Traditions and Peacefulness in Cuenca: The Ever-Beautiful City

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Already in the Pre Columbine Era, the legendary city of Tomebamba was considered one of the Inca Empire’s most beautiful cities. Nowadays, the territory now called Cuenca has still the same fame. Declared a World Heritage City by UNESCO in 1998, this historical World Museum of artists and intellectuals is evidently a special place whose uniqueness can be seen in every little detail since you arrive there.

Cuenca is located in the Ecuadorian Austro Region, 2500m (8200feet) above the sea level. It is a city of peace and harmony: unlike most cities, it is not full of traffic, stress and pollution. It has a perfect climate and 4 rivers run through it, completing a landscape of customs, handcrafts and cultures.

A tour to the city can be divided into two parts: the Colonial and the Modern Cuenca. The first consists of the patrimonial treasure of the city’s churches, parks, colonial houses and cobbled streets: a historical world where the past and present cultures coexist. Among the numerous churches of the area, the cathedral stands out with its two turquoise domes as a monument of great beauty that reminds us of a past of conquistadors and conquered people. When you walk through the streets of this section, you find the millenary indigenous culture and the modern occidental culture joined together by the joy and respect of the local people.

To complement the tour, visiting the colorful flower market found next to the cathedral; watching the painters doing their art works in the surroundings of the Calderón Park; or buying a handmade toquilla straw hat in one of the handcraft stores are some things you can do in that area of the city.

A little bit further to the East is found the San Sebastián Square, where you can visit the Museum of Local Modern Art, a place that gathers together the most outstanding artistic expressions of the modern Cuenca spirit.

Walking to the South, you will find the Tomebamba: a river that runs across Cuenca from West to South where you can have a tour along its waters to discover the city. As you watch the rocks crashing with the endless water movements and the centuries-old houses built on the river shores, you will be able to see the customs of the country’s ancestors that remain alive in the people gathered on the shore to wash their clothes.

Cuenca is also a strategic spot to visit other places in the South of the Andes. In its surroundings are found destinations such as the Cajas National Park, the Andes’ most narrow area with unique landscapes; the Ingapirca ruins, an Incan secret found 1200 miles North from Machu Picchu; and the Santa Bárbara Corridor, a road of endless traditions.

Cuenca can be described as the city that found the way to receive modernity and protect passionately its artistic and cultural identity at the same time. It is difficult to know and describe what the mystery of its beauty really is, although it is very evident that such mystery produces genuine feelings. The city of Cuenca is an example of total conservation of the material and the spiritual heritage, based in a profound respect for the past.

Photo: ironmanixs

Riobamba: A Story Created Among Snowy Peaks, Deserts and Lakes

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Known by Ecuadorians as “The Homeland’s Cradle” or “The Sultana of the Andes”, the historical city of Riobamba was the place where the beginning of the Ecuadorian nation came with the writing and signing of the country’s first constitution in 1830, right after getting its Independence from Spain. Ironically, it took place only 25km (15 miles) away from the Colta Lake, where the first Spanish settled and erected the Balvanera church, back in 1534.

Riobamba is located in Ecuador’s Central mountain range, 200km (124mi) away from Quito, in the province of Chimborazo. It is a purely cultural city, proud of its independence, created among hills and volcanoes in one of the country’s highest spots, 2754m (9035ft) above the sea level. Its streets have still the atmosphere of the Colonial times, and you can find in them attractions such as the Maldonado Park, with its majestic water fountain and beautiful gardens framed by its two major architectural works: the local government building and the Santa Bárbara Cathedral. Two blocks away from the park is found the Religious Art Museum, the city’s most prestigious museum that houses a fine collection of religious objects from the 18th Century. It is suggested to visit the city either on Saturdays –when the handcraft market is livelier– or on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays, when you can take the early morning train that goes to Nariz Del Diablo (devil’s nose).

Thanks to its strategic location, Riobamba is also a compulsory stay for adventurous spirits: a great starting point from which you can go in any direction and discover one of the province’s unique natural attractions. The closest destination is Guano, located approximately 10km (6mi) North of Riobamba. It is a little town whose craftwork has caught the attention of the Vatican and other institutions. On the other hand, taking a 38km (23mi) road to the North-West, you will get to a highway called “Volcanoes’ Avenue” that leads to the majestic Chimborazo: Ecuador’s highest volcano and even the world’s highest volcano considering the flattened surface of the Earth.

You can also choose going south, where you will find first the Colta Lake –a magical place full of culture, nature and history– and then, at approximately 60km (37 miles) from Riobamba, the Palmira Desert, with its contrasts of sand and Andean landscapes. The impressive road from the desert to the snowy mountains is only 100km (62mi) long.

Riobamba is also a great viewpoint to admire the volcanoes of Chimborazo, Carihuairazo, Sangay and El Altar, which can even be seen from your hotel room. This inspiring historical city is a place that has slowly let the modern world in while continuing to preserve its ancestral essence at the same time.

