Our Team 
Our Tour Experts 
Heroes and Heroines 
Paul Bird
From quaint Andean villages and colourful markets to staggering volcanic landscapes and the Amazon Rainforest, Paul has explored the length and breadth of Ecuador. Talk with our experts
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Our Team Steppes Travel is made by the people who work here. Incredible holidays are made possible because of their vast travel experience and the great enthusiasm they bring to their work.
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Our Tour Experts We carefully select our experts based on their knowledge, companionship and influence, ensuring that you can travel with the most knowledgeable leaders in the field.
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Heroes and Heroines The people who lead the way when it comes to those things which matter to us: exploration, the environment, women’s empowerment and education.
Otavalo
Otavalo and the surrounding villages are famous for their dazzling textiles and intricate handicrafts, which are on proud display at the famous indigenous market held on an enormous scale each Saturday in the central ‘Poncho Plaza’.
Observe proud Otavalenos dressed in traditional attire bartering with tourists over stalls piled high with a vast array of goods, while children play happily at their feet and artisans exchange their earnings for food staples and livestock. It is a sight to behold and a photographer’s delight. Irresistible souvenirs include quality woollen blankets, scarves, sweaters, tapestries, ponchos, jewellery and embroidered clothing. Leatherwork comes from the nearby village of Cotacachi and beautiful woodcarvings from San Antonio de Ibarra.
A little more about Otavalo
The Imbabura province offers a host of scenic trekking or horse riding possibilities from the majestic torrents of Peguche Waterfall to the picturesque crater lake of Cuicocha, and the excellent bird watching opportunities at Mojanda Lakes. Make your Ecuador tour more memorable by staying in a local hacienda, a colonial farming estate turned into a beautiful, secluded hotel with period decor and local home grown produce.
Experiences
What do you really love doing? We curate your itinerary especially for you.
Idea
Sail the Galapagos Islands
A transformative sailing voyage around the world’s most treasured archipelago, staying aboard anything from a whimsical sailboat to a state-of-the-art catamaran, an exploration of the Galapagos Islands is the quintessential adventure for wildlife-loving wayfarers.
Meet our experts
A passion for travel runs right through every one of our experts - meaning they're always ready with first-hand insight about their specialist countries.
James Armitage
This small country encapsulates the continent of South America, and James has been privileged to visit the Amazon, the Andes, the coastal regions and the enchanting Galapagos Islands. Talk with our experts
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John Faithfull
John rode the railways of Ecuador on the carriage roof before it was outlawed, but still recommends a jaunt along the Devil’s Nose – an engineering marvel that can still be enjoyed from inside a carriage. Talk with our experts
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Roxy Dukes
I love to squeeze as much out of my day as possible. An outdoors fanatic, I love to delve into harsh environments having summited numerous mountains and trail running into the unknown whenever I get the chance – whether at home or overseas. Funnily enough, it didn’t start like that. It took a few years for the burning fire of adventure to truly take light with my eyes opened by the adventures travel could afford. Talk with our experts
- 01285 601 784
Let’s chat
Speak to our experts
Our team is waiting to help you tailor a trip that will leave you with stories for a lifetime. Call us on
01285 601 784Avenue of the Volcanoes
Two hours' drive south from Quito is the Avenue of the Volcanoes, a road that winds its way between Andean foothills dotted…
Cloud Forest
It is a birders' paradise. Without counting the seemingly endless species of hummingbirds, the list of bird species seen here would rival…
Cuenca
Cuenca is the third largest city in Ecuador and considered by many to be the most attractive. Founded on the Inca site…
Ecuadorian Amazon
In stark contrast to the cool snowcapped Andes mountains are the humid lowlands known as El Oriente. This is an area of…
Galapagos Islands
Welcome to Darwin’s playground, where a delicate collection of fearless wildlife and idyllic landscapes awaits.
Quito
South America’s second highest capital is sprawled along the slopes of the surrounding mountains at an elevation of 9,350 feet.
Guayaquil
Guayaquil is Ecuador’s largest city and home to the country’s chief seaport with major industries focused on petroleum refining, shrimp fishing, and…
Loja
Loja's capital city of the same name and the area's natural wonders remain unsullied and largely undiscovered by travellers because they are…
Machalilla National Park
The Machalilla National Park offers a fascinating variety of flora and fauna and covers an area of 55,000 hectares including Salango and…
Why Choose Steppes?
Our knowledge and expertise sets us apart. So too our curiosity. A curiosity of the world and of you, and your passions. It is this that drives us to create a journey that is really bespoke to you, all the while ensuring we travel and operate sustainably.
Are you ready to discover extraordinary?
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