Danesa is also a traditional dairy farm that produces about 2000 liters of milk per day and produces fresh cheese for their guests every morning. It also grows teak plantation and breeds beautiful pinto quarter horses.  You will settle into one of the recently restored bedrooms on the Hacienda to get ready for a filling hacienda dinner. Whether from their gardens or the nearby community market, all of the dishes are crafted to highlight an authentic gastronomic experience with extraordinary Ecuadorian influence.  

202 km | 126 miles | 4 hours riding time

The first part of the ride will be on small back roads through many pineapple, banana, and chocolate plantations.  The pineapples grown here are known for their exceptional sweetness and are exported around the world. Then, you'll start to climb, passing through layers of clouds into the Cajas National Park.  Cajas is one of the most beautiful wilderness areas in Ecuador.   It is a primeval landscape of craggy hills and glacier-scoured valleys studded with over 200 glacier lakes.

The park is home to wildcats such as the puma and spectacled bear and teeming with rabbits, guinea pigs, and wild alpaca.   Stop here for lunch to enjoy some of the world's best trout, fished straight from the glacier lakes, and enjoy the landscape.

After downshifting through a series of switchbacks, you will descend in elevation and arrive in Ecuador's most beautiful city - a UNESCO World Heritage City - the city of Cuenca.  It features narrow, cobblestone streets, harmonious houses with balconies and flowery interior courtyards, and lots of churches and monasteries built of precious stone.  The Spanish founded it in 1557 on the site of Tomebamba - a city established by the Inca in 1470, which was said to have rivaled Cusco in Peru with its pomp and majesty.

You'll check into the city's most luxurious historical hotel  - the Mansion Alcazar - right in the colonial center of Cuenca. Mrs. Rocío Vázquez has restored this former presidential mansion to its full 19th-century splendor built around a serene enclosed courtyard. Alcázar’s elegant interiors are brimming with antiques, objets d’art and bespoke furniture, crystal chandeliers, and embroidered rugs. Rooms overlook the yard or the gardens (bird-watching from the garden suite's patio is made easy with a spotting sheet that you can pick up at reception). At the same time, it’s nothing but unfurling views of all the verdant loveliness from the sensual spa, Casa Alonso Gourmet Restaurant, and Le Bar.

Have a stroll around the center of this city, visiting the Catedral Vieja - a cathedral built in 1557 and the Parque Calderon, as well as the famous flower market (the scents are astounding).  Cuenca offers an outstanding choice of excellent restaurants and a plethora of fun and exciting bars in this lively, prosperous city.

427 km | 265 miles | 9 hours riding time

This day is a long riding day, so be sure to get up early in the morning and get on the road after a sumptuous buffet breakfast.  You will head out on the Panamerican highway towards the north, first passing through dense pine and eucalyptus forests. The scent of these forests will be something that will stay with you long after the ride.  Continue on these mountain roads, passing through high altitude paramo and crossing chilly high altitude mountain passes at 11,000+ feet.  After breathtaking views, turn right onto a route that takes you through scenic farmlands and was once part of the Incan trail during the reign of the Incan empire.  The people along this road still use centuries-old farming techniques.  It is a ride through the past.

The road takes you to the most extensive Incan ruins in Ecuador - Ingapirca.  Otherwise known as Ecuador's "Macchu Picchu," - you can visit the ruins of this Incan Solar temple and marvel at their advanced irrigation techniques.

Then, arrive in the Andean town of Alausi, which is known for its warm and welcoming indigenous population who wear brilliantly colored clothes.  The city is also known for its architecture.  The town has a very active market and some great restaurants serving fresh trout, locally grown produce, and other regional specialties.  Alausi is a perfect place for lunch.

With permanent glaciers at its peak, Chimborazo is the highest point in Ecuador and is the highest point on Earth.  This is because the Earth bulges at the Equator and Chimborazo's summit is the furthest piece of land from Earth's core. It's just another way of saying that this is the closest place to Heaven on Earth.

The road crosses through the Chimborazo National Wildlife Refuge. The park is home to thousands of wild vicuña, the smaller, lighter, faster cousin of the llama and camel.  Ecuador has one of the best-protected vicuña populations in the world, and we will be sure to see these majestic creatures as we wind around the gigantic mountain.  We'll reach an altitude of over 14,500 feet (4.500 meters), and here, the weather is unpredictable.  Be ready for bright sunshine, freezing rain, hail, or even snow!  

This area will make you feel like you are on another planet.

As you come down from the heights of the Chimborazo wildlife refuge, you will head through lush farmlands and valleys, dropping to an elevation of 5,000 feet after crossing an impressive gorge of the mighty Pastaza River.  Baños is the adventure tourism mecca of "Baños de Agua Santa," famous for its health-giving thermal springs.

The town is set in the shadow of the mighty Tungurahua Volcano, a very active volcano that occasionally erupts with pyroclastic emissions and thick ash.  Baños is located in what is known as "magnetic vortex," a unique place where the planet's four essential life elements - Air, Earth, Water, and Fire - are found.

