2008 Itinerary:
Day 0: Acclimatization day (not included)
Transfer from airport to the Sangolqui valley in the southern outskirts of Quito. Your stop is in the first highland hacienda of the circuit: Hacienda La Carriona. A forty minute drive, from the busy city to a vast green valley surrounded by mountain peaks from the Andean ranges, will take you to this luxury hotel and home of its host Fernando Becdach. Your suite, decorated comfortably to savour a family environment of the historical haciendas in the highlands also offers a modern bathroom with all necessary utilities. Immaculate garden lined with Jacaranda trees invite the guest to wonder around and discover peace and harmony away from the hustle and bustle of Quito. Its location, on the outskirts of Quito, is ideal for quick access to Quito’s historical centre, birth place of the first and most important colonial art school in South America. You are perfectly well situated at La Carriona to begin your ride in the central highlands through which you will be riding for the remainder of the circuit. Upon your arrival, you will be offered a guided tour in the colonial heart of Quito, or you may choose to spend the rest of the day relaxing by the heated pool, in the sauna, or simply enjoying the beauty of the hacienda and its history.
Day 1: Viudita & adaptation to horses and altitude
Riding time is approx. 4 hrs
Early in the morning you will be transferred from Hacienda La Carriona or the hotel of your choice to Hacienda Alegria. The host will acquaint visitors with his hacienda and then take them to the arena to try out the horses and make sure each rider feels comfortable on his saddle and horse. A 4 hour ride to the Viudita mountain is scheduled in the morning or in the afternoon, depending on the weather. Lunch time will vary.
From its top you will be able to enjoy a spectacular sunset view of the volcano avenue, your riding area for the following days. Native moorland vegetation enriched with the humidity that rises from the coast provides the most unbelievable landscape and view of Quito and its surrounding valleys of Machachi, Pifo, and Puembo. This mountain is a perfect fit for a first day ride on Ecuador’s highlands. In the evening, riders will return to Hacienda La Alegria for dinner served in a cozy environment with a warm fireplace. You may later enjoy our bar and listen to the old farm tales. The Hacienda was build in 1910 in Franco Italian Style and has been renovated and restored and is surrounded by beautiful gardens with colourful flowers and native trees, including some species in danger of extinction such as the wax palm. Most rooms have private bathroom and fireplaces. There will be plenty of time to relax in front of the fire place after an incredible day on the saddle.
Day 2: Pasochoa or Atacazo Mountain
Riding time approx. 5 hrs
Early wake up, take a comforting hot shower followed by a nutritious breakfast in order to get ready for our 5+ hour journey to the Pasochoa mountain which is the mountain you will be able to see from the front garden of Hacienda La Alegria. Riding up to the borders of this volcano allows riders to appreciate all native forest species in the valley of Machachi such as wax palm, podocarpus, Aliso, as well as the Pasochoa Natural Park and peaks up to 4200 mts. Snack at Pasochoa, option to have one hour trekking at the natural reserve and back to Hacienda La Alegria for dinner and over night. Opportunity for canter. Dinner will be served in a cozy dining room with a fire place and the food is wholesome home cooked from local crops. The Hacienda is made of adobe and stone, its walls are over 80 cm thick!! Lots of character. La Alegria also gives you the opportunity to be part of the country life and learn about its culture. The Hacienda has a large working cattle farm with nearly 250 head of cattle producing dairy products. So for those who want to give it a try you can help milking the cows or feeding the calves, or try lassoing a bull.
Day 3: Cloud Forest
Riding time 5 hrs
After breakfast you will take a ride at the arena to get sure you feel comfortable with the horse you will be riding. Then we will start our ride to “Monte Oscuro” west side of the hacienda, where you will witness a completely different environment in the Reserve, also be able to observe an exciting change of vegetation in just a short time. After 2 ½ hours of riding up to 3.500 mts on a native tundra vegetation landscape, we will start to descend towards the coast and experience an incredible sub-tropical vegetation from the western mountain chain. We will have a typical Ecuadorian meal at a farm located in the cloud forest; appreciate the exotic ecosystem. We will see a great variety of orchids while we are riding through the primary forest, also giant guneras, natural ferns (the oldest specie of the world), moss and bromeliads covering trees and high altitude bamboo which offers an amazing scenery. Listen to fascinating tales of farmer’s remote life (more than 25 years in the forest); learn about medicinal plants and trees. In the afternoon we will ride to the “Monte Oscuro” where we will spend the night and have a warm comforting and relaxing dinner. On clear evenings we can see the mountain chain that ends at the coast and some reflection of the coast villages lights.
