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Tren Ecuador: Luxury Train Experience
TREN ECUADOR: LUXURY TRAIN EXPERIENCE
(Quito – Guayaquil), Ecuador
Experience the wonders of Ecuador on board Tren Crucero, recognized as the Leading Luxury Train in South America. Modern, electric-diesel, and lovingly restored, antique steam locomotives pull a high quality convoy of two luxury, Colonial and Republican-style passenger cars carrying just fifty passengers, to ensure personalized service for all. A bar and gift-shop car with two comfortable observation lounges and an open-air terrace complete the setup of this comfortable, select boutique train.
Tren Crucero’s guides and bartenders are deeply passionate about their land and culture, and are ready to satisfy your curiosity at any time while you enjoy the view. Snacks, fresh-made juices, coffee, tea, soft and alcoholic drinks (extra charge) are available all day. Some meals are also served on board, while others are part of the tours. Nights are spent in charming countryside hotels and haciendas. Feel the joy of discovering the hidden secrets of Ecuador with our carefully selected collection of Tren Crucero experiences. All partners are local tourism companies with high standards of social and environmental responsibility and a deep commitment to the communities they serve. The Train of Wonder itinerary is available Southbound from Quito to Guayaquil (Tuesdays–Fridays) or Northbound as the Train to the Clouds from Guayaquil to Quito (Sunday–Wednesday).
Package Includes:
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Yellow Fever vaccination recommended if visiting certain areas of Ecuador and may be mandatory to enter certain countries. Travel medical insurance is mandatory for those entering Ecuador.
Altitude ranges from 80 to 3,610m above sea level. Alcoholic beverages not included. Airport and departure taxes are included where applicable, subject to change at any time.
Pricing based on two passengers travelling together. 2019-2020 pricing available upon request.
Optional tours and activities not included. Blackout periods apply. For terms and conditions, click here.
Ongoing monitoring of the Zika virus continues around the world including Central, South America and the Caribbean. Please evaluate your risks before travelling.
Tren Ecuador: Luxury Train Experience
Photo gallery
Have a sneak peak of what your trip might look like.
Tren Crucero, Ecuador
Tren Crucero, Ecuador
Tren Crucero, Ecuador
Tren Crucero, Ecuador
Tren Crucero, Ecuador
Tren Crucero, Ecuador
Tren Crucero, Ecuador
Tren Crucero, Ecuador
Tren Crucero, Ecuador
Tren Crucero, Ecuador
Tren Crucero, Ecuador
Tren Crucero, Ecuador
Tren Crucero, Ecuador
Tren Crucero, Ecuador
Tren Crucero, Ecuador
Tren Ecuador: Luxury Train Experience
Travel itinerary
Day 1 - Tuesday
Lunch / Dinner
QUITO – OTAVALO – IBARRA – QUITO Depart Quito early in the morning by bus for a one-and-a-half drive north. In Otavalo, home of a millenary market, a carefully restored steam engine awaits you. At a slow pace, discover the many wonders hidden in this part of the country: musicians, painters, weavers and the skillful woodcarvers who keep the renowned Quito School style alive; then a tasting of traditional Andean cuisine and a visit to very special export-class rose plantation; return to Quito..
Day 2 - Wednesday
Lunch / Dinner
QUITO – URBINA Board our convoy at Quito Chimbacalle station and begin our journey south along the Avenue of Volcanoes. If the weather permits, you can spot at up to twenty volcanoes from the train – most extinct or dormant for centuries. Here, the Andes range splits into two arms that run parallel down south. The fertile valley trapped between these stone walls hosts a treasure trove of biodiversity. From the comfort of our panoramic cars, we watch the change of vegetation and landscape as we slowly climb the Andean highlands to Urbina, the highest point in our itinerary at 11,800 feet above sea level. In the skirts of mount Chimborazo we meet the last ice-merchant and learn the story of his ancestral trade.
Day 3 - Thursday
Lunch / Dinner
RIOBAMBA – THE DEVIL’S NOSE – BUCAY Depart Riobamba towards Colta, where the Spanish conquerors built their first settlement in Ecuador. We cross colorful quinoa fields painted in purples, yellows and reds, alternating with endemic species of flora and wildlife, indigenous settlements and the remains of ancient cultures. We visit Guamote market, one of the last indigenous markets in the Andes, before continuing south towards the mythical Devil’s Nose pass. A vertiginous descent of 450m zig zag takes us from the Andean highlands down towards the coastal plains. We continue our descent along the narrow Chanchan river gorge and crossing an impressive cloud forest towards the temperate city of Bucay.
Day 4 - Friday
BUCAY – GUAYAQUIL BUCAY – GUAYAQUIL The landscape changes again as the train leaves the tropical forest behind. Rice, sugar cane, pineapple and banana plantations pass before our eyes. We have lunch at a traditional hacienda, where we can learn about the growing and harvesting of the best cocoa bean in the world. Later, the steam engine whites its way across the fields towards the shores of the Pacific Ocean and the end of our trip in Guayaquil.
Tren Ecuador: Luxury Train Experience
General information & maps
Tren Ecuador: Luxury Train Experience
Not included
- International or domestic airfare; airport or departure taxes
- Gratuities to guides and drivers
- Items of a personal nature
- Travel insurance
- Reciprocity and/or local taxes if applicable
- Visas required for entry into the country as necessary. Please discuss this with your travel agent to determine your requirements prior to departure.
4 days
On Request
On their trip to Costa Rica:
“The trip was fabulous. everything we hoped for and quite a treat. The family says they would not have changed a thing.”
Robinson Family, Ontario
April 30, 2015