You will check into a suite for two nights at the Luna Volcan Adventure Spa with access to all of the great restaurants, hot springs, and activities that Banos has to offer.

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Today is another chance for some additional great adventures! Baños is one of the world's best centers for adventure and extreme sports.  With so many experienced guides and tours available, we strongly encourage you to take full advantage of them to experience the incredible natural beauty surrounding this town.

You can go for a day of rafting or kayaking on some world-class rapids, do some bungee jumps, go canyoning (rappelling down waterfalls), take a jungle tour, ride down a volcano on a mountain bike or improve your rock-climbing skills. If none of those activities appeal to you, Baños has some great hangouts, restaurants, and bars, and exciting nightlife, too.

Baños is the perfect spot for a rewarding rest day, no matter what you choose to do.

272 km | 169 miles | 7 hours riding time

The morning starts with steep climbs up a road that will have you thinking you are flying a plane - giving an immediate and dramatic view of Baños from thousands of feet above. 

You'll take twisty backroads into the town of Patate and an excellent twisty road through small scenic villages. This route is the back way northbound, only for those who know how to avoid the busy Panamerican highway!  After a series of tight switchbacks, you will cross through the small city of Salcedo, known for its exceptional ice cream.  Extra points if you try the avocado flavor! 

You will ride westward on an ancient cobblestone road that zigs and zags its way over a mountain pass and onto a newly paved farm road that takes you into the town of Pujili, famous for its lively indigenous markets and beautifully manicured town square.   This stop is a great chance to chat with the friendly local people.

You have now begun riding on the famous "Quilotoa Loop." The Quilotoa Loop is known for its beautiful scenery and its friendly, indigenous people.

You will be steadily rising in altitude again and will have a chance to see more llamas and alpacas grazing in the highlands pampa. Tigua is known for its colorful paintings, tribal ceremonial masks, and ceramics. This small mountain village has a fantastic art gallery - worth a stop to see some of the fine art created in this part of the world.

Once in the town of Zumbahua, you will turn north and ride through a beautiful valley to the Quilotoa Crater Lake. At nearly 13,000 feet in elevation, this fantastic lake was created by a collapsed volcano that left behind minerals that now give the deep crater lake an odd, blue-green emerald color.

From the Quilotoa Lake, the road will wind through some incredibly picturesque countryside on a newly-paved twisty road that rides around the canyons and through small indigenous villages. There is mostly animal traffic of herds of sheep and crossing cows.

Sigchos was an indigenous settlement long before the Spanish arrival, who settled it in the early 1500s.  It is a friendly, clean, and hardworking town with many restaurants serving up the hearty local fare. Then it is another series of exhilarating switchbacks and frequent elevation changes that will ride you towards the snow-capped Cotopaxi Volcano, the highest active volcano in the world. 

Tonight you will spend the night at its base in the world-renowned San Augustin de Callo hacienda.  The Hacienda sits among many working rose plantations and is owned by the Plaza family, which has supplied Ecuador with two presidents and a vice president over the years.  The hacienda frequently has celebrities and European royalty as guests. What makes it unique in the world is that it is built on Inca Palace walls.  The hacienda walls were of Inca construction, and you can see many of the same Inca features as at Machu Picchu in Peru.

173 km | 108 miles | 4 hours riding time

Enjoy your time at the hacienda, and perhaps go on a short tour of the neighboring rose farms. Then hop back on the road otherwise known as the "Avenue of Volcanoes." where you will be passing incredibly green high-altitude pasturelands and then after a few miles. You will feel tiny as you roll through this valley with snow-covered volcanoes at either side. 

You will roll past many more rose and flower plantations and cross over the Equator, where you will have a chance to stand in two hemispheres at the same time at the Quitsato equator monument. The monument is a giant sundial, 54 meters across, with a 10-meter high cylinder placed precisely on the Equator. With this sundial, you can not only tell the time but the day of the year.  The guides on the site will show you how to do it.  The monument is in honor of the ancient regional cultures who well understood these techniques of charting celestial movements and knew the Equator's position, long before "more advanced" civilizations. The museum on site will explain how they were able to do this.

Towering over the town of Cayambe is the Volcano of the same name - the only place on Earth where the Equator passes over snow.  Cayambe is the regional center of Ecuador's flower industry and is well-known for its bizcochos - a rich buttery cookie.  Once past Cayambe, you'll end the day's ride at the Hacienda Zuleta.

This working farm was built in 1691 and today keeps its heritage alive.  The Hacienda was home to Mr. Galo Plaza Lasso, who was President of Ecuador twice.  Today, his grandson manages the sprawling estate, which also houses a condor rescue and an impressive cheese making facility which visitors may visit. In the valley below lie two Inca pyramids.  The hotel is one of South America's most prestigious hotels and offers rooms with antique furniture, several amenities, and fine dining.