Revista This is Ecuador May 2013

MAY

201

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www.thisisecuador.com

THE MOST COMPLETE GUIDE OF ECUADOR SINCE 1968

MAY

201

3TH

IS IS

ECU

ADOR

No 5

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http://www.cuenca.com.ec/cuencanew/

Welcome to Ecuador 5Embassies & Consulates List 7General Travel Information 8Land Distances 10Road Map 11Handmade in Ecuador 12Native Cultures 14Map 15History & Archaeology 16National Protected Areas 18Map 19A Birder’s Paradise 22Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas 24Ecuador by Train 25

GalapagosGeneral information 26Map 27This Month in Galapagos 31Premium Services 32

CoastGeneral information 34Ecuadorian Coastline 36Map 37Premium Hotels 41Guayaquil 42This Month:Culture & Entertainment 48Premium Hotels 49Map 50Premium Hotels 52Restaurants 54

AndesGeneral information 56Land of Striking Flowers 57Premium Haciendas 58Northern Andes 60Map 61Premium Services 63Quito 64This Month:Culture & Entertainment 73Premium Hotels 74Map 76Restaurants 83Food & Drinks 86Premium Services 88Central Andes 90Map 91Premium Services 93Southern Andes 96Map 97Cuenca 99Cuenca’s surroundings 103Map 104Premium Hotels 106Restaurants 108Premium Services 109Loja 110Premium Hotels 111Map 112

AmazoniaGeneral information 114Important tips andrecommendations 115Premium Lodging 116 3

CONTENTS

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PUBLISHEDMONTHLY BY

GUSTAVO VALLEJO P.Director

CAROLINA VALLEJOCover

CRISTINA VALLEJOEditor

MARÍA ELENA MALO Sales Director

[email protected] 9822 7499

BELEN MENADesign

SOLUCIONES GRAFICAS D&GLayout

IMPRENTA MARISCALPrinting

Quito: Whymper 777 y 6 de Diciembre

Phone: (593 2) 290-8200 / 255-2177

GuayaquilEdificio Trade Building Of. M24

Av. Joaquín Orrantia & Av. Leopoldo Benítez

Phone: (593 4) 263-9214(593 9) 9858-4053

[email protected]

www.exploringecuador.com

Visit our website and virtual magazine at:


This is Ecuador is protectedby law as intellectual property.Registration No. 9, page 3422;

February 25, 1969. Total orpartial reproduction as well

as the use of photographs mustbe authorized by

Gustavo Vallejo Pérez.

MAY

201

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This Month’s Cover

llustration inspired in Ecuador’s roses. The special light of theEquator and the unique climatic conditions of the EcuadorianAndes create the ideal conditions for the production of theworld’s finest roses. For more information see page 57.

Editor’s Note

This is Ecuador is a complimentary guide. It should not be sold by anymeans. All of the tourist sites that appear on this magazine have beenvisited by our editors. Moreover, our commercial staff has previouslyevaluated the tourist services that appear on our publication. If any ofthese services does not meet your expectations, please let us know.

Read our entire guide at www.thisisecuador.com. You can learn about ourwonderful country and book premium services through our e-guide.

Comments/suggestions: [email protected] Phone number in Quito: (593 2) 290- 8200We appreciate your opinion.

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GOVERNMENT: Democratic.Current President is EconomistRafael Correa Delgado.

CLIMATE: The climate throughoutthe country ranges from tropicalequatorial rain in the Amazon toperpetual snow on the top of themountains. Cities in the highlandshave temperatures that vary from50ºF to 70ºF, while coastal cities’temperatures vary from 60ºF to80ºF during the day. The weather inthe jungle is constant: rainy, humidand warm. The Galapagos Islandsare sunny and warm during themonths of December-May; the tem-perature drops from June toNovember.

WHAT TO WEAR:• In Quito and the highlands the

weather is very unpredictable. Acommon saying is that you canlive the four seasons in one day:from intense sun to hail. Oneneeds to look out the windowbefore deciding what to weareach day. During June, July andAugust the weather is sunnierbut windy. During the rest of theyear you need warmer clothingsuch as what you would wearduring the fall. A raincoat orjacket is useful all year long,since at night it gets prettychilly.

Ecuador has the greatest biodiversityper area in the world! In a study byConservation International, Ecuadorranked among the 17 “MegaDiverse” countries, alongside theUnited States, China, Australia, Braziland Mexico. With 9.2 species perkm2, it occupies the first place in theworld in regards to species per area.

The richness of Ecuador lies in itsDIVERSITY, both natural and cultural.Ecuador has 4 diverse and uniqueregions: the Amazon Rainforest, thehighland Andes, the Coast, and theGalapagos Archipelago. These four regions are subdividedinto provinces. Besides its exuberantbiodiversity, Ecuador is home to animpressive variety of ethnic groups,including communities which stillpractice ancient cultural traditions(for more information see page 14).

LOCATION: Ecuador is one of thesmallest countries in America. It lieson both the Northern and theSouthern Hemispheres and is divid-ed by the Equator, thus the name ofthe country.

It borders Colombia (North), Peru(South and East), and the PacificOcean (West).

AREA: about 270.670 km2 or168.186 square miles.

DISTANCE FROM NORTH TO SOUTH: 1.081 km or 672miles.

POPULATION: approximately 14million.

LANGUAGE: The first language isSpanish, however, most of theindigenous population speaksQuichua. There are 18 different lan-guages among native communities.

PROVINCES:- Galapagos- Coast: Esmeraldas, Manabi, Los

Rios, Guayas, Santa Elena, El Oro.- Andes: Carchi, Imbabura,

Pichincha, Santo Domingo de losTsáchilas, Cotopaxi, Tungurahua,Bolivar, Chimborazo, Cañar,Azuay and Loja.

- Amazonia: Sucumbios, Napo,Orellana, Pastaza, MoronaSantiago and Zamora Chinchipe.

RELIGION: 95% Catholic.

CURRENCY: American Dollar. TheEcuadorian government has alsoproduced a series of local coins thathave the same value as the U.S.coins (which are also accepted).Banks are open from 9h00 to 17h00and on Saturdays only half day.Money exchange is offered every dayin main hotels.

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• Be careful any time you go to anATM; it’s better if you go duringthe day.

• Don’t let strangers offer youaccommodation. Consult a travelagency.

MOUNTAIN CLIMBING

ASEGUIM is the association ofmountain climbing guides ofEcuador. We recommend that if youplan to do mountain climbing atany level, you contact them toaccess professional and certifiedguides. They also offer rescueoperations. Phone: (02) 222-2954,cel 099 9822 363, www.aseguim.org

OFFICE OF TOURISM PUBLIC PROSECUTOR:

The highest duty of the EcuadorianRepublic is to respect and supporthuman and personal rights; theyoffer judicial safety to tourists whovisit the country. It is free. Monday thru Friday from 8h00 to12h00 and from 14h00 to 18h00.

Quito: 02 2905-053Guayaquil: 04 2320-685Cuenca: 07 2844-282Galapagos, Santa Cruz Island: 05 2526-048Loja: 07 2572-668Puyo: 03 2883-767

• Guayaquil and other coastal cities:wear summer clothing all yearround. During the rainy months,December to May, the weather isstill very warm. During the monthsof June through November theweather is cloudy and a bit colder.Bring along a light jacket.

• Galapagos: wear comfortablewalking shoes and casual cloth-ing. Shorts, t-shirts and summerclothing will be just fine. Don’tforget a hat, a camera, sun block,and a bathing suit. During themonths of June to November theweather is cloudy and a bit cold-er. Bring along a light jacket.

• Amazon or Jungle: wear clothingsuitable for rain. If you can getyourself a raincoat (poncho), takeit with you, as well as several setsof light pants and long sleeveshirts. Shorts are less usefulbecause of the insects and abun-dant vegetation that you will walkthrough on your excursions. A hat,rubber boots and insect repellentare also a must.

TOURIST VISA: Visitors can stayup to 90 days without a visa.

TAXI RATES: The minimum ratethroughout the country is $1. A 10-minute ride is approximately $2 to$5, depending on the distance cov-ered in this time.

TRANSPORTATION: Main cities(Guayaquil, Quito and Cuenca)

have local airports serviced by thelocal airlines: Tame, Aerogal andLan, in addition to international air-lines. Bus lines offer land transporta-tion throughout the coutry. Each cityhas its own terminal, with frequentdepartures to each one of the differ-ent provinces of Ecuador (For moreinformation see page 8).

SUGGESTIONS FOR A PLEASANT STAY

While the authorities are clearlymaking significant efforts, it’s nec-essary to take some precautions. Wesuggest some recommendations:

• Don’t walk at night in badly litareas.

• Leave documentation and valua -ble things in your hotel room orin the safety deposit boxes.

• Carry your backpack at the front,especially if you are carrying aphoto camera.

• Whenever you sit at a coffeeshop, restaurant, Internet cafe,phone booth or any open space,keep your things next to you.

• Be aware if someone comes sus-piciously too close to you.

• Don’t allow any stranger to enterinto your room.

• It’s recommended not to visit anyplaza too late at night.

• If you travel on a bus, don’treceive any candy or papers fromstrangers.

• When you are at the airport, pay special attention to yourbelon gings.

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http://www.freedombikerental.com/

Quito - 593 2 Guayaquil - 593 4 Cuenca - 593 7

Argentina

Austria

Belgium

Brazil

Canada

Chile

Colombia

Costa Rica

Egypt

France

Germany

Great Britain

Israel

Italy

Japan

Korea

Mexico

Peru

Russia

Spain

Switzerland

U.S.A.

Uruguay

Venezuela

Amazonas Ave. 477 & Roca Phone 2562292

Gaspar de Villarroel E9-53 &Av. de Los ShyrisPhone: 2469700República Del Salvador 1082 &Naciones Unidas / Phone: 2276145 /2273910 / 2273338

Amazonas N39-123 & José ArizagaPhone: 2277000Av. Amazonas N41-53 & UNPEdificio Eurocenter 3rd floor Ph: 2455499 / Fax: 2277672

Juan Pablo Sanz 3617 & AmazonasEdif. Xerox / Phone: 2453327

Atahualpa 955 & RepúblicaEdificio Digicom Phone: 2458012

Javier Arauz III y Germán AlemánPhone: 2252330 / Fax: 2252330

Tarqui E4-56 & 6 de DiciembrePhone: 2225240 / 2509501

General Leonidas Plaza 104 & PatriaPhone 2943800

Naciones Unidas Edif. City Plaza,14th floor / Phone: 2970820

Naciones Unidas Edif. City Plaza14th floor / Phone: 2970800 / 801

Av. Coruña E25-58 & San IgnacioEdif.Atana 5th floor / Phone: 3971500 / 55

La Isla 111 & Humberto AlbornozPhone: 2561077-4

Amazonas Ave. N39-123 &Arízaga / Phone: 2278700

Ave. 12 de Octubre & Cordero Edif.WTC Tower B 3th floor / Ph. 2909227

Av. 6 de Diciembre N36-165 & NNUU / Phone: 2923770 / 71

República Del Salvador N34-361 &Irlanda / Phone: 2468410 / 11 / 04

Reina Victoria 462 & RocaPhone: 2526361 / 2554510

La Pinta 455 & AmazonasPhone: 2555733 / 3226296

Amazonas N35-17 & Juan Pablo SanzEdif. Xerox 2nd floor / Phone: 2434949

Avigiras E12-170 & Eloy Alfaro Phone: 3985000

Av. 6 de Diciembre 2816 &Paul Rivet / Phone: 2563762

Ave. Amazonas 30-240 & E. AlfaroPhone: 2557209 / 2554483

Circunvalación Sur 718 &Guayacanes (Urdesa) / P: 2384886

José A. Campos (Zaruma) 101 &García Avilés / Phone: 2310505

C.C. Dicentro Locales 33-34Ph: 2277065 / 6017484

Ave. Juan Tanca Marengo & Ave. J. Orrantea / Ph: 2158333

Ave. 9 de Octubre & MalecónEdif. La Previsora 23th floorOf. 2303 / Phone: 2562-995

Francisco de Orellana, Edificio WTCTorre B / Phone: 2630674

José Mascote 909 & Hurtado Phone: 2328442

Ave. Las Monjas #10 & Carlos JulioArosemena Edif. Berlin / Ph: 2206867 - 8

Gral. Cordova 623 & Padre SolanoPhone: 2560400 / 2563850

Av. 9 de Octubre 729 & BoyacáPhone: 2534503

P. Icaza 423 entre Córdoba & B.Moreno / Phone: 2568358 / 62

Km. 11.5 Vía DaulePhone: 2100600 ext 212

Francisco de Orellana WTC Bdg.Tower B / Ph. 2630774 / 75

Francisco de Orellana 501 Edif. Centrum14th floor / Phone: 2280135 / 2280114

Av. del Bombero Km. 7 1/2 vía lacosta Phone: 2991853

Velez & Tungurahua EsquinaPhone: 6017460

Juan Tanca Marengo Ave. Km 1.8Phone: 2599900 Ext. 034

9 de Octubre Ave. & García MorenoPhone: 2323570 / 2327663

Junín 114 & MalecónPhone:2311058 / Fax: 2563952

Chile 329 & AguirrePhone: 2326600 / 2326579

Gill Ramirez Dávalos 1434 yTuruhuaico / Phone: 4089054

Ave. José Peralta & 12 de AbrilEdif. Acrópolis Phone: 4103630

Gran Colombia 661 MezaninePhone: 2837693

Bolivar 918 & Benigno MaloPhone: 2822783 / 2838836

Gran Colombia & Luis CorderoEdif. El Dorado / Phone: 2832807

Ave. Las Monjas N.10 & CarlosArosemena Edif. Hamburgo P.B.Phone: 2208777 - 769

EMBASSIES &CONSULATES

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GENERAL TRAVEL

INFORMATION

1-800 2376425

397-0370 / 71 259-8060 / 2169-240

262-5895 / 262-2577

1800-842526

227-3686

225-7533 / 4

395-4200

600-4459/08176-2340

225-4258/330-0783

228-9509

213-0265257-0884

1800-842526

216-9081

216-9051 / 216-9052

230-3211

251-7622

268-7566/216-9023

284-2970

280-0405/281-5250

1800-842526 1800-842526

1800-842526 1800-842526

1800-500800

1800-842526 1800-842526410-3104

1800-008222 1800-008222 1800-008222

284-5657

255-9428/382-4751

Quitumbe:

Carcelén:

Taca

United

381-4810213-0372

381-4840

382-4793 / 813

247-2751

213-0314

286-7120

213-0649

283-5717

382-4850/382-4875222-5315/382-4831

Avis Rent a Car

Freedom Bike Rental

213-0638282-3060

397-7100

601-6000601-6000601-6000 601-6000

262-8899

262-0963

/ 258-2482 256-1628 283-2132 262-4212

LOCAL AIRLINES

INTERNATIONAL AIRLINES

LAND TRANSPORTATION

CAR RENTALS

MOTORCYCLE RENTALS

USEFUL NUMBERS

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http://www.budget-ec.com/

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MADE INECUADOR

Fine AromaEcuadorianChocolate:A Delight to the Senses!Within the world of chocolate, CacaoArriba is one of the most valuablefine aroma cacaos. This delicate fruithas been cultivated for over one hun-dred years in Ecuador thanks to itsexquisite flavor and aroma. Althoughfew countries in the world can offer anative cacao of such high quality asCacao Arriba, national agriculturehas reduced its allotted farm land,favoring inferior varieties or alterna-tive crops.

Facing these threats República delCacao was born, a brand focused on

the production and marketing of darkchocolates made exclusively withCacao Arriba.

The development, investigation anddetermination of the brand is not onlyfocused on the production of high qual-ity chocolates, but extends into thefields and the joint effort undertaken bywell over 1,800 farmers in the technifi-cation, care and improvement of farm

production and living standards of thosewho care for the future of Cacao Arriba.

Thanks to the creation of a gatheringcenter on the province of Los Ríos,República del Cacao, separates theseed according to its origin, to thenbe fermented in cherry wood drawersand sun-dried following traditionaltechniques, before beginning itstransformation into chocolate.


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As part of the progress of CacaoArriba, the brand has created achocolate bar focused on the pro-ducing community of Vinces,assigning 10% of the net profits fromeach bar to the improvement andmodernization of the lands owned bythis group of farmers.

The effort of República del Cacao inthe commercialization of their choco-lates, as well as that of Ecuadorianproducts of the highest quality, ismade through its Chocolate-Boutiques. Their main store, located inQuito, in the intersection of ReinaVictoria and Joaquín Pinto streets,also offers Cacao Arriba based dishes.

The promotion of the brands’ productsto local and international consumersextends itself to two stores located atthe international airport exits in Quitoand Guayaquil, showcasing the pro-duction process, the achievementsaccomplished by the country’s CacaoArriba community and the quality ofthe products for sale.

The endeavor and relationship ofRepública del Cacao, the cacao farm-ers and its clientele is focused on thequality of its products, communitydevelopment and the trust that eachchocolate that reaches the final cus-tomer reflects the work and passionthat a group of Ecuadorians has set forthe present and future of their country.

THE LEGEND OF CACAOARRIBA BEANSThe origins of the name “Arriba” givento the “Fine Aroma” Ecuadorian cacao

come from a XIX century legend thattells us about a Swiss chocolatierthat while navigating along GuayasRiver, perceived a strong cacaoscent. He felt so impressed by suchspecial fragrance that he decided toask some workers unloading cacaofrom their canoes, where does thisaroma come from? They responded,“de río arriba” which means “from upthe river”. Since then, this variety ofcacao is worldwide known as“Arriba” becoming synonym for highquality and fine aroma cacao.


http://www.republicadelcacao.com/

America, erroneously called the“new” world, has a rich and ancientcultural tradition that is known aspre-Columbian. The conqueringSpaniards saw the ethnic groups thatstill inhabit Ecuador today as “prim-itive”. In fact many people have ahard time understanding NativeAmerican culture. The XVI centurySpanish tried to eradicate indige-nous beliefs and customs.Fortunately, many ethnic groupsretain their traditional way of life andbelief systems. In the colonial era,the Spaniards imposed Catholicism.To this day, many of the indigenouscultures have adopted this faith.However, they maintain their originallanguage, dress and artistic expres-sions. Especially in the rain forest,many ethnic groups are still isolatedand have little contact with Westernculture, and to this day, they main-

tain a way of life similar to that oftheir ancestors from over 500 yearsago. In Ecuador, when we speak ofmega-diversity we speak not only ofour magnificent biological world, butwe also refer to the human factor.Our ethnic diversity is rich, withcharacteristics influenced by the nat-ural environment of the Coast, theHighlands and the Rainforest.

THE CULTURES OF THE COASTThe oldest known cultures ofAmerica lived on the Ecuadoriancoast (8800 to 3500 B.C.). The cul-tures that subsist practically intact tothis day are: the Awá, the Chachis orCayapas and the Tsachilas orColorados. They live in the tropicalrainforest of the west Andes andpossibly settled there after escapingfrom the Incan invasion from Peru(XV C) or from the Spaniards (XVI C).

THE AMAZONIAN CULTURESMany archeologists maintain thatsome of the oldest cultures (over10,000 years old) are actually fromthis tropical humid rainforest,impossible to reach for many cen-turies. In the “cosmology” of theseindigenous groups, the human beingis a part of the “Amazanga” (rainfor-est) and the human spirit wanders inthis forest every dawn. The humanspirit can enter an eagle or a serpentor a jaguar, each one a symbol fortheir nature, according to theirbeliefs. The rainforest provides theirfood, medicinal plants, and spiritualrichness. To these people, the tropi-cal rainforest is their home, theirdrugstore, their supermarket, andtheir church; thus their utmostrespect for their environment.

They are, according to modern worldeconomical standards very poor.However, they have a rich spiritual

NATIVECULTURES

ECUADOR’S MOSAIC

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Sto. Domingode los TsáchilasSto. Domingode los Tsáchilas

Sta. Elena

AwaChachis

ShuarTsáchila

HuancavilcasÉpera

Negro-afroecuatorianoCofán

SecoyaSionaHuaoraniAshuarQuichuas del orienteMantasZáparoQuichuas de la sierra

life and live in peace surrounded bytheir families, taking from natureonly what they need for survival andtaking time to meditate and enlight-en themselves. To share a few dayswith them is an incredibly enrichingexperience.

THE HIGHLANDSThe cultures of the highlands are byno means the oldest, but they are themost visited and well known, proba-bly because of their geographical

location with easy access by roadsand highways. Many communitiesthat live in the highlands still main-tain their cultural manifestationsthrough dress, language (Quichua),and festivities. Just 62 miles north ofQuito you can visit the Otavalo IndianMarket, a must see for any touristthat comes to Ecuador. This marketoffers wonderful weavings, tapestry,rugs, bags, artwork and other prod-ucts made by the indigenous com-munity. These people are hardwork-

ing, skillful, and artistic. Familieswork together and then sell theirwork at the fair. Transactions takeplace quietly with bargaining on theside of the tourist. These are veryproud people who have not lost theircultural identity despite the fact thatmestizos and whites inhabit the cityof Otavalo. The Otavaleños travel allaround the world selling their goods.

NATIVECULTURES’DISTRIBUTIONMAP

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“The ValdiviaAncestor”

Text by: María Isabel Guevara,Universidad San Francisco de Quito (USFQ)

Ecuador’s coastal region has beenhighly populated since humansarrived in the area. “The Valdiviaculture occupied the western low-lands and the coastal region ofEcuador during the Early FormativePeriod (4400-1450 B.C) and repre-

sents the beginnings of settled vil-lage life in that area” (Zeidler,2008). The Valdivia had a highlydeveloped technology, whichhelped them manufacture amazingobjects in ceramics and stone.They possessed specialized toolsin order to create intricate anddetailed designs.

This figurine was manufactured bythe Valdivia, and is one of the manystone figurines of this class that iscurrently displayed in Ecuadorianmuseums. Unfortunately, theseobjects have reached museums

and private collections throughlooters, and therefore there is noformal research that could explaintheir purpose. According to Zeidler,this kind of piece has been found inassociation with Valdivia 8 ceramicvessels, and could be lapidary or aritual stone (2008).

The figurine was carved from a sin-gle piece of stone, that was ham-mered and cut into a rectangularprism. The stone surface showsthree different geometric designs.Two of them are repeated in oppo-site faces of the prism, while the

“The Valdivia Ancestor”25 x 10 x 10 cm approximately Valdivia (Northern Manabí)4000-1500 B.D

Cited referenceZeidler, James A., “The Ecuadorian Formative”, in Handbook of South American Archaeology, ed. H Silverman and W. Isbell, 2008, 459-466.

HISTORY &ARCHAEOLOGY

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third one is on the top face. Eachface of the prism exhibits a varietyof vertical, horizontal, diagonal andcurved incisions, combined inintricate three-dimensional geo-metric designs that create ananthropomorphic figure with owl ormonkey like characteristics. Theperfection of the carved lines sug-gests that they were made withutmost care and precision with aspecial and sharp stone or obsidi-an tool.

