8 Day-Highlights of the Andes with Hacienda La Danesa from Quito

8 Day-Highlights of the Andes with Hacienda La Danesa from Quito

Private service with minimum 2 passengers
Enjoy an 8-day tour visiting the best of the Andes and Coast of Ecuador
Meet one of the most important routes in Ecuador at Devil´s Nose Train
Experience the activities at La Danesa Hacienda

Itinerary

Day 1: Day 1. - Transfer to your hotel in Quito

Pass By: Quito, Quito, Pichincha Province
Reception at the airport and transfer to hotel by private transportation. Overnight in Quito.

No meals included on this day.
Accommodation included: Mercure Hotel in Quito

Day 2: Day 2. Quito City Tour – Cable Car – Mitad del Mundo

Stop At: Quito, Quito, Pichincha Province
This is a full day tour which includes the Basilica Church. After walking through the colonial streets, you will then stop at the Independence Plaza to admire the Cathedral and the Government’s Palace. Then you will visit La Ronda Street, The Company Church, Santo Domingo´s Church, The Sagrario´s Church and San Francisco´s Church, which was built during the 17th century. After visiting the historical site, you will go to the Teleférico. This is one of the best ways to enjoy the city with views of beautiful valleys, snow-capped mountains and the capital Quito. From a point of more than 13,000 feet

(4000 m) high, you will enjoy magnificent views. In the afternoon, you'll will go to Mitad del Mundo which is located fifty minutes from the northwest of Quito (Ecuador). You will visit the current equatorial line and straddle the two hemispheres. In addition, you’ll have the chance to participate in several experiments at the Intiñan Museum. Things like watching water go down a drain in a different direction only inches away from either side of the equator, or balancing an egg on a nail, or using an ancient sun dial are some examples of what you can experiment here. Overnight in Quito.

Duration: 8 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
Accommodation included: Mercure Hotel in Quito

Day 3: Day 3.-Quito – Cotopaxi National Park – Volcanoes Avenue – Riobamba

Stop At: Cotopaxi National Park, Ecuador
Departure in the morning to Cotopaxi National Park in Cotopaxi province where we will visit the Interpretation Center and Limpiopungo lagoon; posibility to take a short hike in the surrounding of Limpiopungo valley, then we will drive up to 4.500 meters and walk up to Padre Rivas Refuge (4.830 meters). Stop for a drink in the refuge, after that if you are in a good shape try to get to the glacier (5.050 meters). Overnight in Riobamba.
Duration: 5 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
Accommodation included: Hacienda La Andaluza in Riobamba

Day 4: Day 4.- Riobamba – Devil´s Nose Train + Ingapirca Ruins – Cuenca

Stop At: Estacion Ferrocarril, Alausi Ecuador
After breakfast, early in the morning we depart to Alausí, beautiful old town with one hundred houses. Time to take the spectacular train, considered the most difficult train of the XX century. You will descend gradually from the highlands to the lowlands, at times zigzagging, or hugging the cliffs. In the descending at the lowest point the incredible devils nose an interesting rock will appear in the horizon. The train descends and then returns to Alausí again. Then we will depart to visit the indigenous market of Cañar before reaching the ruins of Ingapirca for a complete tour of the ruins and archeological museum, during the visit you will see the vestiges of Incas. Departure to Cuenca, overnight in Cuenca.
Duration: 5 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
Accommodation included: Carvallo Hotel in Cuenca

Day 5: Day 5.- Cuenca City Tour – Cajas National Park - Guayaquil

Stop At: Cuenca, Cuenca, Azuay Province
Cuenca is a city well known for its history, sacred art museums, fantastic colonial architecture, archeological sites, and ethnographic museums. We’ll visit The New Cathedral, Central Park, Old Cathedral, Plaza de las Flores, The Hat Factory, Museum, Mirador de Turi, Barranco, etc. We continue to a Toquilla Straw Hats factory to observe the entire manufacturing process of this craft that is undoubtedly the most important in the country. Then we will visit the Barranco with its colonial-style hanging houses that are next to the Tomebamba River, we will also observe the broken bridge.
Finally, we will visit the Turi viewpoint from where we can observe the entire city of Cuenca. After the city tour, we will go to El Cajas National Park characterized by its lagoons of glacial origin and high mountain vegetation, here we will make a stop to refresh this beautiful place and to observe some of its lagoons and a primary forest. Overnight in Guayaquil.


