NEW: Cuenca, Ingapirca, Cajas National Park and more!

Day 1:  Morning flight to Cuenca. Visit the colonial city. The Old Town is best visited on foot. This tour of Ecuador takes you along the cobblestone streets admiring the historic buildings, hanging balconies, carved wooden doors, the craft fair and colourful flower market, the main plaza with the Old Cathedral, which has been converted to the “Museum for Religious Art”, and the magnificent blue-domed Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception. See silversmiths at work and handicrafts of almost every kind. We end the tour with a visit to the “Panama Hat” factory.

Accommodation at one of Cuenca’s colonial hotels.

Day 2: Early departure for the 2 hour drive to Ingapirca, Fortress of the Incas. On the way we visit  a toquillo  weaver and stop off at the Neo-Gothic church Virgen del Rocio, perched on the side of a steep rock cliff.

Ingapirca is Ecuador’s most important Incan site, with the finest example of Incan stonework in Ecuador. Ingapirca was the Incan ceremonial center of the area and was built about 50 years before the arrival of the Spaniards. The guide will explain the historical significance of this complex with stone structures that surround the prominent sun temple. You will appreciate the mastery of the stonework, while enjoying the beauty of the surrounding hills and pastures.

Accommodation at one of Cuenca’s colonial hotels. (B)

Day 3: In the morning we have the opportunity to enjoy Cuenca’s scenic countryside, stopping off in villages where artisans have been creating for generations. In San Bartolome we meet craftsmen making handmade guitars with the most amazing wood inlay. We visit Chordeleg famous for ceramic pottery, silver and gold filigree jewelry, in Gualaceo one can stroll around the local market learning about the local fruit, maybe taste a typical dish. In Bulcay, a family dedicated to keeping alive the dying craft of pre-Columbian Ikat weaving, will show us how these intricate patterns are created, dyed and woven.

During this tour one can observe people weaving Panama hats and other straw items. (B)

Day 4: Early departure to visit The Cajas National Park. The highlight is a walk or drive, through the Cajas National park (3050m-4450m. high or 10000 ft-14600 ft)  to admire the amazing variety of ecosystems. A stunning area of 28300 hectares (70000 acres) with about 270 glacier lakes and lagoons.

Many plant species are endemic to the paramo or moorlands of the Cajas, the dominant one being the straw grass. Above 3000 m. (9800 ft.) we find the “bewitching” Polylepis forest with its red peeling bark and in the lower parts of the park, the cloud forest.

The Park is home to a number of important wildlife species: the condor, the Curiquinga, the violet-throated metaltail, endemic to Cajas and surrounding valleys and the largest  hummingbird in the world. Good chance of spotting deer, alpaca, llama, the elusive puma, fox and rabbits. Forty-four mammalian species have been identified in the park. At least seventeen species of amphibians live around the lagoons of Cajas.

On our way to Guayaquil, we will enjoy a picnic lunch before visiting a cacao plantation or a banana plantation. Both these crops are significant to Ecuador’s economy. (B/L)

• Location:Combined Cultural and Nature Tours, Cuenca and Surroundings
• Duration:4 days / 3 nights
• Start / End:Quito / Guayaquil
• Activities:City tour of Cuenca’s historical centre, visit the “Panama Hat” Factory, visit local villages, tour of Ingapirca, visit a Cacao plantation
• Highlights:The old town of Cuenca – flower market, main plaza with Old Cathedral, the blue domed Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception and handicrafts of every kind. The “Panama Hat” factory, Ingapirca, unique crafts of the different villages outside of Cuenca, Cajas National Park, cacao plantation.
• Season:All year
• Included:Bilingual guide, all visits and activities in itinerary, accommodation, meals mentioned in itinerary
• Not Included:Meals not mentioned in itinerary, drinks, flight from Quito to Cuenca, entrance fees to National Parks and museums, tips, personal expenses
• Prices:Price upon request