The first image in the prism bodyhas three distinct sections, head,body and feet. The head has twoowl-like, interconnected eyesdefined by one horizontal and twocurved lines. The body shows whatmight look like arms made withhorizontal and vertical lines, andthe feet section has just two slight-ly inclined lines that define theactual feet. The second image hastwo distinct sections, the head, andthe body. The head is the same asthe first one, while the body showsequidistant inclined lines, like a

chest, connected to two arms andtwo legs.

Lacking an archaeological context itis difficult to ascertain the object'ssignificance or use. Because of thequality of work, however, it is pos-sible to suggest that it served a rit-ual purpose.

NOTE:

This figurine is part of the permanentcollection of Pre-Columbian ArtMuseum “Casa del Alabado”, locat-ed in a beautiful house dating to the1600s just one block from Iglesia deSan Francisco in Quito (for moreinformation see page 67).

h t t p : / / a l a b a d o . o r g

Mesa de shaman, Jama - CoaqueCosta Norte // 500 a. C. - 1530 d. C.

E m a i l : i n f o @ a l a b a d o . o r g

Te l e f a x : ( 5 9 3 ) 2 2 8 0 9 4 0 / 2 2 8 0 7 7 2

A d d r e s s : C a l l e C u e n c a N 1 - 4 1 e n t r e B o l í v a r & R o c a f u e r t e

Q u i t o C e n t r o - E c u a d o r

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http://www.alabado.org/

With its relatively small territory(109.483 square miles), 0.17% of theplanet’s land surface, Ecuador wasranked one of the 17 most biodiversecountries in the world.

Ecuador holds more than 11% of allthe land vertebrates in the world(mammals, birds, amphibians andreptiles), 16.087 vascular plantspecies and approximately 600species of marine fish. There is stilla lot to learn about Ecuador’s diver-sity, especially concerning inverte-brates and microorganisms. Amongthe “mega diverse” countries,Ecuador holds the greatest biodiver-sity of land vertebrates per area.

WHAT IS THE REASON FOR ALL THIS DIVERSITY?Firstly, the Andes mountain rangedividing the country from North toSouth; secondly, Ecuador’s geo-

graphical location at the Tropic ofCancer, the warmest region of theplanet; and finally, the influence oftwo oceanographic phenomenons:“El Niño”, the warm and humity cur-rent that comes from the North, andthe “Humboldt” current, whichcomes from the South and is coldand dry.

On the following pages, you will finda brief description of Ecuador’sNational Parks. You can locate theseParks on the map on the followingpage. As you may see on the map,besides these National Parks,Ecuador is home to an additional 21National Protected Areas. The coun-try also includes other important pri-vate protected areas and naturalsites.

Two of Ecuador’s National Parks weredeclared “World Heritage Natural

Sites” by the UNESCO: the GalapagosArchipelago and the Sangay NationalPark (Amazonian region).

1. MACHALILLALocated in the province of Manabí,Machalilla takes its name from oneof the pre-Columbian cultures thatinhabited this area. The Valdivia,Chorrera and Manteña Cultures alsolived in this land of mild climate andextraordinary landscape. One canstill visit archeological sites withinthe park. We especially recommendAgua Blanca and Salango. The parkoccupies 136,000 acres. Its yearlyaverage temperature is 75ºF.The influence of the HumboldtCurrent in the Pacific conserves theamazing tropical humid and drytropical forests.

One of the main attractions of thepark is “Isla de la Plata” (Silver

NATIONAL PROTECTED

AREASAMAZING + DIVERSE

EL ALTAR . COURTESY OF MIGUEL DAVILAEL ALTAR . COURTESY OF MIGUEL DAVILA

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PROTECTEDAREAS

PERU

COLOMBIA

1. Machalilla National Park2. Sumaco Napo Galeras National Park3. Yasuni National Park4. Cotopaxi National Park5. Llanganates National Park6. Sangay National Park7. Cajas National Park8. Podocarpus National Park9. Galapagos National Park10. Limoncocha Biological Reserve11. Galapagos Marine Reserve12. Antisana Ecological Reserve13. El Angel Ecological Reserve

14. Cayambe-Coca Ecological Reserve15. Cayapas-Mataje Ecological Reserve16. Cotacachi-Cayapas Ecological Reserve 17. Los Ilinizas Ecological Reserve18. Mache Chindul Ecological Reserve19. Manglares-Churute Ecological Reserve20. Pululahua Geo-botanic Reserve21. Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve22. Chimborazo Wildlife Reserve23. Pasochoa Wildlife Refuge24. El Boliche Recreational Park25. Santa Clara Island Wildlife Refuge26. El Condor Bi-national Park

27. Cofan-Bermejo Ecological Reserve28. La Chiquita Wildlife Refuge29. Rio Muisne Mangroves Wildlife Refuge30. Corazon Island Wildlife Refuge31. El Salado Mangroves Wildlife Reserve32. Arenillas Ecological Reserve33. Parque Lago Recreational Area34. El Zarza Wildlife Refuge35. El Quimi Biological Reserve36. El Morro Mangroves Wildlife Refuge37. Esmeraldas River Mangroves Estuary Wildlife Refuge38. Pacoche Coastal-Marine Wildlife Refuge39. Fauna Production Coastal Marine Reserve Puntilla de Santa Elena 40. Galeras-San Francisco Marine Reserve41. Yacuri National Park42. National Recreational Area Santay Island43. Pambilar Wildlife Refuge44. National Recreational Area Los Samanes

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Island). It was named at the end ofthe XVI century, when the pirateFrancis Drake took treasures fromSpanish ships and hid them on thissite. “Plata” means silver, but it isalso how Ecuadorians commonlyrefer to money. According to thelegend, much of this treasure wasnever claimed and is still hiddenhere. The Island is surrounded bycoral reefs, so the marine life isexciting and plentiful.

You will find some excellent scuba-diving services here.

The Island has two guided hikingroutes, both with awesome sights.You will find a rare colony of blue-footed boobies, masked boobies,frigate birds and albatrosses, as wellas interesting plant life. Guides arewell versed on the subject.To visit the park, one must purchasea 5-day pass for a fee of 25 dollars.With this ticket you can visit all thesites of the National Park.

2. SUMACO-NAPO-GALERAS

With a surface of 507,181 acres, thisNational Park houses a wide diversityof ecosystems, ranging from highmountains to cloud and lowlandforests. The park’s altitudes rangefrom 1,968 to 12,792 feet. The Napo-Galeras mountain range has variousrivers and springs running through itsdeep valleys. The Sumaco volcano(12,792 feet) stands isolated fromthe rest of the Andes and is sur-rounded by lowland forest. ThisNational Park is rich in animalspecies, including spectacle bear,bats, marsupials, armadillos, guams,and many bird, reptile and amphibianspecies. The most common plantsfound are cedar, canelo, and rubbertrees. Native Indian Quichua commu-nities and the archeological sites of

the Cosanga culture are found closeto this National Park. UNESCOdeclared the area surrounding theSumaco volcano a “BiosphereReserve” in the year 2000.

3. YASUNI

Yasuni is located in the NapoProvince. With an extension of2,426,281 acres, it is an importantbiogeographical area where endemicspecies of plants and animals havebeen preserved since the PleistocenePeriod (20,000 BC). According toUNESCO, more than 700 plantspecies have been identified,together with 500 bird species and200 different animals. The NapoRiver is the main access to the park.Recently, the Huaorani Indians wholive here, together with environmen-talists, have raised internationalawareness regarding the controversialpetroleum exploration of this area.

4. COTOPAXI

The Cotopaxi National Park is namedafter the highest active snow-cappedvolcano in the world (19,347 ft). It islocated 37 miles from Quito. ThePark includes 83,829 acres, and thealtitude ranges from 11,152 ft to19,347 ft above sea level. TheCotopaxi Volcano is one of the mostimportant features of this park. It isthe highest active volcano in theworld. Adventurous professionalmountain climbers are attracted tothis site along with many touristswho take pride in attempting to reachthe top. The volcano offers climbingexperiences for all skill levels.The immense plain that surrounds thevolcano offers a wonderful landscapewith extraordinary geological condi-tions and numerous flora and fauna.This park is home to deer, pumas,condors, wild horses and llamas. TheLimpiopungo lagoon, located close tothe Rumiñahui volcano (15,492 ft), isa good place for camping. The Pucará Ruins are an Incaicfortress that should be visited too. Atthe foot of Cotopaxi you will also findan Incan Palace built by TupacCOTOPAXI

MACHALILLA

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Yupanqui in the XV century, turnedinto a monastery by the CatholicAugustinian Order in the XVII centu-ry. At this site you will enjoy an out-standing view of the volcanoes.Currently it houses a beautifulhacienda that offers excellent hotelfacilities. Hotel Cuello de Luna (seepage 94) offers exciting expeditionsand excellent lodging in the area.

5. LLANGANATES

This park is home to one of the mostexotic and inaccessible regions inEcuador. It includes rough moor-lands, deep valleys, rivers, lagoons,and abundant waterfalls. Most of thepark is covered by dense vegetation,and the weather is mostly cold andrainy. Cerro Hermoso (15,618 ft) isthe highest mountain in the area.

The most common animal speciesfound are moorland rabbits, sacha(jungle) rabbit, and weasels. Othercommon species that are very diffi-cult to spot are the spectacle bear,white-tailed deer, moorland deer,moorland fox, puma, deer, tapir,cock-of-the-rock, and the condor.Throughout history, explorers andadventurers have been attracted tothis area in search of the elusive goldof Atahualpa, which according tolegend is hidden in the Llanganates.Nobody has found the gold, how-ever all visitors bear witness to theregion’s mysteries, and keep thelegend alive…

6. SANGAY

Sangay is located between threeProvinces: Tungurahua, Chimborazoand Morona Santiago and has anextension of 671,654 acres. Take thePan-American Highway to Riobamba.When you reach Alao you may askfor tourist information at the park’sadministration center- correct pathsfor mountain climbing, horse rental,etc. There are three main mountainsin this park: Sangay (17,154 ft.),Altar (17,446 ft.), and Tungurahua(16,452 ft.). These mountains offerexcellent opportunities for hiking,

trekking, and climbing. The SangayVolcano is off limits because it is inpermanent eruption, but you can getclose enough to take spectacularphotographs. Native indigenouscommunities live in this park:Quichua- Canelos in the north andShuar in the south.

7. CAJAS

This National Park is only 21 milesaway from Cuenca. It ranges in alti-tude from 9,840 ft to 11,480 ft. Its71,186-acre area includes moun-tains and 232 glacial lagoons, con-nected to each other by small riversand streams. Two of the rivers sur-rounding Cuenca, the Tomebambaand the Yanuncay, begin in this area.

Cajas is home to mammals such asthe white-tailed deer, spectacle bear,puma, paramo deer, paramo rabbit,and the Andean tapir. Some of themost important bird species foundhere are the caracara, the condor, theAndean toucan and spectacle duck.The most common vegetationincludes: chuquiragua, paramograsses, yagual (Polylepis), romeril-

lo, chachacoma, genciana, romerilloand the sarar. The Park also hassome archeological Inca sites in thearea of Molleturo, which historiansbelieve to have been a ‘tambo’ (rest-ing areas for the Inca couriers fromCuzco to Quito).

8. PODOCARPUS

Podocarpus is located in both theProvinces of Loja and ZamoraChinchipe, with an extension of351.436 acres. This park has twoecological zones, jungle and high-land, both with great diversity of floraand fauna. Here you will find exoticorchids, bears, pumas, humming-birds, toucans, woodpeckers andreptiles. It is the ideal place forbotanical, ecological and zoologicalinvestigations. If you enjoy longwalks, listening to the sounds ofbirds, running rivers, waterfalls andcamping, then this is a place youshouldn’t miss.

Photos Courtesy ofMiguel Dávila, Marco Cruz &Ministry of Tourism

CAJAS

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The CloudForest:The FascinatingNorthwest of Pichincha

The Equator – the name brings tomind rain forests, lush drippingforests full of wildlife, mystery andwonder! For some this may mean thewonders of the Amazon – but lushrain forests are also much moreaccessible – “cloud forests” (mon-tane rain forests) are only one and ahalf hours from Quito. This fascinat-ing ecosystem, literally cloaking thesteep slopes of both sides of theAndes from about 1000 – 2500meters, is amongst the most diverseecosystems in the world. This is atrue jungle with tall trees decoratedwith a carpet of delicate orchids,mosses, bromeliads, and other epi-phytes. While in some ways similarto the Amazon forests, the steepnessof the slopes means that the canopy

is very uneven, and hence more lightpenetrates to the forest floor, givingrise to a dense covering of vegeta-tion there also. The steep slopesalso give birth to myriad waterfalls,many of which have never beennamed – just an example of nature’sundiscovered treasures that awaityou here!

The region of Nono-Tandayapa-Bellavista-Mindo has been declaredthe first Area of InternationalImportance for Birds in SouthAmerica, and the area has achievedthe highest single day bird countduring the worldwide AudubonChristmas Count. So for a birder, thisregion has to be a prime destination.And every 200 meters or so drop inaltitude means a change in thespecies of birds that live there.Consider that Ecuador, which onlycovers 0.02% of the earth’s land sur-face, holds about 10% of all birdspecies found on the planet – and itis not an exaggeration to state that aninordinately high number ofEcuador’s 1600 species of birds arefound in the cloud forests! Just tomention a few, some of which areendemic (unique) to this region:

Tanager-Finch, Andean Cock-of-the-Rock, Plate-billed Mountain-Toucan,Tanagers of all colors, Manakins,Cotingas, etc. And for humming-birds, the number of differentspecies in the Tandayapa and MindoValleys is perhaps a world record,with various places offering anunforgettable spectacle at veryaccessible feeders.

Clearly the high diversity of birds isalso reflected in the high diversity oforchids, butterflies, frogs, etc, etc.For the scientist, it is a certainty thatnew species are there to be discov-ered. And for the naturalist, everyhike reveals new surprises. Take atrail with a guide or alone, walk aself-guided educational trail, per-haps find a spot to just relax andabsorb the peace, the variety of birdcalls, the remoteness of nature faraway from your daily life. This regionalso is the home of the AndeanSpectacled Bear, and although rarelyseen, this is perhaps one of the mostintriguing species of mammals inthis area.

Apart from the trails in the forests,there are places that offer displays of

A BIRDER’SPARADISE

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butterflies and orchids, with easyaccess and knowledgeable inter-preters ready to explain the respec-tive ecology.

The northwest and its cloud forestsare also a perfect area for adventuresports. Horseback riding, mountainbiking, tubing or, during the rainyseason, rafting in the rushing rivers,are just some if the varied optionsthis region has to offer. Imagine aday speeding on your bike down anarrow mountain road with a bub-bling stream following you as youride, then a day hiking in the forest,then a day riding on a well-trainedhorse, feeling like a pioneer on thelittle-trodden trails that wind throughthe hills. And if you are a lover ofnatural swimming holes, there arevarious places near Los Bancos,Pedro Vicente Maldonado and PuertoQuito that offer sparkling watersamongst dense foliage, deep poolswith waterfalls cascading fromabove, complemented by comfort-able cabins nearby to let youunwind completely. At lower eleva-tions, there are interesting opportu-nities to visit small scale farmingenterprises, with a fascinating vari-ety of tropical fruits and the bestcacao in the world.

The forests also hide various little-studied archaeological remains – themost accessible of which is theTulipe Archeaological Site. Museum.A series of what were most likelyceremonial pools have been uncov-ered, and various “tolas” (mounds)are awaiting further investigation.What is doubly special is that thissite of the ancient Yumbo culture isstill little known, and it is an addedfascination for the visitor to realizethat he or she is experiencingarchaeological discovery first hand.For more information see page 72.

Consider Ecuador’s northwest – theregion of the two hemispheres (northand south) crossed by the Equator -as a fascinating new frontier, withexuberant nature, fascinating peopleand culture, and comfortable, origi-nal lodging just waiting to be discov-ered by you!

Text and photos courtesy of Bellavista Cloud Forest Reserve.

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http://www.bellavistacloudforest.com/

http://www.ecuadorcloudforest.com/

Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas is thethird largest city of the country, follow-ing Guayaquil and Quito. It is locatedin the humid tropics, 165 meters (540feet) above sea level, on the way fromthe Coast to the Andes. Thus, it has arich trade. Santo Domingo de losTsáchilas also holds the largest live-stock market in the country. Its aver-age temperature is 25.5 °C. It is only133 km (82 miles) away from Quito.

THE “TSÁCHILAS”The “Tsáchilas” are the local ethnicgroup, also known as “Colorados”(reds) since the men of this culturehave painted their hair red for cen-turies, with a vegetable dye taken fromthe seed of the "achiote". The historyof the Tsáchilas was dramaticallymarked by the appearance of plaguesand diseases brought by theEuropeans to America. Their popula-tion was almost exterminated by small

pocks, a sickness for which indige-nous peoples from the "new world"had no antibodies. Originally, bothmen and women used long hair. Afterthe plague, men cut their hair shortwith a mineral rock called obsidianand then dyed it red as a symbol oflife. This became a tradition held tothis day, and Tsáchilas also wear acotton crown over their heads, a sym-bol of dignity and peace. Both Tsachilamen and women paint black stripes ontheir bodies; they are believed to be aprotection from diseases and insects. Regarding their dress, women wear

"tunans", cloths of colorful stripesaround their waists. They also wearcolorful ribbons on their hair. Allthese colors symbolize life. Men usesimilar cloths but only in black andwhite or blue and white. Men’s attireis called "manpe tsanpa".

The Tsáchilas believe in the spiritualpowers of their natural surroundings.Their famous shamans (witch doc-tors and spiritual leaders) "clean"your body and spirit mixing thepower of medicinal plants and invok-ing the spirits of the forest.

SANTODOMINGO DE

LOS TSÁCHILAS

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http://www.kashama.com/

The Railway toDiscover EcuadorThe construction of the Ecuadorian rail-road began in the late XIX century, andby 1908 the stretch Quito- Guayaquilwas completed. Nowadays some ofthe tracks have been refurbished andoffer a unique way to discoverEcuador’s contrasting landscapes.We recommend that you visit theEloy Alfaro train station inChimbacalle (Quito). It includes amuseum (open Mon-Sun 8h30-16h00), and a cafeteria (open Mon-Sun 7h00- 19h00).

Some of the train routes thatare open at the moment are:

Machachi Festivo (FestiveMachachi) Quito- Machachi- QuitoItinerary: Thursday to Sunday andholidays/ Departure: 8h15Dist: 40 km / Duration: 1h 45 minExcursion Standard - Roundtrip $ 15Standard Plus- $20Surrounded by gorgeous landscapesand diverse ecosystems, this trainride ends at the fertile valley ofMachachi, where tourists can enjoy avariety of recreational activities in anumber of haciendas and lodges.

Páramo Infinito (Infinite Moor)Machachi- Boliche- MachachiDistance: 19 km/ Duration: 4 hours

Itinerary: Saturdays, Sundays andholidays / Departure: 10h45Excursion standard- $10Taking off from Machachi, this excur-sion enters the Cotopaxi NationalPark, crowned by the outstandingvolcano with the same name.

Camino al Boliche (On the wayto Boliche) Quito- Boliche- QuitoDistance: 59 km/ Duration: 8 hoursItinerary: Thursday to Sunday andholidays / Departure: 8h15Excursion standard- $20Standard plus- $25This excursion includes the com-plete journey from Quito to Boliche(a combination of the two mentionedabove).

Nariz del Diablo (Devil’s Nose)Alausí- Sibambe- AlausíItinerary: Tuesday to Sunday and hol-idays / Departures: 8h00 / 11h00 /15h00 / Dist: 12 km / Duration: 1 hExcursion Standard - Roundtrip $ 25Standard Plus- Roundtrip $35This route through striking Andeanlandscapes includes a zig zag rail-road that at the time of its construc-tion was one of the most demandingengineering works. Although short,the ride is fascinating!

Tren de la Libertad (Liberty Train)Ibarra- Salinas- IbarraItinerary: Wednesday to Sunday andholidays / Departures: 10h30

Dist: 30 km / Duration: 1 h 30 minExcursion Standard - Roundtrip $ 15 Express Travel (Autoferro Trip/ auto-guidance) - Roundtrip $ 6.50This fascinating journey crossesthrough a number of bridges andtunnels built by pickaxe and shovelthrough the mountains and hills. Inonly 30 km, one passes through avariety of contrasting landscapes,which are home to different cultures.

Sendero de los Arrozales(Ricefields Journey)Durán- Yaguachi- DuránItinerary: Thursday to Sunday andholidays / Departures: 9h00 / 13h15Dist: 22 km / Duration: 3 h 45 min Excursion Standard - Roundtrip $ 10Express Travel (autoguidance) -Roundtrip $ 3.50This is the only route that operatesin the Coast. Tourists are able toappreciate the local agriculturalproduction, as well as a variety ofbird species. The passengers arereceived by a dance and music pres-entation by the “montubios”, tradi-tional inhabitants of the region.

TICKET POINTSQuito: El Quinde Store / Venezuela &Espejo/ P: 2288696Guayaquil: Malecón & Calle AguirreYou can also make reservations andbook tickets at: www.ecuadorbytrain.comphone: 1-800- TRENES (873637)

ECUADORBY TRAIN

NARIZ DEL DIABLO (DEVIL’S NOSE)

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NATIONAL PARKENTRANCE FEE:$100 for international visitors/Comunidad Andina or Mercosur $50

AIR TRAVEL:There are two airports served bylocal airlines: on Baltra Island and onSan Cristobal Island.

TRANSIT CONTROLCARD (TCT):In order to have a better control ofvisitors and migration to theislands, INGALA, the Ecuadorianinstitution that controls migrationto the islands, introduced a visitorcontrol card.

The control card has a cost of $10,which must be canceled at theINGALA counters located in theQuito and Guayaquil airports.

CRUISE SHIPS:A cruise is definitely the best way tovisit many of the islands in a shortperiod of time. Tours are a minimumof four days. There is a wide range ofcruise offers, from small sailboats forabout 18 passengers to big luxuriouscruise ships for more than 100 pas-sengers. Contact your travel agencyfor more information.

This archipelago is a living muse-um of evolutionary changes. Freeand fearless animals, different fromany others found elsewhere, makevisitors wonder about their veryexistence on our planet. In 1835,Charles Darwin sailed on theBritish ship H.M.S. Beagle and vis-ited the islands. The living proofthat he found in this unique vol-canic archipelago inspired his the-ory of the Origin of Species, whichshook the scientific world. Allthose who choose to make thisunforgettable trip can confirm hisobservations and studies. UNESCOdeclared Galapagos a WorldNatural Heritage Site in 1978 andsubsequently a World BiosphereReserve in 1985.

FLORA AND FAUNA: Galapagos is home to an incrediblyhigh rate of endemic species.Among the animals found are the dif-ferent species of giant ‘Galapagos’tortoises that gave the islands theirname due to the similarity of theircarapaces to a British riding saddlecalled ‘galapago’ in Spanish.

