Machu Picchu - Lake
Titicaca
(11
days/10 nights)
Machu Picchu - Lake
Titicaca
(12 days/11 nights)
Machu Picchu - Lake
Titicaca
(14 days/13 nights)
Colca Canyon - Machu
Picchu
Lake Titicaca
(16 days/15 nights)
Archaeological & Ecological
Treasures
Galapagos - Machu Picchu
Lake Titicaca (or Amazon)
(18 days/17
nights)
Colca Canyon - Amazon
Machu Picchu - Lake Titicaca
(22 days/21 nights)
Machu Picchu
(10
days/9 nights)
Machu Picchu
(13 days/12 nights)
Machu Picchu - Galapagos
(15 days/14 nights)
Galapagos - Machu Picchu
(18 days/17 nights)
Manu National Park
(8 days/7 nights)
Enchanted Isles of the Galapagos
Galapagos
(11
days/10 nights)
Galapagos & the Kingdom of Quito
Galapagos - Andes
(16 days/15 nights)
Galapagos - Amazon
(16 days/15 nights)
Historic Haciendas of the Andes
Cotopaxi - Antisana
- Otavalo
(7 days/6 nights)
© 2008
Inka's Empire Corporation.
All rights reserved.
Luxury Ecuador Tours & Travel
Cotopaxi Volcano - Papallacta Hot Springs - Antisana Volcano - Otavalo Valley
Courtyard of the Hacienda Zuleta, Ecuador.
Photo: Hacienda Zuleta. Luxury Ecuador Tours & Travel
Turning back the pages of time in Ecuador's historic haciendas...
-- Kimberly Fay, LuxuryLink.com, April 2005
Land price (7 days/6 nights)
Royal US$ 3,610 Imperial US$ 3,435
The land price includes escorted transfers, private excursions with a professional guide and driver, horseback riding at the Hacienda Zuleta, entrance fees, indicated category of accommodations, all meals except beverages, all transportation, and travel insurance for guests through the age of 59 years. Over that age, there is a supplementary fee. Horseback riding at the Hacienda San Agustín de Callo is available at additional cost. All prices are per person based on two people sharing a guest room. For a detailed description of our services, see About Our Tours.
Galapagos Cruises
What You Could Add in Ecuador
Frederic Edwin Church, Cotopaxi, 1855, oil on canvas, 28 x 42 inches.
Photo: Smithsonian American Art Museum. Luxury Ecuador Tours & Travel
Upon arrival in Quito, you'll be escorted to the two-century-old Hacienda La Carriona, whose stone courtyard and garden hint of the exuberant Spanish colonial lifestyle. During a five-day overland excursion along the "Avenue of the Volcanoes", from Cotopaxi, the highest active volcano on earth, to Antisana, you'll admire the magnificent landscape that inspired Frederic Edwin Church's epic paintings of the Andes.
Soak in the hot springs of Papallacta, "barter with the natives" in the mystical Otavalo Valley, visit authentic workshops in artisans' pueblos and recapture the spirit of old Spanish days while staying in two other historic haciendas: Zuleta, established in 1691, and San Agustín de Callo, the 15th century Inca palace from which Atahualpa administered the Kingdom of Quito, now called Ecuador. As an Inka's client you'll sleep in one of the Inca rooms. Who knows -- maybe even Atahualpa's!
What Luxury Link has to say about Historic Haciendas of the Andes.
Historic Estates of Latin America
Guest room in the Hacienda Zuleta, Ecuador.
Photo: Hacienda Zuleta. Luxury Ecuador Tours & Travel
Highlights
Hacienda La Carriona
Day 1: Quito, Ecuador - Hacienda La Carriona. Transfer to the Hacienda La Carriona, a monument to Ecuador's colonial history. Dinner and overnight in the Hacienda La Carriona -- Suite.