DAY 4: Corazon Volcano
Riding time 6 hrs
Breakfast early in the morning, our ride will be climbing towards the east through a high altitude forest up to the rocks of the Corazon mountain, this majestic mountain overlooks the Aloag valley and its beautiful environment. You will have a wonderful ride exploring the landscape of the haciendas, and the tundra paths up to the base of the mountain (4.300 mts). We will pass by a steep sandy path and continue down hill to the Aloag Valley, on the way we will have snack and continue to Hacienda La Alegria, where we will have a late lunch. Ride back to Hacienda La Alegria feeling overwhelmed by all the beauty and your personal feat. This is your opportunity to canter back to the relaxing warmth of the hacienda.
Day 5: Machachi Valley to Ruminahui and Cotopaxi National Park
Riding time is about 7 hours
We start our ride from Hacienda La Alegria, towards the south of Machachi. Enter the slopes of Ruminahui upwards to Panzaleo through the sandy hills next to the rock, where the magnificent Cotopaxi presents the most imposing scenery. You will also be surrounded by the Corazon, Ilinizas, Sincholagua mountains, and the different valleys providing a perfect spot to take a break for lunch at 4200 mts.
In the afternoon we continue surrounding the Ruminahui rocks and slopes up to Limpiopungo lake, part of the Cotopaxi valley, late afternoon we arrive to a cozy lodge (Tambopaxi) for dinner, hot shower, spend a warm and resting night (3700mts high). Next day early in the morning you would be able to appreciate the incredible view of the Cotopaxi, one of the highest active volcano in the world just in front of us.
Day 6: Cotopaxi Park to Vicious Valley
Riding time ~ 5+ hrs
After breakfast we continue the ride in the Cotopaxi valley. Good opportunity to canter. During part of the ride we will cross terrain that resembles a lunar surface and pass the “Pucara” Incas ruins and Santo Domingo Lake. We will have a snack at the Chirimachay waterfront and descend to the Vicious Valley, a canyon formed by the Cotopaxi lava flow route and ride among the herds of wild horses, fox, deer and birds in the area. The largest, high-altitude Haciendas are situated in this valley. Its spectacular chagra traditions and farm life will enchant you from the moment you reach it’s premises. This afternoon provides an excellent opportunity to take pictures and admire this vast, widespread region that has preserved endangered animal habitats.
We stay at Hacienda El TAMBO; one of the beautiful haciendas (TAMBO a Quechua word meaning station) nestled in a spectacular valley surrounded by snow-capped peaks, connected to the rest of civilization only by a seasonal track winding through the mountains. The current structure is on a site that has had a tambo since the days of the Incas. It is built in the traditional stone style and is extremely picturesque with its straw roof. The interior is rustic and comfortable, and there is always a roaring log fire to welcome visitors.
Day 7: Vicious Valley and Surroundings Riding time 5+ hours
While riding south through the Chagras trail, at the distance you can observe the Latacunga valley, the flower plantations, and pine forests that surround the Cotopaxi. After this pleasing ride, we will arrive to Hacienda Chalupas, a rustic hacienda, where overnight accommodations are waiting for you and your team of riders and horses. Enjoy your evening next to a warm campfire and a delightful dinner which the Chagras (cowboys) will share with you.
Day 8: Quilindana Verde Cocha and Yanahurco 5+ riding hours
Breakfast and depart traveling along the Quilindana high ridges surrounding the local mountains near where condors nest. Ride along the shoreline of small lakes. We will cross the Vicious Valley and arrive to Hacienda Yanahurco where we can visit the spectacled bear project. Hopefully we can meet Beto, Colleen, Rosita, or Marcia on wild. The white-tailed deer will be close to our horses. We will spend the night at Hacienda Yanahurco.
Day 9: Yanahurco Hacienda La Carriona
5+ riding hours
After bidding a sad farewell to the hacienda hospitable cowboys we ride further north towards the spectacular snowy cone of Antisana. We ride across a truly awe-inspiring country which lies between Quilindana, Cotopaxi, and Sincholagua. While travelling through the open countryside of these 100.000 hectare Haciendas we will enjoy the romance of the land as we can observe condors, wolves, rabbits and wild bulls that punctuate the grass lands. Wild horses at Cotopaxi Antisana 5755 mts. We will have a snack on the EL Salto Hill, and in the distance we will see the valley of the Hacienda Antisana among the mountains of Loma Gorda.
In the meadows we will gallop at the highest altitude (4000 mts) and our horses will demonstrate their strength and stamina after 9 days of riding through tough terrain.
José Delgado, the owner of the Hacienda Antisana, will give you a warm welcome at his centennial house with a highland herbal tea called “sunfo”. Before lunch we bid farewell to our horses that have accompanied us through 9 days of wilderness. You will be served a delicious genuine Ecuadorian lunch in the hacienda dining room decorated with wolf, deer, bear, tapir hide and condor wings. Riders can take a walk to view part of the 6000 head of sheep on the farm, as well as to observe birds endemic to the area such a “Bandurria” the black-faced ibis and the Ecuadorian hill star hummingbird. You may also see condors and the “chupil”, a typical duck found in Mica Lake.In the afternoon we will return to the Sangolqui Valley, encountering more birds and wildlife in the vast countryside and spend the night where we began our adventure, Hacienda La Carriona.
