CUENCA CULTURE, ARCHAEOLOGY, AND NATURAL HISTORY - 3 DAY TOUR

The Andean highlands of Ecuador have a rich and multifaceted history that stretches back to sophisticated cultures known to have inhabited the region even before the Incas. The legacy of these indigenous groups and the Incas mixed with the influence of the Spanish colonial period have given rise to today’s vivid highland culture manifested in the spectacularly varied and ruggedly beautiful countryside, the traditional handicrafts of the indigenous people, and the colonial haciendas that are now gracious inns. Experience the magic of the highlands...

Our trip begins in Quito with a flight to Cuenca, the main city along Ecuador’s southern highlands and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. In Cuenca, we'll visit the stunning new cathedral, numerous centuries-old churches, museums and riverside parks. We can shop for local speciality items, including hand-embroidered shawls, silver jewellery, and ceramics, as well as going to see artisans crafting Panama hats. We will visit the stunning archeological ruins of Ingapirca before embarking on our hike through Cajas National Park.

Itinerary

Day 1 - Flight Quito to Cuenca - City Tour
You'll be picked up from your hotel and transferred to the airport for a 40 min. flight to Cuenca. Our transportation will be waiting for you to take you to your hotel, and then enjoy the sites of the city. We will discover the beauty of Cuenca, designated Cultural Patrimony of Humanity by UNESCO, with a city tour. We'll then go on to visit the “Banco Central” Museum, the Inca ruins of Pumapungo, the Monastery of the Conceptas in order to finish off our cultural tour with visits to artists’ workshops, such as weavers, ceramists and Panama hat manufacturers among others.
Overnigh stay.t (L,D)

Day 2 - Ingapirca Archeological Ruins
Before heading to Ingapirca, we will visit Turi, a tiny village located up the mountain which allows for fantastic views of Cuenca. Stroll along Turi's main street pass the mural-covered church and you'll soon find yourself in rolling hills where stucco farmhouses punctuate cornfields and potato patches. Up here there's also a workshop of a well-known artist, where you'll see his ceramics and paintings.

After visiting Turi we'll set off for the archaeological site of Ingapirca. The Inca site is characterized by its perfectly carved stones held in place with natural mortar as well as for its strategic location. Ingapirca is the most important archaeological complex left by the Incas in Ecuador and testimony to how they brought existing cultural groups—in this case the Cañari—under their reign. Cemeteries, observatories, roads, storage rooms, priests’ chambers, and a plaza have all been found here. The site’s most impressive structure—the oval-shaped Temple of the Sun—was an important ceremonial and ritual centre for the Cañari-Inca. After our visit, we'll head back to Cuenca.
Overnight. (B,L,D)

Day 3 - Cajas National Park Hike
We'll set off to Cajas National Park (29,000 hectares) which has over 250 midnight-blue lakes, and is located just west of Cuenca. Approximately 125 species of birds have been found here, including the condor and the endemic violet-tailed metaltail. We will have the opportunity to hike around this easily accessible plateau and its high elevation forest.

After lunch, we'll return to Cuenca to take the flight back to Quito. (B,L)