Galapagos is home to a variety ofbirds: blue footed, red footed andmasked boobies, flamingos, frigate

birds, albatrosses, unique smallpenguins and non-flying cor-morants, and 14 different varietiesof finches. These various finchesserved as proof for Darwin’s theoryof evolution from natural selection.

Marine mammals such as sea lions,dolphins and whales are also found;as well as multitudes of colorful fish.The most distinctive plants are man-groves and endemic cacti.

ORIGIN:The islands appeared from lavaeruptions that came from the bot-tom of the ocean and that rise asmuch as 2,600 ft. Lava from morethan 2,000 craters has continuous-ly altered the terrain of the region.Currently, the archipelago includes13 large islands, 6 minor ones andmore than 40 islets. Some of theyounger islands still have activevolcanoes.

WEATHER:December to May the weather issunny and warm. During themonths of June to November, it’scolder and drier.

LOCATION: 600 miles West off the coast.


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LAND OPTIONS:

THE OTHER GALAPAGOSAnother way to visit the Galapagos isto stay in a hotel at one of the inhab-ited islands. You can travel from oneisland to the other by light aircraft orboat. The following towns offer facil-ities for tourists:

Puerto AyoraSanta Cruz Island

HOW TO GET THERE

If you hire a cruise, or stay at the mainhotels on the island, they will make allyour travel arrangements. If you aretraveling on your own, book yourflight from Quito or Guayaquil withLAN, Tame or Aerogal. The airlinesprovide a bus to the Itabaca canal (10minute ride). From there ferries takeyou across the canal to Santa CruzIsland for 80 cents. To continue to thetown of Puerto Ayora you either take abus ($1,80) or a taxi ($15) for a 45minute drive. Along the way you willtravel from the arid coastal areathrough different ecological zones as

you ascend to the highlands and thencome back to sea level.

The name Santa Cruz means HolyCross. The first Spanish visitors gavethis island a Christian name. This isthe main port of entrance to theArchipelago and home to the major-ity of human inhabitants (aprox.10,000). Puerto Ayora is the capitalof the island, with exciting places tovisit, travel agencies that provide vis-its to the other islands, visit to thehighlands and the beaches, otherspecial tours,etc.

At Puerto Ayora you will also findexcellent handicrafts, jewelry shops,art galleries, casual clothing, restau-rants, bars, bike rentals, kayaking,diving and snorkeling services justby taking a walk down CharlesDarwin Avenue. This Avenue goesalongside the ocean from the port tothe Charles Darwin FoundationHeadquarters. A visit to this scientif-ic station is most interesting. Othertourist sites to visit on the Island areTortuga Bay, Manzanillo Ranch, LasPrimicias, Galapagos Magic, and theEcological Reserve of Cerro Mesa.

CHARLES DARWINFOUNDATION HEADQUARTERS

A visit to the Charles DarwinFoundation Headquarters is a mustfor any visitor to Puerto Ayora. Hereyou will be able to discover theconservation efforts of the CharlesDarwin Foundation and theGalapagos National Park, and seethe giant tortoises (Elephantopusgeochelone) breeding center, aswell as a small land iguana breed-ing center. You will learn about thebreeding process of these animalsin captivity, as well as other conser-vation efforts for these endangeredspecies and varieties. During thesummer months (January to April)we recommend that you take yourvisit early in the morning to avoidthe heat and sun. Distances withinthe headquarters are short, so youcan walk.

On the route you will find OpuntiaCacti (Opuntia echios gigantean),endemic to the Galapagos. Be sureto look out for the tame finches andobserve the variety of beaks that led

CHARLES DARWIN AVENUE/ PUERTO AYORA


Charles Darwin to his theory of evo-lution by natural selection. Theseheadquarters are open Monday thruSunday from 6h00 to 18h00. Thevisit takes approximately 2 hours.

You can find more information aboutthe Charles Darwin Foundation at:www.darwinfoundation.org

TORTUGA BAY

Tortuga Bay is a beautiful beach offine white sand. From your hotel, for$1, take a taxi to where the path tothis unique beach begins. A 2.5 kmcobblestone path was built in orderto reach the paradisiacal beach ofTortuga Bay by foot. A mysteriousforest of the tall Opuntia Cactus andvolcanic rock surrounds the path,and the view is overwhelming.Throughout your walk you willobserve finches, yellow warblers,mockingbirds, and lava lizards. Feeltransported to the time when theadventurers and pirates of the XVIIIand XIX century visited theseenchanted islands.

Once your reach Tortuga Bay, you walkinto what seems an infinite and deso-late beach of white sand. Every nowand then you encounter marine igua-nas on their way in or out of the water.

RANCHO MANZANILLO

Rancho Manzanillo is 25 km. fromthe port. A taxi will take you to thisranch on the highlands of the Island,ride through a different vegetationand climate. On the visiting site youwill encounter giant tortoises in theirnatural environment, and a lake thatdepending on the time of the yearchanges its color. The trees andbushes surrounding the lake are welllabeled and are mostly endemic ofthe Island. Mr. Carlos Guerrero, theowner, also hosts an open diningarea where he serves lunches. Formore information: Facebook:Rancho el Manzanillo /Twitter:@r_manzanillo

GALAPAGOS MAGIC

This is also a place worth a visit, onthe high part of the Island where youwill also encounter the giant tortoisesin their natural environment. Cozy treehouses and comfortable tents areavailable. Horseback riding tours arealso offered. You can order lunch ordinner in a lovely open area or in adining room in a lava tunnel by callingthe owner a day in advance. Owner: Mr. Polo Navarro. Phone: 05 2527011 [email protected]

CERRO MESA

On the way to “El Garrapatero”beach, there is a detour toward thehigh part of the Island, drivingthrough beautiful coffee plantations,to an outstanding site called “CerroMesa”. When you arrive you will sea lovely lake visited by many wildducks. Close to the lake the ownersof this enchanting place have anopen area where you can have lunchby previous reservation to phone053014996/052524639.

Take a short walk to an extraordinarycollapsed crater to admire the vege-tation in the crater. Then ask thesame taxi to take you to a small ele-vation on the property where you willhave the most extraordinary 380degree view of this Island and to theocean and some of the surroundingisles. You will be at an altitude of490 meters above sea level and thetemperature is between 18 and 27degrees centigrade. For more information:www.cerromesa.com

OTHERS

There are other interesting sites tovisit such as the lava tunnels, thetwin craters, the grottos (crevasseswith refreshing swimming water), orthe Garrapatero beach. Be sure toask you hotel about facilities to visitthese sites.

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GALAPAGOS MAGIC


Puerto Baquerizo MorenoSan Cristobal Island

This is the capital of the province,and has the second largest numberof inhabitants in the archipelago.From 1836 to 1904, a large portionof the highlands of the islandbelonged to Hacienda El Progreso,with extensive sugar and coffeeplantations owned by M.J. Cobos.Cobos made an empire of hishacienda (it even had its own cur-rency). You can visit vestiges ofthis hacienda, and also coffeeplantations that remain open tothis day.

The main attractions in the islandare: the Interpretation Center; OchoaBeach, Playa Man, Pitt Pint, El Juncolagoon (the only fresh water lagoonin the archipelago) and the LobosIsland. You will be surprised by thepresence of sea lions in town. Ahighlight when visiting this island isa tour to Kicker Rock, a stunningrock formation surrounded by abun-dant sea life (especially sharks). Onthe same trip you can visit the beau-tiful Cerro Brujo beach.

Puerto Velasco IbarraFloreana Island

This enigmatic island is the leastinhabited of the archipelago, in spiteof the fact that it was the first one tobe colonized, basically by national

and foreign settlers during the firstdecades of this century. Many leg-ends have been written about itspeople. Floreana by MargarettWittmer is a most interesting novelthat describes the situations ofthese settlers! The main attractionsare: the historical Post Office Bayand Asilo de la Paz, PuntaCormoran, Corona del Diablo,Enderby and Gardner Bay.

Puerto VillamilIsabela Island

This enchanted town has a popula-tion of about 2,500, mostly fisher-men. Close to town are severalimpressive sites: a path alongside areef that is home to several white tipsharks- you can easily observe themfrom land; “Concha y Perla” Bay; agiant tortoise breeding center; and

the amazing volcanoes Sierra Negraand Volcán Chico. Sierra Negra hasthe second largest crater in theworld, with a diameter of 7.46 miles.Volcán Chico has an overwhelming“lunatic” landscape with fascinatinglava formations. It’s possible tohorseback ride or trek around SierraNegra’s crater to Volcán Chico.Isabela also has a flamingo lake andseveral beautiful trails along the wayto the “Wall of Tears”. This wall isproof of the genuine human historyof the islands. Around 1946, thisisland was a penal colony. Prisonerswere kept busy carrying sharp lavarocks to form this wall.

GALAPAGOS MARINE RESERVE:

The interior waters of the islands,plus those within 40 nautical milesmeasured from the baseline of theArchipelago, were declared theGalapagos Marine Reserve in 1994.This is the only protected coastalmarine area in the East Pacific, andthe second largest Marine Reserve inthe World.

There are many areas with small sub-marine volcanoes, which are impor-tant feeding zones for marine birdsand mammals. Don’t miss the oppor-tunity to snorkel with sea lions, pen-guins, a variety of colorful fish andeven inoffensive sharks! Diving cours-es and tours are also offered for thosewho are willing to be adventurous!

KICKER ROCK - SAN CRISTOBAL ISLAND

VOLCAN CHICO - ISABELA ISLAND

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DIVING IN GALAPAGOS

For many a Galapagos diving trip isthe experience of a lifetime as it isone of the last places in the worldwhere you can go diving with largeschools of sharks. Although sharksmay be the star of the show, thesewaters are home to much more:manta and leopard rays, dolphins,sea lions, penguins, sea turtles, yel-low fin tuna, almaco jacks, codfish,leather bass and blue stripedchub… just to name a few. Animpressive number of large animalssuch as sea lions, rays, eels and seaturtles are seen on almost every dive. Found at the confluence of warm andcold surface currents and deep cold

upwelling waters, the GalapagosMarine Reserve is home to fascinat-ing marine life. Its waters are richwith nutrients and the porous lavarocks provide small fish with the pro-tection they would otherwise receivefrom a coral reef, which are few andfar between in these waters. Morethan 2.900 marine species havebeen reported in the Galapagos, ¼ ofwhich are exclusive to this reserve(endemic).

Home to over 500 species of fish,24 species of marine mammals, and 27 shark species includingHammerheads and the enormousWhale Shark, the Galapagos MarineReserve is a World Natural Heritage

Site. Besides all this diversity, several land animals and marinebirds depend exclusively on theGalapagos waters for their survival;thus, the conservation of the MarineReserve is a priority.

Galapagos isn’t just for advanceddivers; these waters offer somethingfor divers of all skill levels.Intermediate divers will be delightedby daily dive trips to sites likeGordon Rocks, Cousins Rocks, NorthSeymour and Floreana where ham-merheads, Galapagos sharks, giantmanta rays, golden rays, morays, furseal and sea lions are all commonlyseen. Contact our sponsors for moreinformation.

THIS MONTH IN GALAPAGOSMax temperature 28°C / 82°FMin temperature 22°C / 72°FHours of clear skies 5,2Sea temperature 25°C / 76°F

MAY• North Seymour’s blue-footed boobies begin their

courtship. • Sea turtles are still hatching on Gardner Bay, Punta

Cormorant and Puerto Egas. • Most of the marine iguanas’ eggs hatch from nests

on Santa Cruz. • Palo Santo trees begin to shed their foliage.• Albatross on Española start laying their eggs.• Band rumped storm petrels begin their first nest-

ing period.

Note: The changes of strength and the limits of the ocean cur-rents can affect the climate in the Galapagos; some of thedescribed events above may differ.

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try. The other route from Quito isthrough Santo Domingo de losColorados, set amid a broad sea ofbanana and oil-palm plantations,skirting a few tropical wet forestssuch as the little-explored ReservaEcológica Mache-Chindul. It ishome to the “Tsachilas”, an indige-nous culture also called “Colorados”because the men of this culture havepainted their hair red for centurieswith a vegetable dye taken from theseed of the “achiote”. From SantoDomingo a network of paved roadsconnects to the major coastal cen-ters of the country.

From Guayaquil, you can begin aroute through the coastline. The fol-lowing pages will guide you throughthis route of beautiful beaches, cul-ture and adventure.

The Ecuadorian Coast extends fromthe western slopes of the Andes to thePacific Ocean. A lower mountainrange crosses this region from Northto South and it is full of alluvial plains.The Ecuadorian Coast was populatedby the oldest known cultures of thecountry, such as Valdivia (3.500-1.800 BC). Ever since then, theregion has had the largest agriculturaldevelopment in the country, thanks tothe variety of natural resources suchas water, wide plains and fertile soils.

The Ecuadorian Coast holds threemain ecosystems: the tropical wetforests of the north, the tropical savan-nas of the center and south east, andthe dry forest of the west and southernpeninsula. Throughout the coastlinethere are three additional importantecosystems: the mangroves, thebeaches and the rock cliffs.

Two oceanographic phenomenainfluence the diversity that is foundin the country and especially on thecoast. The “El Niño” current comesfrom the North and is warm andhumid. The “Humboldt” currentcomes from the south and is coldand dry. The weather in the Coast ismostly warm; however, there aretwo seasons, wet and dry. The firstis warm and humid, and goes fromDecember to May. The rest of theyear is dry and cooler. The two sea-sons are clearly distinct from the

province of Manabi to the rest of theSouth. The northern province ofEsmeraldas has warm weather allyear long, and high levels of rain-fall; thus its lush vegetation.

During the months of the australwinter (June to October), theEcuadorian coast has an addition-al attraction: the presence ofHumpback whales (Megapternovoaengliae) that migrate fromthe Antarctic to tropical waters tomate and give birth to their calves.A favorite spot for whale-watchingis the Machalilla National Park inthe Manabi Province.

The old road from Quito to the coast,the Calacali -La Independencia road,passes through some of the bestbird-watching territory in the coun-

PHOTO: CRISTINA CASTRO

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http://www.guayaquil.gob.ec/

ECUADORIANCOASTLINE

2. MUSEUM OF THE “LOVERSOF SUMPA”: Definitely worth visit-ing is this small but outstanding in-situ museum, which is located at theantique settlement village of the “LasVegas” culture (approx. 8.800 to4.600 BC). The museum got itsname because the burial groundsthat were uncovered disclosed theskeletons of a man and a woman thatwere carefully buried together about5-6.000 years ago. This museum isthe largest cemetery of that time thathas been excavated in the new world.Open Thursday thru Saturday, 10h00to 17h00. Sundays and holidays10h00 to 15h00. Phone: 294-1020Admission fee is $ 0.50, includesguide service.

3. SALINAS: Excellent accommo-dations are found in Salinas, namedfor the salt that extracted from theregion. This site is a corridor formigratory bird and marine species. It

These pages guide us through theunique nature and history of theEcuadorian Coast. You can fly eitherto Guayaquil, Manta or Esmeraldasand drive through the coastline. Thefollowing pages will guide you fromGuayaquil, traveling Northward.

Following this route, nature lovershave the opportunity to exploreunique dry forests with their twocontrasting seasons, cloud forestsand their rare fauna and flora, divewithin coral reefs surrounded byexotic sea life, admire the numer-ous bird species of the region, andsubmerge themselves in isolatedand exotic beaches. The“Chongón-Colonche” MountainRange at the north of the Guayasprovince has unique ecosystemswith an amazing diversity ofendemic plants and birds: one canclimb from very dry forests at thecoast to lush cloud forests at thetop of the hills, only a few kilome-

ters away. For those who are sportsinclined, there are opportunities tofish, sail, surf, ski and dive.

In addition, Ecuador’s coastalprovinces hold vestiges of an amaz-ingly rich history. The most antiquecultures of America settled here onthe Coasts of South America. Finally,if you only wish to rest, suntan, andwatch the sunset, along this routeyou will find suitable accommoda-tions and services.

1. “REAL ALTO” IN-SITU MUSEUM: On the wayfrom Guayaquil to Salinas, one canfind this museum managed by thecommunity descending from the“Valdivia” culture. The place resem-bles a ceremonial center of thehuman groups that inhabited thisarea from 4.200 -1.500 B.C. OpenTues- Sunday, 9h00-17h00.Admission fee: $2.00.

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DosMangas

10

11

9

8

Colonche

Valdivia

Playa Rosada

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5

4

2

3

1

Barcelona

La Unión

El Salto

Muisne

San Gregorio

Punta Farallón

Punta Pedernales

Punta Ballena

Punta Charapotó

San Mateo

Bahía de Caráquez

Punta TortugaSan Francisco

El Carmen

SúaAtacames Tonsupa

SameTonchigüe

GaleraPunta Galera

SANTA ELENA

GUAYAS

MANABÍ

LOS RÍOS

ESMERALDAS

Narcisa de Jesús

Daule

L. de

Sargentillo

Palestina

SANTA ELENA

Durán

Pichincha El EmpalmeQuevedo

Flavio Alfaro

LEGEND

Typical foodNational Protected AreaBeachesAirportSurfing FishingWater SportsAccommodationScuba diving

Capital of ProvinceCities / TownsSmall TownsMain RoadSecondary RoadLa Ruta del Sol

is a favorite vacation spot for peoplefrom Guayaquil. The boardwalk ofSalinas is a safe place that offersentertainment day and night.

On the Malecon, you can visit theNaval Archeological Museum(open Wednesday-Sunday). Thissmall museum displays the vastarcheological richness of the pre-Hispanic cultures that inhabitedthis region. The museum also dis-plays a representation of theantique “balsas” made from thewood of the same name, withgreat cotton sails that impressedthe Spaniards because of theirability to travel long distances(Mexico-Peru). The museum alsodisplays coins from the Spanishconquest, and some pieces fromthe “Lady Captain” galleon thatsank in 1664.

4. BALLENITA: The “FarallonDillon” Restaurant- Museum is foundat the site. It has a wonderful view-point that is the perfect setting for birdand whale watching. The museumdisplays modern practical artifactsmade out of antique marine pieces;most of the artifacts are for sale.

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5. VALDIVIA: Close to the town area museum and an aquarium. Themuseum displays archeologicalpieces of the Valdivia culture. Theaquarium is most interesting notonly because of the display of exoticsea life, but also because the guidesare homeless children; this jobenables them to obtain an education.

6. MONTAÑITA: It is a favorite spotfor national and international sur fersand young adventurous tourists. Thischarming town offers a variety ofinexpensive hostels, national andinternational food, and an exhilarat-ing nightlife.

7. OLON: The wide beach of Olon iscrowned with an outstandingSanctuary, with open walls and abreathtaking view of the beach.

8. MACHALILLA NATIONAL PARK: This park hasvarious attractions: Isla de la Plata offthe coast of Puerto Lopez, Los FrailesBeach, the Archeological Site of AguaBlanca, Salango, and the Beaches ofPuerto Rico and Puerto Cayo. Formore info see page 18.

9. MANTA: Manta was alwaysknown for its important tuna fishingfleet, the production of vegetable oil,and the famous “Panama hats”. In

the last years, the visits of cruiseships and the construction of mod-ern hotels have transformed Mantainto an important tourist destination.Moreover, many foreigners havechosen Manta and the nearby Crucitatown as their retirement residence.The pleasant weather, easy lifestyleand affordable prices make of Mantaan ideal place for retirement.

Manta is a modern city, however,some antique bamboo and woodenhouses still remain as a reminder ofthe old village. With an averagetemperature of 77ºF all year long,dry weather and dry tropical forest inits surroundings,Manta is anattractive city tovisit.A d d i t i o n a l l y ,Manta offers firstclass hotel facili-ties and dailyflights are avail-able.

The warmth andhospitality of theManteños con-tributed to therapid tourismd e v e l o p m e n t of the entireprovince.

Delicious gastronomy is also one ofthe main attractions of Manta. Don’tmiss the seafood “ceviches” or theexquisite “viche de pescado”. Thereis a wide offer of international foodas well: Thai, Italian, Mediterraneanand Sushi; all at affordable prices.

Manta is decorated with a wide vari-ety of tree species: ceibos, jas-mines, almonds, rubber plants, aca-cias, and beautiful palm trees. Thebalsa tree (Ochroma logopus) isnative to this province. Its light woodallowed the early inhabitants of theregion to navigate large distanceseasily and rapidly. From historybooks we have learned that thegolden jewels and decorations wornby the navigators caught the atten-tion of the first Spanish visitors, whobelieved that the gold they couldn’tfind in the Caribbean was in theSouth Pacific. To discover theancient history of this places werecommend you visit the MantaCultural Center.

MANTA CULTURAL CENTERNext to the Central Bank, just a fewblocks away from the Oro VerdeHotel is this Cultural Center, openMonday thru Friday from 9h00 to17h00 and weekends from 10h00 to17h00. Admission is free. ForEnglish guidance, you need toarrange in advance calling 2622956.

LOS FRAILES BEACHMACHALILLA NATIONAL PARK

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It is worth visiting the three floors ofthis museum. The coast of what isnow Ecuador was inhabited by amaz-ing cultures in pre-Hispanic times.Such is the case of Las Vegas (8.800CE), Jama Coaque (550 CE) andChorrera (1.000 CE).

Archaeological pieces of thesecultures are compared with thoseof cultures of Mesoamerica, and oth-ers from North and South America,allow for one to relate the culturesmentioned above with the Aztecs,Olmecas or the Tiahuanaco cul-tures in the Titcaca. You can also find pieces of theValdivia Culture, dating to 6.000AC, the first ceramists of potters ofAmerica, who built utilitarianceramic pieces for cooking, storingor carrying foods. The exhibit iscompleted by Shaman pieces fromthe Jama Coaque and tolita cultureof what is now the Esmeraldasprovince in Ecuador.

It is worth mentioning that thanks tothe existence of balsa wood(Ochroma logopus) in the site, theywere able to exchange productsfrom what is now Mexico to Chile ingigantic wooden boats, which car-ried whole families bringing prod-ucts throughout America. Frescos

on the walls illustrate life at thetime for a better understanding ofthe exhibit. The second floor holdsan exhibit of contemporaryEcuadorian art.

10. BAHIA DE CARAQUEZ: Thecity of Bahía de Caráquez is namedafter the bay and the pre-Columbian residents who camefrom the sea and settled here.Because of the estuary and thePacific Ocean around the city, thelocal nature offers fresh and saltwater that allows diverse vegeta-tion. In the area you can find man-grove trees, ceibos forests, andfresh water humidity such as that inLa Segua Marsh.

A few years ago Bahía became aneco-city as a result of its big GreenMovement and because of the com-

munity effort to rebuild the city aftersuffering the earthquakes of 1997.Bahía de Caráquez is one of the fewcities in Ecuador that recycleswaste, serving as an example forother regions.

Traffic is not a problem. Many resi-dents and tourists prefer to use“ecological taxis” which are bikesadapted to transport two passengers.This keeps the city free from pollu-tion and offers a peaceful place idealfor vacationing.