Day 10: Departure after breakfast.
2009 Itinerary:
Day 1: Transfer from hotel or airport for dinner and overnight to Hacienda La Alegria.
Optional accommodation: La Carriona
Day 2: Ride in the arena to try horses and get acquainted with the horse and tack that we will be using the next days. Lunch in the Hacienda house and later we ride around the neighboring Haciendas and the Viudita Mountain. Our acclimatization and first contact with the heights starts this first day.
Acommodations: La Alegria
Hours of Riding: 4 hours
Day 3: In the morning we enjoy a demonstration of the Chagras’ skills (the Ecuador Andes’ cowboys). After having lunch at Hacienda La Alegria we ride on what used to be the road to the coast. We ascend by the sides of Corazon to 3,500 meters and descend to the cloud forest. At the cloud forest we can observe a great biodiversity of plants and flowers, including giant gunneras, orchids, and birds such as the pava de monte (guan). In the late afternoon we arrive to Hacienda Bomboli 3,000 m (13,000 ft), and relax by the fireplace enjoying the sunset and watching the lights of the villages near the coast.
Option camping in Monte Oscuro, (Depends on the weather, min 4 pax)
Accommodations: Bomboli
Hours of riding: 4 hours
Day 4: We leave behind the cloud forest and ascend to the Corazon Volcano up to 4,000 meters. From there we can appreciate the green and fertile Machachi Valley and we can also see the routes we will take the next day. Crossing extensive pastures and eucalyptus forests we initiate the descent toward the valley. Snack and continue to the valley. Late afternoon we arrive for a delicious lunch at the Hacienda house.
Accommodations: La Alegria
Hours of riding: 6 hours
Day 5: We ride toward the west mountain range and through the valley toward Machachi. We stop at the Machachi market (on Sundays only), continue toward the Ruminahui skirts and stop at a beautiful Hacienda for lunch. We continue riding until we arrive to the Pedregal valley and stay overnight in a Hacienda at 3,500 meters.
Accommodations: Hacienda in the Pedregal Valley (near Cotopaxi)
Hours of riding: 4 hours
Day 6: We get closer to the Cotopaxi Volcano; we enter the Cotopaxi National Park and visit the Inca ruins from Pucara of Salitre (Inca fortress built in the mountains). We continue ascending to the east side of the Cotopaxi, after lunch we continue until we arrive at the skirts of Quilindana. We ride in close proximity to berber breed wild horse herds that live in the park and are descendants of the horses brought by the Spanish in the 16th century. At the hacienda we learn how the chagras live and we may hear some traditional songs specific to the people of the mountains.
Accommodations: Hacienda Tambo
Hours of ridings: 5+ hours
Day 7: Today we prepare our gear to transport it in our pack horses since we will be with no support vehicle for two days. We ride toward the south, and ascend to Morro Mountain 4,200 meters. At this point we have covered ¾ around the Cotopaxi Volcano. From there we can enjoy the view of the Latacunga valley with its roses and pines. It is possible to see a condor guarding its paramo. We speed up and arrive to Hacienda Chalupas, have lunch and later fish trout for dinner.
Accommodations: Hacienda Chalupas
Hours of riding: 5 hours
Day 8: This day is the most remote and far away from civilization. We ride through the Guagui Valley and Secas until we arrive to the Vicious Valley. We will possibly meet some chagras that are taking care of the cattle, and we might see some deer, wild pigs (they run faster than a horse), and spectacle bears. Today we have completed a circle around the Quillindana Volcano.
Accommodations: Hacienda at Vicious valley or camp site
Hours of riding: 7 hours
Day 9: We start riding toward the west, pass the Muchana rock (kissing rock), and mudadero where we can see hundreds of alpacas grazing. We pass the innumerable Cajas, Sto. Domingo lakes and get closer to the Cotopaxi Volcano. We pass the lava rocks that had descended to the valley and is now static; then we arrive to the only structure that is our very comfortable and warm mountain refuge.
Accommodations: Tambopaxi Refuge
Hours of riding 5+ hours
Day 10: Ride in the Lipiopungo plains (Cotopaxi base), feels like if you were riding on the moon’s surface. Here we do the highest gallop in the world. Pass to the highest point of our ride (4,200 meters) on the edges of the rocks of the Ruminahui Volcano. We continue our ride toward the green Machachi valley as always guarded by the volcanoes avenue. We cross the Machachi plaza where the horsemen are always welcomed; we pass the town of Aloag and arrive to Hacienda La Alegria for a pleasant dinner and rest time.
Accommodations: Hacienda La Alegria
Hours of riding 7+ hours
Day 11: Transport to Airport
Subject to change