We loved our trip. Daniel Maldonado was an excellent guide. All our excursions were so fun and informative. Food was good and travel was very safe.... read more Would gladly go again. Hiking to the Cotopaxi glacier crossed one item off our bucket list.

  We did the 5 day Kajak Waorani expedition. It was the best trip on our 6 month south america journey so far. We really enjoyed diving into a completely different... read more world. The trip was very well organized, the guides nice and with a lot of knowledge. If you are looking for a luxury trip this is the wrong for you. Basic but very nice accommodation in the forest. A lot of animals and insects to see and feel in form of bites 🙂 the best experience was the jungle walk where you would get lost without a local waorani guy. As well as spending a lot of time with the family drinking chicha, playing with the blowgun or with the many animals around the house.

  The active Ecuador trip was one of the most (if not the most) memorable trips of our lives. The diversity of being in the Andes versus in the lush Amazon... read more Basin allows for travelers of all kinds to see something they like. From the incredible views of Cotopaxi, to the literal breathtaking zipline experience, all the way to rafting the Jatunyacu river, there's truly something for everyone to enjoy on this trip. A large portion of the trip's success was due to our expert guide, Oscar. Oscar was friendly, incredibly knowledgeable, and followed all safety guidelines. He had interesting information about every location, animal species, and flora we saw. I highly recommend this trip to any and all who are interested in exploring the wildlife of South America. 10/10 trip, and can't wait to do something like this again.

  Christian was a great guide. We descended over 7,000’ on 3 trails. Each one started over 15,000’ up and had amazing unique terrain! Such a fun day... read more in Cotopaxi park!

I’m an experienced rider on a family vacation. I didn’t bring any biking gear but Activ expedition had me covered. I’d highly recommend and hope to make it back for one of their multi day adventures!

  Crystal and I's Active Ecuador Multi-Sport Trip guided by Christian was incredible. I'm terrible about leaving reviews, but after this life-changing trip I feel obligated, and I really hope many... read more other travelers will get to experience what we did. I have traveled to many parts of the world and lived in 3 countries outside of the US, and at 42, this was one of the most amazing trips I have ever been on. My wife and I were both skeptical of what this trip would entail. We like to adventure places on our own, and "piece-meal" trips together, traveling around foreign lands in an overpriced rental. We were worried about potential lousy food, lousy accommodations, and a dicey guide experience. However, Active Expedition's tour was quite the opposite. Christian picked us up in a cozy touring van, and all we had to do was sit back for a week and enjoy a never-ending sea of beautiful vistas, waterfalls, rainforests, and so many volcanoes. has a four-year degree in guiding, 16 years of guide experience, and a never-ending amount of knowledge of the country, including the history, ecology, the best local food, and each city, folklore, shamanism, and every lodging was great. If you like ice cream it's everywhere. Though Christian speaks extremely fluent English, he was very patient to work with me and answer my questions as I continue to learn Spanish. From my understanding, all of the guides at Active Expedition are cut from a similar cloth. If you like hiking to crater lakes, biking with views of volcanoes, climbing active volcanoes, whitewater rafting, caving, or jungle canyoning and scrambling up small waterfalls then I recommend it, and if those aren't your things then they will be. I do recommend being prepared for some physical activity; however, each day we were tired, but the events and travel seemed to be designed perfectly so that you are never too tired or overly exhausted to be ready to go for each day's adventure. We ate so much great food. No processed foods and all fresh vegetables and fruits. I thought I would come back to the US 5-10 pounds heavier than I left, but I got home and was the same weight I left at 2-weeks earlier. Prior to booking this trip, I didn't even know Ecuador was a place I wanted to visit, but it is now one of my favorite countries in the world, and we are booking another trip to the Galápagos with Christian and Active Expedition in 2024.

  I don't know where to start!! This trip was so well curated with beautiful accommodations, amazing food, and challenging activities!! This was not the crowded "get off the bus... read more and take pictures" tour that you think of when you imagine a guided tour in the US. This was an experience of a lifetime. We saw remote areas of the country, we were introduced to foods we've never imagined and really pushed our own comfort level. We'll return every chance we get!!!

  What an amazing experience! Christian was available, flexible, and responsive throughout the trip. Jose, our guide, was knowledgeable, patient, and full of good vibes. We did some amazing rides and... read more felt supported the whole time. I would recommend this trip for sure - and I might even do it again someday!