MAIN ATTRACTIONSIsla Corazón is a mangrove forestrefuge comprised of 130 acres,home to one of the largest coloniesof Magnificent Frigate birds in all ofthe South Pacific. Since 1998 theprotection of the sanctuary is theresponsibility of an adjacent com-munity called Portovelo, that has amangrove reforestation project. Theresidents are glad to show youaround the island on wooden trailsthat have been built within the man-groves, as well as on boat toursaround the island.

La Segua Marsh is a fresh waterhumidity area of about 172 hectares.In La Segua there are approximately164 bird species.

Cerro Seco is one of the last tropi-cal dry forests in the world.

The Cabo Pasado: Is a remnant ofpre-mountain forest which is a geo-graphical transition between theTumbesian region of dry tropical

MANTA CITY

BAHIA DE CARAQUEZ

PHOTO COURTESY OF PATRICIO TAMARIZ

PHOTO COURTESY OF MIGUEL DAVILA

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forest and the tropical rainforest ofthe Chocó Region. It is the only areain South America where you canobserve the flora and fauna of bothtropical and dry forests coexistingtogether. It can be toured by horse-back or hiking. You will likely seeand hear howler monkeys.

11. ESMERALDAS:

The Esmeraldas province in thenorthwest of the country is a tropicaland warm region thanks to theHumboldt cold current, whichcomes from the south and drifts offbefore reaching Esmeraldas.

This province is called "La ProvinciaVerde" (The Green Province) due toits exuberant vegetation, which alsogave it the name of Esmeraldas(Emerald), the precious dark greenstone. The Esmeraldas River runsthrough the province contributing toits paradisiacal tropical beauty, veg-etation and fauna.

Esmeraldas is a great tourist attrac-tion due to its vast beaches, deli-

cious local gastronomy based onseafood and green plantains, and thehospitality of its people, amongstthem being the jovial Afro-Ecuadorian community. A tale of theprovince tells of the adventure of aship full of slaves that was headingtoward Cartagena, Colombia and wasshipwrecked at the coasts ofEsmeraldas. These African peoplefound freedom and attractive livingconditions in Esmeraldas and settledthere. This is a lively community withextraordinary musical manifestations.

Tourist facilities are improving andinexpensive hostels, comfortablebeach resorts, as well as cabinsfrom budget to high end can now befound in Atacames, Same, PuntaGaleras, Muisne and Mompiche,just to mention some of the favoritebeaches in this province.Esmeraldas is a favorite vacationspot for people from Quito, as it isone of the closest beaches and theweather and water temperature iswarm throughout the year.

ESMERALDAS

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GUAYAQUIL

to the north. Your walk up theMalecón Simón Bolívar will take youthrough three sections:

NorthernThis section has space for sports,entertainment, science, history andart. Children’s games, space for aer-obics and skating, are all surroundedby the historical Plaza de Orellana,Plaza de la Pileta (water fountain)and Plaza del Vagón, with a wagon ofan antique Ecuadorian train. In thissection you will also find gardensthat showcase diverse plant speciesof the Ecuadorian coast, and theCentro Cultural Simón Bolívar.

CentralWith the Civic Plaza (10 de Agostoand Pichincha) containing a gallerydedicated to the most outstandingpersonalities in Guayaquil’s history,this section is mostly historic. Youcan also admire other monuments:

Guayaquil, the capital of the Guayasprovince, is the largest and mostpopulated city in Ecuador. Locatedon the Pacific coast, it has a tropicalclimate, and is known as the “PacificPearl”. It is the main port of Ecuador,thus, it is of great economic impor-tance to the country. The city wasnamed after an indigenous chief,“Guayas”, and his wife, “Quil”. Bothof them chose to die before surren-dering themselves to the Spaniards.

Francisco de Orellana foundedGuayaquil on the skirts of the SantaAna Hill on July 25th, 1534. On thetop of this hill you can observe can-nons that were used to defend thecity from pirate attacks. A few hous-es preserve their original architec-ture, with defense walls facing theriver. Many of these houses werebuilt at different levels on the hill,very common for the Spaniards andPortuguese. The surroundings of the

city offer archeological sites of thepre-Hispanic cultures of Valdivia,Machalilla, Chorrera, Guangala andManteña. The Gulf of Guayaquil, theriver, the monuments, museums,parks, and its exhilarating nightlifeare part of the attractions of this city.

MAIN ATTRACTIONSMALECÓN SIMÓN BOLÍVAROn this 1 1/2 mile waterfront walkyou’ll find entertainment, culture andnature! Malecón Simón Bolívarincludes monuments, museums,gardens, fountains, shopping malls,restaurants, bars, an IMAX theater, aswell as docks and viewpoints.

Malecón Simón Bolívar is the largestarchitectural development in the lastcentury of Guayaquil’s history (totalsurface is 4,942 acres). It runs fromCuenca Street to the south of thecity, all the way to “Barrio Las Peñas”

MALECÓN SIMÓN BOLÍVAR

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during the XIX century, is found. Toconclude your visit through this sec-tion, visit the modern architecture ofthe new Bahía Malecon Mall, with itsterrace of restaurants that offers aspectacular view of the Guayas River.

SANTA ANA HILLThis unique hill with its charming andcolorful houses is located in thenorthern part of the city. After climb-ing 444 stairs you will have the oppor-tunity to visit many restaurants, shopsand art galleries. There is also a smallchurch to visit as well as a lighthousethat overlooks the entire city.

“LAS PEÑAS” NEIGHBORHOODAdjacent to the stairway is “LasPeñas”, the first residential neigh-borhood of Guayaquil. Its woodenhouses hold treasured memoriesfrom writers and poets that inhabitedthis area. Although it existed sincecolonial times, “Las Peñas” wascompletely destroyed due to a fire in1896 (“El Incendio Grande”). It wasrebuilt in a neoclassic style. Enjoy astroll along the charming cobblestoned street “Numa PompilloLlona”, full of small art galleries.Here you can also witness the influ-ence of the Pacific Naval Yards fromthe Spanish colonial times.

Hemiciclo de la RotondaThis historical monument is a spectac-ular semicircle commemorating themeeting of two Latin American libera-tors, Simón Bolívar and San Martin,when it was decided that Guayaquil beannexed to the Gran Colombia. Themonument was designed and con-structed by the Spanish sculptor JoseAntonio Holms and placed in 1937.From this historical site you can seethe Rafael Mendoza Avilés bridge (thelargest in Ecuador).

Moorish Clock TowerThe clock was bought in Englandthanks to a loan given by Don ManuelAntonio Lizárraga, a rich Spanishmerchant, one of the illustrious fig-ures of the Independence. The clockwas inaugurated in October of 1842just after the terrible yellow fever epi-demic in Guayaquil, the worst in itshistory. In 1903, the clock wasmoved, tower and all, from City Hallthat was demolished to the TownHall. However, from this location, thetolls that announced the hour couldnot be heard throughout the city, sotwo stories were built on to the tower.

In 1920, an Italian engineer built atower of three prismatic parts entirelymade of carved wood. Finally, due tostructural flaws, this tower had to bedemolished. At this time, the foreigncolony residing in Guayaquil togeth-er with the City Council constructed anew tower in a pure Mozarabic Style.

Also in this section you can visit thefour sculptures that represent theelements of nature, as well as theGuayaquil Yacht Club and the NavalYacht Club. From the pier, the PirateMorgan Tavern Ship has dailydepartures for a cruise around theGuayas River.

Services include a covered parkinglot, security area, rest rooms and afirst aid center.

SouthernThe old market is found in this sec-tion. It was inaugurated in 1907, andits authorship is attributed to thefamous French engineer Eiffel. In thissection you will find the “Club de laUnión”, the most traditional socialcenter in Guayaquil. As you continueyou will come to the Olmedo Plaza,where a monument of José Joaquínde Olmedo, a famous poet fromGuayaquil and President of Ecuador

HEMICICLO DE LA ROTONDA

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MALECÓN “EL SALADO”Smaller than Malecon 2000, thiswaterfront walk also offers entertain-ment, culture and nature. At El Saladoyou will find a variety of restaurantsand bars to chose from; handcraftshops and entertainment for children.Fridays, Weekends and holidays at19h30 and 20h30 there is a “Lightand Sounds Show” at the Fountain. It is located at 9 de Octubre & La Ria.

OTHER ATTRACTIONS IN GUAYAQUIL

CENTENARIO PARKThe park is located at the heart of thecity and is also one of the largest inGuayaquil. There are bronze monu-ments, which represent heroism,justice, patriotism, and freedom.One monument representing theman who fought for independencewas designed by a Spanish Sculptor,Agustin Querol, and built by JoséMonserrat in 1818.

SEMINARIO PARKAlso known as the Bolívar Park orIguanas Park, it is located on ChileStreet between 10 de Agosto and

Clemente Ballén Avenues. The parkwas inaugurated on July 24, 1880.You can admire the statue of the liber-ator Simon Bolívar. This park isexceptional for its wildlife. You willsee fish, a variety of birds, andnumerous iguanas. The iguanas of thepark have always been one of its mainattractions. These animals chose thisplace to feed on its vegetation, as thetown of Guayaquil used to end at thispark, the rest being savannah.

CENTRO CIVICOThis modern center has an informa-tion office for tourists, expositionhalls, convention halls, and otherlarge areas for musical events, con-certs, theaters, and other culturalevents. On the upper floor of thecivic center one can admire out-standing sculptures of OswaldoGuayasamin. This center has an arti-ficial lake surrounded by exuberantvegetation. Address: Quito St,between El Oro y Venezuela.

GENERAL CEMETERY Although few cemeteries can beconsidered a tourist attraction, thisone is worth admiring. It has out-standing sculptures made of white

marble. The style has a strong Italianinfluence. Beautiful stretches ofpalm trees lead to the grave of thepast president, Vicente Rocafuerte.

SPORT CENTERS Guayaquil is famous for its greatsport facilities, including one of the20 largest soccer stadiums in theworld, “Isidro Romero” (seats85,000 people). This stadium islocated at Del Bombero Av. The cityalso hosts a modern horse track withraces every weekend- theHipódromo Buijo (Samborondón).There are also tracks for go-kart,bicycle, motorcycle and car races; aswell as basketball, golf and polocourts and great water sport facilities.

WE ALSO RECOMMEND THAT YOU VISIT The “Guayas and Quil” Monument(Las Americas Ave.), theMunicipality Palace (Pichincha 605and 10 de Agosto), the Governor’sPalace (Malecón and Aguirre), SucreSquare (Pichincha and ClementeBallén), Rocafuerte Square(Rocafuerte and Junin), and thePlanetarium (via Puerto Marítimo).

MUNICIPALITY PALACE

CATHEDRAL

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children, senior citizens and stu-dents. Phone: 2300500 / 2304998.

GUAYAQUIL IN HISTORYLocated at Malecon 2000 under theIMAX Theater, this didactic museumholds a miniature exhibit of the mostremarkable scenes of Guayaquil’shistory. It is an auto-guided museum(in Spanish) with entertaining expla-nations and lively music.

Open Mondays thru Sundays from9h00 - 13h30 and 16h00 -20h00.Admission fee: $1,50 adults, $1children. Phone: 2563078.

THE MUNICIPAL MUSEUMThis museum has four divisions:Archeology, History, Colonial Art andModern Art.

You will have the chance to see orig-inal “tzanzas” (shrunken heads.)

The Shuar culture of the southeastused to shrink their enemy’s head tokeep the bad spirits away from them.These miniature heads would notlose their original features whenreduced. The mystery of this processhas not yet been discovered. Eventhough the Shuar culture is still alive,the shrunken head tradition is not.

Located at the corner of SucreStreet and Pedro Carbo. Visiting

CHURCHES

THE CATHEDRALThis Neo-Gothic Cathedral was builtin 1948. The main altar is made ofmarble from Cuenca and its stainedglass windows are beautiful works ofart. It is located on the corner ofChimborazo and Clemente BallénAvenues. Visiting hours: 9h00-12h00, and14h00-17h00 everyday.

SANTO DOMINGOThis church is the oldest inGuayaquil, built in the 16 Century. Itwas later restored in 1938. It is dec-orated with the famous paintings ofSalas. It is located on Rocafuerteand Coronel Ave. Visiting hours:8h00 to 18h00.

LA MERCEDIt has a gothic style and a gold cov-ered altar. It is located on Rendónand Pedro Carbo Ave. Open Mondaythru Friday 7h-12h00 and 18h-19h30. Saturdays 7h-10h00 and18h-20h00. Free admission.

MUSEUMSCENTRO CULTURAL SIMÓN BOLÍVARThe Centro Cultural Simón Bolívar ofthe Ecuadorian Central Bank guards acollection of 50.000 archeologicalpieces and a modern art collection of3.000 works. It also houses a library of20.000 publications specializing inart, archeology and anthropology.

Additionally, the museum has sixexhibit halls, a multipurpose roomfor conferences and workshops, adocument center, a bookstore and ahandcraft shop, as well as a cinemawith a capacity for 380 people. Freeoutdoor movie projections are pre-sented periodically.

Open Tuesday thru Saturday from10h00 to 17h00, Sundays and holi-days from 11h00 to 15h00. Address: Malecon Simon Bolivarand Loja (at the Northern part of the

Malecon 2000, next to the Imax the-ater). Admission fee: Wednesday-Saturday $1.50, Sundays free

CASA DE LA CULTURAThis museum holds the most valu-able pre-historic gold work collec-tion in Ecuador. Most pieces weremade by the indigenous inhabitantsof our coast. You will see ceremoni-al pots, snake-shaped bracelets,nose rings, gold pieces that wereused on the lips and cheeks, elabo-rate pins used to fasten clothing,chest shields, ceremonial masks andearrings. The abundance of gold pro-voked the greed of the Spanish con-querors, who hoarded and sent vastquantities of this precious metalback to Spain. Thus, gold workman-ship disappeared due to theIndigenous belief that gold was evil,being the main cause of havingSpaniards come to their lands.Archeological objects such as the“Ocarinas” (clay whistles), stoneheadrests, molds for gold masks andclay seals, apparently have Egyptianinfluence. There are many colonialpaintings from anonymous authorsand from well-known artists of thisperiod (such as Goribar andRodriguez). Address: 9 de Octubre1200 & Pedro Moncayo.

Open Tuesday thru Friday from10h-18h00, Saturdays 9h-15h00.Admission fee: $1 adults, $0.50

SANTA ANA HILL

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hours: Tuesday thru Saturday 9h00to 17h00.

Free admission. Identification docu-ment is required. Phone: 2599100.

NAHIM ISAIAS MUSEUM Located at the Plaza de laAdministracion and part of theprocess of urban regeneration, theNahim Isaias Museum’s vision is topromote colonial art through its cul-tural funds. The complete collectionof the Museum includes 2.179works of art.

The second floor holds a permanentexhibition of colonial art. The exhibitis called “Cosmognias”, and is adidactical sample that integrates themost representative works of colonialculture. This exhibit consists of 100pieces: sculptures, paintings, clothesand accessories of the colonial peri-od. The exhibit is divided into fourcategories: Fire, Earth, Water and Air.

Open Tuesday thru Saturday from 9h00 to 16h30.Sundays and holidays from 10h00 to 15h00.Free admission.Address: Pichincha y Clemente BallenPhone: 2324182, 2324283www.museonahimisaias.com

PRESLEY NORTON MUSEUM“Villa Herlinda”, a two floor manordating back to 1942, houses thedelightful exhibition of “Life andCustoms of the Settlers of AncientEcuador”. The charming setting andapproachably small size of theexhibit, combined with the friendlydidactic resources of touch screensand a video, make a visit to thisunique museum a most pleasantexperience. The museum holds asample of 129 selected archeologi-cal pieces from a collection of over8,000 artifacts that belonged toPresley Norton, a passionate afi-

cionado of Ecuador’s archeology.The pieces belong to three historicalperiods: Formative (4,200 B.C. –500 B.C), Regional Development(500 B.C. – 500 A.D.) andIntegration (500 A.D.- 1530 A.D.).

Open Tuesday thru Saturday from9h00 to 17h00. Holidays from 10h00to 15h00. Free admission. Guideservice both in English and Spanish.Address: corner of 9 de Octubre andCarchi. Phone: (04) 229 3423.

NAVAL MUSEUM “ALMIRANTE ILLINGWORTH”Malecon & Clemente Ballen (Buildingof the Provincial Government ofGuayas). Open Monday thru Fridayfrom 8h00 to 12h30 and 14h00 to16h00. Free admission. Phone:2324274.

THE FIREFIGHTERS MUSEUM“FELIX LUQUE PLATA” Located at the old water distributorin Plaza Colon, close to “Las Peñas”neighborhood.

Open Tuesday thru Saturday from10h00 to 17h00. Admission fee:$0.75 adults, $0.25 children.Phone: 230 8565.

SURROUNDINGS

BOTANICAL GARDENThis garden holds approximately 700plant species that have been cultivat-ed to resemble their natural habitat.Among these are trees used forwood, fruit trees, ornamental andexotic plants. More than 80 speciesof orchids, both native and intro-duced from other tropical countries,can be observed. An exhibit of nativemedicinal plants of the Coast is alsofound. Approximately 75 bird speciesof the dry tropical forest fly freely inthe garden. Jardin Botanico alsohouses a butterfly-breeding center,with approximately 27 species.

Representations of the Valdivia,Manteña and Jama-Coaque culturesare exhibited along the internal roads.

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Located at “Cerro Colorado” in north-ern Guayaquil, Ciudadela LasOrquideas, Av. Francisco de Orellana.Open every day from 8h00 to 16h00.Entrance fee: $3.00 adults, $1.50 stu-dents, children and senior citizens.Guide service is $5.00 for groups upto 20 people. Phone: 2899 689.Workshops and conferences on plantcultivation are offered.

CERRO BLANCO PROTECTED FORESTProtected by governmental decree andrun by the Pro-Forest Foundation,Cerro Blanco protects one of the fewremaining areas of dry tropical forest inEcuador with a rich biodiversity, includ-ing jaguar, puma, howler, and capuchinmonkeys, white-tailed deer, collaredpeccary, coatimundi and crab-eatingraccoon. Cerro Blanco is a bird watch-er’s paradise, with 211 species includ-ing 22 species of birds of prey and asmall population of the threatenedGreat Green Macaw, the symbol of thisProtected Forest. Cerro Blanco’s facil-ities include an outdoor amphitheatermuseum, 4 nature trails, picnic andcamping area, and the Great GreenMacaw Captive Breeding Center.

From January to May, the view iscompletely green and abundantwater allows bird nesting. From Juneto December is the dry season: theleaves’ colors change to brownishred, and trees flower. Don’t miss vis-iting one of the last remains of thisunique ecosystem!

Located at km 16 on the way fromGuayaquil to Salinas, in front ofRoosevelt Academy School, it can beeasily reached by buses of ChongonCompany buses or buses that runfrom the land terminal to the coast, aswell as by taxi. Open every day from8h00 to 16h30. Previous reservationis required for visits during week days.Phone: 287 4946 / 7 – 099 4135 730Entrance fee: $4 adults, $3 children.Guide service is $10 for groups of upto 8 people.E-mail:[email protected] Visits Monday thru Sunday from 8h30to 15h30 without prior reservation.

HISTORIC PARKA natural habitat of mangrove trees,fresh waters of the Daule River, andtropical climate make this 20 acre parkthe perfect setting to bring the pastback to life. In a single day visit, onecan encounter the fauna and flora of theregion in the “wildlife zone”, the histo-ry, cultural manifestations and rural lifein the “traditions zone”, as well as the“urban-architectonic zone”, whichholds original pieces from Guayaquil’santique architecture destroyed by firesin the XIX century, bringing the city ofthe past back to life.

On Sundays the Historic Parkbecomes livelier with cultural andfestive activities. Music, traditionalfood, people dressed up in antiqueclothes, among other activities, addcolor and flavor to this cultural set-

ting. Located only 10 minutes fromthe city, across the Daule River,close to the residential neighbor-hood of Samborondon #3.

Free admission. Open Wednesday toSunday from 9h00 to 16h30. Guideservice is available. You can arrangegroup visits by calling 283 2958ahead of time. Transportation serviceis available next to the entrance ofthe MAAC parking lot in Malecon2000 (Malecon & Loja St.).

PUERTO HONDO MANGROVES Through the formation of anEcological Club, the community ismaking a united effort to conservethe remaining mangroves in the area.Among its projects, the club offersecotourism opportunities. Visit thisbeautiful natural site with exotic floraand fauna!

It is located 17 km away fromGuayaquil, on the way to Salinas.Open every day from 9h00 to 17h00.Prior reservation is required for vis-its from Monday thru Saturday.Phone: 0991400186. The visitor canchoose between a 45 minute tripthrough the water ($10) or adding ona visit to the Environmental Edu -cation Center ($15).

E-mail: [email protected]

Photos courtesy of: Municipio de Guayaquil &Parque Histórico.