Hacienda San Agustín de Callo
Day 2: Hacienda La Carriona - Cotopaxi National Park - Hacienda La Cienega - Hacienda San Agustín de Callo. Morning departure to Cotopaxi, the highest active volcano on earth. Surrounding it, you will find the moorland ecosystem of the National Park. Hike the trails, including one to the Inca ruins of El Salitre. Lunch at the historic Hacienda La Cienega. Continue to the ancient Hacienda San Agustín de Callo, an Inca palace and colonial monastery. Dinner and overnight in the Hacienda San Agustín de Callo -- Mulalo Suite, Inca Tambo Suite or Las Gordas Room, all in the Inca palace.
Papallacta Hot Springs
Day 3: Hacienda San Agustín de Callo - Antisana Ecological Reserve - Papallacta Hot Springs. Departure north on the Avenue of the Volcanoes toward the majestic Antisana Volcano. We view the panorama from a private reserve at cloud-forest level that is crowned by La Mica Lake, which teems with bird life. After a box lunch, hike with the snows of Antisana as a pristine backdrop. Then, drive to the Termas de Papallacta to enjoy the hot springs and natural surroundings. Dinner and overnight in the Termas de Papallacta -- Double Room.
Hacienda Zuleta
Day 4: Papallacta Hot Springs - Hacienda Zuleta. Relax in the hot springs this morning and walk on marked paths, where nature lovers can appreciate the unique endemic species of flora and fauna. Around midday, departure north to the Awakening Valley, home of the Otavalo Indians. On the way, have lunch at an historic mill, the Molino San Juan. In the afternoon, drive along San Pablo Lake and walk through the countryside a part of the way to the Hacienda Zuleta. Dinner and overnight in the Hacienda Zuleta -- Double Room.
Day 5: Hacienda Zuleta. Tours of the entire farm, on foot or on horseback, are a typical part of every guest's stay. Of special interest to many guests are the archaeological sites, working farm, hand-embroidery workshop, condor rehabilitation project, trout farm, cheese factory and stables. The hacienda is as famous for its horses and riding program as it is for its history and hospitality. Lunch at the hacienda. Dinner and overnight in the Hacienda Zuleta -- Double Room.
Quito
Day 6: Hacienda Zuleta - Otavalo Indian Market - Hacienda Cusín - Cayambe - Quito. At the foot of the Imbabura Volcano, lies the valley of Otavalo. After exploring the market, visit a pre-Inca solar calendar, then choose between two options. For those more interested in native cultures, visit the village of Peguche, where musical instruments and woolen tapestries are made; the nearby sacred waterfall; San Antonio de Ibarra, known for its woodcarvings; and other artisans' pueblos. For those more interested in nature, drive up to Cuicocha Lake and hike around this flooded volcanic crater. Lunch at the Hacienda Cusín. Continue to Cayambe's "Middle of the World" Monument, then see how the pueblo's traditional biscuits and cheese are made. Returning to Quito under the shadow of the Cayambe Volcano, arrive at the Villa Colonna. Guided evening walk to the Plaza de San Francisco for dinner at the Café Tianquez. Overnight in the Villa Colonna.
Your next destination
Day 7: Quito - Your next destination. Continue on a cruise of the Galapagos Islands or an expedition to Ecuador's Amazon Rainforest.
Entrance to the Hacienda La Carriona, Ecuador.
Photo: Hacienda La Carriona. Luxury Ecuador Tours & Travel
Its stone courtyard and garden hint of the exuberant Spanish Colonial lifestyle...
Day 1: Quito, Ecuador - Hacienda La Carriona
Transfer to the Hacienda La Carriona, located in the beautiful Valley of Los Chillos, a brief drive south from Quito. Constructed more than two centuries ago, "La Carriona" stands as a monument to Ecuador's colonial history. Its stone courtyard and garden hint of the exuberant Spanish Colonial lifestyle, while its name reminds us that it once belonged to the renowned Carrión family. La Carriona's thick adobe walls have witnessed significant events in Ecuador's history. In the mid-1800s, the house belonged to the distinguished family, Fernández Salvador. In 1830, the patriarch of this family, Don José Fernández Salvador, was appointed president of the first Constitutional Assembly, which laid the foundation for both the Ecuadorian constitution and the nation. Today, the hacienda accommodates guests amidst tranquil surroundings. Dinner and overnight in the Hacienda La Carriona -- Suite.
