Volcano & Haciendas Ride
THROUGH VOLCANOES, VALLEYS, CLOUD FORESTS, AND PRE-INCA SITES WITH COMFORTABLE OVERNIGHTS IN HIGHLAND “HACIENDAS”
Experience the beauty of the Ecuadorean Andes on horseback—without pavement or fences
Each morning brings new experiences and a chance to contemplate the beauty of the mountains and valleys. Friendly chagras, ecuadorean cowboys (horsemen of the Andes), usually pause from their work to greet you, to exchange news, or even to offer a drink as they wish you luck on your travels.
Our ride incorporates visits to the Corazon, Ruminahui, Quilindaña, and Chalupas volcanoes. And of course, you will see the majestic Cotopaxi volcano from many different angles throughout our journey.
How do we do this?
Hacienda La Alegria is situated in the verdant valley of Machachi, to the south of Quito. Surrounded by eleven volcanoes, this region is often referred to as "The Volcano Avenue".
The only form of transportation during your nine-day trek will be your horse. It will be your partner throughout this adventure.
Our ride includes visits to dozens of haciendas. Nine nights will be spent in haciendas, and one night will be spent in the refuge on Cotopaxi. We will thoroughly explore and experience the grandeur of the Andes, marvelling at the diversity of flora, fauna, and landscape.
The start of your adventure.
Our first three days are devoted to acclimatization. Our itinerary incorporates trips through working haciendas dedicated to the production of dairy products, potatoes, broccoli, and flowers. Our evenings are spent in the comfort of Hacienda La Alegria.
You will come to appreciate the traditions and customs of the chagras’ skills at La Alegria. In their goat-skin chaps and woollen ponchos, they welcome tourists to demonstrate their centuries-old tradition of herding cattle. The chagras’ skills on horseback and knowledge of the Andean paramo are legendary. They are the inspiration for our trek.
We will visit the colourful animal and produce market of Machachi and later we will ride through the narrow cloud forest paths, surrounded by literally thousands of plant and animal species. One can’t help but be amazed by the sheer biodiversity of this area.
As we delve further into the mountains
Once we have acclimatized, we shall start toward the mighty Cotopaxi. The tallest active volcano in the world (5,987 m),
Cotopaxi’s impressively symmetric cone will guide us through its surrounding hills. We will ride past the massive rocks of Rumiñahui into the plains near Cotopaxi and then onto the Inca ruins of Salitre and their Pucara fortresses.The group will then ride towards Quilindaña (4,300 m) and the extensive haciendas that surround it. In some haciendas, cattle roam free and are only rounded up and counted once a year during a massive rodeo. These same grasslands are home to Andean deer, spectacled bears, Andean fox and pumas, as well as a variety of birds and the majestic condor. In warmer ravines, you’ll also see colourful hummingbirds sipping nectar from a multitude of flowers. As we ride through the paramos, you will see the great alpaca and llama herds that roam at this altitude. Seeing these herds gallop together with Cotopaxi in the background is truly an amazing experience.
Through these six days, you will experience a diversity of geography and weather. Be prepared for a period of intense equatorial sun followed by the chill of the Andes’ wind—all within the space of a few hours. The locals say that the highlands experience all four seasons within the same day.
Long after our return to Hacienda La Alegria and the end of our journey, our memories of this rugged but beautiful world will linger as the ride of a lifetime.
Itinerary
Day one
Transfer from hotel or airport for dinner and overnight to Hacienda La Alegria.
Optional accommodation: La Carriona
Day two
Ride in the arena to try horses and get acquainted with the
horse and tack that we will be using the next days. Lunch in the
Hacienda house and later we ride around the neighboring
Haciendas and the Viudita Mountain. Our acclimatization and
first contact with the heights starts this first day.
Accommodations: La Alegria
Hours of Riding: 4 hours
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Day three
In the morning we enjoy a demonstration of the Chagras’ skills (the
Ecuador Andes’ cowboys). After having lunch at Hacienda La
Alegria we ride on what used to be the road to the coast. We
ascend by the sides of Corazon to 3,500 meters and descend to
the cloud forest. At the cloud forest we can observe a great
biodiversity of plants and flowers, including giant gunneras,
orchids, and birds such as the pava de monte (guan). In the late
afternoon we arrive to Hacienda Bomboli 3,000 m (13,000 ft), and
relax by the fireplace enjoying the sunset and watching the
lights of the villages near the coast.
Option camping in Monte Oscuro, (Depends on the weather, min 4
pax)
Accommodations: Bomboli
Hours of riding: 4 hours
Day four
We leave behind the cloud forest and ascend to the Corazon
Volcano up to 4,000 meters. From there we can appreciate the
green and fertile Machachi Valley and we can also see the routes
we will take the next day. Crossing extensive pastures and
eucalyptus forests we initiate the descent toward the valley.
Snack and continue to the valley. Late afternoon we arrive for a
delicious lunch at the Hacienda house.
Accommodations: La Alegria
Hours of riding: 6 hours
Pasochoa 4230 mts
Day five
We ride toward the west mountain range and through the valley
toward Machachi. We stop at the Machachi market (on Sundays only),
continue toward the Ruminahui skirts and stop at a beautiful
Hacienda for lunch. We continue riding until we arrive to the
Pedregal valley and stay overnight in a Hacienda at 3,500 meters.
