COLONIAL QUITO & "CHASKI ANTAWA"

KTQ103 - 2 Days / 1 Night - Departures: Monday and Friday / from Quito

Day 1: Tour of colonial downtown Quito, first city to be included on UNESCO’s World Cultural Heritage list in 1978 because of its art and architecture. Traveling north, we will visit the valleys of Guayllabamba and Cayambe, the monument to the Equator, and Otavalo, known for its multicolored arts and crafts. Overnight in a traditional hacienda.
Day 2: The Chaski Antawa Train (messenger train) rides on the railroad built at the beginning of the 20th century connecting the northern highlands with the tropical coast. From Ibarra, the train climbs down to the warm, dry valley of Ambuqui, going through sugar cane plantations, magical landscapes, and tunnels, and crossing bridges that span large canyons and gullies. The 26-km ride to Salinas plunges from 2,200 down to 1,500 meters above sea level (7,216 to 4,920 feet) in only about 2 hours. Other sites include the village of Mascarilla; an Afro-Ecuadorian community known for its unique clay masks, And Otavalo and its famous indigenous craft market, the largest in South America. Back to Quito.