HISTORIC PARK

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EXHIBITS

Thursday, May 9th thru Friday, May 31st – 9h00- 17h00

Ecuador’sNaturalHistoryExhibit:Treasures ofour Nature*Place: MuseoMunicipal

Tuesdays thru Fridays09h00 to 17h00Saturday thru Sunday10h00 to 17h00Art exhibit: Light, Color and Design in the Pre-Columbian Vision*Place: MAACFree Admission

Mondays thru Saturdays9h00 to 17h00Holidays – 10h00 to 14h30Life and Customs of Antique Ecuadorian Settlers* Place: Museo Presley NortonFree admission

Mondays thru Saturdays9h00 to 17h00Holidays – 10h00 to 15h00Colonial Art: Cosmogonía* Place: Museo Nahim Isaías

Tuesdays thru Saturdays 9h00 to 17h00Holidays – 10h00 to 15h00Vientos de la RíaGuayaquil Colonial History* Place: Museo Nahim Isaías

Ancestral Medicinal Wisdom* Place: Ethno-botanic Garden, Parque Histórico

CULTURE + ENTERTAINMENT - GUAYAQUIL

SPECIAL EVENTS

Tuesday, May 7th thru Friday, May 17thTuesdays thru Fridays – 9h00 to 12h00ART-EXPRESS activity for kids(ages 12- 16)

Tuesdays thru Fridays – 14h00- 17h00Art Afternoons: painting, draw-ing, scenic arts (ages 7-16)*Place: Plataforma LibertadorSimón Bolívar Free admission

Saturday, May 11th and May 18th – 10h00-12h00Pre-Columbian PuppetPresentation: “Punutze andEtza Patota” (Pre-ceramicPeriod)*Place: Centro Cultural Simón Bolívar

Saturday, May 18th – 17h00 to19h00Participative Photo Mural*Place: MAAC Free Admission

Saturday, May 18th10h00 to 15h00Cultural GymkanaGames which perform many compe-tition tests.*Place: Museo Presley NortonPrevious inscription required,phone: 2309400 /384 ext. 106

THEATER

Monday, May 6th and Tuesday, May 7th – 11h00“Nadie Puede Saberlo”(Nobody Can Know)*Place: Auditorio Centro CulturalSimón BolívarFree admission

DANCE

Friday, May 17th and Saturday, May 18th – 20h00National Dance Company ofEcuador*Place: Teatro Sánchez Aguilar Admission Fee: $20

Wednesday, May 29th – 20h30INTERNATIONAL DANCE VELOX - DEBORAH COLKER dancecompany*Place: Teatro Sánchez Aguilar Admission fee: $60

MUSIC

Saturday, May 18th – 19h30Music Presentation: localbands and folkloric groups*Place: outside the MAAC Museum

* ADDRESSES:

• Museo Municipal de Guayaquil:Sucre between Chile y PedroCarbo. P: (+593 4) 253-1691

• MAAC: Malecón Simón Bolívar &Loja (next to the Imax Theater) P: (+593 4) 230 9384 ext.221

• Museo Presley Norton:Corner of Av. 9 de Octubre &Carchi. P: 229 3423

• Museo Nahim Isaías: Pichincha & Clemente Ballén. P: (+593 4) 232 4182

• Parque Histórico: Km 1/2 víaSamborondón, Esmeraldas Ave.P: (+593 4) 283 2958

• Teatro Sanchez Aguilar: Av. Río Esmeralda Km. 1,5 on theway to Samborondón. P: (+593 4) 209 7447

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PREMIUM HOTELS - GUAYAQUIL

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TOURISTATTRACTIONS1. Malecon El Salado2. Las Peñas neighborhood3. Santa Ana hillMalecon 2000:4. IMAX5. Moorish Clock Tower6. Crystal Palace

PARKS &MONUMENTS7. Historical Park8. Centenario Park9. Seminario Park10. La Rotonda

MUSEUMS11. Casa de la Cultura

12. Municipal13. Nahim Isaias14. Naval Museum15. MAAC16. The Firefighters Museum

CHURCHES17. Cathedral18. La Merced19. Santo Domingo

PUBLIC SERVICES20. Post Office21. Communications22. Guayas Province Government23. Municipal Palace

TELEPHONE CO.

BANKS & EXCHANGE

HOSPITALS24. Kennedy25. General Hospital

AIRPORT

SHOPPING & HANDICRAFTS26. Aventura Plaza27. Mall del Sol28. Garzocentro29. Plaza Quil30. San Marino Shopping

31. Policentro 32. Las Vitrinas33. Handicraft Market Malecon 200034. Handicraft Market Loja

HOTELS35. Sheraton36. Hilton Colon37. Howard Johnson38. Sonesta39. Oro Verde40. Grand Hotel Guayaquil41. Continental42. HM43. Palace44. Unipark

NORTHERN GUAYAQUIL

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DOWNTOWN GUAYAQUIL

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PREMIUM HOTELS - GUAYAQUIL

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RESTAURANTS AND CAFETERIAS - GUAYAQUIL

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point on the planet’s surface (becausethe Earth is wider at the Tropics).

Ecuador has twelve peaks over16,000 ft. The country offers oppor-tunities to hike, trek and mountainclimb for all skill levels. Ecuador’sAndes hold numerous breathtakingview sites: lagoons, extensiveparamos (moorlands), and mysteri-ous cloudforests… Moreover, theindigenous communities of theregion are known for their colorfulfolklore and remarkable weavingabilities. Several activities can beenjoyed: birdwatching, biking, watersports on the lakes, interacting withindigenous communities, visitingrose plantations, savoring delicioustraditional dishes, and much more.The colonial cities of Quito andCuenca have both been declaredWorld Cultural Heritage Sites. Withineasy reach from these cities you canvisit impressive natural sites.

MOUNTAIN CLIMBINGASEGUIM is the association ofmountain climbing guides ofEcuador. We recommend that if youplan to do mountain climbing at anylevel, you contact them to accessprofessional and certified guides.They also offer rescue operations.Phone: (02) 222-2954, cell: 0999 822 363; www.aseguim.org

Many of the provinces in Ecuador’shighlands are named after the mostimportant mountain or volcano inits territory: Imbabura, Pichincha,Cotopaxi, Tungurahua, andChimborazo. Most of the names ofthe mountains have their origin inan indigenous tongue, mostlyQuichua. The word “Andes” itselfcomes from ANTI, which means“where the sun rises”.

The Ecuadorian Andes include sev-eral active volcanoes. Ecuadorianshave witnessed and still can experi-ence numerous volcanic eruptions.“Tungurahua” comes from “Tunguri”(esophagus) and Awa (fire); andindeed this volcano spits fire! It is anexciting experience to observe thevolcano in action, and as for now it issafe, from a distance, of course. Thetown of Baños, a favorite spot fortourists, is located on the outskirts ofthe volcano.

The Ecuadorian Andes are the onlysite on the planet where theEquatorial Line crosses over high-lands; in the rest of the world, theEquator crosses through densetropical forests or the ocean. Thepre-Incan cultures that inhabitedQuito and its surroundings devel-oped their astronomical knowledgewith the help of the clear landmarkssurrounding the city.

Alexander von Humboldt explored theEcuadorian Andes and their valleys in1802. He named them “The Avenue ofthe Volcanoes”. He believed that hehad reached the highest point in theworld when he attempted to climb theChimborazo volcano (20,702 ft), sincethe Himalayas were still unknown inEurope at the time. If measured fromthe center of the Earth, the peak of theChimborazo is indeed the furthest

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The special light of the Equator andthe unique climactic conditions of theEcuadorian Andes create the idealconditions for the production of theworld’s finest roses and many vari-eties of summer flowers. Moreover,the country holds a remarkable diver-sity of stunning flower species in allof its regions. Take orchids, for exam-ple, Ecuador is home to 219 genresand 4.125 species, 1.300 of whichare endemic.

More native species are discoveredconstantly, as well as new rose andsummer flower varieties are pro-duced! Ecuador is a growing gar-den…

Flower-growing is the main industryof the Ecuadorian Andes. The flowerfarming industry has been essentialfor stopping rural migration to citiesas well as abroad, providing stableincomes for tens of thousands ofworkers – mainly women – withmany farms certified to high socialand environmental standards.

HACIENDA LA COMPAÑÍA AND ITS FLOWER FARM“ROSADEX”One of the outstanding features ofHacienda La Compañía is the houseof French Republican style, whichdates back to 1919 and has been inthe hands of the same family forgenerations. The owners greet visi-tors personally and tell the history ofthe manor as well as family anec-dotes. But for many the most strikingdecoration are the thousands ofroses carefully set all around thehouse. These flowers are broughtfrom Rosadex Farm, belonging to thesame family.

Rosadex started operations in 1993,and it currently encompasses 20rose hectares and 1 callas hectare.

Rosadex is a socially responsiblecompany that takes special pride inthe security and well-being of itsemployees by providing them notonly with the standard industrialsafety equipment, but also nutrition-

al assistance, on-site medical care,and a nursery, among other benefits.

USEFUL INFORMATION:Hacienda La Compañía is located inthe charming valley of Cayambe.Prior reservation is required for avisit.Phone: (593 2) 224 7825Cel phone: (593 9) 769 4174 E-mail: [email protected]

Photos courtesy ofHacienda La Compañía & Rosadex.

LANDOF STRIKING

FLOWERS

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HACIENDA PINSAQUI(OTAVALO - IMBABURA)First constructed in 1790, with threecenturies of history, romanticHacienda Pinsaqui invites you to bea part of its magic and legends…

Hacienda Pinsaqui offers all thefacilities for an unforgettable visit:30 luxurious suites with fireplaces(some with Jacuzzi bath), restau-rant, 200 year old gardens with anartificial lake, horseback riding, his-torical chapel, and a reading roomwith fireplaces.

Reservations & Information:Phone: (593-6) 294 6116 / 117Cel phone: (593-9) 972 7652Address: Panamericana Norte Km 5 [email protected]

HACIENDA CUSIN (SAN PABLO - IMBABURA)Preserving a historic ambiance,Hacienda Cusin’s new Englishowner established a country inn of45 guestrooms, suites and garden-cottages. Cusin’s terracotta rooftiles, white walls, towers, cobble-stone and fountain courtyards nestlebeneath a deep-blue sky in a wide,pastoral, lake valley. Nearby LagoSan Pablo reflects the 15,000 feethigh Imbabura mountain. Located 90minutes North of Quito and 15 min-utes South of Otavalo, it offers: val-ley/mountain trails, horseback riding,mountain climbing, bird watching,volleyball and squash courts, gameroom, children’s playground, library,extensive video library, craft & marketvillage tours, and Spanish lessons.

Reservations & Information:Phone: (593-6) 291 8316 / [email protected]

HACIENDA LA COMPAÑÍA(CAYAMBE- PICHINCHA)One of the outstanding features ofHacienda La Compañía is the housebuilt in French Republican style, whichdates back to 1919 and has been in thehands of the same family for genera-tions. The charm of the house is com-plemented with the striking decorationsof thousands of roses which are broughtfrom the Flower Farm belonging to thesame family. The owners greet visitorspersonally and serve breakfast or lunchwith traditional ingredients and ahomey feel. Visitors are then invited tothe Rose Farm to admire the wondersbehind all of those flowers back at thehouse: the people, the methods, thecare in each detail, and moreover, thespecial awareness involved in thesocial and environmental processes.

Prior reservation is required for a visit.Phone: (593 2) 224 7825Cel phone: (593 9) 769 4174 [email protected]

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HOSTERIA UZHUPUD(AZUAY)A wonderful place in the highlands ofEcuador. Hosteria Uzhupud is locatedalong the banks of the Paute River,thirty minutes from Cuenca.Traditional colonial architecture andnature blend together to remind vis-itors of the pleasure and privilege ofliving. Uzhupud means “Hot ChiliPepper Valley”. Hostería Uzhupud isa delightful place to visit and stay.The “Hacienda” has a wonderful his-tory and dates back over 100 years.Eulalia Vintimilla de Crespo, one ofthe family matriarchs, also produceda recipe book named “El Sabor delos Recuerdos,” quite famous inEcuador. Enjoy her recipes in therestaurant Doña Eulalia.

Reservations & Information:Phone: (593-7) 222 8339Fax: (593-7) 222 8373 Address: Km 32 Cuenca-Paute roadwww.uzhupud.come-mail: [email protected]

PREMIUM HACIENDAS - ANDES

POSADA INGAPIRCA(CAÑAR)Located in the most beautiful and mys-terious region in the Province of Cañar,it is a charming and old country housesituated 500 meters from the mostimportant archeological complex inEcuador. You can also explore theIncan and Cañaris ruins, where you canenjoy the Andean landscape, as well asthe peace and harmony that nature hasto offer. It is an unforgettable experi-ence. Our establishment and staffstrive to meet all the needs and anyspecial requests of our clients. It spe-cializes in traditional Ecuadorian cui-sine. All rooms are carpeted, with heat-ing & private bathroom. There is also agame room with a fireplace, greenareas, bar and restaurant.

Reservations & Information:Phone: (593-7) 282 7401 / 283 1120Fax: (593-7) 283 2340Cuenca office: Calle Larga 693 &[email protected]

HACIENDA SAN AGUSTIN DE CALLO (COTOPAXI)One hour south of Quito nestledwithin the Avenue of the Volcanoesstands this unique hacienda, SanAgustin de Callo, built on the site ofan Inca palace, and one of the mostimportant archaeological Inca sitesin Ecuador. It is the point furthestnorth from Cusco of Imperial styleconstruction and constitutes the onlylived-in museum of Inca Imperial andSpanish Colonial style. The locationof the site at the foot of Cotopaxi,highest active volcano in the world,near Indian villages and local mar-kets, with its historical significanceand archaeological value and itsarchitectural blend of unusual stylescontribute to make San Agustin aunique and magical place to stay.

Reservations & Information:Quito - (593-2) 290 6157 / 8Hacienda - (593-3) 271 [email protected]

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THE NORTHERNANDES

early in the morning in their strawcanoes, and also bathe and washtheir clothes in this lake during theday. There are inns, farms andrestaurants where you can spend aweekend or just a day full of enter-tainment around the lake. You canalso take a boat ride around the lake,or enjoy other water sports such assailing, water skiing, jet skiing, etc.

OTAVALO INDIGENOUS MARKETOtavalo is a small city of about50,000 inhabitants. It lies at 8,300 ftabove sea level in a spring-like val-ley, situated between the Imbaburavolcano (15,118 feet) and theCotacachi volcano (16,200 feet).The most famous indigenous marketin Ecuador is held here. Although themarket is bigger on Saturdays, youcan visit it any day and find animpressive variety of all kinds of

Mountains, Lakes& FolkloreThe Northern Sierra offers magnifi-cent scenery of volcanoes, sparklinglakes and patchwork-covered hills.Taking the Panamericana highwaynorth of Quito, the first highlight isthe Cayambe volcano (18,997 ft),crossed by the Equator. This snow-peak overlooks the city with the

same name, which in the last decadehas grown in importance because ofthe rose plantations. Flowers areEcuador’s fourth largest export.Renowned in Cayambe are thehome-made cheese and bizcochos(buttery biscuits).

Further north is the province ofImbabura (see map on next page). Avisit to Ecuador is never completewithout at least a few days spenthere, the province of lakes andmountains, inspiring landscapes andfolklore. This province is only 50miles north of Quito on the Pan-American Highway.

ATTRACTIONS IN IMBABURASAN PABLO LAKE This is the largest lake in theprovince. Indigenous people fish

OTAVALO

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Tumbabiro

Gas stationSightseeingAirportArchaeologyHandicraftsTypical foodThermal SpringsCapital of ProvinceCities / townsPan- American HighwaySecondary road

LEGENDS TOURIST SITES . LODGING

Mojanda Lake

Hacienda Cusín

Hostería Puerto Lago

San Pablo lake

Yaguarcocha Lake

Hacienda La Compañía

Otavalo Indigenous Market

Cuicocha lake

Cotacachi Leather Market

Peguche Waterfalls

Hostería Hacienda Pinsaquí

Hostería La Mirage

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Ecuadorian handicrafts. At dawn youmay see indigenous people arriving atthe market place from many mountaintrails surrounding the city. They comefrom nearby villages and towns suchas Peguche, Agato and Iluman, to selltheir products. One may visit theworkshops of these local weaversworking on back strap and Spanishtreadle looms, as well as other arti-sans at work making felt hats, knittingsweaters or weaving straw mats.

COTACACHI VILLAGEThis village is known for its leather-work. You can find an excellent choiceof jackets, skirts, boots, briefcases,bags, riding equipment and wallets.Cotacachi is home to the only highschool in Ecuador that teaches leatherwork. They specialize in shoes, how-ever, they teach the students to makeall leather products.

CUICOCHA LAKE The crater lake has an impressivelandscape of deep blue waters sur-rounded by hills. Take a hike aroundthe lake (4 to 5 hours). If you arelucky, you will see a condor.

CONDOR PARKJust 3 miles away from Otavalo, theCondor Park was laid out. This thirty-acre park is managed by a foundationdedicated to the care and rescue ofpredatory birds such as hawks,eagles, vultures and owls.

This park is unique in many ways. Itis located on a hill known as the“Pukara Alto”, an energetic centersince pre-Columbian times, whereruins remain of a religious pre-Inca

temple. The sights are amazing, 360degrees around of mountains, lake,valleys and towns.

Large cages are distributed along acobblestone walk through the park toadmire a variety of birds such as theBarred Hawk, the King Vulture, theGreater Red-Headed Vulture, theSpectacled Owl, the Arctic Owl, theMottled Owl, among others. Finally,you will run into the large cage of theimpressive but endangered AndeanCondor (Vultur gryphus), now easilybred in captivity. Open from Tuesday thru Sundayfrom 9h30 to 17h00. Admissionfee: $3,50 for adults, $1,75 childrenand senior citizens. Phone: 098 [email protected]

SAN ANTONIOShortly before entering Ibarra, aright-hand turn leads into SanAntonio, the home of expert woodcarvers. As you visit the variousshops, you will marvel at their talent.Visitors can watch some of thecraftsmen at work in their studios.

IBARRA CITYThis clean, freshly painted colonialcity, capital of the province, is alsoknown as the white city. It lies at7,000 ft, and has a population ofapproximately 110,000. Ibarra enjoysone of the best climates of the Sierra.Typical products include arrope demora (blackberry syrup) and nogadas(a sweet made with walnuts). Don’tmiss the delicious “paila” ice creams(whipped natural fruit).

YAGUARCOCHA LAKEThis lake is only a short distancefrom the center of Ibarra. Its namemeans “blood lake”. Years ago, abloody battle among indigenouspeoples took place at this lake, thusthe name. Now Yaguarcocha ishome to an auto racetrack. Every sooften international car racing eventstake place here.

ATTRACTIONS IN CARCHICarchi is the northernmost provinceof the Ecuadorian sierra. TheProvince borders with Colombia.

EL ANGEL ECOLOGICALRESERVEThe 15,715 hectares of this EcologicalReserve lie at 11,950 to 15,640 ft. Theparamo in El Angel is covered bygigantic “Frailejones” (Espeletia pyc-nophylla), a plant specie that is onlyfound in the high paramo ecosystem.

Another plant species in the reserveare the Polylepis trees, which havemany layers covering their trunks forinsulation. Given that the layers ofthese trunks are thin and can be tornlike paper, they are locally known as“arboles de papel” (paper trees).

El Angel is considered a water spongeas the area provides water for theentire province. Several rivers havetheir origin at El Angel and jointogether to form the basin of the Miraand El Angel Rivers. Beautiful lagoonsare also found at this Reserve.

Photos by: Ministerio de Turismo& Gustavo Vallejo.

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PREMIUM SERVICES - NORTHERN ANDES

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sites that date back to 1500 BC.These archeological remains arealigned with the summer solsticeand the winter equinox, demonstrat-ing that the native people had animpressive knowledge of the courseof the sun. These cultures arebelieved to have migrated from theEcuadorian Coast.

Quitsato, the original name of thecity, means “Middle of the Earth” inthe ancient ‘tsafiqui’ language. Quitois the only site on the planet wherethe Equator crosses over highlands.On the rest of the Earth’s surface, itcrosses through jungle or ocean.Therefore, the pre-Inca cultures wereable to develop their astronomicalknowledge with the help of the clearlandmarks surrounding the city: thePichincha volcano (15,000 ft) to theWest, the Antisana (18,700 ft) to theeast, and the peak of the snow-capedCayambe (18,725 ft) to theNortheast, almost precisely on theEquator. The city itself emerges over

Quito:First World Heritage SitePhotos courtesy of: Quito Tourismwww.quito.com.ec

Besides its amazing landscapes,Quito is known for its treasures ofcolonial churches, paintings, sculp-tures and carvings. The SpanishColonial Period extends from the XVIto the XVIII Century. Ecuadorian colo-nial art combines the EuropeanRenaissance and Baroque styles withthe indigenous and mestizo influ-ences. With the arrival of theSpaniards, the Roman CatholicChurch became the center of religiousinstruction and the largest patron ofthe arts. As part of the acculturation ofthe indigenous people, the Spanishestablished painting and sculpture

schools where Spanish artists trainedthe indigenous population in the arts.As a result, the Quitenian School(Escuela Quiteña) became famous inLatin America for its talented artists,including Bernardo de Legarda and theindigenous artists Caspicara andPampite. Miguel de Santiago, Javierde Goribar, Manuel Samaniego andPadre Bedón were othe outstandingrepresentatives of this art school.Scholars consider their contributionsto colonial art as some of the mostvaluable in America. Thus, theUNESCO declared Quito a “WorldCultural Heritage Site” in 1978.

However, the history of Quitostretches far beyond the arrival of theSpaniards. Before the SpaniardSebastian de Benalcázar conqueredthe city in 1534, the Incas had con-quered it in the XV century. At thetime when the Incas arrived, theyfound an organized civilization: theShyris. Furthermore, recent discov-eries have uncovered archeological

QUITO

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altar. The choir, the stone Episcopalchair, the central painting by ManuelSamaniego and the statues byCaspicara are in neoclassical style.A museum that displays the clothesused by the priests on the XVII cen-tury (“casullas”), choral books andsilver pieces of the church is openMonday thru Saturday from 9h30 to17h30. Guided tour is $1.50 foradults and $1 for children. Phone: 257 0371.

CENTRO CULTURALMETROPOLITANOThe cultural centre is located on thecorner of the Main Square, next tothe Government’s Palace. TheJesuits originally constructed thisbuilding in the XVII Century. In 1767,when Charles III of Spain banishedthe Jesuit Order from the colonizedterritories, the buildings became apublic University. In the last decadeof the XVIII century, the buildingsbecame the army headquarters of theSpanish Royal troops sent from Limato repress the early independenceefforts. Thus, the building wasknown as the “Royal Barrack ofLima”. In this building, the heroicefforts for independence ended up ina massacre of a number of patriotsfrom Quito on August 2, 1810. TheAlberto Mena Caamaño Museumdisplays this massacre with life-sizewax sculptures, as well as otherimportant scenes of Quito’s history.The Cultural Center also holds amuseum of colonial art and theMunicipal Library as well. There isalso a Contemporary Art exhibitroom, which houses temporary exhi-bitions. Open Tuesday thru Sundayfrom 9h00 to 18h00. Admission feeto the museum is $1.50; studentsand senior citizens $0.75; children$0.50. Phone: 295-7062.

EL SAGRARIOThis church was originally the mainchapel of the Cathedral, built for thecult of the Holy Sacrament. It has beenkept for this service to this day. Thestone facade with its ornamentedSalomon columns is an excellent

9,184 ft above sea level; it is the sec-ond highest capital in the world. Thus,Quito could be considered the bestnatural astronomical observatory.

Quito extends along the Eastern sideof the Pichincha volcano. The city islong and thin, with a length ofapprox. 22 miles and a width of 2-3miles. The temperature in the cityvaries along the day… in the earlymorning and at night it can bearound 10ºC, and at noon it canreach up to 25ºC. The geographicalconditions of the zone give place toa number of ecosystems, thus,Quito’s surroundings offer a diversi-ty of landscapes, each with uniqueflora and fauna.

SIGHTSEEINGWe suggest that you to begin yoursightseeing at “La Plaza de laIndependencia”, from where you canwalk to most of the downtown sites.This main plaza is surrounded byfour buildings that represent the fourruling powers of the colonial period:the Government Palace to the west,the Municipal Palace to the east, theArchbishop’s Palace to the north,and the Cathedral to the south.

THE GOVERNMENT PALACEIt is not possible to visit the interiorsof the palace, however, from theentrance door one is able to appreci-

ate the Andalusian patios that havehalf-point arches and water fountainsin the center. You can see a scalemodel of the Independence Squaredisplayed at the entrance to thePalace.