Duration: 6 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
Accommodation included: Hotel Wyndham Garden in Guayaquil

Day 6: Day 6.- Guayaquil – La Danesa Hacienda

Stop At: Hacienda La Danesa Lodge, Autopista Naranjito Bucay km 67, Guayaquil 090150 Ecuador
Take a tour of the largest city in Ecuador and explore the streets and avenues of this historic place. During the tour of the main streets and avenues of the city, you will visit Simón Bolívar Park (PARQUE DE LAS IGUANAS), which is named after the second president of Venezuela, who led the fight against the Spanish for the independence of South America, and the catedral. Then, we will visit the municipality and the government square where you can admire its architecture. Continue with the Malecon of Guayaquil and La Rotonda to contemplate the statues of Bolívar and San Martín. Your guide will take you to La Danesa Hacienda. The host will greet you and give you a warm welcome to the farm and tell you about La Danesa's rich history. You will have time at leisure to explore the gardens and property, enjoy refreshing cold-infused drinks and a traditional snack courtesy of the hacienda before starting with the experiences planned for the day. Overnight in Guayaquil.
Duration: 6 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Dinner
Accommodation included: La Danesa Hacienda in Guayaquil

Day 7: Day 7.- Local Hacienda experience in La Danesa

Stop At: Hacienda La Danesa Lodge, Autopista Naranjito Bucay km 67, Guayaquil 090150 Ecuador
Hacienda La Danesa, a century-old working dairy, cacao, and teak farm, sits an hour outside of Guayaquil. With this tour, escape the busy city for a day on this family-owned hacienda with a selection of activities tailored to visitors.

You can choose the activities you want to do in La Danesa Hacienda during the day and taking into account the schedule:

Options:

1.- Cacao & Chocolate Experience
You will walk through a picturesque teak avenue for about 10 minutes before arriving to the cacao plantation where you will learn the history and process of the cacao in Ecuador and walk through the cacao trail. Guests will then proceed to the workshop with our local chocolatier to make chocolate bars and taste Ecuadorean chocolate at its purest form. *Chocolate bars are not included for day visitors in this experience yet they may be bought by the client if they wish*
2.- Hacienda La Danesa's Product Tasting
The farm produces jams, 100% raw honey, chocolate, dulce de leche and others delicious hand-made products made by the local community. You may taste them all and you may shop your favorites at La Tienda with other hand-picked products from all over Ecuador.
3.- From Farm to Table Three Course Lunch
La Danesa offers a truly unique gastronomic experience inspired in a Farm-to-Table ethos. It grows and produces most of the ingredients at the farm, while buying the rest from the neighboring communities. The chef will offer a three-course meal with a few options for the main course for you to choose from. Vegan/vegetarian option will be available and upon request we are happy to suit other diets.
4.- Milking in the Gardens
La Danesa produces around 1,200 liters of milk every day and had won for 20 years in a row the best dairy cattle in coastal Ecuador. One of our loving cows will visit us in the gardens and share some of her milk with us. If you want a Café au Lait you will have to take the espresso straight to the cow's udder for fresh warm milk!
5.- Time at Leisure: Tubing, Biking, Horse Riding
At this time, you may explore the property by bike, float down the lazy rivers surrounded by trees and birds or just sit back and relax. For those who would prefer to relax they may enjoy a glass of ecuadorean wine or gin at the Teak terrace or gardens with jazz music before returning to Guayaquil.

Duration: 6 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Dinner
Accommodation included: La Danesa Hacienda in Guayaquil

Day 8: Day 8.- La Danesa Hacienda – Transfer to Guayaquil Airport

Pass By: Guayaquil, Guayaquil, Guayas Province
Breakfast, then transfer to the airport depending on your international flight.

Meals included:
• Breakfast
No accommodation included on this day.