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Daily Adventures |
Chiriboga Road
Running from Chillogallo to Alluriquin, this magnificent old cobbled road was the gateway to the coastal lowlands but is now practically deserted. This road passes from paramo grass lands via cloud forest to sub-tropical rainforest. It is especially interesting for hikers, ornithologists, botanists and entomologists.
Total distance: 200 kilometers
Chiriboga Road: 60 kilometers
Highest point: 3800 meters
Lowest point 1100 meters
Bird list of 60+ species
Clothing: It is usually fairly well sheltered, but a sweater for the early morning and the afternoon when the clouds roll in is advised. Worth having rain gear.
Summary: Hiking, Birds, Orchids, Hiki
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Pambamarca
This almost unknown hill was probably the biggest military base in the Americas at the end of the 15th century and must have been key in the local resistance first to the Inca invasion and then to the Spanish invasion some 20 years later. |
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"Finding that their forces were not sufficient to face the Inca on an open battlefield, the Cayambes withdrew and made strongholds in a very large fortress that they had; the Inca ordered his men to lay siege to it and bombard it continuously; but the men inside resisted so bravely that they forced the Inca to raise the siege because he had lost many men in assaults on the fortress. Sensing that the opposition was weakening, the Cayambes came out to meet them and they pressed the attack so much that the orejones, who were the backbone of the army, broke and fled, abandoning their king." www.antiquity.ac.uk/
We visit pyramids and museums in the local market town of Cayambe , looking at the pre - Inca history of this beautiful region and then drive and hike up past the site of a lost village to visit one of the largest pucaras (hill forts).
We leave the area via El Quinche where there is a large cathedral and shrine.
- Total Distance: 250 kilometers
- Clothing: Usually warm but can be cold and windy hiking so bring a jacket and sweater, and comfortable shoes.
- Summary: Ruin
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Guangaje Market
The Sunday market at this remote Indian village is fascinating. High in the sierra the local community continues to live much as they have for centuries, rarely visited by outsiders. After the market we picnic high in the paramo and then drive on to the village of Tigua which is quickly becoming famous for the naive paintings and carved wooden masks which are produced in this region.
The whole area has a remote and rugged beauty that is breathtaking.
- Total distance: 340 kilometers
- Clothing: For protection against strong and often cold winds bring warm clothes. Also a plastic bag to protect your camera from dust.
- Summary: Views, Art, Shopping, Photography
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Cotopaxi Volcano: Height 5897 meters
Join us for a one-day expedition to Cotopaxi National Park home to abundant plant life, Inca ruins, and the highest active volcano in the world. The journey takes us through the countryside south of Quito and high into the Andes Mountains to view Ecuador’s most incredible scenery.
The tour begins around 7 am when your Safari guide meets you at your hotel. Our route quickly gets us out of the city and into the mountains .Passing through a private hacienda we gaze at orchids and waterfalls on our way to the pampas. The Landrover’s roof seating offers you a spectacular vantage point for our journey granting exceptional visibility.
Arriving at the park we begin our visit at the natural history museum before continuing up Cotopaxi. We ascend the mountain in our four-wheel drive vehicle as high as possible. There we can choose to take a short 45-minute walk up to the refugio . On a clear day the views are stunning. Looking across we see the snow-capped peaks of Antisana and Tungurahua and the lesser peaks of Pasochoa, Ruminahui and Corazon. Those who enjoying hiking can cross the ash flows to a spur of the glacier to observe crevasses and ice serracs at close range.
Descending from the refugio we drive across the tundra to Lago Limpiopungo where herds of wild horses run free. A brief hike around the lake is the perfect way to see the variety birds and small mammals living in the area. Near the lake we stop to enjoy our picnic lunch.
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Our expedition continues to El Salitre, an ancient Inca fort, standing in the shadow of Cotopaxi as an atmospheric reminder of Ecuador's pre-Colonial past. It is a remarkable site both for it's strategic location and the uninterrupted views of the river valley. Here we frequently encounter wild llamas.
Leaving Cotopaxi we return along the old backroads, passing through the Machachi area where the rural way of life continues to this day. Horses and cows share our road as we pass by haciendas and farms worked by local cowboys dressed in chaps and ponchos. The evening approaches and our expedition draws to an end as we reach your hotel in Quito.
- Total distance: 330 kilometers
- Clothing: Plenty of warm clothes, hat and sun block.
Summary: Photography, Animals, Birds, Plants, Volcano, Sites, Ruins
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Nono Road
The old Nono-Mindo Road is a narrow dirt tract leading from Quito down to Ecuador's birding capital of Mindo, passing through the Alambi River valley with its beautiful tracts of temperate and subtropical forest. Recently proclaimed an Ecoruta, the road is also known as el Paseo del Quinde, named for the many hummingbirds found in this section of the northwestern slope,
most famously the rare and endemic Black-Breasted Puffleg. The road is popular with mountain bikers and off-road enthusiasts, but birders will still find plenty of peace and quiet as they search for western slope Choco endemics such as the Beautiful Jay. Passing over the western cordillera to the village of Nono this cobbled track provides access to splendid sub-tropical cloud forest.
The little used road runs for some time inside a steep gorge next to a mountain stream with wonderful views of the unspoiled cloud forests. Has a great variety of both birds and orchids.
- Total distance: 120 kilometers
- Highest point: 3800 meters
- Lowest point: 1800 meters
- Bird list of over 120 birds
- Clothing: Light clothes and comfortable shoes. A waterproof jacket.
- SUMMARY: Birds, Hiking, Orchids, Cloud Forest
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Cayambe Volcano: Height 5790 m.
The third highest peak in Ecuador. This snow capped volcano is the highest point on the equator and the only place in the world with snow on the Equator.
We go straight to the refuge on the snowline at 5000 meters and then hike over a hill to the Hermosa glacier. After lunch we hike downhill through the paramo in the national park, from where we go to the hot springs at El Pisque.
- Total distance: 200 kilometers
- Clothing: plenty of warm clothes, gloves, and a hat. sun block and good walking shoes. Swimming costume and a towel.
- SUMMARY: Photography, Volcano, Hot Springs, Views
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