  Christian was an amazing guide into the Amazon. He took us to amazing place and introduce us to local culture and people. He is truly passionate about sustainable eco tourism... read more and cares deeply about supporting the communities he engages with. This was clear by amazing hospitality and generosity that was shown to us each step of our adventure. He was a great communicator and fun person to hangout with, also he told some really good stories. Each day we did a new amazing active adventure that I would have never discovered on my own. We stuck to the itinerary with some added bonuses when time allowed. My partner is vegan and he made sure she was happily fed the whole time. I highly recommend this trip for anyone looking to learn and adventure in the Ecuadorian Amazon.

  We had the trip of a lifetime with Christian! We could not be happier with our Amazon trip and all the active adventures we went on. Christian was a great... read more and personable guide throughout the trip. He stuck closely to our itinerary and catered to our dietary needs. What made this trip so special was the local and native connections Christain has with the Jungle communities and the hospitality and kindness they showed us. I would most definitely recommend this trip to anyone who loves to be active and seeks to learn more about the Amazon culture and community.

  This trip exceeded expectations. From the get go Christian was so helpful and always available for questions or advice. Communication was great throughout the whole trip. Our guide Jose was... read more amazing, a great rider, friendly, always available to help. Trails were so fun! We were a group of intermediate and advanced riders and this trip was a great mix of fun and challenge. Food and accommodations were all as advertised (We especially enjoyed our stay at La Guilena. Would recommend this trip for the adventurous mountain biker. Scenery was out of this world amazing. We hope to utilize Active Expeditions for more trips in the future.

  This was a GREAT trip from the owner (Christian), to our guide/leader/mechanic Jose, to the amazing mountain biking, views, food, and accommodations!!

If you are into enduro style mountain... read more biking... you MUST put this trip on your short list!

We ride all over Colorado, Utah, Arizona, Idaho (and a little in Washington), so a LOT of mountain biking, and this was a trip outstanding!!

You get to ride down volcanos, through a cloud forrest, down knife ridges with incredible Jurassic Park like views, through pastures and farms, and so much more. Tons of challenging single track!

Not to mention the accommodations. Make sure to request a visit to Jose's Finca (farm), where they do Organic farming the right way! The stay at La Guilena made you want to never leave and keep biking around the area! And La Andaluza Hosteria was SO unique!

I can't say enough! So good!

If you are worried about traveling to South America... don't be. It was our first time, and it was very easy, and Activexpedition was there for you every step of the way.

  Wow — what a fantastic experience with an exceptionally good company! My 14 year old son and I did the Active Galapagos tour with a custom itinerary beforehand that... read more included Biking through the Cloud Forest, Active Mindo, and Papallacta Hot Springs Relax with overnights in Quito, Mindo and Papallacta. ActivExpedition was recommended to me by a good friend who is well travelled, and we booked only 3 1/2 weeks before our departure. Our experience was exceptional from beginning to end! Christian was very responsive and helpful in putting together our itinerary, and checked in with me throughout our trip yo be sure things were going well. There were nationwide protests and road blockades occurring during our trip, and our guide and Christian monitored the situation, kept us informed, and adjusted our itinerary in consultation with us to ensure our safety. We were able to focus on enjoying our vacation knowing that others were carefully managing things behind the scenes. Oscar was our guide for the mainland part of our trip, and Jorge was our driver. It was just the 4 of us and we thoroughly enjoyed our time together. Oscar was incredibly knowledgeable about history, plants, birds, animals and was a great story teller and outdoor enthusiast. He gave us some great restaurant recommendations serving local food that fit our budget. Our mountain bikes and gear were practically new and fit us well. All logistics and transfers went smoothly and as planned. For the Galapagos segment of our trip, we had Jairo for our guide and were joined by 2 other travellers on our 4th day. The Galapagos were absolutely magical! The snorkelling was fantastic, the diversity we saw on the 3 islands we visited was incredible, and I still can’t believe the wildlife we saw up close and in the wild! Jairo was an excellent guide — again, incredibly knowledgeable and fun to be with. On our free day my son tried surfing — one of Jairo’s passions and a highlight of our trip! If you enjoy an active vacation and appreciate being close to nature, I highly recommend ActivExpedition! I’m seriously considering a second trip to Ecuador in a few years and wouldn’t hesitate to book with them again! Happy travels!

  Christian organizes excellent tours for mountain biking that can accommodate the entire family and riders of very different skill levels. This allows all members of the family to have fun.... read more The van carrying the bikes is never far behind and riders that have a hard time on upward climbs can go back to the van. Christian and his team pick out excellent routes that allow one to see the beauty of Ecuador. I would highly recommend his tours as a nice alternative for a family that wants to see Ecuador but does not want to go hiking every day.

