Your Travel Experience with Galapagos PRO
Day 1
Transfer to Hacienda Zuleta
You will leave Quito early, to begin your transfer to Hacienda Zuleta. The journey takes about 2 hours.
Explore the Hacienda grounds and farm operations
Upon arrival, you will be brought to your room to freshen up before having lunch at the Hacienda. After lunch, you will explore the 1700 hectares Hacienda grounds to get to know about the farm operations whilst enjoying the tranquil scenery there. Places to explore include a cheese museum, an organic vegetable garden, a worm farm, milking shed, and a trout farm. A guide will accompany you on this tour. Return to the Hacienda for your 3-course dinner and rest early for a long day ahead.
Day 2
Horse-back riding tour (5 hours)
Morning: After breakfast, you will begin your first horseback riding tour where you will get to enjoy the beautiful landscapes in the region. A lunch box is provided and the duration of the ride is around 5 hours.
Visit the 14th century Caranqui archeological pyramids
After lunch, you can visit the mysterious 14th-century Caranqui archeological pyramids. You can visit the site without a guide. The huge, 83.9-hectare site of Cochasqui, where pyramids and sacred animals remind us that Ecuadorian archaeology holds more secrets than most people recognize. There are 15 flat-topped pyramids constructed at Cochasquí. Nine of them have ramps. 21 large, circular funerary mounds have also been noted. The pyramids were created with cangagua (a volcanic rock-like material). Scholar say the 160kg (352.74 lbs.) cut blocks of rock were softened with water and then cut using harder volcanic rock tools (the site was inhabited before the Iron Age). Most of the pyramids are left overgrown to protect the environmentally sensitive cangagua blocks. However, the largest pyramid, pyramid 9, has a wide gap in the middle where previous landowners of the site sent a channel of water through in search of treasure. Return to the Hacienda for your 3-course dinner and a restful night.
Day 3
Horse-back riding tour (5 hours)
Morning: After breakfast, you will begin your second horseback riding tour where you will get to enjoy the beautiful landscapes in the region. A lunch box is provided and the duration of the ride is around 5 hours.
Visit the local community/ Explore the extensive gardens
Afternoon: After your horseback riding tour, you can choose to visit the local community and their different sites of interest such as embroidery stores, saddle factories, museums, etc without a guide. A guided tour to visit the extensive gardens and pond, as well as the chapel at the farmland, is also available. Return to the Hacienda for your 3-course dinner.
Day 4
Horse-back riding tour (3-4 hours)
Morning: After breakfast, you will begin your third horseback riding tour where you will get to enjoy the beautiful landscapes in the region. The duration of the ride is around 3 to 4 hours. Return to the Hacienda for lunch after your ride.
Condor Rehabilitation Center
Afternoon: After lunch, you can visit the Condor Rehabilitation Center and flying condor viewpoint on your own. Situated near the city of Otavalo, the park is dedicated to the conservation and protection of the birds of prey in Ecuador. Parque Condor rescues injured birds of prey and works towards rehabilitating them, trying to ensure a future for these birds amidst the chaos created by human intervention, including the loss of natural habitats and the capture of the birds as pets. At the Parque Condor, visitors will not only be able to see a variety of breathtaking raptors but experience the significance of the work done by the park. Return to the hacienda for your 3-course dinner.
Day 5
Short Ride (1-2 Hours)
Before returning back to Quito, you will get to enjoy a short ride after breakfast to take in the beautiful and picturesque region. The ride will last 1 to 2 hours.
Transfer to Quito
Your tour will end here and you will return to Quito