Cotopaxi Volcano, Ecuador.
Photo: Ecuador 365. Luxury Ecuador Tours & Travel
Day 2: Hacienda La Carriona - Cotopaxi National Park - Hacienda La Cienega - Hacienda San Agustín de Callo
Breakfast. Morning departure to Cotopaxi. The white-coned summit of the perfectly symmetrical volcano takes pride of place along the Avenue of the Volcanoes. The glaciated summit is 5,907 meters, or 19,400 feet, above sea level, making it the highest active volcano on earth. Surrounding the "King of the Andes", you will find the moorland ecosystem of the National Park, a vast wilderness of sweeping plains. Its 85,000 acres protect Andean condors, llamas, spectacled bears and many other species of highland fauna and flora. Exquisite landscapes are revealed as you hike the trails, including one to the ruins of El Salitre, whose rounded walls are rare in Inca architecture and indicate a temple of the Sun.
Lunch at the historic Hacienda La Cienega. La Cienega is one of the country's most prestigious haciendas. In colonial times, it hosted illustrious guests like the French astronomer Charles Marie de la Condamine, who participated in the French Geodesic Mission. Another famous guest was Alexander Von Humboldt, the German naturalist, who studied Cotopaxi's volcanic activity and unique alpine flora in 1802. While here, he coined the phrase "Avenue of the Volcanoes". More recently, Ecuador's presidents have stayed in the hacienda on their travels through the country and it now is open to the public.
Courtyard of the Hacienda San Agustín de Callo, Ecuador.
Photo: Hacienda San Agustín de Callo. Luxury Ecuador Tours & Travel
Sleep in an Inca palace!
Continue to the ancient Hacienda San Agustín de Callo. Around 1440 AD, the Inca emperor Tupac Yupanqui commanded the construction of a palace, and later his son, Huayna Capac, concluded the work. In turn, his son Atahualpa, the last of the Inca emperors and the king of Quito, occupied the palace on his travels to Quito and Cajamarca, before he was captured by the Spanish conquerors and executed in 1533.
The hacienda was written about by the Spanish chronicler Cieza de Leon in 1553, and is one of only two major Inca sites in Ecuador (the other is Ingapirca, near Cuenca). To this day, the remaining rooms prevail as a magnificent example of the unique style of Inca construction. The site is currently being investigated by Dr. David Brown of the University of Texas, with funding by the National Geographic Society. Previously unknown portions of Inca walls and foundations have been discovered throughout the restoration process of the house.
Las Gordas Room of the Hacienda San Agustín de Callo, Ecuador.
Photo: Hacienda San Agustín de Callo. Luxury Ecuador Tours & Travel
In 1590, the King of Spain granted large extensions of land to the religious orders in the different regions of Ecuador, with the purpose of consolidating the conquest and catholicizing the Indians. The Augustinian Order established their monastery in the region of Mulalo at this site, and with time constructed the colonial part of the house, blending the Spanish architectural style with the older Inca building.
In the 18th century, there was significant debate in the scientific community as to whether the circumference of the earth was greater around the equator or around the poles. To answer that question, Louis XV, the King of France, and the French Academy of Sciences sent the French Geodesic Mission to Ecuador (1736-44) for the purpose of measuring the roundness of the planet and the length of a degree of longitude at the equator. San Agustín de Callo housed the expedition's scientists, who witnessed two eruptions of Cotopaxi, in 1743 and 1744. In 1921, the hacienda was purchased by General Leonidas Plaza Gutierrez, president of Ecuador in 1901 and in 1912. The hacienda remains in the family and is currently owned by the general's granddaughter Mignon Plaza. Dinner and overnight in the Hacienda San Agustín de Callo.
Antisana Volcano, as seen from the Papallacta Hot Springs, Ecuador.