Photo: Alfredobi

The Isabela Island: The Land Made of Giants

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Seen from above, Isabela (Albemarle) is easily identifiable by its great size of 1790sq miles and its incredible shape of a seahorse. A product of constant volcanic activity, the island keeps intact the volcanoes from which it was created. These giants make up 58% of the island’s surface, forming a range that goes through the entire land. The volcanoes’ exotic beauty is always an attraction, so visitors often choose to discover the volcanoes’ feet and their surroundings when visiting the charming Galapagos Islands as an alternative to the most typical tours. An exploring trip in Isabela goes deep to the heart of the island, allowing visitors to meet places completely isolated from the coast. The tours can be taken to three different volcanoes:

1.    The Wolf Volcano. It is the highest of the island, with 1707m (5600 feet) high. On its hillside, you will find the mystical home of the millenary giant turtles who have survived through slaughters and volcanic eruptions, remaining a silent witness of history and evolution. The Wolf Volcano has also been the scene of great discoveries: In 2008, when a study of 1600 species of the area was taking place, all the known species of giant turtles –in exception, of course, of Lonesome George’s– were found at its feet; and in 2009, a new endemic species was found there too: the pink land iguana.

2.    The Alcedo Volcano. This 1128m (3700ft)-high volcano is literally a “turtle hotel”, since the largest giant turtle wild population of the archipelago is settled in there. The remote location of the volcano has meant that even the most recent eruption in 1993 was not recorded until two years later. On both of its sides, impressive smoke columns are constantly expelled from the ground. It has a large crater, 7km (4mi)-wide.

3.    The Sierra Negra Volcano. This is the world’s second most active volcano with the most recent historic eruption in October 2005. Its name –which means “Black Mountain”– anticipates its image: it has a purely volcanic, harsh landscape that might be product of a very large eruption. Although it is not easy to reach this 1120m (3674ft)-high volcano, for many visitors their physical effort is rewarded by the beauty of its unimaginable landscapes.

In Isabela, you will discover three majestic giants of unexpected beauty that have become the home of another giant: the Galapagos turtle, an icon of the enchanted Galapagos archipelago. This unique island is a place to admire nature as exotic as it can be. More importantly, this magic land encourages many people to be committed to the preservation of such special destinations.

Photo: Awesome Earth Planet

Pasochoa: A Life Reserve Originated From a Boiling Caldron

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When you try to imagine the remains of a millenary volcanic eruption, the first thing that comes to mind is a harsh, arid landscape of rocks and earth. However, in the province of Pichincha, 40km (24 miles) away from the city of Quito, you will find a place that didn’t turn out the way you would have thought. In this place lies the Pasochoa volcano, the protagonist of a great eruption that took place 100,000 years ago. Ironically, that destructive eruption gave place to one of Ecuador’s most beautiful valleys: The Pasochoa Wildlife Reserve, a place with as many green tones as you could imagine.

Located 2800m (9186ft) above the sea level, a place that once burned in flames and was the scene of the cracking down of the Pasochoa Volcano is now a place where lava and ashes have, throughout the centuries, become a very fertile soil creating one of the few naturally originated forests of the Andes with a diverse fauna and flora. This valley is also perfect for horseback riding and picture-taking.

Seeing this forest for the first time from a panoramic view, you’ll notice it looks like a caldron in the shape of a horseshoe. You will discover the 520-hectare reserve through 5 pathways with unique attractions found only on this side of the Andean mountain range. One of them leads to the peak of the volcano at 4200m (13780ft) above the sea level. Throughout this path, you will be able to observe the more than 120 different bird species, among of which is the Great Condor, a representative bird of the country.

The adventures you will live at Pasochoa will make you want to to stay over the night at the area designated for camping. After having spent the night in contact with nature, you will wake up willing to keep on discovering this exciting reserve.

Photo: Pictures from Heather

The Carihuairazo: Learning to Hike with a Giant of Wind and Snow

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The legend tells that, in ancient times, the Carihuairazo Volcano –whose name means “man of wind and snow” in Quechua (cari: man; huaira: wind; razu: snow) – was much higher than it is now. Fighting against the Chimborazo Volcano for the love of the Lady Tungurahua Volcano, the Carihuairazo ended up half-destroyed and lost the fight.

In the Ecuador’s Occidental mountain range is found this romantic fighter, located very close to the Chimborazo, in the province of Tungurahua. The Carihuairazo is perfect for mountaineers in the process of acclimatization or training in search of new landscapes and adventures. It is a place of beautiful natural contrasts that always amazes visitors.

Considering it has 3 peaks, the highest being 5020 (1646ft) above the sea level, the Carihuairazo is also great for beginners or family groups wanting to learn basic techniques for climbing. The snowy slopes are easy to climb, and they help mountaineers to acclimate and get prepared for future ascents to any of the higher, snowy peaks of Ecuador, always accompanied by a professional instructor. In the way up, you will find a great variety of moors full of flora and fauna, which can also be visited on horseback in the skirts of the volcano.

This inspiring, legendary volcano is undoubtedly a relic that can be enjoyed by everyone. The extinct Carihuairazo always welcomes visitors and prepares them for the new experiences and the challenges of reaching great heights.

