OTAVALO + CUICOCHA (ADVENTURE) I 2 DAYS / 1 NIGHT | FROM $490
Duration
Tour Type
Explore Tours
IMPORTANT NOTES:
- Reservations are subject to availability and may change without prior notice UNTIL YOUR RESERVATION IS CONFIRMED
- To make a reservation, 50% of the fare per passenger must be paid, NON-REFUNDABLE
- Rate applies with a minimum of 2 passengers
- Please inquire about rates for groups
- Itinerary subject to changes due to: weather problems, operational inconveniences, or situations that may endanger the passenger
- The operator is obliged to change to a hotel of the same category assigned to the client in case of emergencies.
TERMS AND CONDITIONS:
- The quotation is valid for 24 hours after the date of submission
- The price may vary after this date if there is no prior confirmation
- The total amount must be paid in full 30 days before the reservation entry date.
Included/Exclude
- Comfortable transportation
- Certified English/Spanish-speaking guide
- 1 Breakfast, 1 Lunch, 1 Box lunch
- Traditional Bizcochos (biscuit)
- Quitsato project (middle of the world) entrance fee
- Visit ¨Ponchos¨ indigenous market
- Visit Sacha Warmi community + rose plantation
- Accommodation based on double occupancy, 1 night at Pinsaqui Hacienda hotel (or similar)
- Hike around Cuicocha crater lake
- International flight and airport taxes
- Meals and drinks not specified in the itinerary (estimated budget $20 per person)
- Entrance fees not mentioned in the itinerary (estimated budget $20 per person)
- Alcoholic beverages
- Tips and personal expenses
- Medical and travel Insurance (MANDATORY)
- Guide services in other languages are available at an additional cost. Contact us for more information.
This departure requires a minimum of 2 passengers.
Quito - Quitsato - Ponchos Market - Visit to Sacha Warmi Community
Our journey begins at approximately 08:00 at the designated meeting point for this tour. We will head north of the city, and after about 1 hour and 30 minutes, we will arrive at QUITSATO, a large 52-meter (170 ft.) diameter solar clock made from a grand stone mosaic that marks the different lines of the solstices and equinoxes, as well as the hours of the day. These are indicated by the shadow projection of a 10-meter (32 ft.) tall post located exactly in the center of this large circular platform. Here, we will learn about the fascinating history of the geodesic missions in the Ecuadorian Andes and the great importance of solstices and equinoxes in the world.
Next, we will proceed to Otavalo, where we will visit the traditional and renowned PONCHO MARKET, the most famous indigenous market in South America. Here, you can find a wide variety of crafts: exquisitely woven fabrics, wool ponchos, hats, tapestries, hand-knitted sweaters, scarves, carved tagua jewelry, and even Andean musical instruments.
Twenty-five minutes away is the parish of Gonzales Suarez, where the Sacha Warmikuna (Women of the Mountain) project is located. Here, we will enjoy a delicious lunch and take a tour of the alstroemerias, the garden, the roses, and the strawberries. You will also participate in preparing chili sauce with the community.
Afterward, we will head to Hacienda Pinsaqui for check-in. You will have the afternoon free to explore the place and rest for the next day.
Included: Accommodation: Hacienda Pinsaqui (or similar) in a standard double room, lunch.
Not included: breakfast, dinner.
Trekking around Cuicocha Lagoon - Cotacachi - Quito
After a delicious breakfast, we will head to the Cotacachi Cayapas Ecological Reserve, where we will hike around the Cuicocha Lagoon. It is around 12 km (7,456 miles) and it takes around 5 hours. This lagoon is situated at an altitude of 3,068 m.a.s.l. (10,065 ft.), at the foot of Cotacachi volcano in the western range of the Ecuadorian Andes, in the province of Imbabura. Cuicocha is a dark blue, almost circular lagoon, 4 km (2,48 miles) long by 3 km (1,86 miles) wide, formed in a deep volcanic crater. Inside the lagoon, you can see two islands, the smaller one called Yerovi and the larger one, Teodoro Wolf, separated by a channel known as the "Channel of Dreams."
The ecological variety and biodiversity are among the area's main attractions. The paramos, Andean forests, and tropical moist forests of the reserve serve as a refuge for many threatened or endangered animals, as they find food and protection here. In the high zone, we have animals like the condor, spectacled bear, wolves, deer, and various smaller mammals.
Afterward, we'll visit Cotacachi, a city known for its leather industry. Here, you can do some shopping if you wish, and enjoy a delicious box lunch before returning to Quito.
Included: breakfast and box lunch.
Not included: dinner.
This departure requires a minimum of 2 passengers.
