QUITO CLASSIC EXPEDITION DAY TOUR | FROM $114

ITINERARY

Our tour begins at 8:00 AM at the designated meeting point. We will then proceed to the Basilica del Voto Nacional, a neo-Gothic religious building in the historic center of Quito. Due to its size and style, it was considered the largest neo-Gothic temple in the Americas and the tallest religious temple in Spanish America until 2017. It is located in the Santa Prisca sector, at the intersection of Carchi and Venezuela streets, next to the Oblate Fathers’ convent. If you wish, you can climb the towers (OPTIONAL NOT INCLUDED) for a privileged view of Quito’s historic center.

Afterward, we will advance to the historic center of Quito and visit Plaza Grande, the main square of the capital, the political and historical center of Ecuador, and the symbolic seat of the President of Ecuador. It is the reference point for the city’s altitude, located at 2818 m.a.s.l. (9.245 ft.) Its main feature is the Independence Monument, dedicated to the heroes of the independence of August 10th 1809, remembered as the First Cry of Hispanic American Independence, which stands in the center.

Next, we will visit the Compania de Jesus Church, one of the city’s major tourist attractions and an invaluable heritage, both artistically and economically, for the country. If you wish, you can visit the church to see its rich architecture and internal decoration, entirely covered with gold leaf (OPTIONAL NOT INCLUDED).

Then we will head to San Francisco Plaza, the largest square in Quito’s historic center, dominated by the imposing facade of the Church and Convent of San Francisco. It has been one of the most representative urban settings in the city since colonial times, when its central fountain supplied water to the residents for centuries.

To conclude our tour in the Historic Center, we will visit El Panecillo, a natural elevation 3,000 m.a.s.l. (9.842 ft.). Due to its location, it has become the most important natural lookout point in the city, offering views of the urban layout of the Ecuadorian capital from its historic center to the northern and southern ends. El Panecillo is crowned by a giant aluminum sculpture of the “Virgin of Quito,” created by Spanish artist Agustín de la Herrán Matorras, based on a work by Bernardo de Legarda, one of the most important representatives of the Quito School. If you wish, you can visit the Panecillo Museum (OPTIONAL NOT INCLUDED).

Next, we will arrive at the Mitad del Mundo, an iconic site in Ecuador, named after the Equatorial Line, an imaginary line that divides the planet into the northern and southern hemispheres. Here you can enter the Mitad del Mundo City, a tourist complex that houses the famous Equatorial Monument (OPTIONAL NOT INCLUDED) or visit the Intiñan Museum, which offers an interactive tour showcasing the history of our ancestral peoples and the magnificent effects produced by the sun on our solar cylinder. Travel back in time through the centennial huts, discover and understand the earth’s physical phenomena with our educational examples, observe the sun’s path (Intiñan) at the Acoratene, and enjoy a privileged natural environment (OPTIONAL NOT INCLUDED).

Around 16:00 we will return to the hotel.

Approximate duration: 8 hours.

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.