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This includes Quito, the Cumbaya
and Tumbaco valleys, and all the volcanoes and snow
peaks surrounding the region including Cotopaxi Volcano,
Illinizas, Antisana, Sincholagua, Pasochoa, Pichincha
and Cayambe volcanoes.
After a light snack and some time
to relax at the summit, we will mount our horses to
descend back to the ranch. The ride back takes more
or less 1.5 hours. We return to the ranch at approximately
1.30 p.m. for lunch and some relaxation time.
We will leave the ranch after lunch
and drive for 1.5 hours north to the Otavalo region.
We will arrive at Casa Mojanda, a beautiful cozy lodge
overlooking Otavalo, where we will spend the night.
Dinner and accommodation at Casa Mojanda.
Riding time: 4 hours.
Altitude: 2,500 to 3,100 meters.
Day 2
After breakfast we will head down to the Otavalo Saturday
market. Every Saturday thousands gather in the Plaza
de Ponchos to buy, sell, bargain, or simply watch
Ecuador's most important indigenous market. Here we
will spend the entire morning exploring the colourful
textile and handicraft market, as well as the food
market not far away.
Sometime before lunch we will leave
the market and drive a short distance toward lake
San Pablo. We will have lunch at Hacienda Cusin, a
restored 17th century estate.
We will continue to Cayambe after
lunch. Cayambe is a small town in the base of Cayambe
volcano, surrounded by heavily cultivated pastures,
a rich agricultural region known for its cheeses and
ornamental flower production. Located on the equator,
Cayambe is the main region in Ecuador for rose production,
Ecuador's 4th biggest export. Here we will visit a
rose plantation and learn the facts that make Ecuador's
roses the best roses in the world.
We will continue to Hacienda Guachalá,
one of the oldest Haciendas in Ecuador. Dinner and
overnight will be at Guachalá. You will have
optional time to visit Guachalá's private museum
and collection.
Day 3
We will leave Guachalá after breakfast and
take the road leading east to Oyacachi and to the
Cayambe Reserve. Our horses will be waiting there
for the 6-hour ride along the Andean altiplano to
Papallacta, our final destination. Today's ride will
take place at 4,000 meters (13,000 feet), with some
sporadic up and down hills, and will cover approximately
36 kilometers (23 miles) along a private dirt road,
perfect for our Peruvians.
As we begin the ride, we will leave
Cayambe volcano behind and will head south. As we
continue riding, we will pass by beautiful Andean
scenery, and Antisana volcano will appear in the distance.
We will stop as needed to take pictures and to observe
the flora and fauna of the area. Our provision vehicle
will accompany us, and picnic lunch will be en route.
The last part of the ride involved
a descend into the Papallacta valley, where Papallacta
Spa & Resort is located. We will leave our horses
here and enjoy the thermal hot springs of Papallacta,
a well deserved destination after a long day riding.
Dinner and overnight at Papallacta.
Riding time: 6 hours
Altitude: 3,900 to 4,100 meters
Day 4
After breakfast, we will relax and enjoy Papallacta
Spa & Resort, as well as the surrounding areas.
Our riding program includes a 3-hour aromatherapy
treatment, one of 6 different options for your choosing.
Papallacta also offers the opportunity to visit the
Interpretative Center and a self-guided hike.
Lunch will be at Papallacta. We will
leave the resort after lunch, and drive for 1.5 hours
back to Quito, where we will arrive at approximately
5 p.m. Accommodation will be at the famous Hostal
Café Cultura. The former French Cultural Center
was restored and turned into a beautiful mix of English
tradition and contemporary trend.
Dinner will be at Restaurant el Galpón. Transfer
back to the hotel and overnight at Café Cultura.
Day 5
After an early breakfast, we will leave Café
Cultura for a 1.5-hour drive to Hacienda Antisana.
The Antisana Reserve sustains an abundance of wildlife.
Lamas, rabbits, caracaras, black faced ibis, falcons,
hawks, gulls, and hummingbirds are common sights in
the area. Arguably 50% of the Andean condors that
live in Ecuador have chosen Antisana as their home.
We will meet our horses at the Hacienda,
and after a welcome drink, we will begin a 4 to 5
hour ride from the main house to the base of the volcano,
across the foothills of Antisana, before returning
back to the main house for lunch. The open fields
are perfect for riding our Peruvians. The view is
magnificent, on a clear day Sincholagua can be spotted
nearby, as well as the snow-capped cone of Cotopaxi
and Ilinizas. With luck, even the massive Chimborazo
can be viewed in the distance.
We will ride at a slow pace, making
frequent stops to appreciate the scenery, or to enjoy
a snack or drink. We will return to the Hacienda at
approximately 1.30 p.m., and we will leave our horses
here. Lunch will be waiting for us. After lunch we
will take some time to relax and enjoy a warm drink
before returning to Quito.
We will arrive in Quito at approximately
4.30 in the afternoon. Transfer to Café Cultura,
and free afternoon and evening to explore the city.
Riding time: 4 – 5 hours
Altitude: 3,900 to 4,100 meters
Day 6
After a leisurely breakfast, we will visit the old
town. The tour of the city will include a visit to
the heart of colonial Quito, including several churches:
San Francisco, Cathedral Metropolitana, La Compania
and La Merced. We will also take in the Metropolitan
Museum and the famous Panecillo, a lookout point from
where most of the old town, with its steep and narrow
streets, is visible.
Lunch will be at Café Mosaico, located in one
of the most beautiful spots in the city, overlooking
the old colonial town. After that we will leave Quito
and drive for 2-hours south toward Hacienda La Ciénega,
one of Ecuador's oldest colonial haciendas. Located
near the slopes of the majestic Cotopaxi volcano and
its National Park, this mansion has been the scene
of important happenings in the scientific and social
history of the country. One of the important celebrities
who stayed at La Cienega was Alexander Von Humboldt,
who studied Cotopaxi's volcanic activity (1802) as
well as its unique alpine flora. Dinner and overnight
at La Cienega.
Day 7
We will leave La Ciénega after breakfast and
drive for 30 minutes to Yerovi, a private preserve,
where we will meet our horses for a 4 hour ride in
the foothills of Cotopaxi.
Today's ride will take us through eucalyptus and pine
forest. The terrain is excellent for riding Peruvians,
sandy and soft. We will climb slowly in the foothills
of Cotopaxi, before returning back to the base camp.
Our provision vehicle will carry our lunch, and picnic
lunch will be en route. After finishing the ride,
we will leave our horses and return to Hacienda La
Cienega. Dinner and overnight at La Ciénega.
Riding time: 4 hours
Altitude: 3,500 to 4,000 meters
Day 8
We will leave La Cienega after breakfast and drive
for 30 minutes to Cotopaxi.
Today's ride will take place within Cotopaxi's National
Park. We will cross the main lahars valley called
Limpiopungo, covering a distance of 20 kilometers
from the south to the north entrance. The view is
magnificent, with the impressive cone of Cotopaxi
volcano on our right.
We will finish our ride at Tambopaxi, a restaurant/lodge
with a perfect view of Cotopaxi. We will leave our
horses here, have lunch and enjoy the scenery.
After lunch, we will drive for 2-hours back to Quito
and to Café Cultura. The program ends with
a farewell dinner at Restaurant La Ronda, one of Quito's
best examples of Ecuadorian cuisine and live entertainment.
Transfer back to the hotel.
Riding time: approximately 4.5 hours
Altitude: 4,000 meters
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