WHY THIS TRIP
Explore Quito and the surrounding area through visiting markets, artisans, and staying at a traditional, working hacienda. Spend a full day in Quito, exploring Old Town, going to a fruit and vegetable market, followed by a cooking class with a chef. Heading north of Quito, you go to a beautiful crater lake, leather workers shops, and Otavalo Market, the largest indigenous market still in operators. You spend the nxt couple of nights at Hacienda Zuleta. Hacienda Zuleta is one of the oldest working haciendas in Ecuador, dating from the late 1600s, and steeped in pre-Columbian, Spanish, and Ecuadorian traditional culture and history. The Hacienda has been owned by the same family for over a hundred years, and they’ve received dignitaries and guests into their home for over a hundred years. The owners work closely with the local community to keep the hacienda thriving. Here you’ll have the chance to learn about traditional arts & crafts, cheese making, see Andean condors, and go horseback riding with chagras (cowboys).
TRIP HIGHLIGHTS
- Avoid the tourist crowds and discover incredible places and live authentic experiences
- Enjoy delicious home cooked meals
- Walk through the unique Andean paramo ecosystem
- Rise early to witness condors and learn about reintroduction efforts
- Get behind the scenes and join your chef in search for local products in traditional markets
- Farm to table meals at Hacienda Zuleta, with hand made cheese, organic vegetables, and freshly brewed Ecuadorian coffee
- Learn from local artisans in their workshops
- Shop at the famous Otavalo Market
TRIP OPERATOR
A pioneer of the multisport experience in Ecuador and the Galapagos, Quito-based NeoTropic Expeditions (formerly Ecuador Adventure) provides meaningful, fun and safe eco-adventure experiences reflecting the company’s strong commitment to sustainable eco-tourism in Ecuador.
Patti Lower –
Hacienda Zuleta was breathtaking. The staff was warm and friendly, the food wonderful, and the hacienda itself was beautiful. It was the perfect way to wind down our vacation in Ecuador.