3-Days through the Volcano Avenue (North)
Difficulty: Light
Distance: 180 Km
Altitude: 2700 - 4600 m.a.s.l.
Necessary equipment:
Warm mountain clothes (gloves and jacket) and changes for 3 days, swim suit and towel, hat, sun glasses, photographic camera, sun block.
Binoculars are recommended.
One of the most amazing qualities of Ecuador is that all the mountain chain is located on top of many Magma chambers. It is hard to find mountains in this country, but it is rather easy to find volcanoes, many of which are very high and potentially active.
When Alexander von Humboldt visited Ecuador and saw this great passage between mountain chains with 73 volcanoes along it, he named it "The Volcano
Avenue."
Day-1
At 8 o'clock in the morning we depart from Quito, following north the
Pan-American Highway to the town of Otavalo in the province of Imbabura.
On our way we will visit the San Pablo Lake at the foothill of the Imbabura Volcano.
The Otavalo market is the most popular one in Ecuador. There we can find everything, from the native typical handmade clothes to Andean musical instruments as well as all kinds of handicrafts.
We will have lunch at the Hacienda Pinsaquí. This is an old colonial "Hacienda" full of historic importance since General Simon Bolivar, the "Libertador", who freed Ecuador, Colombia, Venezuela, Panama and Peru used this "hacienda" (farm) to rest during his journeys.
After lunch we will visit Cuicocha Lake. This lake is an old volcano caldera covered with water. It has two islands which are chimneys formed on successive eruptions.
The still active volcano shows its activity with gas bubbles that float up to the surface. We will visit the information centre where we will learn about the biology and history of the volcano.
Then we will take a boat trip around the lake seeing the flora as Suros (like bamboo but from the Andes), Pumamaquis, Cerotes, Alder trees among others and the fauna of it as rabbits, foxes, guinea pigs also called cuys, armadillos; birds as hummingbirds, hawks, cara-caras, eagles, ducks, among others that can be seen on the islands and surroundings.
After the lake's visit we will go to the Hacienda Hotel Guachalá to have dinner and spend the night. Guachalá is one of the first "latifundios" (big farms) that date back to the Spanish colonial time in the XVII, where we can find still some pre Inca ruins.
Nowadays it is used as a hotel and for agriculture.
Day-2
We depart to the Cayambe-Coca Reserve where we will visit the Cayambe, an active volcano and the third highest in Ecuador with 5792 m.a.s.l.. Then we will cross through the eastern side highlands chain starting on Oyacachi.
Oyacachi is an old pre Inca town hidden in a beautiful valley in the middle of the highlands.
It was the starting point of one of the most used Indian trade path between the highland and the jungle, an oasis of vegetation in the middle of the highland. We will use this beautiful and green spot to have lunch.
These highlands and mountains give birth to the Napo River basin, affluent to the Amazonas River and one of the most important biodiversity spots in Ecuador.
Here we find flora like orchids, balsam, mahogany, cedar, guaiacum, black mulberry, polilepis, myrtle, pumamaqui, alder, laurel, romerillo, straw, chuquiragua, urcurosa, cerote, valerian and others; and the rich fauna like condors, hawks, owls, curiquingues, hummingbirds; mammals as armadillos, Andean bears, cuys, white tailed deer.
Here we can see how the water cycle works in nature, through the great quantity of lakes and lagoons that show the water abundance in Ecuador.
The road ends at the hot springs of Papallacta.
This water is heated by thermo activity caused by the Antisana volcano.
Las Termas is a very nice Spa Hotel which has its own hot spring pools.
This night we can take a relaxing bath in these waters and enjoy a delicious dinner with fresh trout, breed at this location.
[ There is an option
to overnight at Termas de Papallacta Spa and Resort. ]
Day-3
The next day, after a nutritious breakfast and with the splendid view of the mountains, we will head towards the Antisana Natural Reserve, one of the best preserved highlands in South America.
Here we can appreciate its typical flora and watch condors, curiquingues, hawks, eagles, owls,
hummingbirds; mammals as foxes, rabbits, rodents, and if we are lucky pumas and bears.
We will have lunch at the "Hacienda Antisana", hopefully in the company of its owner, Jose Delgado, who is in charge of the well conservation of these highlands.
The Antisana Hacienda is an old large state located in the highlands of the volcano.
This farm was a resting place for many scientists during their scientific research. Among them we can name
Alexander von Humboldt, a German scientist, who named the Volcano Avenue, and many others like Wolf, Whymper, Hans Meyer, Stubel, Marcos Jiménez de la Espada. The Hacienda's house is a typical Andean construction adapted as a restaurant, made of "adobe" (thick walls made out of dry mud) and straw ceiling.
Its interior is warm and cozy.
We will take a walk in the Antisana Volcano highlands, which with 5754 meters above sea level is the fourth highest in Ecuador and the one with the biggest glaciers.
We will see the pristine highlands, Micacocha Lake, the Antisanillas' lava flow and the Secas Lake along the narrow road.
Afterwards we will follow the southeast course of the Pita River, known as the waterfall route, since the river is full of canyons and waterfalls.
From the North entrance to Parque Nacional Cotopaxi we take the road west to the town of Machahi, where, we will encounter the Panamericana highway to head back to Quito.
The trip Includes:
- Transportation
- Meals
- Entry fees (to national park and others)
- Guidance
- Hotel fares
Note: souvenirs, beverages and goods are not included.
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