Accommodations: Hacienda in the Pedregal Valley (near Cotopaxi)
Hours of riding: 4 hours
Cloud forest & fern tree Ilinizas (5266mts) and Corazon 4786mts
Day six
We get closer to the Cotopaxi Volcano; we enter the Cotopaxi
National Park and visit the Inca ruins from Pucara of Salitre
(Inca fortress built in the mountains). We continue ascending to
the east side of the Cotopaxi, after lunch we continue until we
arrive at the skirts of Quilindana. We ride in close proximity
to berber breed wild horse herds that live in the park and are
descendants of the horses brought by the Spanish in the 16th
century. At the hacienda we learn how the chagras live and we
may hear some traditional songs specific to the people of the
mountains.
Accommodations: Hacienda Tambo
Hours of ridings: 5+ hours
Day seven
Today we prepare our gear to transport it in our pack horses
since we will be with no support vehicle for two days. We ride
toward the south, and ascend to Morro Mountain 4,200 meters. At
this point we have covered ¾ around the Cotopaxi Volcano. From
there we can enjoy the view of the Latacunga valley with its
roses and pines. It is possible to see a condor guarding its
paramo. We speed up and arrive to Hacienda Chalupas, have lunch
and later fish trout for dinner.
Accommodations: Hacienda Chalupas
Hours of riding: 5 hours
Monte Oscuro and west Andes mountain chain
Day eight
This day is the most remote and far away from civilization. We
ride through the Guagui Valley and Secas until we arrive to the
Vicious Valley. We will possibly meet some chagras that are
taking care of the cattle, and we might see some deer, wild pigs
(they run faster than a horse), and spectacle bears. Today we
have completed a circle around the Quillindana Volcano.
Accommodations: Hacienda at Vicious valley or camp site
Hours of riding: 7 hours
Cotopaxi5897mts Limpiopungo lake
Day nine
We start riding toward the west, pass the Muchana rock (kissing
rock), and mudadero where we can see hundreds of alpacas grazing.
We pass the innumerable Cajas, Sto. Domingo lakes and get closer
to the Cotopaxi Volcano. We pass the lava rocks that had
descended to the valley and is now static; then we arrive to the
only structure that is our very comfortable and warm mountain
refuge.
Accommodations: Tambopaxi Refuge
Hours of riding 5+ hours
Cotopaxi valley 3800 mts
Day ten
Ride in the Lipiopungo plains (Cotopaxi base), feels like if you
were riding on the moon’s surface. Here we do the highest gallop
in the world. Pass to the highest point of our ride (4,200
meters) on the edges of the rocks of the Ruminahui Volcano. We
continue our ride toward the green Machachi valley as always
guarded by the volcanoes avenue. We cross the Machachi plaza
where the horsemen are always welcomed; we pass the town of
Aloag and arrive to Hacienda La Alegria for a pleasant dinner
and rest time.
Accommodations: Hacienda La Alegria
Hours of riding 7+ hours
Day eleven
Transfer to airport
Chagrashut Sto Domingo lake 4100mts
Mountains and hacienda
Quilindanamountain (4877 mts)
HillsatQuilindana
Lakes south of Quilindana
Wild horses at Cotopaxi Antisana 5755 mts
RIDING DATES 2009
| JANUARY | 7-17 | (Cattle round up) |
| FEBRUARY | 11-21 | (Cattle round up) |
| MARCH | 4-14 | (Horse roundup) |
| MAY | 6-16 | |
| JUNE | 3-13 | |
| JULY | 1-11 | |
| JULY | 15-25 | (Chagras parade on July 18th) |
| AUGUST | 19-29 | (Cattle round up) |
| SEPTEMBER | 2-12 | |
| OCTOBER | 7-17 | |
| NOVEMBER | 14-24 | (Cattle round up) |
| DECEMBER | 2-12 |
Contact Gabriel Espinosa
5939-9802526 Ecuador
1-830-443-4522 USA
Included
* One night may be at mountain campsite
Highlights
2009 Prices*
$2160 US
€1550 euros
* Excludes airfare, airport tax, local taxes, and tips.
DATES
|
2008 |
|
January 16-24 CATTLE ROUND UP |
|
Feb 14-22 |
|
March 13-21 WILD HORSE ROUND UP |
|
May 15-23 |
|
June 12-20 |
|
July 17-25 CHAGRA PARADE |
|
August 14-22 |
|
Sept 4-12 |
|
Oct 16-24 |
|
Nov 4-12 CATTLE ROUND UP |
|
Dec 11-19 |
Packing List
The following is a personal equipment list suggested for traveling in this circuit. Day temperatures can vary considerably in the mountains (65º F during the daytime, 30º F at night). Average temperatures will range in 50's.
Clothing:
Shirt: Cotton or wool, long sleeved or turtleneck
Sweater: Heavy wool or fleece sweater or vest
Trousers: Full length, wool, blend, or pile or other warm pants.
Underwear: Light-weight (polypropylene) thermal underwear, top and bottom
Headwear: Skycap, wool hat or wide brim felt hat, bandana, and sunglasses.
Jackets: Insulated or Gore-Tex mountain parka for rain and wind (important)
Gloves: Wool, leather, or polypropylene, recommended water proof
Socks: Wool or polypropylene
Footwear: Tennis shoes, lightweight hiking boots, or rubber boots (if your shoe size is 9 ½ US or less, boots are available at Hacienda La Alegria)
Camping Equipment:
-10 °C-rated sleeping bag
At request we can provide the sleeping bag
Accessories:
Cosmetic kit (reduce to minimum)
Sunglasses
Sun-blocking lotions +30 and lipstick ointments (important)
Flashlight with extra batteries
Washcloth
Camera extra batteries
Binoculars
More info
Contact:Gabriel
Hacienda La Alegria
Worldwide 5939-9802526
USA 830-443-4522