THE CATHEDRALThis church holds an interesting col-lection of sculptures and paintingsfrom the Escuela Quiteña. Among themost important is the “Descending ofChrist” by Caspicara. It is a master-piece of expressionism. As in mostEcuadorian and Latin Americanchurches, many styles are used inthe construction of the Cathedral:late Gothic in the arches, Moorish inthe ceilings and Baroque in the main

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tions from the neighboring valleys.San Francisco is located betweenSucre and Bolívar Streets. Church vis-iting hours: Friday thru Sunday17h00-18h00. Free admission. Phone: 2959911.

CANTUÑA CHAPEL Located at one side of the SanFrancisco atrium. The Calvary wood-carvings on the main altar are someof Legarda’s most outstanding mas-terpieces. A legend of the chapelsays that Francisco Cantuña (theindigenous man that paved the atri-um with arge stone blocks) con-structed the chapel with the treas-ures saved from the Kingdom ofQuito. Visiting hours: Tuesday thruThursday 8h00 - 17h00. Free admis-sion. Phone: 2281124.

SAN FRANCISCO MUSEUMLocated next to the church at the SanFrancisco Square. The zaguan(entrance hall), the main cloister,the renaissance stairway, the chorusand the exposition lounge are nowthe site of a number of selectedworks of the Franciscan collection.You can find works of AndrésSánchez Galque (of indigenous ori-gin), Miguel de Santiago, MateoMexía, the European authorsZurbarán and Bernardo de Bitti, withtheir respective schools, amongothers of the XVI-XVIII centuries.Among the sculptures, you can findthe glass eyes characteristic of theXVIII century. You will also findpieces of furniture from the XVIIIcentury. The museum is called FrayPedro Gocial in honor of the firstpainting instructor. Open Mondaythru Saturday 09h00 to 17h30,Sunday 9h00 to 13h30.

Admission fee: $ 2 adults, $1 chil-dren. Phone: 295 2911.

MUSEUM OF COLONIAL ARTAfter half a decade of refurbishment,one of Quito’s oldest and mostemblematic museums reopened atthe end of April 2010. The Museumof Colonial Art houses a fantasticcollection of works from the 16th to

frame for a high Baroque that leavespractically no space without orna-mentation. This style is typical ofBernardo de Legarda’s sculpture. It islocated next to the Cathedral.Visiting hours: Mon–Fri: 9h-17h00,Sat: 07h-20h00, Sun 07h-13h00.Admission is free. For more information, call 228 4398.

SAN FRANCISCO CHURCH AND PLAZAThis complex gave the capital ofEcuador its proper name: SanFrancisco de Quito. It is the oldest inQuito, built in 1536-1580. SanFrancisco is the biggest religious

architectonic complex in America,with over 8,670 acres, including theconvent with 6 internal patios. Theatrium running along one side of theplaza opens in the middle to give wayto a beautiful staircase. The facadehas a style similar to that of theEscorial in Spain. The inside isBaroque style. The coffer ceiling inthe narthex has rich Moorish styleornamentation with paintings byMiguel de Santiago. It is interesting tonote among the ornate details imagesof the sun god, the Inca divinity. Themain altar holds the original master-piece by Legarda: “La Virgen deQuito” (Quito’s Virgin). This sculpture

is the onlywinged image ofVirgin Mary incolonial art.

The SanFrancisco Plazawas an antique“ T i a n g u e z ” ,which means‘market’ in thenative Nahuatllanguage. DuringPre-Columbiantimes, Plaza SanFrancisco was alively commercialcenter, hostingapproximately tenethnic domina-

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foliage, vines, fruits, birds and cary-atids. The Holy Trinity in the mainaltar and the images of Saint Francisand Saint Ignatius in the side altarsare works of the famous Legarda.Paintings of the prophets and worksof Goribar hang in the majesticarchery that divides the aisles. It islocated at Benalcazar St. OpenMonday thru Friday 09h30 to 17h30,Saturdays and holidays 09h30 to16h30, Sundays 13h30 to 16h30.Phone: 2581895. Admission fee isUS$ 3, and includes guide service.

MARÍA AUGUSTA URRUTIA MUSEUMLocated at García Moreno 760. Followthe life and activities of a wealthy andvery generous woman of Quito’s earlyXX century. Observe the architectureof a typical house in colonial Quito.Enjoy the beautifully decorated inte-riors (especially the Frenchantiques), and the distinctive cloth-ing and artifacts of the time. OpenTuesdays to Fridays from 10h00 to18h00, weekends 9h30 to 17h30.Admission fee: $2 for adults, $1senior citizens and $0.50 children(includes a guided tour). For moreinformation call: 258-0103.

19th centuries, ranking among themost important in the country. Themuseum is housed within a beautifulcolonial mansion, which dates backto the late XVI century.

Located at the corner of Cuenca andMejía St. Open Tuesday to Friday 9h-17h00, Sat 10h-14h00. Phone:2282-297. Free Admission.

CASA DEL ALABADO MUSEUMOF PRE-COLOMBIAN ARTIn the San Roque neighborhood, epi-center of popular uprisings, you findthis private museum, housed in abuilding that has been known sincetime immemorial as the “Casa delAlabado” (literally, the House ofPraise). Its name derives from themagnificent central doorway con-structed of stone, whose lintel bearsthe following inscription: “Praise beto the most Blessed Sacrament. Thisportal was completed on the first ofJuly in the year 1671.”

A fine selection of 500 pre-Columbian pieces make up theMuseum’s permanent exhibition, andthe guidebook, with both scientificand museological content, invites thepublic to discover the worldview ofindigenous Americans and explore theaesthetic and technical excellenceachieved by ancient artists as theyworked an array of raw materials. Byoffering visitors the opportunity to visit14 thematic galleries, the Museumintends to help each visitor under-stand the philosophy of indigenousAmericans, especially the importanceof preserving life by maintaining boththe flow of cosmic energy and spiritu-al communication between the dis-tinct worlds that make up the universe.

The Museum is emphatic about itseducational mission. For this pur-pose, they offer audio guides in sev-eral languages, multimedia pro-grams, interactive resources insome galleries, and special work-shops and guided visits for visitorswho wish to take advantage of theMuseum’s resources interactivelyand through play.

Calle Cuenca N1-41 entre Bolívar &Rocafuerte, Quito Centro - Ecuador.Open Mondays from 10h to 16h00,Tuesdays - Saturdays 9h00 – 17h30,Sundays and holidays from 10h00 to16h00. Admission fee: adults $4,children and seniors $1, studentswith ID $1.50. www.alabado.orgPhone: 2280940

LA COMPAÑÍA DE JESÚSCHURCH This is one of the richest churches inAmerica. The extraordinary facadecan be described as a lacework onstone. Six Salomonic columns in thelower part support a second body ofdifferent widths, reminiscent of theChurch of Gesu in Rome. Thecolumns are a copy of those byBernini in the Vatican. The splendorthat meets your eye as you go intothe church is unforgettable: the vault-ed ceiling and the walls with beauti-ful Moorish ornamentation, the per-fect harmony and the richness of themain altar, the reproduction of theSalomon columns of the facade, theincredible clustered Baroque on thetribunes on both sides of the mainaltar, in the pulpit, and in the lateralchapels. Everything is covered withgold leaf. It is a magnificent exhibit of

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SAN AGUSTIN CONVENTThe first thing to admire here are thebeautiful cloisters in three differentlevels, the fountain in the colonialpatio carved from a single block ofstone, the coffer ceiling in the lowercloister, and the huge collection ofpaintings by the artist Miguel deSantiago. The artist spent most of hislife working in the convent to finishthe task of painting the scenes of St.Augustine’s life.Open Monday thruFriday 09h00-12h30 and 14h30-17h00. Saturday 9h00 to 13h00.Admission is $2, children is $0.50and senior citizens $1. Phone: 295 5525.

SALA CAPITULARIn this same convent you will findone of the most important historicalsites in Spanish America. The firstAct of Independence was signedhere on August 10th, 1809. TheCalvary masterpiece by a XVII centu-ry Quitenian artist named Olmos islocated to the right of this largeroom. Entrance fee: US$ 1.

JUNÍN STREETThis charming street is in thedowntown colonial district of Quito.Colorful houses and decorated bal-conies together with a peacefulatmosphere make it a place worthvisiting. Along the street you canvisit: Manuela Saenz Museum, theEcuadorian Architecture Museum,the National Watercolour Museum,the XVI Century San MarcosChurch, Engravers from theQuitenian School of Art, and afamous guitar factory.

LA MERCED CHURCH AND CONVENTOne can admire a stone-carvedpagan god, Neptune. Also noticeableare Bernardo Legarda’s main altarwoodcarvings and the beautifulimage of Our Lady of Mercy in stone.Visiting hours: Monday thru Saturdayfrom 7h00-12h00 and 14h30-17h30. Free admission. Phone:2280743.

MUSEO DE LA CIUDADLocated at García Moreno 572 andRocafuerte, this museum is openTuesday thru Sunday from 9h30 to17h30. Follow everyday Quito lifethrough the centuries in this beau-tiful colonial building that once wasthe San Juan de Dios Hospital(1565).

Entrance fee: $3 adults, $2 students,$1 children and senior citizens.Nighttime tours with theatrical repre-sentations upon request. Price: $5per person (includes a cocktail).Phone: 228 3882/3.

LA RONDA A stroll through La Ronda is a great wayto get a feeling of traditional life incolonial Quito. Within only two blocks,one finds artisans working on tradition-al handicrafts such as candles andembroidery, many “tiendas” (smallstores), bakeries and traditional restau-rants. Moreover, a variety of culturalactivities are organized both on thestreet and inside the different bars andcafeterias. During the late XIX and earlyXX Centuries, La Ronda was home toseveral musicians, poets, historiansand other important figures of Quito’shistory. This neighborhood inspiredpoetry and some of the most romantic“Pasillos” (traditional music).

BENALCAZAR HOUSE-MUSEUMThis museum displays paintings ofthe XVII century and sculptures of theXVII and XIII century. It is located atOlmedo and Benalcazar St. OpenMonday thru to Friday 09h30 to13h00 and 15h30 to 19h00.

SAN AGUSTIN CHURCHLocated at the corner of Chile andGuayaquil Streets. The construction ofthis church was finished in 1538 andhas been remodeled due to earth-quake damage. The vault underneaththe chorus, the wood carved columns,and the gilded altars are the onlyremains of the original construction.

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artist Oswaldo Guayasamín (1919-1999) lived. Besides portraying theartist’s every-day life, the museumexhibits an excellent sample of pre-Columbian, colonial and contempo-rary art from the private collectionsof the artist. The Museum’s objec-tive is to bring the artist close to thepeople, so that his Cosmo vision,dreams and way of thinking can befurther understood.

Close to the house-museum, is “LaCapilla del Hombre” (Man’s Chapel).This cultural- architectonic space is amemorial aimed at the Latin Americanman, from pre-Columbian times tocurrent days. In the year 1985, theartist Oswaldo Guayasamín con-ceived the idea and assumed it as hismost ambitious artistic project.Unfortunately, the artist passed awayin March 1997, before his master-piece was completed, but his familycontinued with the works until theChapel of Man was inaugurated in theyear 2002. “La Capilla del Hombre”is a monument to the history ofAmerican Man. The altar of theChapel holds an eternal flame indefense of peace and human rights.

Both museums are open Tuesdaythru Sunday from 10h00 to 17h00.Entrance fee: $6 adults, $3 seniorcitizens & students. Phone: (593-2)333-0722 / 723.

CAMILO EGAS MUSEUMThis museum was created to honorone of the most celebratedEcuadorian artists of the XX century.It holds a permanent exhibit ofCamilo Egas’ paintings, in a displaythat allows one to learn about the dif-ferent phases in which the artistworked (indigenism, expressionism,surrealism, cubism and abstractionof the shape) in a didactical andhands-on manner.Address: Venezuela 1302 andEsmeraldas. Open: Thursday - Friday9h-13h00/weekends and holidays10h-16h00. Free Admission. Phone: 257-2012

CASA SAN LUCAS This antique manor that dates backto the seventeenth century offers anart gallery with itinerary exhibits, acafe/bar, a musical room with alarge screen where visitors canenjoy music videos, and muchmore. Visitors can take a tourthrough the whole house, appreciat-ing antique furniture, silverware andpieces of art. Open Tuesday – Friday 11h00 -18h00, weekends 10h30- 19h00.Address: Venezuela 1283 andEsmeraldas. Phone: 2950923

SAN DIEGO CONVENTThe Saint Francis congregation builtthis church to provide the priests andlaymen with a place of retreat. Alongthe corridors are paintings datingback to the XVII C, which had beencovered with lime for years and arenow being restored. A genuine man-ifestation of syncretism! Open every day 09h30-13h00 and14h30-17h00. Phone: 295 2516.Admission fee: $2.00.

EL PANECILLOMany historical happenings tookplace on this natural hill that standsin Quito. “Panecillo” means “littlebread” referring to its peculiar sizeand shape. The Virgin that stands onthe hill, which consists of 7,000pieces of aluminum, is a modern

representation of the famous“Virgen de Quito”, the uniquewinged dancing Virgin conceived byBernardo Legarda in the XVII centu-ry. (The original masterpiece can beseen at the main altar of the SanFrancisco Church). There is a bal-cony in the upper part that providesa beautiful view of the city. OpenMonday thru Thursday 9h00-18h00, Friday thru Sunday 9h00-21h00. The entrance fee to the inte-rior of the monument is $1 foradults, $0.50 for children.

INTERESTING PLACES INTHE NORTH OF QUITOTELEFERIQOQuito’s TeleferiQo (cable cars) islocated on Cruz Loma, one of thehills on the slopes of the activePichincha volcano (15,000 ft). Thecable cars take off at 9,680 ft andreach 13,287 ft in 8 – 10 min! If youare lucky enough to get one of thoseclear summer days, you can see thecity at your feet and the Andeanmountain range in all its splendor!When reaching the top, because ofthe altitude, make sure to take iteasy! If you are adventurous, you canclimb to the summit of the “RucuPichincha”. The cost of the cable caris $8.50 roundtrip. Open everydayfrom 8h00 to 20h00.

At the foot ofTeleferiQo you canenjoy VulQano Park,offering carts, rollercoasters and otherexciting games.

GUAYASAMÍNHOUSE - MUSEUM AND “LA CAPILLA DELHOMBRE”A stop at this museumis a must for any visi-tor to Quito. It is locat-ed in the originalhouse where thefamous Ecuadorian

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ANHALZER-VALDIVIESOCOLLECTIONThe showrooms of the Anhalzer-Valdivieso Collection offer visitorsan image of the splendor of ancientEcuador, with a selected presenta-tion of archeology, popular and colo-nial art. Open Monday thru Fridayfrom 9h00 to 19h00. Saturday from10h00 to 18h00. Address: ColónAve. E10-53. Phone: 25-41315.

QUITO BOTANICAL GARDENExplore the fascinating world ofplants! This garden displays morethan 1,200 orchid species, along withother unique flora species of Ecuador!It is located at Rumipamba St. inside“La Carolina” Park. Open Monday thruFriday from 8h00 to 17h00.Weekends 9h00 to 17h00. Admissionfee: $3.50 adults, $2 children.

LA MARISCAL“La Mariscal” can be considered theentertainment district of Quito, whereyou find a variety of restaurants,bars, cafes, internet cafes, Spanishschools, and a large range of hostingoptions. This area is highlighted onthe Quito map in a red square. PlazaEl Quinde (Reina Victoria and Foch)is one of the most popular meetingpoints for both Ecuadorians andtourists. Every Wednesday night at20h30 live music presentations takeplace at this charming Plaza.

GALERIA ECUADOR GOURMETThis unique Galeria holds exclusivequality products 100% made inEcuador. It also includes a cafeteria.Address: Reina Victoria N24-263 &Lizardo Garcia. Phone: 2239469 / 2258440.E-mail: [email protected]

MERCADO ARTESANALThis typical handicraft market offers avariety of handicrafts from all over thecountry for excellent prices, dis-played in more than 100 colorfulstands. If you are not able to visit theOtavalo indigenous market in the

GUÁPULO CHURCHThis sanctuary is located in a littlevillage 1.5 miles heading down fromthe Hotel Quito. The sanctuary canbe reached by car in about 10 min-utes or you can walk down a colonialstone paved path which was theroute followed by Francisco deOrellana on his exploration that leadto the discovery of the AmazonRiver. The facade and the dome ofthe church have a simple neoclassicstyle. The main altar painted byMiguel de Santiago and the imageof our Lady of Guadalupe by Diegode Robles are original masterpieces.Many consider the pulpit carved bythe indigenous sculptor Menacho asthe most beautiful in America. OpenMonday thru Saturday 09h00 to12h30 and 15h00 to 18h00. Phone:256 5652. Entrance fee: US$1.50.

CENTRAL BANK MUSEUMThis museum is located at the “Casade la Cultura” on 6 de Diciembre andPatria Avenues. Pre-Colonial, Colonialand contemporary art appear in 1,417pieces exhibited permanently and intemporary displays. It also presents anopportunity to learn about the origin,evolution and history of Ecuador.

Visiting hours: Tuesday thru Friday09h00 to 17h00/ Weekends and hol-idays 10h00 to 16h00. Free Admission. Guide service avail-able. Phone: 222-3258.

MODERN ART AND MUSICALINSTRUMENTS MUSEUMAs you enter the museum, you firstencounter an important collection ofEcuadorian paintings from the XIXcentury with a variety of themes andstyles: religion, portraits, landscapes,among others. Continuing the visit,you can find important works of art bysome of the most renowned Ecua -dorian artists: Oswaldo Guayasamín,Eduardo Kingman, and Camilo Egas,among others. Following this is theMusical Instruments Museum. Manyof the displayed instruments date topre-Columbian times. Next to thisexhibit you can find an importantethnographic display of the differentindigenous communities of theEcuadorian Andes.Address: Los Espejos Bldg, locatedbetween: 6 de Diciembre, 12 deOctubre and Patria Avenues. There isan entrance at each of the avenues.

Open Tuesday thru Friday from 9h00to 13h00 and from 14h00 to 17h00 /Saturdays from 10h00 to 14h00.

EL EJIDO PARKIt is located at the intersection ofPatria and Amazonas Avenues. If youlike contemporary art, this is theplace to be on weekends. A walk inthe park will bring you face to facewith beautiful paintings and otherhandicrafts. You may bargain withthe artists to get reasonable prices.

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“robot” that reproduces images fromthe original walls of one of the burialchambers on a screen so that visitorscan closely admire the traces of theoriginal structure of the chambers.The complex includes a small muse-um that exhibits original objectsfound in the burial chambers. Someof the most impressive pieces arethe spondylus ponchos, which wereworn by only a few of the buried bod-ies of hierarchical importance.Address: Calle Antonio Costa,between Román and Fernando CorralSt., at the San Vicente de La Floridaneighborhood in Northern Quito.Open: Wednesdays thru Sundaysfrom 8h00-16h30. Free admission.

SURROUNDINGSTHE MONUMENT ON THE EQUATORIt is located approximately 20 min-utes away from Quito, at San Antoniode Pichincha. The “Mitad del MundoCity” surrounding the monumentincludes several restaurants andfolklore shops, museums about themissions that measured the Earth,the “Solar Culture Museum” (with adisplay of the latest investigationsabout the real middle of the world),and a Planetarium. Inside the monu-ment is an interesting EthnicMuseum. You can shop and placeone foot on the northern Hemisphereand the other on the southernHemisphere. Entrance fee to the

Imbabura province, this market inQuito is a must. It is located at JorgeWashington St. between ReinaVictoria and Juan Leon Mera St. Openevery day from 10h00 to 19h00.

MINDALAE - ETHNO-HISTORICMUSEUM OF HANDICRAFTS“Mindalae” is the pre-Hispanic nameof the indigenous tradesman who,with his basket tied to his back,walked long distances carrying mer-chandise to offer at the popular mar-ket called “tianguez”. The secondfloor of the museum holds an exhibitof utensils from Amazonian cultures,as well as handicrafts are availablefor sale. The third floor presents adisplay of the origins of the naturalfibers used in textiles, such as seedsand wood from native trees. Finally,at the fourth floor, the museum holdsa demonstration of indigenous skillsin textile production.

Open Monday thru Saturday from9h30 to 17h30. Sundays from10h30 to 16h30. Located at the cor-ner of Reina Victoria and La Niña St.Admission fee: $3 general, $1.50students and senior citizens.

ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITESRUMIPAMBAARCHAEOLOGICALAND ECOLOGICAL PARK The most antique stone walls foundin Quito are those of RumipambaPark, a 32- hectare complex locatedin a former private hacienda, now inthe heart of the city of Quito. Thewalls date back to 400 AD. Rumimeans stone and pamba, pampas orplains. Rumipamba has some hugestones from the last important erup-tion of the nearby Guagua Pichinchavolcano, which took place in 1660.The Rumipamba site includes a gullythat has become a niche for flora andfauna, especially birds. Several floraspecies including trees, medicinalplants, fruits and others, are foundinside the park. It also includes a“culunco”, which is an antique roadconnecting the highlands with thecoast for the commercialization of

products. These roads date back tothe Yumbo culture, a pre- Incan civi-lization that inhabited the cloudforests surrounding Quito.Address: between Occidental,América and Mariana de JesúsAvenues (North West)Open: Wednesdays thru Sundaysfrom 8h00-16h00. Free admission.

LA FLORIDA BURIALCHAMBERSLa Florida Burial Chambers dateback to 220 – 640 AD, belonging tothe Quitus culture.

To this day, the FONSAL has excavat-ed 10 burial chambers, which are15- 17 meters (49– 56 ft) deep and2 meters (6.5 ft) in diameter. Largeamounts of amazing ceramics,spondylus and other shells, jewelry,wooden objects and gold were foundin the chambers alongside hundredsof bodies. The funeral architecturereflects the cosmovision of theQuitus: the human bodies were givenback to Mother Earth’s womb.

In order to present the archaeologicalfindings in a didactic manner, theFONSAL has done a great job ofreproducing one of the burial cham-bers with 16 bodies and their respec-tive ritual objects. The replica of thefaces was done by experts through asystematic reproduction based on theskulls called “forensic medicine”.Moreover, the FONSAL has placed a

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“Middle of the World City” is $2.00,to the Ethnic Museum $3.00, to thePlanetarium $1.50. Visiting hours:Monday thru Thursday 09h00-18h00, Friday, Saturday and Sunday09h00-19h00. Phone: 239 4804

INTI-ÑAN SOLAR MUSEUMLocated 200 meters (650 feet) northof the Middle of the World roundabouton Autopista Manuel Córdova Galarza,this didactic in situ museum allowsfor visitors to witness and participatein several experiments that give evi-dence to the fact of being exactly atLatitude 0. Visitors can stand an eggon a nail, witness firsthand theCoriolis effect in the Northern andSouthern hemispheres only a fewmeters away, feel the loss of balancewhen walking along the Equator line,along with other entertaining andimpressive experiences, possible onlyat the Middle of the World! You canalso stamp your passport to docu-ment your visit to Latitude 0.

Furthermore, the museum alsoholds a Solar Clock, anAnthropological Totemic Forest ofthe Andean cultures, typical huts ofpre- Hispanic cultures of theregion, didactic samples ofEcuadorian cultures, as well asnative flora and fauna.

