Itinerary

DAY 1

Arrival to Quito and transfer to your hotel, welcome and overnight. 

DAY 2.- QUITO – HACIENDA CUSÍN

This day you will travel to the north of Quito until arrive to Otavalo and Hacienda Cusín. Here you will begin with your unforgettable adventure. On this hike you can see the life of the countryside of this zone, you can learn how people take care of the animals like cows, goats, sheep, hogs, etc; all sharing the cobblestoned road. Then you will return to Hacienda Cusín where a delicious lunch will be waiting for you. In the afternoon visit to the Otavalo market or the Ponchos market, that is considered the most important indigenous market of South America. Late in the afternoon you will return to Hacienda Cusín where you will diner and overnight.

DAY 3.- CUSÍN – ZULETA

Early in the morning after breakfast you will walk to the Gualavi valley.  From Cusin's front gate you will take the right road. After El Monasterio you will continue to a Quebrada (ravine) that usually is dry, you will arrive to a cement bridge, climb out and go to the right. Then you will take the higher road along the valley or you can take another route to go to the bottom of this fertile valley, where it is possible to find the crops of different products that are used in Hacienda Cusin and that you will try in your meals. You will return to the hacienda and you will start your trekking to Zuleta crossing through eucalyptus trees and plantations of typical vegetables and fruits of our highlands such as potatoes, corn, beans and others. In this route you will have the opportunity to admire the incredible Taita Imbabura and the San Pablo Lake. Box lunch on route and arrival to the beautiful Zuleta valley, famous for its beautiful borderies and the production of cheese, dinner and overnight.

DAY 4.- HACIENDA ZULETA

Early in the morning after breakfast you will walk around the hacienda, first you can admire the wonderful organic garden where you can learn about permaculture and discover the origin of your lunch ingredients.   Then you will continue to a local indigenous town located few kilometers from the hacienda, on route you can admire the wonderful landscape and the crops of the hacienda that looks like a huge and colorful rug.  At your arrival to this town our driver will be waiting for you to take the route to return to the hacienda while you visit some of the small towns of the area. 

When you arrive you will begin the hike to Condor Huasi, the condor rehabilitation project, located about 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.  On route you will have the opportunity to see the largest and best preserved archeological sites of the ancient Caranqui culture. There are 132 small earth mounds dating as far back as 700 A.D. and five large square truncated pyramids from 1200 A.D located in this property.  Then you will return to the hacienda where a delicious lunch will be waiting for you.

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, time to rest, dinner and overnight.

DAY 5.- ZULETA – PINSAQUÍ

After breakfast you will depart from Zuleta to Pinsaquí that is located close to Otavalo.  The route traverses the undulating pastoral Zuleta Valley to arrive at San Pablo Lake, the road is full of eucalyptus trees and bordered by fields of potato, corn, alfalfa, and wheat where local farmers might be working with a traditional oxen-pulled plow.  Box lunch on route and late afternoon you will arrive to Hacienda Pinsaquí where you will diner and overnight.  This is the longer hike that you will have during this trip, it takes about 6 to 7 hours.

DAY 6.- CUICOCHA LAKE  - COTACAHI – ILUMÁN

After breakfast you will visit Cuicocha lake that is part of Cotacachi Cayapas Ecological Reserve at an altitude of 3,064 m. The islands in the middle are lava domes, which rise over the water surface. They are well covered with vegetation and support some wildlife.  The hike around the lake will take us between 3.5 and 5 hours, depending on your general level of fitness.  After that you will go to Cotacachi where you will enjoy of a delicious lunch in a local restaurant.  In the afternoon you will have time to visit this town known for its famous leather handicrafts; here maybe you can visit one of the leather factories where you can learn the leather process that they use to get their products like purses, shoes, boats, wallets, hats, jackets, pants, etc.  Finally our guide will drive you to Iluman a village famous for its traditional healers who drive away sickness using ancient rituals and their vast knowledge of local herbs and plants, some of which are now used in Western medicine.  Late in the afternoon you will return to Pinsaquí where you will diner and overnight.

DAY 7.- PEGUCHE – QUITO

After breakfast you will go to Peguche that is an indigenous village well-known for its skilled weavers and its traditional music. The Peguche Waterfall is approximately 20 meters high and located within forty hectares of forest declared "Watershed Protected Forest and Vegetation." For several communities, this waterfall is the main source of natural power and strength, and as such is frequented by the yachackuna (shamans) as part of their healing practice.  You will hike from the village and it takes us about 20 minutes approximately. After that you will go to Cabañas del Lago where you will take your lunch. After that you will return to Quito, on route you will stop at Quitsató project located close to Cayambe, it is the truly middle of the world where you will have the opportunity to be in two hemispheres at the same time.  Arrival to Quito to overnight.

DAY 8: NATIONAL OR INTERNATIONAL FLIGHT

After an early breakfast our guide will pick you up to transfer you to the airport to catch your national or international flight.

END OF THE SERVICES!!!