At a glance
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Don't forget that all of our itineraries are totally customized and so this is just an idea of what we can build for you.
Few train rides anywhere in the world climb a volcano, cross the equator, and end on the Pacific in a single week, and Ecuador’s Tren Crucero does exactly that in eight days.
Beginning in Quito, the first city named a UNESCO World Heritage Site, your journey on the Tren Crucero will take you through the Andes Mountains, through sites of Incan history, and to marketplaces with local merchants, handmade textiles, and Ecuadorian cuisine.
From Quito, the train takes you south, tracing a route built more than a century ago to link the mountains with the coast. A short drive out to Mitad del Mundo lets you stand directly on the equator before the real spine of the trip begins.
The train climbs past Cotopaxi Volcano and through the Inca stonework at Hacienda San Agustín de Callo, then descends through Riobamba, where a handful of ice merchants still harvest ice from Chimborazo’s glacier by hand.
The most dramatic stretch comes on the descent down the Devil’s Nose, a series of switchbacks cut into the mountainside and ridden aboard a restored steam train before the landscape gives way to the rainforest and plantations around Bucay.
The rail journey ends in Duran, with the trip closing out in Guayaquil, Ecuador‘s largest city and a study in contrast, colonial squares and busy markets sitting easily alongside a modern waterfront skyline.
As luxury LGBTQ+ travel specialists, we arrange every leg of the train, every transfer, and every hotel along the way, so the only real work on this trip is selecting your perfect window seat.
In detail
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Don't forget that most of our itineraries can be totally customized. Our expert team will be able to talk you through all the options.
Days 1-2: Quito
The first day consists of arriving in Quito and a private transfer to your hotel, chosen for its location within easy reach of the historic centre, named the first UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1978.
Your second day is spent in the historic centre itself, among colonial architecture, cobbled streets, and centuries-old churches, followed by a visit to Mitad del Mundo, where a painted line marks the equator between the northern and southern hemispheres.
Day 3: Chimbacalle to Cotopaxi to Lasso
Board the Tren Crucero at Chimbacalle Station for the first leg of the rail journey, crossing into Cotopaxi National Park beneath the Cotopaxi Volcano.
A stop at Hacienda San Agustín de Callo reveals Inca stonework built directly into the estate’s later colonial architecture before the train continues on to Lasso for the night.
An evening in Lasso consists of an authentic Ecuadorian dinner and time spent recalling the day’s spectacular sights.
Day 4: Lasso to Latacunga to Riobamba
After breakfast, depart for the Latacunga station to board the Cruise Train and continue the journey south.
Along the way, meet one of the last remaining ice merchants who still harvest ice from the mountain’s glacier by hand, a tradition that has all but disappeared elsewhere in the Andes.
The train then travels to Ambato, where lunch will be served. If weather conditions permit, it might be possible to observe at a safe distance a volcanic eruption of the majestic Tungurahua.
Day 5: Riobamba to Bucay
Today consists of the most dramatic leg of the journey, aboard a historic steam train descending the ‘Devil’s Nose,’ a series of switchbacks cut directly into the mountainside.
The train drops 200 meters in just 3 kilometers, and a short break at a viewpoint enables you to appreciate the engineering it took to construct the ‘world’s most difficult’ rail system.
The journey continues along the Chanchán River to the Bucay station. Witness the transition from the Andean highlands to Ecuador’s coastal plains.
Day 6: Bucay to Duran
The final rail leg of the Tren Crucero concludes in Duran, closing out the train portion of the journey before the transfer to Guayaquil.
After breakfast, depart by train from the Bucay station and travel to San Rafael. The journey runs alongside a rainforest and banana, cacao, and sugar cane plantations.
The trip ends upon arrival at Durán station. Transport is provided to take you to Guayaquil’s main hotels.
Day 7: Guayaquil
A day in Guayaquil, Ecuador’s largest city, where a modern skyline sits alongside colonial-era squares and busy markets.
You’ll find quaint squares, parks, and lots of regeneration. The city also has a growing arts scene with lively bars.
The Malecón 2000 waterfront and the colorful Las Peñas neighbourhood make an easy pairing for an afternoon on foot.
Your final night will be spent here, before departing in the morning via private transfer.
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