  Christian is an 11/10 guide. I never do group tours because I like being able to explore on my own, but he did an incredible job curating a unique, diverse,... read more and authentic experience. At the beginning of the trip, he stated the values our group should adopt for the trip: positive, flexible, communicative, and eco-friendly. I truly appreciate that he stuck to these values 100% throughout the trip. Even when we encountered some hardships, he was extraordinarily positive (who doesn’t love a positive person) and our intelligent guide would quickly find a solution. Not to mention, this guy can tell a story. He not only is knowledgeable and passionate about Ecuadorian history and culture, but listening to him answer every question we had with excitement and thoroughness was an absolute pleasure. Listening to him while looking at the beautiful scenery made every long drive enjoyable. When we fell behind schedule, Christian was great about making sure we still did what we wanted to do and adjusting the group’s itinerary based on needs and limitations. He even helped my dad and I get a ride on the last day to the airport half way back to Quito so we wouldn’t have to have an extended drive. He was also very communicative: he would debrief us about what to expect for the next day every evening, was patient and embracing of all our questions, even if they were repetitive or silly, and was such a warm, friendly, and energetic guide. He stuck to the eco-tourism value by emphasizing the impact that our appreciation of nature has on environmental issues and minimized single-use plastic (in a country that does not use tap water) by always having a water station to refill our water. The places we stayed and the services we used were clearly carefully selected with good taste to benefit the locals and for us to have a local experience. By the end of the trip, our group, though very different, felt like a little family. I’m amazed by how much I learned and experienced over the 10 day Galapagos & Ecuador Adventure trip. If you’re looking for a one of a kind, authentic, action packed and fun, eco-friendly trip go with Christian!

  My daughter and I traveled with AE on the Ecuador and the Galapagos trip in May of 2022. The whole experience was outstanding and I can confidently say that Christian... read more is the best guide I have ever traveled with. Firstly, he is an extremely talented and genuinely committed professional who has found his calling and is doing this according to his personal philosophy - commitment to exploration of our planet, its preservation, providing all customers the opportunity to engage in physical activity and deep love of his country, its nature, its people and the culture and history. His English is superb and he not only guides with expertise and enthusiasm, but also conveys information on geography, history, flora and fauna, culinary variety etc. He is an avid mountain biker and kayaker, as well as hiker and explorer. He has a great sense of humor and balance. He has organized the itinerary very thoughtfully and managed as needed for each of the group members to accommodate their needs. I am hard to impress, but he certainly accomplished it. The tour itself is well planned, has a wide variety of terrain and activities planned - from the island experience in the Galapagos to mountain biking, rafting and canyoning in the Amazon. There is balance between group activity and opportunity to make your own choices for dinner or afternoon unwind. Christian is a true gem and I would otherwise prefer keeping this a secret, and yet in fairness have to acknowledge his value in gratitude and in the spirit of sharing info with the community of travelers interested in this type of experience.

  Highly recommend ActivExpedition for their Active Galapagos trip for travelers who want to get up close and personal with nature and wildlife! Their Galapagos Islands tour blew away all... read more my expectations of what the Islands had to offer.

Our guide was Christian and he was recommended to us by another tour operator we worked with. Christian has extensive guiding experience in the Galapagos so his knowledge and connections with local residents on the different islands really made our trip feel personal and special. Christian is also an excellent communicator and responded very quickly to our questions before our trip so we felt very well prepared for this trip.

Our family group of 4 adult (two couples) traveled in early May 2022 and our tour was conducted in English. If you're asking yourself "how physically fit do I need to be for this trip?", our family members ranged from people who workout daily to people who exercise weekly. The level of physical activity was fine for all of us but it's p Most of the activities are water based so I'd say very basic swimming abilities are necessary as there are multiple days of snorkeling for this itinerary.

We choose the private tour for all the obvious reasons - slightly customized trip, itinerary pacing, etc. If you want to maximize your travel time and are able to do the private tour, this is the way to go. Transport logistics were very efficient with a private group.

The biodiversity of the Galapagos was incredibly rich and colorful. I have never seen this much marine life without diving or being at an aquarium. During this trip I hiked on a volcano, swam with sharks, kayaked with penguins, and even got stuck in a bay current face-to-face with a giant marine turtle.

  Our group of 4 active travelers (2 married couples) experienced the time of our lives during our 8 day active expedition to the Galapagos led by Christian. Our trip... read more started in Quito and we spent 2 days in San Cristobal, 4 days in Isabella and 1 day in Santa Cruz. Each island had its own feel and the activities were perfectly planned accordingly.

