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 A4 ANDES CULTURE (9 days) This 9-day trip through the Andes is more of an cultural outing, where especially Ecuador's colorful colonial past will be explored but also its pre-Colombian times. We visit old colonial towns with its traditional squares, century old churches and museums and explore pre-Inca and Inca ruins, which dot the country. But we get also to know the present day people, who often still work and create artwork like in the old times, using traditional methods. Wherever possible, we stay overnight in old colonial haciendas or town buildings, which were converted to country inns and city hotels so as to get a closer feel how life was in those historical times. Day 1 Arrival at Quito airport and transfer to hotel in Quito. Depending on your arrival time, a visit to a tourist attraction in Quito is planned. The night is spent at the Hacienda San Jorge located in the foothills of Pichincha. Day 2 We start our cultural trip by visiting first Cochasqui, a large archaeological site with many earth mounds, where in the old days, pyramids and buildings were located. A guide will explain in more details the purpose of this ruins and afterwards we enter the small on-site museum. Afterwards we continue on to Otavalo, where we first visit its colorful Indian market. We head then to Guachala, Ecuador's oldest hacienda with a rich 400-year old tradition, where we spend our second night. Day 3 After breakfast we head back to Quito by way of Quinche, where the Virgen Mary appeared to peasants centuries ago and is now Ecuador's most religious shrine. We continue then on to Quito arriving there at noon. After lunch we visit the museum at the Casa de Cultura, which has a large display of artworks, starting from pre-Inca Indian pottery to modern paintings, covering every period of Ecuador's rich past. Especially noteworthy is the display of the artwork in precious metals by Indians thousand of years ago. We drive then to the old colonial center of Quito, where we move to the the hotel Real Audicienca located at Santo Domingo Square, our next place to spend the night. After getting settled in there we visit the colonial center of Quito, which was the first site in the world to be declared a World Cultural Heritage Site by UNESCO. Day 4 In the morning we undertake another hike through the colonial center and visit some churches and the Casa de Sucre, an old colonial house where Mariscal Sucre lived for a while and now is a museum showing of artifacts from the colonial times. Afterwards we stop at Panecillo, the hill located in the middle of Quito with its towering monument "La Virgen De Quito". From there we have grand views of the city and its surrounding mountains. We continue on to Hacienda La Cienaga where long time ago, famous people like Alexander von Humboldt and Charles de la Condamine were honored guests. Day 5 We leave early in the morning and continue on south with a stop first in Ambato, where we visit the old country houses of Juan Montalvo and Juan Leon Mera. both important historical figures. After lunch we continue on to Riobamba, where Ecuador's first constitution was drafted. We undertake a city tour in the afternoon visitng the colonial town squares. In the evening we buy our tickets for next day's train ride. Day 6 We get up early and after breakfast we head to the train station to get a good seat on the roof top of the train for today's adventure. At 7am the train leaves the station and for the first few hours winds its way through the Andean valleys passing small farms. Also splendid views of Chimborazo can be had and on its way to Alausi, Colta Lake and Guamote are passed. After a break there the train starts its descent down the steep gorge till it reaches the rock face called the Devil's Nose. There it has to switchback as it is too steep for conventional turns. That tract of the railway was considered an engineering marvel one hundred years ago when it was built. Farther below the train stops and turns back again to Alausi. There at 1.30 pm the rail adventure ends and we continue on south and visit Ingapirca, the most famous Inca ruins of the country. The complex boasts of the Sun temple and a guide of the park explains the historical significance of this shrine. Also a small museum with Inca artifacts is part of the monument. We drive to Cuenca, where we spend the next two nights at the Hotel Crespo located along the Tomebamba river. Day 7 Today we explore on foot Cuenca with its many colonial buildings and churches and by many considered the country's most beautiful colonial city. A visit to the Banco Central museum is also scheduled. In the afternoon we visit a Panama hat factory, where we learn the process of making those most famous straw hats. Day 8 We drive to Guayaquil by way of El Cajas National Park where we stop for some breathtaking views. We arrive at the largest city in Ecuador at noon and in the afternoon we visit city parks, the Malecon 2000, Las Peņas district and other attraction , which are located along the river Guayas. Day 9 Depending on your departure time, a visit to another sightseeing attraction in Guayaquil is scheduled. Transfer to the airport and return to your country.
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