Travel Detail

Ecuador is history, fascinating indigenous cultures, slow winding rivers and lush tropical forests, spectacular snow capped volcanoes and some of the most exciting wildlife on earth. Today's private-guided tour of the Middle of the Earth begins just 30 minutes north of Quito. Your guide will first take you on a brief journey to visit the Pululahua volcanic crater for a peek into the crater floor where patchwork fields gleam far below. Later you will visit the Ciudad Mitad del Mundo, a group of buildings designed to explain the significance of the Ecuadorian equator, as well as the Intiñan Museum, located directly on the Equator. Here you will have the chance to plant your feet in two hemispheres at the same time, try to balance an egg on the head of a nail, and see the unique water dynamics that occur! Back in Quito and after lunch, you will visit the city's impressive colonial center. Quito was the first city to be named a World Heritage Site by the United Nations (alongside Krakow, Poland in 1978), and touring the historic core highlights why it is so widely lauded. First on the agenda is a walk through the Main Plaza, the Plaza de la Independencia, where you will see the Government Palace, the Cathedral, and some of the most important churches built around the XVI and XVII centuries, including the San Francisco Monastery, a building begun only five days after the founding of the city. Winding down, you'll enjoy a chocolate tasting experience in the old town at Yumbos; a small artisanal chocolate factory that uses fine Ecuadorian cocoa. During the visit, you will be able to learn the secrets behind making fine chocolate, and soon after, you will be returned to your hotel.

After meeting your guide in the lobby of your hotel, set out to visit the Quitsato Sundial, a cultural site located on the equatorial line near the Cayambe Volcano, where you will learn about the astronomical knowledge of the region's pre-Hispanic cultures. You will then head to the town of Otavalo, truly one of the most interesting towns in Ecuador, where the local Kichwa indigenous culture is not only plainly visible, but on the rise. The town's famous craft market is one of the most visited sites in Ecuador, and with good reason. The market is filled with interesting, colorful and sometimes rare objects and crafts. The market is held every day in one of the town squares at the foot of the majestic Imbabura Mountain. To help you navigate, you will be given a short explanation of the area and be provided with a map, then will be encouraged to explore on your own and at your own pace. Your day soon continues with a visit to the workshop of master weaver Miguel Andrango, in the village of Agato. Miguel's art has taken him abroad, mainly to exhibitions and fairs in the United States, where the quality of his work is widely acknowledged. In the small store in the courtyard of his Tawantinsuyo workshop, the walls are covered with bright designs, most with an indigenous motif; the designs are based on Inca patterns but are the work of Miguel and his family. The workshop uses only pure wool and Alpaca, and the weavers card and spin it themselves, then dye it with natural inks made from mosses (for yellow) or seeds such as achiote (for red). In the afternoon, you'll drive to the Cotacachi-Cayapas Ecological Reserve for a visit to the interpretation center and an outstanding view of the Cuicocha Lagoon, a deep-blue crater lake on the lower southern flanks of Cotacachi Volcano. After this hike, you will stop in the picturesque colonial town of Cotacachi, famous for its leatherwork, then return to your hotel in Quito.