DAY 1
After breakfast in our Quito hotel, we set off for the Maquipucuna reserve, following the road north-west out of the city in the province of Pichincha. En route, we visit the Intiñan museum with its world vision as seen by the ancestral cultures as well as various gravity-challenging experiments on the Equatorial line. We then move on to Yunguilla, a managed population engaged in community tourism that lives in harmony with the environment and proudly boasts of a wealth of knowledge on the benefits of nature. The project set-up is explained to us and we then enjoy a lunch prepared with local products. After lunch, we visit the centre of Maquipucuna and relax for the afternoon. Available activities include walks and massages employing chocolate!
Dinner and lodging in Maquipucuna.
DAY 2
We wake at dawn for a special bird-watching walk amid the cloudforest. We then breakfast on the area’s local produce, followed by a hike to Santa Lucía, depending on your fitness. Mules are available for the less fit. Our hike takes us through one of Ecuador’s largest reserves, famed for its biodiversity, where we admire the local fauna and flora, many unique to the region. Lunch at Santa Lucia where we rest and listen to an explanation of the reforestation and sustainable tourism projects. In the afternoon, we can visit the orchidarium or else take to the beautiful trails all around the reserve, some of which take us to lovely waterfalls. Dinner and lodging in Santa Lucia. DAY 3 Early morning hike to see the nearby cock-of-the-rock lek. Return to the lodge for breakfast. Return to Quito
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