SOUTHERN WONDERS

Today we leave Guayaquil to the Ecuadorian Andes. Once we leave the urban area, we’ll be met by vast cacao, banana, sugar cane and other plantations that add beauty and color to the landscape. Our first visit will be the Cacao plantation El Deseo, where we’ll see the process of chocolate production from the tree plantation to the harvest and the artisanal preparation of chocolate, to finish with a tasting of the final product. By noon, we will arrive to Ingapirca, the most important and best preserved archaeological center in Ecuador.

There we will learn from the ancient Cañari and Inca cultures. Lunch at Hacienda Posada Ingapirca. Later in the afternoon we’ll arrive to Cuenca. Accommodation and dinner.

Meal plan: Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner

Cuenca is waiting for us to be discovered. We start the day strolling through the cobbled streets of this beautiful World Cultural Heritage, crossed by four rivers that add up to the splendor and give the city its complete name.

Squares, balconies and churches will make perfect pictures. The “chola cuencana” traditional costumes will splash with color our experience and the outstanding pink marble Cathedral is for sure going to take your breath away. The visit won’t be complete without walking along the Tomebamba River and a panoramic view of the city from the Turi Hill. One of the most interesting visits of the day will be to the museum and factory of the famous, but misnamed, Panama Hats, a true symbol of Ecuador. Lunch included at local restaurant. Return to the hotel.

Meal plan: Breakfast/Lunch/-

In the morning we visit the ancestral “ikat” weaving workshops and the skillful “toquilla” hat weavers. Then we’ll visit the biggest orchid farm in South America. Finishing our tour in the town of Chordeleg, famous for its artisans that transform gold and silver in truly masterpieces. Lunch at Hosteria Santa Bárbara. Return to Cuenca. Balance of the day at leisure to enjoy the colonial city.

Meal plan: Breakfast/Lunch/-

Early in the morning we head towards the Cajas National Park, that only 30 minutes away, is waiting for us with an altitude difference of over 1500m and the richness of the Andean paramo, where we will enjoy the beauty of the Andes, its landscapes and flora. We will have a short walk to enjoy this nature wonder recognized as Worldwide Biosphere Reserve. Lunch in the area. Continuation to the city of Guayaquil descending through the Andes slopes with its intense contrast of landscapes, climate and color. Arrival to Guayaquil at the end of the afternoon.

Meal plan: Breakfast/Lunch/-

Transfer to the airport for continuation to Galapagos or International flights.

Meal plan: Breakfast