We wanted to be active without having to stress over the details of planning. Boy did they deliver. We had 4 days with snorkeling, 2 from shore and 2 from boat. Each site was so unique. A small bay off a hike trail where a sea lion pup played with us in the water. Or off a boat at Kicker Rock being led through crevices and rising waves. And of course there were the shallows of the lava tunnels where we saw shark colonies and sea turtles in their natural habitats.

Christian was encouraging, helpful, and patient with our group. We definitely would have been much lazier without his planning. Thanks to him we did a bike ride to the Wall of Tears and on a separate day a hike to the caldera of the Isabella volcanoes. A fantastic guide!!!

The trip was unforgettable. We are so happy we booked with them!

Tips: we selected some of the nicer accommodations and it was really exquisite. We appreciated the finer details in our resorts and feel this option was worth the added expense

We brought a lot of spf 50 -60 sunscreen and used it all up

Adhere to the recommended packing list. We really wish we did

Cash. 95% of the Galapagos doesn’t take credit card. This includes tips for drivers and guides. ATMs are not easily accessible and only allow $100 withdrawals x 3 per day. Everywhere takes American dollars. For 8 days I would recommend >$1,000.

Wifi. The islands don’t have good internet service. Best to plan around it. Avoid zoom meetings.

The water was cold in May. Don’t turn down a wet suite if you’re snorkeling. Long sleeved better.

  Last minute, trip! And wow, what an amazing time my sister & daughter had visiting the Amazonian regions of Ecuador. Our personal tour guide, Christian, was a delight... read more to have from start to finish, catering to all of our touristy needs! You want to see monkeys ok we can divert over to Misahualli. And monkeys did we see! You need Wi-Fi in the middle of the Amazon? Ok we can stop at the Rio Arajuno bridge (mind you, we’re kayaking the river) where there’s a small shack/shop where guy can let us use his Wi-Fi. You guys love soccer? Ok let me get a game of soccer going with the local Kichwa kids that we’ll be visiting in just a while.
One of the most memorable events would have to be the hike through the Amazonian rain forest. I have always wondered what’s behind all those huge trees and such one sees canoeing or kayaking down a river within the rain forests.
Having a local Kichwa leading us through his lands of the rainforest, us with our rubber rainboots on (to protect against snakes that may strike out at anytime), teaching us how one survives off the land, learning about all of the medicinal uses of plants and trees was amazing.
I can’t say enough about Christian and the people he brought with him or brought into the tour to make it that much more interesting and unforgettable.
Thank you Christian! We have already talked about our plans to return and do some hardcore MTB riding. Apparently that is one of Christian’s pastimes and apparently he does a great adventure tour MTBing the volcanoes and even the Galapagos, another bucket list destination that would be amazing to do Christian style-biking and boating.
Thank you again for a wonderful and unforgettable time. Until our next South American adventure Christian ..!!

  Our (first) trip with ActivXpedition during winter break was really good. Christian was very accommodating & helpful, efficient. To accommodate changes on the go/ logistics was handled professionally. All... read more the boutique hotels that we stayed at were good. With local guides and their team everything worked flawless. Christian was very accommodating in taking care of every need/details. I would highly recommend ActivXpedition.

Hoping to go with Christian to Amazon adventure in near future

  Every day was a new adventure. My husband and I are in our 60s and live at sea level, so even with three days in and around Quito to acclimate... read more I was worried about the high altitudes. I credit our very experienced guide, Daniel, for the fact that we had little difficulty and really enjoyed every day.

  Daniel provided us with an outstanding Ecuador experience! He's highly knowledgeable about plant and animal life, history and customs which he readily shared. I especially enjoyed learning about... read more Daniel's stories. He's incredibly strong which was very helpful to me in navigating the climb over slippery jungle boulders!

  Christian was incredibly accommodating for our tour. He provided local information and history that was interesting to learn about. He made sure we got exactly what we wanted out of... read more the trip. There was no pressure or rush, and he let us pace the entire day. I would get his contact information in advance in order to ensure the tour is what you want exactly. We did the downhill portion (mind blowing!) and then several miles of cross country biking that show cased Cotopaxi National Park. Gear was provided as well as lunch. We would absolutely do another guided tour with him, should we return to Ecuador.

  I contacted Christian to organize a trip to the Quilotoa loop. He connected us to Victor from Sigchos who guided us on a 3 day trip from Sigchos to Isinlivi... read more to Chugchilian and finally reaching Quiltoa with its beautiful emerald crater.