Open Monday thru Sunday from9h30 to 17h30. Phone: 2395122.English speaking guides are avail-able. Guided visit: $3 adults, $1.50children. For more information visitwww.museointinan.com.ec

SURROUNDING VALLEYSThe mountains and cliffs surroundingQuito make it difficult for the city tospread out to the sides, thus, it hasexpanded to the surrounding valleys:Cumbaya, Tumbaco and Los Chillos.Little more than a decade ago, thesevalleys consisted mostly of open pas-tures and country cottages. Now theyoffer all the commodities of a moderncity: supermarkets, malls, schools,universities, hospitals, restaurants,good lodging and even movie the-aters, but they fortunately have main-tained their rustic charm and decid-edly slower pace than Quito.

Only a few kilometers from thebustling city, but several hundredmeters below, the valleys providewarmer weather and a relaxed ruralfeeling, preferred by young familiesand many foreigners who live andwork in Quito.

TULIPE ARCHAEOLOGICALSITE-MUSEUMTulipe was built by the Yumbo peo-ple, who inhabited the north andnorthwestern valleys and mountainsaround Quito from around 800 to1660 AD. It’s thought that the Yumbopeople migrated to the Amazon after

a great eruption of the PichinchaVolcano in 1660, and this theory iscurrently being investigated.

Although disregarded by the Spanishchroniclers and subsequent histori-ans, the site at Tulipe, as well as the2,000 pyramids and mounds nowunearthed, point to an importantnation. It’s thought that it controlledthe crucial trade route between thePacific coast, the Andes and theAmazon to the east. The remains atTulipe suggests it was the civiliza-tion’s main ceremonial site. It ismade up of eight structures, one ofwhich one is of Incan construction,as the conquering Incas built theirtemple on top of the existing one.Water played a primordial role atTulipe, with many pools reflecting itsceremonial importance.

The “Yumbo People InterpretationCentre” houses didactic informa-tion on the site and the Yumbos,and is the starting point for futureinvestigations.

Open Wednesday thru Sunday from09h00 to 17h00. Located betweenthe towns of Nanegalito and Gualea,on the main road Calacali-LaIndependencia, which heads north-west from Quito. Take the sign-post-ed road on the right soon after thesmall town of Nanegalito.

Phone: 285-0635. Admission fee:$3 adults, $1 children and students.

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EXHIBITSOpen until Tuesday, May 21st “DA VINCI, THE INVENTOR”

More than 60 inventions and artpieces are set together to portray themultifaceted genius Da Vinci.* Place: Museo Interactivo de Ciencia Admission fee: $8.50 - $11

Open until Tuesday, June 22nd “Homo Enagenoidius” byDavid Celi *Place: Asociación Humbolt Free admission

THEATERThursdays, Fridays and Saturdays –20h30 / Sundays – 18h30“Lisistrata: A Love Strike forPeace”*Place: Patio de ComediasAdmission fee: $12 general, $8 stu-dents, $5 senior citizens

Wednesday, May 8th andWednesday, May 15th – 20h30“Silence Zone”*Place: Patio de ComediasAdmission fee: $5

Thursday, May 9th thru Saturday,May 18th / Thurs-Saturdays – 20h00Mama Prometea: Theology of

Evolution*Place:AsociaciónHumboldtAdmission fee:general $10, Thursdays $5

Wednesday, May 22nd andWednesday, May 29th – 20h30“The Re- Sale”*Place: Patio de ComediasAdmission fee: $5

MUSIC Friday, May 3rd – 19h30Armónico Simple *Place: Teatro Nacional SucreAdmission fee: $5

Friday, May 3rd – 20h00Chamber Music*Place: Casa de la Música Admission Fee: $5

Saturday, May 4th – 19h30Cirque del Shay – MichaelShay and friends*Place: Teatro Nacional SucreAdmission fee: $10

Tuesday, May 14th – 19h30Jazz Concert*Place: Casa de la Música Admission fee: $ 5

Thursday, May 16th – 20h00The King’s SingersBritish Choral Group*Place: Casa de la Música

Admission fee: $ 60

Sunday, May 19th – 17h00Movie Music ConcertBy Big Band and the National MusicConservatory Chorus*Place: Casa de la MúsicaAdmission fee: $5

Monday, May 20th – 18h30Violoncello recital*Place: Casa de la MúsicaFree admission

Tuesday, May 21st – 19h30Brazilian Music Cycle*Place: Casa de la MúsicaAdmission fee: $5

Wednesday 22nd – 19h30Violin and piano recital*Place: Casa de la MúsicaAdmission fee: $5

Thursday, May 23rd – 20h00Ecuadorian Music ConcertAndean Instruments Orchestra*Place: Casa de la MúsicaAdmission fee: $ 5

Friday, May 31st – 20h00National Symphonic Orchestra *Place: Casa de la Música

SPECIAL EVENTSSunday, May 18th – 11h00Conference: Valdivia Figurines*Place: Museo Casa del Alabado Free admission

* ADDRESSES:• Museo Interactivo de Ciencia:

Chimbacalle neighborhood, Tababela street Oe1-60 P: (+593 2) 261 6220

• Aso. Humboldt:Vancouver E5-54 & Polonia. P: (+593 2) 223 6910 / 254 8480

• Patio de Comedias: 18 deSeptiembre E4-26 y 9 de OctubreP: (+593 2) 256 1902

• Teatro Nacional Sucre: Manabí N8-131 between Guayaquil &Flores. P: (+593-2) 295-1661.

• Casa de la Música:Valderrama s/n & Av. Mariana deJesús (Hosp. Metropolitano)P: (+593 2) 226 1965

• Museo Casa del Alabado:Cuenca 335 & Bolívar

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Stubel Suites & Cafe is strategically located in Quito, just a few minutes from the historical down town area, as from the shopping and bank areas. We offer a homely, modern and relaxing experience to the guests that visit us either for business or pleasure.

We offer an ambience of relaxation for all your most important senses from the vision, with the best view of the oriental valley, to your palate with our delicious menu of national and international cuisine in the Cafe Stubel.

We invite you to enjoy our facilities and the warm service of our staff.

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Traditional food

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FOOD & DRINKS - QUITO

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• CITY TOUR PASS (Daily- Semi private ) $ 35.00(5 hours) Guapulo + Plaza Grande + San FranciscoPanecilo hill + Line Equator + Teleferico

• COTOPAXI or OTAVALO or MINDO or PAPALLACTA $ 65.00(8 Hours - Daily- Semi private)

• OVER NIGHT TOURS (2 Days-Daily ) $ 240.00RIOBAMBA with train and HighlandsBAÑOS with Cotopaxi and waterfallsOTAVALO with Ibarra and CotacachiMINDO with Cloud Forest and Cannopy

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photograph: PETE OXFORDcourtesy of HACIENDA YANAHURCOQUILINDAÑA VOLCANO - YANAHURCO

CENTRALANDES

Cozy hostels and beautiful tradition-al haciendas in the region offer com-fortable lodging and numerous activ-ities such as horseback riding, bik-ing, trekking, and visits to typicalcountry villages, nearby rose planta-tions and local markets.

The Saquisili weekly market (closeto Latacunga) is the one of the mostexhilarating in the region. EveryThursday hundreds of indigenouspeople fill the streets to sell theircolorful handicrafts as well as theirfresh crops and livestock.

Further south, taking a right from thecity of Latacunga, riding through anextraordinary view of dense patch-work fields, the imposing Quilotoacrater strikes the visitors’ eye with itsextraordinary turquoise water. Thehike from the border of the crater(11,840 ft) to the lake at the bottom

The Avenue of the Volcanoes South of Quito, the two parallelchains of the Andes that crossEcuador from north to south rise totheir most dramatic peaks. Duringhis visit to South America in 1802,the German explorer Alexander vonHumboldt (XIX C) called this sectionof the Ecuadorian Sierra “TheAvenue of the Volcanoes”. Eight ofEcuador’s ten highest summits arefound in this part of the country.

COTOPAXI PROVINCEOn a clear day, from Quito you can seethe perfectly symmetrical coneshaped Cotopaxi (19,347 ft), the high-est active volcano in the world. Thissnow-capped volcano and its sur-

roundings make up the CotopaxiNational Park. This park offers numer-ous activities for adventurers andnature lovers, all immersed in animposing geological landscape.

Although Cotopaxi has had at leastten major eruptions since 1742, it’sbeen fairly quit since its last burst ofactivity in 1904.

Today, it is Ecuador’s favorite climb.Some of the highlights in thisNational Park are: the Rumiñahuivolcano (15,600 ft.), and theLimpiopungo and Santo Domingolagoons. In both lagoons it is possi-ble to see the reflection of the sur-rounding volcanoes.

The Cotopaxi National Park is hometo white-tailed deer, rabbits, lamas,Andean foxes and pumas, and overninety species of birds.

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Pujilí Indigenous Market

Centro Artesanal Rumipamba

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population. The Religious ArtMuseum “Madres Conceptas” andthe Science Museum of theMaldonado School are definitelyworth visiting.

The history of Riobamba is markedby the fact that it is the link betweenthe Coast and the Highlands.

Riobamba's importance in the lastfew centuries was highly due to thepresence of the train station, themain means of communication inEcuador at the time.

Today, the train is no longer animportant means of transportation,but is a unique tourist attraction.From the Riobamba station, thetrain departs to the most impres-sive track of the railway through the“Avenue of the Volcanoes”, whichends up at the “Nariz del Diablo”(Devil’s Nose).

(7,446 ft) is approximately 30 min-utes; we recommend that you hire amule on the way back. The nearbyZumbahua town has a very interestingSaturday morning market. Close tothe town of Pujilí is the village ofTigua, where many artisans aredevoted to the naive art painted onsheep hides, depicting daily lifescenes, legends and village fiestasagainst a bright background of col-ored mountains and fields. Thesenaive paintings can be found forsale mostly all around the country,and are locally known as Tiguapaintings.

TUNGURAHUAPROVINCEThe town of Baños is probably themost charming tourist destinationin this province. It is located at thefoot of the Tungurahua active vol-cano (16,500 ft). The town ofBaños is a favorite spot for nationaland international tourists. Its pleas-ant sub tropical climate and itsextraordinary landscape and vege-tation are very welcoming. Baños isconsidered the gate to theEcuadorian Amazonia, as it is nes-tled between the volcano and therain forest. The city has plenty oftourist information, and severalagencies offer adventure sports.For years, Baños has been theplace where Ecuadorians make pil-grimages to honor “Our Lady of theHoly Water”. The walls of theBasilica are covered with paintingsdepicting miracles that are creditedto this Virgin.

The town has several hostels foryoung adventure tourists, but thebest accommodations are offered bySamari SPA Resort and Luna RuntunAdventure SPA.

CHIMBORAZO PROVINCEChimborazo is the highestEcuadorian peak (20.702 feet), andthe third highest in America.

Moreover, the summit ofChimborazo is the furthest pointfrom the center of the Earth, as it iscrossed by the Equatorial line,where the Earth is wider.Chimborazo is the “Colossus” ofthe mountains of the region, but ona clear day, other impressive snow-capped mountains can be admired:the Altar, the Carihuairazo, and theSangay volcanoes.

Chimborazo province has the largestconcentration of indigenous peoplein Ecuador. These communitiesworshiped the Chimborazo as a god.Many of them still preserve their wayof life, dress, food, and traditions.

Riobamba is the capital city of theprovince. From here, it is possible toarrange trips to the surroundingmountains. In the city, one encoun-ters indigenous people sharing withmestizos and a minority of white

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SOUTHERNANDES

the city in 1548 at the “Cuxibamba”valley. “Cuxibamba” is the indige-nous name of the valley.

Loja’s indigenous population main-tains ancestral traditions and cus-toms. The city of Loja has an impor-tant cultural community.

Musicians, poets and other writersare nestled within the city. Loja had alarge affluence of scientists duringthe XVII – XIX century, and so itappears in old European maps as“Nambixa”.

Surrounded by rivers that flow to theAmazonia or the Pacific Ocean, onefinds several green valleys withwarm, fresh and dry weather (64degrees Fahrenheit and higher),such as the Vilcabamba, Malacatos,Quinara and Catacocha Valleys.

The southern sierra is made up ofCañar, Loja and Azuay Provinces.

Some of the reasons for visitingthese three provinces are the Incanruins of Ingapirca, the valley ofVilcabamba and the historic districtof Cuenca.

The Southern Sierra of Ecuador is afavorite spot for birdwatchers, espe-cially the Cajas and PodocarpusNational Parks.

CAÑAR PROVINCE Cañar is rich in history. This regionwas inhabited by the Cañari culturefrom which it took its name. Cañarboasts the most important prehis-panic monument of the country, theIngapirca Inca Vestiges. Locatedabout an hour and 45 minutes fromCuenca, these ruins are the most

important architectural legacy of theIncas in Ecuador. Ingapirca means“Incas stone wall”. The vast archeo-logical complex includes a rooflessfortification, courtyards, terraces,temples, houses and a “castle,”possibly the “Temple to the Sun.”The entrance fee is 5 dollars. Amuseum is now open at the site, withboth archeological and ethnographicdisplays as well as a scale model ofthe ruins. Entrance fee is US$6. Anexcellent option is to stay overnightat the charming Posada Ingapirca(see page 59).

Phone: (07) 2827-401/ (07) 2831-120.

LOJA PROVINCEBoth the province and its capital cityowe their name to the SpaniardAlonso de Mercadillo, who founded

PHOTOGRAPH: FRANCISCO CAIZAPANTA - FPTECOURTESY OF MINISTRY OF TOURISMALAUSI

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CUENCA

perched along the banks of the fourdifferent rivers that run through andaround the city (Tarqui, Yanucay,Tomebamba and Machángara).

One of the highlights are the beau-tiful handicrafts that can be foundthroughout the city, includingembroidered blouses, woolsweaters, gold and silver filigreejewelry and weavings with tie-dyedpatterns called ikat. Cuenca is alsoknown for its elegant ceramic dish-es and pottery. Crafts and freshproducts can be found on sale atthe weekly Thursday fair, or thesmaller Saturday market, located atthe plazas of 9 de Octubre and 10de Agosto.

A leading industry in Cuenca and itssurrounding areas is the manufactureof straw hats. A common miscon-ception among many people is thePanama hat. Originally made in

A CulturalTreasure inthe Andes

Ecuadorians consider Cuenca themost charming city, located in apeaceful and relaxing setting. Asyou enter the city you can enjoy theoutstanding skyline marked by shin-ing church domes. Cuenca’s cob-blestone streets, winding rivers,graceful ironwork balconies, andbeautiful gardens are part of thepleasant atmosphere of this histori-cal city. UNESCO declared Cuenca aWorld Cultural Heritage Site inDecember 1999.

The city was first called“Guapondelig”, which in the Cañarilanguage means “a plain as big as

the sky”. The Cañaris were theindigenous group that lived in theregion before the arrival of the Incas.In the last decades of the XV centu-ry, the Incas built the city of“Tumipamba” (“Tumi” meaningridge and “pamba” meaning plain),over this Cañari settlement. Thiscity was located along the Incahighway that joined Cusco withQuito. When the Spanish arrived,they called the city “Tomebamba”.Finally, it was baptized as the city of“Santa Ana de los Cuatro Ríos deCuenca” (Santa Ana of the FourRivers of Cuenca). Cuenca stands8,315 feet above sea level, it is thecapital of the Azuay province andthe third largest city in Ecuador.

The colonial past from the days ofthe Spanish Empire are ever presentin the artistry of the churches, con-vents and religious treasures. Manyof the beautiful houses are found

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Hermano Miguel streets. Visitinghours: Monday - Friday: 9h00-13h00 and 14h30 – 18h00.Saturday 10h00-12h00.

LAS CONCEPTAS MUSEUMHere you will find a great collectionof religious art. It exhibits 64 paint-ings, and more than 200 sculptures,toys, furniture and other samples ofcraftsmanship.Address: 633 Hermano Miguel St. Visiting hours: Monday to Friday:9h00 -13h00 and 14h30- 18h30Saturday 10h00-13h00. Admissionfee: US$ 2.

MODERN ART MUSEUMHolding a permanent collection ofcontemporary art, there are alsomany artistic activities available forchildren. The museum additionallyhosts the Biannual InternationalPainting Competition.It is located on 1527 Calle Sucre andCoronel Talbot. Visiting hours:Mondays thru Fridays, 9h00 - 13h00and 15h00 – 19h30. Saturdays andSundays 9h00 - 13h00. Free admission.Phone: 283 1027 / 282 0838.

ESQUELETOLOGÍA MUSEUMBolívar 6-57 & Borrero streets.Visiting hours: Monday-Friday:10h00 -13h00 / 16h00-19h00.Saturday 10h00 - 14h30. Entrancefee is $1,50. Phone: 2821150.

NATIVE CULTURES MUSEUMThis museum was built as a homageto the Ecuadorian indigenous cul-tures and their 15,000 years of exis-tence. It holds archaeological piecesfrom the first indigenous civilizationsin Ecuador up to those that lived inthe XVI century, in more than 5,000impressive pieces. The museum works in a one-floorantique house that is a cultural-architectonic heritage of the city,built in the XVIII century. In the backof the house one finds this museum,with a private collection that belongsto Dr. Juan Cordero. There are guidesin English, as well as the explanationof the pieces.

Montecristi, on the coast of Ecuador,the hats were sent north to the work-ers of the Panama Canal and hencethe name Panama hat.

INTERESTING SITESEL BARRANCOThe riverfront of the Tomebamba Riveris the most symbolic site of Cuenca,and serves as the border between thehistorical and the modern city.

The Classical Republican style of thefacades of the constructions thatsurround the river give a special per-sonality to the city. El Barranco is aresidential area, as well as a culturaldistrict. The Pumapungo Ruins, theCentral Bank and Remigio CrespoToral Museums, the “Todos losSantos” vestiges, and other sitesalong this riverfront offer cultural andartistic exhibits.

PUMAPUNGO VESTIGESLocated at the left margin of ElBarranco, the Pumapungo (“Puma’sDoor”) neighborhood was the firstdeveloped zone of the Inca city ofTumipamba. The architectural ele-ments of the vestiges of this neigh-borhood show that it was mainly areligious, military, political andadministrative center. The vestigesof Pumapungo include walls, chan-nels, cobblestone corridors, isolated

enclosed areas, an enormous chan-nel, 1,050 feet of length, with someinternal bathrooms, a mausoleumwithin a tunnel, etc. All this is sur-rounded by terraces that were usedfor agriculture. This archaeologicalcomplex is complemented with gar-dens of native plants and a smalldisplay of birds of the region. It ispart of the Central Bank Museum,located on Huayna Capac Ave.across from Calle Larga.

It also includes an archeological muse-um, a numismatic museum (coins),and a very didactical and up-to-dateethnographic display. Visiting hoursMonday thru Friday 9h00 -17h00.Saturdays 9h00 -13h00. Entrance feeis $3 for adults and $1.50 for children /students / special groups.

THE RUINS OFTODOS LOS SANTOSFollow the Todos Los Santos Streetdown the hill. This site has ruins ofCañari, Incan and colonial Spanishconstructions. Here you will find thefour Incas stonework niches.

CIDAP ARTES POPULARESDE AMERICA MUSEUMThis museum is devoted to thehandicrafts of South America. It con-tains art, crafts and beautiful folklorepieces on temporary exhibitions.Address: 3 de Noviembre and

PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF VICTOR LARCO ALDAZ

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that belong to the original construc-tion. Priests’ garmets are on exhibit.What calls more the attention arelife-size sculptures of Jesus and his12 apostles, which were manufac-tured in the year 1900 by theCuencan artist Pablo Luis Alvarado.The pieces are light weight becausethey were used for processions.

The pulpit’s handrail is worth admir-ing because it has the shape ofhuman ribs to symbolize Jesus’ pas-sion. It was done by the Cuencansculpturer Sangurima (XIX C).

What also calls one’s attention is the“Piedad”, a copy of the original byMiguel Angel in Rome, done by theCuencan sculpturer José MiguelVélez in the XIX C.

The organ from the back was brought from Germany in 1739.

Open Monday thru Friday from 9h00to 13h00 and from 13h30 to 17h50.Weekends from 10h00 to 13h00.Admission fee: $2Address: corner of Mariscal Sucre &Luis Cordero. Phone: 2834636.

CATHEDRAL OF THEIMMACULATE CONCEPTION(NEW CATHEDRAL)This Cathedral’s construction beganin 1880, and is one of the largest ofAmerica. The Cathedral is made of

Address: Calle Larga 5-24 (7121 &Luis Cordero) / Phone: 283 9181/2841540. Open Monday- Friday8h30-18h00, weekends from 9h00-15h00. Admission fee: $2.

EDUARDO VEGA’S WORKSHOP AND GALLERYOn the hill of Turi, overlooking thecity, 10 minutes by car from down-town Cuenca, is a beautiful placewhere the reknowned Ecuadorianartist Eduardo Vega has his house,workshop and gallery. Visitors canadmire his latest creations in artisticceramics, ranging from mugs,plaques, jewelry, and plates as wellas wonderful murals that show thelushness of the Ecuadorian land-scape & traditional costumes. Youcan also find good books and com-plimentary coffee and biscuits.Open: Mon-Fri 9h00 -17h30, Sat9h30- 13h30.

LA ESQUINA DE LAS ARTES

Is a commercial and cultural centerfor the promotion of the arts.Distinguished designers, artists andartisans have gathered to reveal thedifferent processes involved in thecreation of their products, whichinclude ceramics, wood crafts, tex-tiles, glass, embroidery, jewelrystraw hats and fashion accessories.

Open Monday thru Saturday from10h00 thru 19h30, Sunday from10h00 to 14h00. Address: ElBarranco / Av. 12 de Abril y AgustinCueva. Phone: 0999978966. OnSaturdays from 17h00 to 18h00enjoy live music and folkloric dance.www.laesquinadelasartes.com

THE SAGRARIO CHURCH (OLD CATHEDRAL)It is one of the oldest churches inLatin America (1557). Inca blocksfrom the Pomango Palace were usedin its construction. It has marblefloors and a gold-leaf altar. TheGeodesic Mission used this place asa reference point to calculate theEarth’s circumference.

It does not serve as a Cathedral since1981, and now houses a religiousmuseum. You can ask for a guide atthe entrance for an explanation of thedetails. You can observe part of theoriginal frescos, as well as somemetal friezes brought from France

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alabaster and marble. Its floor ismade of pink marble imported fromCarrara, Italy. Both Romance andBaroque styles are prominent in itsarchitecture. The stained-glass win-dows stand out for their beauty. Address: corner of Mariscal Sucre &Benigno Malo.

CHURCH AND MONASTERY OF“EL CARMEN DE ASUNCIÓN”Both have been preserved in theiroriginal XVII century condition. Aremarkable treasury of religious artpieces can be found here. TheMonastery is closed to the public,but one can communicate with thenuns at the entrance and buy tradi-tional handicrafts they produce. It islocated near the main square, to theright of the daily flower market.

