Ecuador’s Tren Crucero (cruise train) offers an unforgettable journey through the highlands of the Andes Mountains, from Quito, the capital to the Pacific coast city of Guayaquil, immersing travelers in the culture, customs and history of this fascinating country, coupled with the romance of a historical train journey.
With a capacity of just 54 passengers, this luxury train journey starts in either Quito or Guayaquil and travels the length of Ecuador’s Andes mountains giving travelers spectacular scenery as the train crosses mountain passes at elevations of up to 12,600 feet.
The 280 mile journey is covered in 4 days, with travelers staying in beautiful haciendas along the route and taking side trips by road to visit fascinating sites along the way.
The four train carriages, newly refurbished in 2012 are luxurious and offer large picture windows to watch the ever-changing scenery pass by.
Travelers on the train gain a fascinating insight into the lives of the Ecuadoreans who live in colorful Andean towns and villages where the train is greeted at every stop by smiling, waving children and brightly dressed villagers who still live a traditional lifestyle.
There are some great side trips from the train, including the ancient Inca ruins at Ingapirca, the spectacular Mount Cotopaxi National Park, and the amazing ‘Avenue of the Volcanoes’, a chain of nine hulking volcanoes, easily seen from the large picture windows of the train’s carriages. Another highlight is the Nariz del Diablo (Devil’s Nose) – an amazing feat of engineering, where the train zig-zags along a narrow track in order to climb the face of a granite cliff.
In all, this is one of South America’s most spectacular and fascinating train journeys. Couple this with a longer visit to Ecuador, visiting the country’s amazing Galapagos Islands and Amazon jungle for an unforgettable journey of a lifetime.
