Ecuador Haciendas & Markets Tour I

4 days / 3 nights

During this trip you will have the opportunity to experience the atmosphere of the old haciendas of Ecuador and visit the Indian markets such as the famous Otavalo market, where you can find a plentiful variety of handicrafts.

DAY 1: ARRIVAL TO QUITO, ECUADOR

Arrival in Quito and transfer to Hotel Café Cultura.

CAFÉ CULTURA HOTEL is a delightful mix of English tradition and contemporary trend. Some sixty years ago, the hotel was home to one of Quito's oldest families and it was carefully restored over a period of four years, with special detail given to maintaining the unique characteristics of the original interior. The house is hemmed by a beautiful garden, with secluded seating areas for relaxing.

DAY 2: QUITO – OTAVALO

ZULETA EMBROIDERIES

After breakfast our guide will be waiting for us at the lobby of our hotel in order to travel to the north of Quito. First we will visit Hacienda Zuleta, a famous hacienda which was once the property of one of Ecuador's remarkable presidents and is still owned by his descendants. At this hacienda we will learn about the protection of the Andean condor. After a delicious lunch we will continue our trip to Cuicocha Crater Lake, on route we will visit Cotacachi town known for its famous leather handicrafts. We will arrive to Cuicocha that 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 permits we can walk through the trail that surrounds the crater (3 hours approximately) and enjoy of the amazing view of taita (Quichua word that means father) Imbabura, Cayambe mountain, etc. Late in the afternoon we will depart to Hacienda Pinsaqui where we will diner and overnight.

Pinsaquí, this colonial hacienda was constructed as far back as 1790, and following a disastrous earthquake that shook the region in 1867, faithfully and caringly restored. The building originally housed a textile workshop, employing nearly one thousand local weavers and spinners. In the late 1800s, the unique creations of these workers became internationally renowned, when the "bayetas", a special fabric typical of Pinsaquí, arrived at the World's Fair in Chicago.

(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, 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 we 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 Hacienda Cusin and in the afternoon we will go to a small town close to Otavalo where we will visit an old master weaver who will explain us about the traditional process that the Otavaleños use to make their handicrafts. Late in the afternoon return to Quito and overnight in Hotel Café Cultura.

(B.L)

DAY 4: QUITO – INTERNATIONAL FLIGHT

After an unforgettable expedition in Ecuador, filled with culture and nature we are transferred to the airport to catch our flight.

(B)

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.

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

PRICE PER PERSON (NET RATES)

PRICE INCLUDES: Private transportation, bilingual naturalist guide, accommodation based on double room in all the hotels and haciendas detailed in the itinerary; meals as described on the itinerary, entrance fees to: Cuicocha Lake (Cotacachi – Cayapas Ecological Reserve).

NOT INCLUDED: International departure taxes (US$ 41.00), meals not specified, alcoholic drinks, tips, and personal expenses.