The Hidden And Unique Magic Andes Tour

THE HIDDEN AND UNIQUE MAGIC ANDES

6 DAYS / 5 NIGHTS

This is the perfect trip to visit the north of Ecuador Andes, it combines some of the culture and history of our country visiting Zuleta and Otavalo with our incredible biodiversity having the opportunity to visit two different paramos and the magic Polylepis forest.

DAY 1: ARRIVAL IN QUITO, ECUADOR

Arrive in Quito and transfer to your hotel, welcome, and overnight.

DAY 2: QUITO – OTAVALO

After breakfast, our guide will be waiting for you at the lobby of your hotel in order to travel to the north of Quito. First you will visit Hacienda Zuleta, a famous hacienda, which was property of one of the most remarkable presidents of Ecuador and it is still owned by his descendants.

At this hacienda you will learn about the protection of the Andean condor with the Condor Huasi project, located at 5 km from the house in a valley surrounded by native forest. At Condor Huasi, the only reproduction and liberation site licensed by the governmental condor protection agency in Ecuador, you will be able to observe the eight condors that are in captivity and with some luck you might see wild condors flying above you or even landing on the aviary.

Return to the main house in order to enjoy of delicious lunch and in the afternoon you can visit the different projects of this hacienda like the embroidery workshop, the cheese production, milk shed, worm farm and others.

In the afternoon you will go to Carabuela a small town close to Otavalo where you will visit an old master weaver who will explain to you about the traditional process that the Otavaleños use to make their handicrafts. Finally your guide will drive you to Hacienda Pinsaquí located close to Otavalo where you will diner and overnight.

(B.L.D)

DAY 3: OTAVALO AND ITS SURROUNDINGS

Early in the morning after breakfast, you will visit an animal market where the native people offer and buy their animals (only Saturday), here it is possible to find from a small guinea pig or a chicken to a big animal like a cow or a horse.

After this fantastic experience you will arrive to the Otavalo market or the Ponchos market, that is considered the most important indigenous market of South America; here you can find different and colorful handicrafts like rugs, tapestries, clothes jewelry, etc.

Lunch in a local restaurant and then you will continue to Cuicocha Crater Lake, on route you will visit Cotacachi town known for its famous leather handicrafts. You will arrive at Cuicocha which is part of Cotacachi Cayapas Ecological Reserve, this lake lies inside the crater of an active volcano surrounded by native vegetation.

This place is considered as a sacred lake and in a certain season of the year the native people celebrate traditional rituals there, to purify and clean their souls. If time and weather permit you can walk through the trail that surrounds the crater (3 hours approximately) and enjoy the amazing view of Taita (Quichua word that means father) Imbabura, Cayambe mountain, and others. Late in the afternoon return to Hacienda Pinsaqui where you will diner and overnight.

(B.L.D)

DAY 4: OTAVALO – POLYLEPIS LODGE

After an early breakfast, your guide will drive you to the train station to catch the train to Liberty road* which will allow you to travel into the past and learn about the history and the main events that happened in this beautiful province.

You will cross tunnels, bridges and typical cities of the Ecuadorian North highlands. Arrival to a small town called Salinas de Ibarra, where you will have time to rest and later you will continue with your trip to the north, box lunch on route and in the afternoon you will arrive to Polylepis Lodge. After dinner, the local guide will be waiting for you in order to hike through the millenary Polylepis forest and learn about the tale stories and the elf that lives in this place, return to the lodge to overnight

*PS: the Liberty road train is in maintenance at this moment, probably it will be completed by January 2012, in case that there were passengers interested in this program and the train is not working yet we will offer another excursion in the same area.

(B.BL.D)

DAY 5: POLYLEPIS LODGE - RETURN TO QUITO

After an early breakfast, our guide will be waiting for you in order to hike through the trails of Polylepis lodge, learning about the Millenary forest of Polylepis known as the paper tree and the Paramo of Frailejones, a native plant of the Andes Highlands and one of the favorite food of the Spectacled bear.

Return to the main house where a delicious lunch will be waiting for you and then you will return to Quito to rest and overnight.

(B.L)

DAY 6: QUITO – NATIONAL OR INTERNATIONAL FLIGHT

After an unforgettable expedition in Ecuador, filled with culture and nature you will be transferred to the airport to catch your flight.

END OF THE SERVICES!!

A NOTE ON THE ORDER OF THE ITINERARY:

Itinerary subject to change based on local conditions. It could be flexible according to the client’s interests.

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B- Breakfast; L-Lunch; BL- Box Lunch; D-Dinner

PRICE INCLUDE:

Private transportation, bilingual naturalist guide, accommodation based on the double room in all the hotels and haciendas detailed in the itinerary; meals as described on the itinerary, entrance fees to Condor Huasi Project, Cuicocha Lake (Cotacachi – Cayapas Ecological Reserve), train ticket, El Ángel Ecological Reserve.

NOT INCLUDE:

Meals not specified, alcoholic drinks, tips, and personal expenses.