Photo: Termas de Papallacta. Luxury Ecuador Tours & Travel
Day 3: Hacienda San Agustín de Callo - Antisana Ecological Reserve - Papallacta Hot Springs
Breakfast. Departure north on the Avenue of the Volcanoes to the village of Píntag, where the eastern range of the Andes rises toward the majestic Antisana Volcano. We view the panorama from a private reserve that starts at cloud-forest level, where it is dominated by bamboos and bromeliads, and extends past the amazing lava flows of the volcano. The reserve's plateau is crowned by La Mica Lake, which teems with bird life -- caracaras, lapwings, Andean condors and hummingbirds. After a box lunch, hike with the snows of Antisana as a pristine backdrop. Then, drive to the Termas de Papallacta, on the eastern foothills of the Andes, to enjoy the hot springs and natural surroundings. Dinner and overnight in the Termas de Papallacta -- Double Room.
Termas de Papallacta hot springs, spa and resort, Ecuador.
Photo: Termas de Papallacta. Luxury Ecuador Tours & Travel
Day 4: Papallacta Hot Springs - Hacienda Zuleta
Breakfast. Relax in the hot springs this morning and walk on marked paths, where nature lovers can appreciate the unique endemic species of flora and fauna. Around midday, departure north to the Awakening Valley, home of the Otavalo Indians. On the way, have lunch at an historic mill, the Molino San Juan.
Imbabura Volcano and San Pablo Lake, Otavalo Valley, Ecuador.
Photo: Mylene d'Auriol Stoessel. Luxury Ecuador Tours & Travel
In the afternoon, drive along San Pablo Lake and walk through the countryside a part of the way to the Hacienda Zuleta. Recently, Zuleta was opened to a limited number of guests so that the public could enjoy the many wonders it holds. To visit the hacienda is to experience four centuries of history steeped in Pre-Colombian, Spanish and Ecuadorian tradition. The original inhabitants of the Zuleta region were the peace-loving Caranquis, who have left a pyramid on the hacienda grounds. They were an agrarian-based culture and flourished in this area rich in volcanic soils from about 800 AD until the arrival of the war-faring Incas in the late 1470s. Although the Caranquis fought stoically against the Inca for forty years, they were eventually conquered and forced into Inca servitude. Yet Inca rule was short-lived. By 1533, the last Inca king, Atahualpa, had been captured and assassinated by the Spanish conquistador, Francisco Pizarro, leaving the Inca empire in collapse and a free-for-all for the land-hungry vassals of the Spanish Crown. The execution of Atahualpa by Pizarro marked the end of Inca domination in the Zuleta region, and the beginning of Spanish rule.
Zuleteño horses and equestrians at the Hacienda Zuleta, Ecuador.
Photo: Hacienda Zuleta. Luxury Ecuador Tours & Travel
In the late 16th century, King Carlos is believed to have bequeathed the Zuleta region to the Jesuits, who implemented their Spanish methods of farming and of cattle and sheep production. In the following years an "obraje" (small wool mill) was established. By 1691, the Hacienda house, granary and chapel were completed and the farm was in full operation. However, in 1713, under the direction of King Charles III, the property was confiscated and transferred to Canon Gabriel Zuleta, thus making Zuleta his seventeenth hacienda. From that day forth, the farm became known as Cochicaranqui de Zuleta. Upon the Canon's death, the farm passed to the Posse family, who were inspired to bring the hacienda back to its previous 17th century grandeur. Yet it wasn't until the farm was sold to Jose Maria Lasso in 1898 and passed through two more generations to Galo Plaza Lasso, the ex-President of Ecuador, bullfighter and diplomat, that Zuleta recaptured its original prosperity. Dinner and overnight in the Hacienda Zuleta -- Double Room.
Rolling hills of the Hacienda Zuleta, Ecuador.
