DAY
1
After arrival in Quito, you will spend the remainder of the afternoon
and evening relaxing at Hostal
Café Cultura or similar.
DAY
2
The tour begins with a visit to Quito's impressive colonial district.
We will see fabulous examples of colonial art and visit some of
the grandest churches in South America. After a typical lunch,
we will visit the ethnographic museum at the "Middle of the
World" monument, a few kilometers north of Quito. Ironically,
the modern designers of the "Middle of the World" monument
miscalculated the equator by several meters, while the builders
of the ruins were on the mark hundreds of years earlier. Then
we drive a short distance to pre-Incan ruins, also on the equator
to have a special ritual with a Shaman. We drive 2 hours to Otavalo
for the evening (B/L/-).
DAY
3
We depart early in the morning to the largest indigenous market
in Latin America, at Otavalo. Here, we will explore a vast array
of Andean handicrafts, including clothing, jewelry, artwork; armadillo
shell guitars, wall hangings, handbags and hammocks. The market
also features ceramic works, CDs of native pipe music and native
food. Then we will take a short drive to the workshop of local
weaver and watch as he weaves clothing on a Spanish treadle loom.
He will also demonstrate weaving on the new automatic loom, or
weaving machine, which has become the loom of choice for modern
Andean weavers. We then drive about 40 minutes north to the Pukyu
Pamba community, a family run project, where we will enjoy a typical
indigenous lunch. Before lunch we will take a short walk through
a medicinal plants forest while a native medicine man discusses
the uses of natural medicine. In the afternoon, we will experience
a healing with a guinea pig (the Andean x-ray), where one of you
will be diagnosed by the indigenous doctor, we drive back to our
hotel in Quito (B/L/-).
DAY
4
After breakfast, we visit the high-altitude Antizana Reserve south
of Quito. The private reserve includes the Antizana volcanoe,
which has an elevation of 5705 meters. The reserve is rich in
plant and animal life and features the legendary Andinist flower,
or chuquiraguas. Tourists may also catch a glimpse of an Andean
condor, which roosts in the area. Tour guests will have the opportunity
to take a short walk in the reserve. We will stop for lunch at
the reserves Hacienda. Overnight in Lasso, Hacienda
la Ciénega, or similar (B/L/-).
DAY
5
Today we get a close-up view of Ecuadorian gastronomy and feast
on the area's wonderful food, we will indulge in a meal popular
in the highlands region of Ecuador, the Chugchucaras, which are
potato and cheese croquettes with pork or chicken, also “colada
morada”, “cuy” (guinea pigs) and more. We will
visit the Salasaca community, where a Shaman / Healer will show
us their special rituals to cure people’s diseases and receive
another lesson in the uses of medicinal plants. Overnight at Hostería
Abraspungo in Riobamba (B/L/D).
DAY
6
After breakfast we drive 30 minutes from Riobamba to the Condor
Project in a community situated in the high Andean central sierra.
The project funds a school and provides lodging for volunteer
workers from around the world, and for mountain climbers preparing
to ascend the nearby volcano, Chimborazo, Ecuador's highest peak.
In addition to visiting the school, we will see the community's
handicrafts, spend time learning about daily life and visit the
women's weaving cooperative. The area around the community and
the inactive volcano is a protected ecosystem of unique wildlife.
In the afternoon we drive to the Ingapirca, Ecuador's most important
pre-Columbian ruin, a monument to the Cañari and Inca cultures.
Overnight in Cuenca at Hotel
Carvallo, Crespo
or similar (B/BL/-).
DAY
7
Near Cuenca we will visit the Kushi Wayra project and spend the
day with the community. We will experience life in the "mingas",
a working collective, and enjoy a "pampamesa", a country
picnic featuring the food of the region, including corn, oats,
potatoes, rice, chicken and, of course, cuy (guinea pig). We will
walk through the local forest and have another lesson in medicinal
plants. After lunch we drive back to Cuenca and tour this colonial
city that is often referred to as the Athens of South America.
We will visit the Homero Ortega P. & Hijos Panama hat factory,
and see the process by which the hats are made. Panama hats, by
the way, are manufactured exclusively in Ecuadorian. They were
given their name during the construction of the Panama Canal,
a century ago, when large quantities of the hats were worn by
canal workers. We end a busy day with a meal at one of Cuenca's
most elegant restaurants. Overnight at our hotel in Cuenca (B/L/D).
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Cuenca flower market
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Coastal bananas
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DAY
8
After breakfast we depart for Guayaquil, Ecuador's major port
and largest city. As we descend from the Andes, we pass vast haciendas
producing bananas, coffee, mangoes, rice, sugar cane and, of course,
cacao. If you look closely, you will see beans and grain spread
out by the side of the road, drying in the sun. Overnight in Guayaquil
Hotel
Hampton Inn, Oro
Verde, or similar (B/L/-).
DAY
9 [and beyond]
If you wish, you can extend your Ecuadorian vacation with a tour
of the Amazon jungle, a Galapagos cruise or a trip to Peru's famous
Macchu Picchu ruins. You may also want to return to Quito or Cuenca
for intensive Spanish language training, or you can take the saddest
decision to go back home.
Please make arrangements in advance.
Price: $1800 per person in double occupancy
Contact us for details and
availability!