Some people suggest that you can do the Quilotoa loop on your own without a guide. But, we would recommend a local guide. Victor, as a local to the area, took us on the most beautiful path through the valleys and countryside - a path we would not known how to do on our own. Victor was incredibly kind and explained many things along the way, such as the local herbs and vegetation we passed by. He was also always on time and his family helped to transport our luggage from hostel to hostel. We had an amazing time.

  14 of us Family and friends We had a Gr8 experience with Christine and team. We did hiking, Mountain biking, snorkeling, caving and Canyoning. Let every one in the group... read more do every activity they wanted to do with patience and full attention.
Well coordinated and trained supporting team. Except minor time delays and
Quito accommodations ( small rooms) all accomodations were nice. Overall wonderful experience and highly recommend Active Expeditions !!!!

  This trip was an amazing way to experience Ecuador! The landscapes and views in all of the treks were breathtaking and each place had its own unique charm. Our driver... read more Jose was great; he navigated the roads like an expert and also prepared delicious lunches for us everyday that met the dietary needs of everyone in our group, while also making sure we tried all the different local fruits and foods that we don’t have in the United States.

Our guide Daniel also did an excellent job. He was very personable and fun to talk to and also extremely knowledgeable about the different animals, plants and places we were seeing along the way everywhere we went. He did a very good job at making sure everyone was enjoying themselves and that we all got to do everything we wanted to. He made sure we saw all the highlights and also had local suggestions in towns like Baños that we wouldn’t have known to check out on our own during our free time. He always ensured that everyone was handling the altitude well on the hikes that got to higher altitudes like Chimborazo and Cotopaxi. He managed the different hiking skills and speeds of all the people in the group well. Our trip would not have been the same without him!

All of the hotels we stayed at were nice and charming and all had great food. We had vegans and vegetarians in our group and they were always accommodated. The hotel in Baños is nice but it is far away from the town which took away from some of the time we could have spent there.

I would highly recommend this tour to anyone who wants to see the mountains in Ecuador and has a sense of adventure! The hiking could be challenging at times but was always worth it and there were other activities offered as well such as zip lining, visiting waterfalls, adventure parks, bridge jumping, etc. I will absolutely recommend this tour to my friends and family and would book with them again next time I’m in Ecuador. Thank you for the unforgettable trip!

  Our (first) trip with ActivXpedition during winter break was really good. Christian was very accommodating & helpful, efficient. To accommodate changes on the go/ logistics was handled professionally. All... read more the boutique hotels that we stayed at were good. With local guides and their team everything worked flawless. Christian was very accommodating in taking care of every need/details. I would highly recommend ActivXpedition.

Hoping to go with Christian to Amazon adventure in near future

  Every day was a new adventure. My husband and I are in our 60s and live at sea level, so even with three days in and around Quito to acclimate... read more I was worried about the high altitudes. I credit our very experienced guide, Daniel, for the fact that we had little difficulty and really enjoyed every day.

  Daniel provided us with an outstanding Ecuador experience! He's highly knowledgeable about plant and animal life, history and customs which he readily shared. I especially enjoyed learning about... read more Daniel's stories. He's incredibly strong which was very helpful to me in navigating the climb over slippery jungle boulders!

  Christian was incredibly accommodating for our tour. He provided local information and history that was interesting to learn about. He made sure we got exactly what we wanted out of... read more the trip. There was no pressure or rush, and he let us pace the entire day. I would get his contact information in advance in order to ensure the tour is what you want exactly. We did the downhill portion (mind blowing!) and then several miles of cross country biking that show cased Cotopaxi National Park. Gear was provided as well as lunch. We would absolutely do another guided tour with him, should we return to Ecuador.

  I contacted Christian to organize a trip to the Quilotoa loop. He connected us to Victor from Sigchos who guided us on a 3 day trip from Sigchos to Isinlivi... read more to Chugchilian and finally reaching Quiltoa with its beautiful emerald crater.

Some people suggest that you can do the Quilotoa loop on your own without a guide. But, we would recommend a local guide. Victor, as a local to the area, took us on the most beautiful path through the valleys and countryside - a path we would not known how to do on our own. Victor was incredibly kind and explained many things along the way, such as the local herbs and vegetation we passed by. He was also always on time and his family helped to transport our luggage from hostel to hostel. We had an amazing time.

  14 of us Family and friends We had a Gr8 experience with Christine and team. We did hiking, Mountain biking, snorkeling, caving and Canyoning. Let every one in the group... read more do every activity they wanted to do with patience and full attention.
Well coordinated and trained supporting team. Except minor time delays and
Quito accommodations ( small rooms) all accomodations were nice. Overall wonderful experience and highly recommend Active Expeditions !!!!