Photo: Hacienda Zuleta. Luxury Ecuador Tours & Travel
Day 5: Hacienda Zuleta
Breakfast. Tours of the entire farm, on foot or on horseback, are a typical part of every guest's stay. You are usually privately escorted by a Plaza family member, another gesture of Zuleta's renowned hospitality. Of special interest to many guests are the archaeological sites, working farm, hand-embroidery workshop, condor rehabilitation project, trout farm, cheese factory and stables. The hacienda is as famous for its horses and riding program as it is for its history and hospitality. Riding has been a Plaza family tradition for over one hundred years, and today Zuleta reflects this equestrian affinity by boasting one of the most exclusive stables in Ecuador. The hacienda is known for its Zuleteño horse which is a unique mixture of Spanish-Andalusian, English and Quarter horses. The outcome of this cross-breeding is a robust Andean horse with a good disposition for riding. Lunch at the hacienda. Dinner and overnight in the Hacienda Zuleta -- Double Room.
Otavaleña, Otavalo Valley, Ecuador.
Photo: Iolanda Costa. Luxury Ecuador Tours & Travel
Day 6: Hacienda Zuleta - Otavalo Indian Market - Hacienda Cusín - Cayambe - Quito
Breakfast. At the foot of the Imbabura Volcano, surrounded by clear lakes, patchwork-covered hills and plantations of corn, lies the valley of Otavalo, a market town ensconced in its own mystical past and whose people are proud of their cultural heritage and traditions. Time to explore the Otavalo Indian market, which dates back to pre-Inca times. The market is an experience for all senses: the aromas of traditional fare, soothing Andean panpipes, a kaleidoscope of colors, soft alpaca scarves and customary bargaining. The Otavaleños are owners of a rich inheritance, the customs of their craft; lovers of the rhythm of their music and their dance; and disciples of the legends of their earth mother, Pachamama. Experience a close encounter with this proud race of people, whose cultural integrity endures, and discover ancient haciendas, authentic workshops and the incredible landscapes and lagoons of these fertile lands of the Gods.
Iglesia de San Vicente Ferrer, Quiroga, Otavalo Valley, Ecuador.
Photo: Mylene d'Auriol Stoessel. Luxury Ecuador Tours & Travel
After exploring the market, visit a pre-Inca solar calendar, then choose between two options. For those more interested in native cultures, visit the village of Peguche, where musical instruments and woolen tapestries are made; the nearby sacred waterfall; San Antonio de Ibarra, known for its woodcarvings; and other artisans' pueblos. For those more interested in nature, drive up to Cuicocha Lake and hike around this flooded volcanic crater with its twin islets. Here, you'll observe a particular species of orchid that grows at this altitude (3,220 meters, or 10,562 feet).
Hacienda Cusín, Otavalo Valley, Ecuador.
Photo: Mylene d'Auriol Stoessel. Luxury Ecuador Tours & Travel
Lunch at the Hacienda Cusín. Cusín was purchased by the prominent Luna family from King Philip II at an auction in Spain in 1602. The estate comprised the two valleys of Gualavi and La Rinconada, and all the land between the valleys and the lake, approximately 100,000 acres. During the last 400 years, Hacienda Cusín remained, for the most part, in the hands of two different Spanish families and was operated as a farm. After falling into ruins after several decades of neglect, the hacienda was restored in 1990 and opened for international tourism.
Continue to Cayambe's very own "Middle of the World" Monument, marking the equator, then see how the pueblo's traditional biscuits and cheese are made. Returning to Quito under the shadow of the Cayambe Volcano, arrive at the Villa Colonna, a charming colonial home in the historic district. Guided walk to the Plaza de San Francisco for a simple but delicious dinner at the Café Tianquez. Overnight in the Villa Colonna.
Iglesia de San Pablo and the Imbabura Volcano, Otavalo Valley, Ecuador.
Photo: Mylene d'Auriol Stoessel. Luxury Ecuador Tours & Travel
Day 7: Quito - Your next destination
Breakfast. Continue on a cruise of the Galapagos Islands or an expedition to Ecuador's Amazon Rainforest.
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