Long day but excellent scenery. Saw quite a lot of wildlife. Andres was excellent and Jimmy was a great driver for a very demanding road trip. Had a great time. The lunch was also excellent

This was our first trip to Ecuador. We arranged a private tour with Real Dreams about a month in advance. They even picked us up at the airport at night even though our tour did not immediately start. We spent our first day touring the city on our own. Our tour started the following morning when we were picked up in a roomy Trailblazer by Pedro, our driver and guide. Day one was visiting the biscuit bakery, a waterfall, Otovalo Market , lunch, and a small instrument museum. Afterward, we were driven to the hotel, the remarkable, historic, Hacienda Pisanqui. Originally it was a ranch and is over 300 years old. It is full of vintage gems and history. The restaurant serves delicious steaks. The rooms are vintage quality, like a ranch estate inn with a fire place. The grounds have walking trails and offers horseback riding. The fireplaces are used in the main room at night and breakfast. It was like staying back in time. The next day was a 8 mile hike all the way around Cuicocha Lake’s beautiful trail. Pedro provided lots of Ecuadorian history and information about the plants, birds, and animals. He has a lot of experience leading trips throughout the country and is formally educated about horticulture and the natural environment . The nearby town has excellent coffee shops. After lunch we drove to our Mindo cloud forest hotel. Pedro did a fantastic job of circumventing holiday traffic on side roads to save time. The hotel, Terra Bamboo, was amazing. Secluded, high up on the mountain, all the rooms were separate structures. Ours included a jacuzzi on the outside deck and giant panoramic windows. It was like sleeping in a treehouse surrounded by chirping birds. In the morning we had a nice rain forest hike with Pedro identifying the plants and exotic birds we were delighted to see. Afterwards was a popular Yumbos chocolate factory visit where we learned how complex creating real chocolate is. Afterward, a delightful stop at an enclave surrounded by hummingbirds that you can feed on your hands. Then back to Quito to spend the night and picked up in the morning by Pedro to drive us to Cotopaxi, and guide us up the high altitude trek to the base camp hut. On the night we saw a flying condor and Andean Fox. There was a lunch stop that served a great meal. Their veggie lasagna was superb— full of locally grown squash and sweet potatoes . Real Dreams and Pedro were excellent. We had a great time, learned more about the region than anticipated, and couldn’t be happier with the fantastic hotels and excursions. We highly recommend the Real Dreams tour company.

We had a good time beautiful scenery

Pedro was super awesome! Very friendly, flexible, and answered all of our questions and more. His English was very impressive, and his knowledge of flora / fauna really wonderful, too. All the sites were very lovely and highly recommended!

Fantastic trip as a solo traveler on a private tour. My guide, Pedro, picked me up from my Airbnb in Quito, and drove me to Cotopaxi and Papallacta, and finally back to my Airbnb in the evening. Though the drives between spots were long, it was great to see and learn more about the geography and flora/fauna of the area as we drove. I also appreciated being able to take naps during some of the legs in the comfy truck, as I was a bit jet lagged, so I arrived at each spot feeling re-energized :) Being a private tour, I appreciated Pedro being willing to do quick, unplanned stops so I could get pictures of the gorgeous vista, and even a group of llamas! The hike from the parking lot to the Jose Rivas Refuge was challenging due to the altitude, but doable. Pedro was patient with me during my many breaks to catch my breath, and pointed out various volcanos in the distance in the meantime. Lunch was very good, and overlooked the Papallacta lagoon. The Papallacta hot springs were perfect after the morning hike. I also splurged for a massage while there, which was fantastic. Highly recommend for anyone wanting a combo of activity and leisure, and to see more of the area surrounding Quito.