FLOWER MARKETIt is open every day. Most of thevendors are cholas cuencanas. Themarket is a demonstration of thenatural richness of the areathroughout the year.

TODOS LOS SANTOS CHURCHThis is one of the oldest churches inCuenca. It is also where the firstCatholic mass was celebrated afterthe Spaniards arrived. The statue ofSanta Ana, patron saint of the city, isfound here.

During the end of the XIX century, itwas replaced with the church thatcurrently stands. Address: corner ofCalle Larga and Bajada de Todos LosSantos.

MUSEUM OF THE CONCEPTASThe museum is located in amonastery that dates back to the XVIcentury. It was one of the fist monas-teries that were founded in the city ofCuenca, 42 years after the founda-tion of the city. Its interior gardensare beautiful and peaceful. Currently,the museum holds several exhibitrooms where one finds Nativityscenes, religious pieces and colo-nial time furniture. Many of thepaintings had didactical purposes

for the “unfaithful of the New World”.The Christ sculptures belong to thesculpturer Sangurima, who lived inCuenca at the end of the XIX centu-ry. They have the left over the rightfoot, characteristic of this author’sChrist figures. Also in exhibit is aroom that tells of life in a monastery,close to where a cloister still works.

Address: Hermano Miguel 633 &Juan Jaramillo.Museum open Monday thru Fridayfrom 9h00 - 18h30 and Saturdaysfrom 10h00 - 13h00. Admission fee:$2.50 adults, $1.50 children.Phone: 2830625.

HANDICRAFTS ROUTEPOTTERYA place where potters still congre-gate to work is the “Convención del45”, located at the west side of thecity, on the outskirts of the colonialcask area.

JEWELRYA very important handicraft in thisarea because Cuenca is locatedclose to gold and silver mines.Jewelry shops are located along the“Gran Colombia” street.

WEAVINGSSeveral artisans in Cuenca are dedi-cated to manufacturing traditionalclothing such as ponchos, skirts,flannels, dresses, embroideredblouses, wool sweaters and weavingswith tie-dyed patterns called “ikat”.

BASKET SEWINGBaskets and other utilitarian prod-ucts are displayed mainly in the SanJoaquin Parish.

SMITHYThe workers keep the tradition ofworking the iron directly with firealive. The smithy neighborhood is arecommended place to visit.

TINSMITH’SOn the way up to the “Vado” areasome tinsmith’s workshops can befound. The products have designsthat tell of the blend of cultures thatcharacterizes Cuenca.

TOQUILLA STRAW HATSMost of the “cholas cuencanas” thatlive in Cuenca and its surroundingsstill wear these hats with a black hat-band. Toquilla straw hat workshopscan be found on the way up to the“Vado” area.

COJITAMBOCOJITAMBO

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CUENCA’SSURROUNDINGSBeyond Cuenca and its cultural andarchitectonic charms, there are manyplaces to visit nearby. Wonderfulnature as well as small towns andparishes that seem stuck in time,reminding us of their early inhabi-tants: the Cañaris and later the Incas.

CAJAS NATIONAL PARKCajas is located 19 miles northwestof Cuenca, at an altitude of 9,000 to13,000 feet above the sea level. Thisis a place for those who love thegreat outdoors. Some of the manythings to do and see are camping,fishing, hiking miles of trails througha scenic preserve, and enjoyingmore than 230 lagoons of glacialorigin. A guided tour of the areaallows one to admire a breathtakinglandscape and unique fauna andflora. Warm clothing is recommend-ed due to the low temperatures(32°F - 47°F).

COJITAMBOApproximately 30 miles from the cityof Cuenca, surrounded by anextraordinary landscape, are theruins of Cojitambo. These construc-tions belonged to the Cañari indige-nous group, who lived in the areabefore the arrival of the Incas. Theruins lay at approximately 10,000feet above sea level.

BAÑOSOnly 5 miles East of Cuenca, youcan find soothing hot spring waters.These thermal waters of volcanicorigin reach the surface with a tem-perature of 158°F and cool down to95°F -104°F.

GUALACEOThis is a subtropical valley, approxi-mately 22 miles away from Cuencatowards the Azogues town. At “ElDescanso” take a right to reachGualaceo. This town is known for itshandicrafts, folklore and a beautifulriver where you can go for a swim.

CHORDELEGLocated 10 minutes from Gualaceo,it is a pre-Incan town where impor-tant archaeological objects can befound. This brilliant culture inhabitedthe area between the years 500 and1500 BC. The artisans offer Ikat pon-chos, pottery, straw hats and jewelry.

This is the place to buy the finestgold and silver filigree at a very rea-sonable price. There is also anexcellent ethnographic museum inthe square in an old courtyard house,where you can see weavers at workand find good shawls, scarves, beltsand embroidery for sale.

NABÓNThis little town is located an hourand a half south of Cuenca in acharming valley. Colorful fields wel-come visitors to a place where peo-ple are always polite and joyful. TheDuma-Para Cañari Ruins are locatedcloseby. This was the place wherethe Cañari Chief Duma was defeatedby the Incas, who then susequentlyruled the land.

At Nabón one also finds the tradition-al Ecuadorian Tequila or Chahuar - mishqui, a very tasty alcoholic drinkthat is produced in an artisan way bylocals. Another attraction at this siteare fine handicrafts made of reed.

OÑAOña is located 103 km south west ofCuenca, 7,870 ft above sea level. Mayis a special month at this site as theSan Felipe Festival takes place on the3rd and the celebration of the town’sestablishment takes place on the 10th.

One of Oña's highlights is the parishof Susudel where people are mostlydedicated to agriculture and handi-crafts. There is a gallery where skill-ful ladies exhibit clothes and otherhandicrafts made of recycled mate -rials and natural textiles.

Susudel has a XVIII Century church,as well as a colonial house thatserves as a Cultural Center wherechildren learn information scienceand have access to the Internet. It’scalled the “House of Paris,” after itslast owner who was French.

NABÓN

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VESTIGES29. The Ruins of Todos los Santos30. Pumapungo Vestiges

MUSEUMS1. Modern Art2. Casa de la Cultura3. CIDAP Artes Populares4. Remigio Crespo Toral5. Medicine History6. Toquilla Straw Museum-Homero Ortega7. Esqueletologia8. Las Conceptas9. Central Bank10. Native Cultures11. Agustin Landivar Museum12. Folklore Institute13. Cañari Identity Museum

CHURCHES14. New Cathedral15. Old Cathedral16. San Alfonso17. La Merced18. Las Conceptas19. Todos los Santos20. El Vergel21. San Blas22. Santo Domingo23. San Francisco24. Santo Cenáculo25. San Sebastián26. Corazón de Jesús27. María Auxiliadora28. Turi

HANDICRAFTS31. Casa de la Mujer32. Plaza Rotary33. Mama Kinua Cultural Center34. San Francisco35. Plaza del Otorongo36. Ceramics37. Concuero (Leather Goods)38. Homero Ortega (Toquilla Straw Hats)39. Typical Clothing40. Smithery60. Esquina de las Artes Shopping

PARKS41. Abdón Calderón42. Plazoleta Victor J. Cuesta43. Carlos Cueva Park44. Luis Cordero Park45. Mary Corile Park46. San Blas Park47. Plazoleta de las Monjas48. María Auxiliadora Park49. San Sebastián Park50. Plazoleta de Cruz del Vado51. El Paraíso Park52. Parque de la Madre

OTHERS53. Post Office54. Land Terminal55. Airport56. Milenium Plaza Shopping Center57. Mall del Rio58. 9 de Octubre Movie Theater59. Parroquia Baños60. Esquina de las Artes Shopping

61. And E. Vega Gallery62. Cuenca Municipality63. Azuay Province Government64. Tourism Ministry65. Planetarium66. Amaru Zoo

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HOTELS67. Oro Verde68. Crespo69. Mansión Alcázar70. Victoria

FOOD & DRINKS75. Akelarre76. El Pedregal Azteca Restaurant77. Villa Rosa Restaurant78. El Tucuman79. El Jardín Restaurant80. Restaurante Cuatro Ríos

TOURISM INFORMATION81. The Travel Center

71. Carvallo72. Posada del Angel73. Inca Real74. Hosteria Durán

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Direcciòn:

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iòDi

Calle Larga 693 y Borrero Phone: 2831120/2827401 Fax: 2832340 e-mail: [email protected] / www.grupo-santaana.com Cuenca Ecuador

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LAGUNAS DEL COMPADRE

LOJA

large portion of the year, but also hasa gothic church dedicated to her, 43miles from the city.

ATTRACTIONS IN LOJAMAIN SQUAREThe buildings of the main civil andecclesiastic authorities: theProvincial and City Governments,the Episcopal House and theCathedral surround the plaza.Although the original architectureof most of these buildings has beenmodified, they still portray a tasteof the Spanish legacy. The buildingthat houses the Central BankMuseum still preserves its originalarchitecture.

CENTRAL BANK MUSEUMThis museum is most interesting. Itholds an archeological display

History and Botanic CenterThere are two daily flights from Quitoto Loja, overlooking the avenue ofthe volcanoes. One can also take abus from the city of Cuenca for a 4-hour drive with a breathtaking view,but through a winding road. The air-port is located at “La Toma” in theCatamayo valley, 15.5 miles awayfrom the city; an approximately 40minute drive. You can share a taxi tothe city that will charge $12. Thebuses arrive in the center of the city.

The city of Loja stands 6,724 feetabove sea level, with an averagetemperature of 60 to 69 Fahrenheit.

Colorful and lively, with a smallpopulation of approximately150,000 the city has an active cul-tural life and several universities.

Two rivers cross through Loja:Malacatos and Zamora, which give aunique personality to the city. It is oneof the cleanest and safest cities inEcuador. The city has streets, plazas,churches and monasteries from colo-nial times, such as the Cathedral andthe Santo Domingo, San Franciscoand San Sebastian churches.

Most Lojanos are extremely religious.It is common to find religious pro-cessions at the Main Plaza, or some-times even popular bands and fire-works. Lojanos are especially devot-ed to the “Virgen del Cisne” (Virginof the Swan), a sculpture by theEcuadorian Diego de Robles (XVI C),which is kept at the Cathedral for a

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(mainly of the Macara and Catamayocultures), religious art of the XVIIIcentury, an ethnographic exhibit onthe Saraguros, and a small displayon the history and uses of the “quin-ina” plant. The museum also housestemporary exhibits on the first floor,and there is a concert every month.Open Monday thru Friday from 9h00thru 17h00. Free admission. Phone: 2573 004 / 2566 651.

LOURDES STREETA stroll through this street sets you inan old colonial city, especiallybetween Bolivar and Sucre streets.Observe the well preserved woodenbalconies, interior patios, cobble-stone streets… and stop by at thesmall shops where you can find a lit-tle of everything, including handi-crafts. Visit the “Cera” neighborhoodto observe the production of ceramichandicrafts.

MUSEO DE LA MÚSICALocated at Bernardo Valdivieso 09-42 & Rocafuerte. This museum dis-plays musical instruments, notes,pictures and awards of nationallyfamous musicians from Loja. Open

Monday thru Sunday from 8h30 to12h30 and from 15h00 to 19h00.Free admission. Phone: 2561342.

BOTANICAL GARDENAt the South of the city you can finda Botanical Garden that is the onlybotanical garden at 6,560 feet abovesea level in the inter-Andean region.It is over 50 years old and holdsmore than 1.000 plant species. Open Monday thru Friday 8h00-18h00 and Saturdays 9h00 - 18h00.

MALACATOS VALLEYRight to the south of the city, thecharming Malacatos town holds col-orful wooden houses that surround amain square where live music isplayed every Sunday. At this site youcan visit a sugar cane “molienda”.The “moliendas” are open Mondaythru Friday and you can observe theworkers throughout the whole processof manufacturing of raspadura (sugarscraping), using the same machinerythat has been used for generations.

On the way to Vilcabamba, observea hill in the shape of a “sleepingInca”. This hill is called Mandango,

and is believed to have been sacredfor the Incas.

VILCABAMBA VALLEYThis charming valley (at 4,921 ft.)located approximately 1 hour Southfrom Loja city (25 miles) hasbecome a favorite spot for tourists,especially young adventurers ontheir way to or from Peru. The nameVilka Bamba or Huilcopamba means“Sacred Valley” in the indigenoustongue Quechua. This site wasreserved by the Incas for the mainnoble authorities, as it is a peacefuland quiet place. Perhaps this tran-quility is the reason for the old age ofthe valley’s inhabitants. It is com-mon to find healthy people of over100 years of age that live here andstill work in agriculture.

Many investigations have been madeto determine the reason for thelongevity of Vilcabamba’s inhabitants,and some factors have been identified:temperate weather, a water rich inminerals, a diet low in fat and high infiber and magnesium, the peaceful-ness of the valley and extensivephysical activity.

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1 Puerta de la Ciudad.

2 Parque Simón Bolívar - The Simón Bolivar Park.

3 Iglesia de San Francisco - San Francisco's Church.

4 Museo Matilde Hidalgo de Procel - Matilde Hidalgo de Procel museum.

5 Plaza Central o Plaza Mayor de Loja - The Central Square or The largest square of Loja.

6 Iglesia Catedral - Cathedral Church.

Artesanías Handicraft Monumento Monument

Iglesia Church Museo Museum

Información Information Teléfono Telephone

Información turística Tourist information

HISTORICAL AND CULTURALROUTE OF LOJA CITY

People that suffer from heart diseasemove to Vilcabamba to imitate thelifestyle of its inhabitants.

From Vilcabamba you can arrangehorse and bicycle excursionsthroughout the valley or in the near-by access to the PodocarpusNational Park. The Municipality hasopened an information office at thecorner of the main park.

PODOCARPUSNATIONAL PARKThis National Park is located 11miles South of Loja city. The parkwas named after a tree species com-monly known as “Romerillo”(Podocarpus montanus). This is a

gigantic Coniferous that has adaptedto the tropical Andean forests. Thesetrees can reach a height of 131 ft.and live up to 1.000 years. ThePodocarpus or Romerillos is in dan-ger of extinction because of the overexploitation of its valuable wood.Now the trees can be found at theSabanilla region near Loja and at thePodocarpus National Park.

Podocarpus NP holds 3,000 – 4,000plant species and more than 600 birdspecies (including Macaws, Cock ofthe Rock, hummingbirds, toucans,tangaras, etc). It holds endemic birdspecies such as the Jocotoco Antpitta(Grallaria ridgelyi).The park has anarea of 361,452 acres, and has sever-

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7 Museo Arqueológico, Histórico y Colonial del Banco Central - The Archaeological, Historical and Colonial Museum of the Central Bank.

8 Museo de Arte Religioso de las Madres Concepcionistas - The Religious art museum of the “Madres Conceptas”.

9 Museo de la Música - Museum of Music.

10 Plaza e Iglesia de Santo Domingo - Santo Domingo Church and Square

11 Plaza de la Independencia o San Sebastián - The Independence Square or San Sebastián Square

12 Iglesia de San Sebastián - San Sebastian Church.

13 Calle Lourdes - Lourdes Street.

al different ecosystems that rangefrom the Paramo or moorlands at12,073 ft, down to the low mountainforest at 2,952 ft, passing through theevergreen high-mountain and moun-tain forests. Among the plant speciesare: bromeliads, orchids and ferns, aswell as the Mascarilla Chincho-na, theCecropias or Guarumos (Cecropiasp.), and bamboo (Chusquea sp.)

From “El Refugio” it is possible tofollow any of the four followingtrekking routes: “Spectacled Bear”437 yards, “Cloud Forest” 765yards, “View Point” 1 mile or 3miles, up to Sabanilla at 11,482 ft.,and “Compadres Lagoon” 9 mileswhere you can find a fluvial system

made up of 105 lagoons, 3 of whichare easily accessible.

From the Podocarpus NP headingtowards the Zamora province, youwill encounter impressive hill forma-tions, created through a process ofwind and water erosion.

Open every day. The entrance fee tothe park is $10 and $5 for childrenunder 12. It is better to hire a guidein Loja, since there is no informationoffered at the park’s entrances.Phone: 3024837.

TAPICHALACA RESERVEA special site for birdwatchers hasbeen built in the Tapichalaca

Reserve that belongs to theJocotoco Foundation. Tapichalacahas an area of 9,386 acres. It bor-ders the Podocarpus National Parkand is located right nexto to theLoja-Zamora Province border. It isnamed after the Tapichalaca hill.Jocotoco is the common name of abird species (Grallaria ridgelyi)that was recently discovered(1997) at this site. This birdspends more time “walking” on thebushes than flying, and makes asound similar to a dog bark. Thereare bird feeders surrounding thehouse at the entrance to thereserve, where an amazing diversi-ty of hummingbirds of all colorsand sizes welcome visitors.

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Rainfall is seasonal and results inmajor changes for the living organ-isms. Disturbances also add to thehigh dynamics of this ecosystem.

Many hypotheses have been made toexplain the impressively high diversi-ty in tropical rain forests, and eachprovides an insight to better under-stand this complex ecosystem. Thecompetition for resources has ledorganisms to adapt to unique niches,

At first glance, the rain forest is a vastgreen wilderness. However, when oneobserves carefully, this ecosystem isfull of surprises for its visitors. Notonly is each tree very different from thenext, but also for every tree, there arehundreds of other plant and animalspecies in constant interaction.Tropical rain forests occupy 7% of theEarth’s surface, but they hold 50% ofthe world’s biodiversity (Myers 1988;Wilson 1988). These forests are foundin Central America, Africa and Asia,but the biggest area extends through-out the South American Amazon.

To truly take advantage of the rainforest, one must awaken all fivesenses to discover how exotic lifeforms have evolved to live togetherin a minimal amount of land. Theembracing sounds tell of the variousbirds and insects that keep this livingforest in constant change. One mustcarefully observe the many other ani-mal and plant species, as they haveamazing color and texture adapta-tions that can be easily confusedwith the scenery. The various smellstell of the chemicals that the plantshave developed as a defense fromherbivores, and many serve inmedicinal use for humans.

In contrast to what one may think, thesoil of the rain forest is not fertile.The nutrients that supply this exu-

berant ecosystem are the product ofa constant interaction between theliving and dying organisms on thesurface. Decomposition is vital tothe dynamics of the forest. Thus, it isimportant to preserve this ecosystemin its entirety.

The temperature in tropical rainforests is quite stable, with a variationbetween day and night. However, thisecosystem is far from being stable.

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ties are offered by our sponsors.Contact them to immerse yourself ina splendor of life and discover a dif-ferent way to look at the world!

CLIMATE:The climate is precisely the one youwould expect form the rainforest –hot and humid, with plenty of rain.April to July are the wettest months,but you can expect cloudbursts mostdays throughout the year, especiallyduring the early afternoon.

Typical daytime temperatures fluc-tuate around 25ºC (77ºF), eventhough daily highs can reach over32ºC (90ºF).

thus resulting in a number of special-ized and interdependent organisms.

The overwhelming complexity of theforest makes one wonder about theancestral knowledge of the indige-nous inhabitants. These cultureshave passed their knowledge fromgeneration to generation as a way tokeep the secrets hidden in this mag-ical site.

In Ecuador, the East of the Andesfalls into this exuberant ecosystem.Locally the Amazonia is calledOriente, as it lies on the eastern sideof the country. It occupies almosthalf of Ecuador’s territory, however,

it is home to less than five percent ofthe country’s population.

The Ecuadorian Amazon region isbasically divided into NorthernOriente (Sucumbios, Napo andOrellana provinces) and SouthernOriente (Pastaza, Morona Santiagoand Zamora Chinchipe provinces).

The Ecuadorian rainforest is home tonine natural reserves, including thetwo largest mainland protectedareas, Parque Nacional Yasuni andthe Reserva Faunistica Cuyabeno.

Opportunities to visit primary forestsand to interact with local communi-

WHAT TO BRING:• CASUAL AND LIGHT LONG SLEEVE

SHIRTS AND LONG PANTS (BECAUSEOF THE INSECTS AND THE BOUNTI-FUL VEGETATION)

• HIKING OR COMFORTABLE SHOES • BATHING SUIT • RUBBER BOOTS & RAIN PONCHO

(ALTHOUGH MOST FACILITIES HAVERUBBER BOOTS IN SEVERAL SIZESAND RAIN PONCHOS AVAILABLE FORTHEIR GUESTS)

• SUNSCREEN LOTION• INSECT REPELLENT• A HAT• A BACKPACK• A FLASHLIGHT WITH EXTRA BATTERIES• BINOCULARS• CAMERA• WATERPROOF BAGS FOR YOUR

BELONGINGS• CASH (BANKING FACILITIES ARE

POOR IN THE ECUADORIAN ORIENTE)• EMERGENCY SUPPLIES: MOST

LODGES OFFER FIRST-AID KITS, BUTYOU MIGHT WANT TO CARRY YOURPERSONAL KIT. IF YOU ARE ALLERGIC TO INSECTS,DO NOT FORGET THE NECESSARYMEDICATIONS IN CASE YOU MIGHTFACE A CRISIS

• ORIGINAL PASSPORT (REQUIRED ATSOME SPOTS AT THE ECUADORIANAMAZONIA)

• VACCINATIONS AND MEDICINES:IT IS RECOMMENDED TO CONSULT YOUR PHYSICIAN TO GETTHE MOST UPDATED INFORMATIONAND ADVICE. FOR SOME SITES DEEPWITHIN THE RAINFOREST, YOU MIGHT BE REQUESTED A YELLOW-FEVERVACCINATION. YOU MAY ALSO WANTTO TAKE MALARIA PILLS; CONSULTYOUR DOCTOR.

HOW TO GET THERE:FLIGHTS ARE OFFERED TO THE FOL-LOWING CITIES:• COCA – CAPITAL OF THE ORELLANA

PROVINCE – ROUNTRIP FLIGHTAPROX. $120, SERVED BY THE LOCALAIRLINE TAME.

• LAGO AGRIO – CAPITAL OFSUCUMBIOS, THE NORTHERN-MOSTPROVINCE OF THE ECUADORIANAMAZONIA. THE CITY OF LAGOAGRIO IS NOW OFFICIALLY CALLEDNUEVA LOJA. TAME OFFERS DAILYFLIGHTS FOR APROX. $120ROUNDTRIP

• MACAS- CAPITAL OF THE MORONASANTIAGO PROVINCE. TWO LOCALAIRLINES OFFER THIS SERVICE:TAME AND SAEREO- ROUNDTRIPAPROX $140

* THE CITIES OF TENA AND PUYO CANBE EASILY REACHED BY LAND (A 3–6 HOURS DRIVE FROM QUITO).

IMPORTANT TIPS AND RECOMMENDATIONS


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www.manateeamazonexplorer.com

Gaspar de Villarroel 1100 & 6 de Diciembre Edificio Ritz Plaza Esquina Phone: (593-2) 336-0887 / 336-0888 / 336-0889Fax: (593) 2-336-0774 email: [email protected]

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