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Hacienda Zuleta

Hacienda Zuleta

The Ecuadorian culture encompasses a mix of varied indigenous pre-Incan, Incan and Spanish traditions. An excellent demonstration of this cultural variety will be found in the Imbabura Province, with its traditional indigenous and mestizo markets filled with color and the many attractive handicrafts and the old haciendas in the Spanish colonial style which are filled with history and fascinating anecdotes.

These haciendas, that for us kids formed a part of our childhood lives, are also the ideal scenario for a series of activities where we can recreate an ancestral style of life and experiment the most exciting adventures.

Therefore, for this program we have selected that which we feel is the best traditional hacienda of the Ecuadorian Andes. Hacienda Zuleta is maintained not as an old hacienda which has been converted into an inn, but as an actual producing hacienda. It was once owned by ex president Galo Plaza and is presently administered by his decedents. It is considered the best agricultural and live-stock managed hacienda. in the Ecuadorian Andes. Currently opened to a limited number of guests. Those who stay there are welcomed and treated as part of their own family.

This hacienda filled with history and beautiful surroundings, colorful mountains and valleys, offers as one of the outstanding activities, horseback riding on any of their 60 horses, which are the pride of Zuleta, to places like the pre-Incan pyramids of the Caranqui culture, the condor re-habilitation center, ride up the mountains that surround the hacienda or mountain biking. The roads leading to the hacienda make a wonderful place for long walks.

We cannot leave out the excellent cuisine at Zuleta, where all of its dishes are delicately prepared with the hacienda's own products. Its savory cheeses and other dairy products are always attainable as well as the savory home made bread and other delicacies. The farmed trout are caught just before preparation and its organic orchards provide an abundance of fruits and vegetables.

This wonderful place, makes an ideal home base for visiting Otavalo and its surrounding sites, such as the famous indigenous market; the nearby towns of Peguche or Iluman where you can visit their handicraft workshops and learn their ancestral way of manufacturing their yarn goods; Cotacachi, famous for their leather goods production; Ibarra a colonial city and many more.

Other characteristics of the Province of Imbabura are its beautiful lakes, with Cuicocha being its most outstanding one located inside the crater of the Cotacachi volcano. This lake has a fantastic color blue due to its depth registered around 300 meters deep. Two domes from a previous eruption protrudes from its depths in the middle of the lake. As one of the exiting activities hiking around this lake you can observe the changes in vegetation as you meander along its border; the abundance of flowers, among which the beautiful orchids stand out the most; the Cotacachi volcano on one side and the green fertile valley on the other side of the lake forms an ideal scenery to gaze at its beauty and for photography.

Highlights and Included Items:

- Accommodations at Hacienda Zuleta: Standard rooms, Deluxe rooms and Junior Suites
- Family-style breakfast, 4-course lunch menue, afternoon snack and 4-course dinner menue
- Ecuadorian or International cuisine prepared with the hacienda's fresh products.
- Menues are planned upon guests preferences
- Special attention to dietary requirements or vegetarian diet
- Non-alcoholic beverages: fresh juice, soft drinks, mineral water, tea or coffee
- Welcome Drink
- Visits to in house productions (cheese factory, fish farming, embroidery workshops)
- Visit to Condor re-habilitation center
- Visit to the archaeological site of the Caranqui 14'th century culture
- 60 km of self-guided trails; large gardens and organic orchard; milking lessons
- More than 2,000 Hectares of land for you to explore
- Mountain biking, hiking, stargazing, birdwatching and wildlife encounters

Price per Person per night:

22% governmental tax is included

Best Value:

- Infants up to 3 years stay for free
- Children under 12 years of age pay 50% of the rate
- Extended stays (3-5 nights) have a 10% discount
- Week stays (6 or more nights) 15% discount
- Family & Friends (5-10 members) 5% discount
- Groups (more than 10 members) 10% discount

Not included in price:

- Transfer to and from Hacienda Zuleta
- Optional activities such as horseback riding, cooking and embroidery lessons
- Specialized guides
- Alcoholic beverages, personal expenses, gratuities

Hacienda Zuleta and Otavalo - 3 days / 2 nights escorted tour

We will depart early in the morning from Quito to Otavalo. On the way, we stop in the "Middle of the World", the Equatorial monument near Cayambe, and visit a solar calendar for an interesting demonstration. Then visit a Rose plantation in the Cayambe Valley. Our way continue to Otavalo, where we will have time to explore its famous Indian Market. For those interested in native cultures, we may visit Peguche, a village where woolen tapestries are made, other artisan's pueblos and Cotacachi to visit the traditional leather Market. If you are more interested in nature, we will head for Cuicocha Crater Lake to hike arround its rim with impresive views and where you will observe a particular species of orchid that grows at 3,200 meters of altitude. We will arrive at Hacienda Zuleta before dinner.
Activities inside of the hacienda are not subject to an itinerary; everyone is free and will be on their own. The guide or the hosts will suggest activities as visits to the working farm, orchard and gardens, cheese factory, stables, hand-embroidery workshop, condor rehabilitation project, archaeological pre-inca pyramids and trout farm. Hacienda Zuleta is famous for its horses and riding programs and you can do most explorations by horse or walking. Remember, here you will be like in your own home. Many attractive activities will motivate you to select and perform the most that you can possibly do. You will also find that it is the perfect place to relax.

What is Included:

- Private Transfer Quito - Zuleta - Quito with guide / tour leader
- Accommodations at Hacienda Zuleta in Standard rooms, Deluxe rooms or Junior Suites
- Welcome Drink
- Family-style breakfast, 4-course lunch menue, afternoon snack and 4-course dinner menue
- Special attention to dietary requirements or vegetarian diet
- Non-alcoholic beverages: fresh juice, soft drinks, mineral water, tea or coffee
- Guided visits to in house productions (cheese factory, fish farming, embroidery workshops)
- Guided visit to Condor re-habilitation center and archaeological ruins of the Caranqui culture
- Visit to Otavalo Indian Market and surrounding indigenous towns
- Horseback riding (4 hours/day), Mountain biking and other in farm activities as time permits
- Hikes around the Cuicocha and/or Mojanda crater lakes
- Private bilingual guide and local hacienda guides
- Internet and lawndry service
- Private transfers, personalized attention
- Departure / Arrival point: Quito

Prices per Person (based on group size):

Prices in US Dollars, based on double occupancy
Not included: Tips; alcoholic beverages; personal expenses; phone calls

Ask for our 4 and 5-day packages

Prices valid through Dec 31, 2009

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