Haciendas and Markets of Ecuador | Trip Itinerary

Day 1 (Fri):  Arrive Quito and transfer to the Casa Aliso. Check-in for an overnight stay.

Day 2(Sat):  Quito-Otavalo. Enjoy breakfast at your hotel, followed by an early departure for Otavalo.  Located in the province of Imbabura Otavalo is characterized by picturesque lakes, magnificent sierras and terraced, patchwork farmlands.  In the local Otavalo market you will be able to purchase ponchos, embroidered blouses, ceramics, wall hangings, leather crafts and locally produced jewelry of the finest quality.  The tour includes a visit to San Antonio de Ibarra, the woodcarving center of Ecuador.  The town is home to hundreds of artisans whose workshops are dedicated to the crafting of beautiful sculptures.  We spend the night in the hacienda Pinsaqui or Cusin, where the chandeliers, ornate beds and tiled floors create the aura of a bygone era. (B, L, D)

Day 3 (Sun):  Otavalo-Lasso.  After an early breakfast, we will be ready to enjoy the activities offered at the Hacienda like biking or horseback riding. Then you will start a ½ hour drive approx. to reach Molino San Juan at Cayambe, where you will have a traditional special lunch. This Mill was built in the XIX century and was the most important one of the north of the country. It has now been converting into an historical house, where parts and pieces of the Mills are exposed with the goal to conserve years of traditions of a typical Hacienda of the Ecuadorian Andes. Your journey will continue to Lasso were you will spend the night at the Hacienda La Cienega. A delightful hacienda with the original style of the old house approached through a long broad carriageway lined on both sides by fragrant, towering eucalyptus trees. Overnight Hacienda La Cienega (B, L, D)

Day 4(Mon):  Lasso-Cotopaxi National Park-Patate.  An early start sees us traveling along the Pan-American Highway and into the Cotopaxi National Park in the heart of the Andean paramo.  We cross through a deer and llama reserve and gently ascend the flanks of the volcano, passing through fields of ancient lava strewn with boulders until arriving at the base of Cotopaxi ( 19,700’) the wolrd’s highest active volcano.  On leaving the National Park, we travel on to Ambato and visit the town’s bustling fruit and vegetable market, the largest in Ecuador.  After lunch we drive to Hacienda Manteles where we spend the night.  This charming and family-owned hacienda at the entrance to Llanganates is so welcoming you'll feel as though you're in your own home. If you are lucky, you will have a wonderful view tonight of the very active Tungurahua volcano.  On a clear night you can see the lava flows, and hear the eruptions.  (B, L, D)

Day 5(Tue):  Patate-Baños.-Riobamba   In the morning you your journey will continue to Baños, a small town nestling in the shadows of the Tungurahua volcano high above the Amazon Basin. This town is well known for its hot springs, waterfalls and one of the gateways to the Amazon. Here you will have the opportunity to make a hike to reach the Devil’s cauldron waterfall. The area is rich in vegetation and orchids and it is famed for its nearby hot springs that provide hot running water to the local baths. After lunch in the afternoon you will arrive to Riobamba, located at 9, 000 feet on the Avenue of the Volcanoes. The city is surrounded by mountains and volcanoes, and sitting at the foot of the Chimborazo volcano, you get the world’s highest view from the center of the Earth. Overnight Hosteria Abraspungo or similar. (B, L, D)

Day 6 (Wed): Today we take a little break from Ecuador’s markets to enjoy one of the most beautiful and unusual areas of the country.  We’ll have an early start this morning for the exciting “Devil’s nose train” ride will permits to appreciate spectacular views of five volcanoes—mighty Chimborazo, Carihuayrazo, Altar, Tungurahua and Sangay (weather permitting, of course)—this unusual perch gives a fresh perspective on Andean life passing through villages, and passes through fields of corn, potatoes, carrots and lima beans, across grassland and alongside lakes to the small town of Alausi.  Here we disembark and enjoy lunch, followed by a  return drive to Riobamba. Our stay enables us to explore the town as well as visit the Conceptas Museum, dedicated to religious artifacts. Overnight Hosteria Abraspungo or similar (B, L D)

Day 7 (Thu):  After breakfast, we depart to Guamote and the local market, famed for being one of the most colorful and authentic in Ecuador. Looking onto the town from afar you are faced with a sea of red filling the streets, squares and public areas, produced by the arrival of the many indigenous people that come to the market, all donned in the traditional red ponchos. They come in their thousands to sell sheep, pigs, cattle, horses, llamas, potatoes, cereals, wool, handicrafts, clothing and tools. Others simply come out of custom and ancestral ritual to meet with friends and take advantage of this time to catch up on the fascinating cosmo-visions that they share. We lunch at a local restaurant before returning to Quito. Dinner not included. Overnight in Quito at Casa Aliso or similar. (B, L)

Day 8 (Fri):  Transfer to the airport, or continue with more sightseeing. (B)
B=Breakfast; L=Lunch; D=Dinner