Photo: august_allen

The Cajas National Park: Find Beauty in the Andes’ Narrowest Point

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The Cajas National Park is the narrowest point of the Andean mountain range and the one with the best landscapes. It is located close to the city of Cuenca, at 4400m (14435ft) above the sea level and it has a surface of 28500 hectares. Considered a national park since 1996, it is made by an exceptional group of more than 300 small lagoons framed by valleys, rocky plateaus and enchanted forests where unique animal and plant species live. Its highest point is the area of the Tres Cruces Lagoon, the place where the Tomebamba River –the only river on Southern America that is the closest to the Pacific Ocean but has waters from the Atlantic Ocean– is born.

The park is considered part of the North-Andean Endemism Center due to the importance it has regarding the Andean Plateau’s biological diversity. It is the only place in the world where you can find 4 out of the 7 existing species of polylepis, the famous enchanted trees from the fairy tales (polylepis weberbaueri, p. reticulata, p. lanuginosa and p. incana). There are also many endangered species living there, like the Andean condor (vultur gryphus), the deer (odocoileus virginianus), the spectacled bear (tremarctos ornatus), the plateau wolf (dulsicyon culpaeus) and the mountain toucan (andigena laminaris). From an ornithological point of view, the park is also a place of high importance because its lagoons are home for a total of 150 bird species.

A trip to Cajas is worth complementing with activities lasting from a couple of hours to a few days. The whole park is perfect for activities such as hiking, climbing and mountain biking. It also offers a great chance to take beautiful pictures: walking in the middle of the mountains and observing everything there is in this land, it is impossible not to feel like taking out your camera. Regardless the place you may choose for your picture, it can easily come out like a beautiful postcard. The lagoons of Toreadora and Llaviucu are ideal for sport fishing and bird-watching. On the other hand, if you want to spend the night in the immensity of the plateau, a good place to set up your camp is in the shores of the Lagartococha Lake. Whatever activity you may choose to do at this park, the experience will undoubtedly be always unique and wonderful.

The Cajas National Park is one of the best parks in Ecuador to get to know the plateau. It is a Nature sanctuary where a great amount of birds and other endemic species coexist in a large forest of enchanted trees. Furthermore, it is easily accessible, well preserved and simply beautiful.

Photo: Orban López Cruz

Find Out About the Legendary Island That Shines Over the Sea

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Picture yourself relaxing on the white, thin sand of a charming beach in the Pacific Ocean, admiring the sunset and waiting for the first moon reflections. Unexpectedly, a bright, mysterious spot as shiny as silver appears on the distance: right before your eyes, you see an inspiring island of treasure legends, whose historic evidence lies under its ground; and whose unique fauna makes it mysterious and wonderful. It is an island known for centuries as the island of Plata (silver).

In this enigmatic place, you can hear from the natives the stories of silver and gold ritual offerings buried in sacred spots as a sign of worship to the Sun, whose archaeological evidence reveals us day after day their authenticity. Numerous silver and gold figures, as well as the famous Spondylus shells used in the past as coins are frequently discovered.

One of these legends takes you centuries back in time, when the famous English pirate Sir Francis Drake used this island as a hiding place to attack and steal the Spanish ships going to Europe charged with gold and then buried the stolen treasure on that land. Even though this legend has not been confirmed yet, many people truly believe that it is real.

This island and its mythical past are a true attraction and a melting pot of life in the Pacific Ocean. Nowadays, it is a new home for many birds native to the charming Galapagos Islands, something that has given it a privileged landscape and made it earn the name of “Little Galapagos”.
For those who wonder about the island’s shine when seen from the distance, researchers have discovered it is due to the large amount of guano found there: the sun rays are reflected on it, producing that beautiful shine.

Photo: Ministerio del Ambiente del Ecuador

Quito: A World Heritage City that lies Among Valleys and Volcanoes

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The magnificent city of Quito, capital of Ecuador, was born in the valley surrounded by majestic mountains and volcanoes. A city full of history and beauty, it got its name from the millenary tribe of the Quitus, and it was the first city chosen by UNESCO as World Heritage in 1978. In many different ways, every corner of the city invites visitors to have fun getting to know it from North to South.

The North of Quito is full of modern infrastructure. One of the tourist’s most visited places is the neighborhood of La Mariscal and its main street, the Amazonas Avenue. This is where many tourists choose to stay because there are plenty of hotels, restaurants and travel agencies to plan the day’s activities that offer visitors endless options. If you want to have a pleasant evening or a night out, this is the area you must go to. If you take a cab to the Plaza El Quinde, better known as Plaza Foch, you will find the tourists’ and locals’ favorite recreational area.

In downtown Quito, you will find yourself face to face with history. It is a place that has survived through time and that is now the best preserved of all Latin American historical downtowns. It still shows its colonial past that started with the fall of the Incan empire, whose baroque and gothic architecture mixed with ancient indigenous techniques is reflected in its churches, plazas, monasteries and cobbled streets.

Downtown is the perfect place to take a walk through its streets and squares, visiting one of its numerous museums and churches, enjoying the panoramic views over the city from the San Juan viewpoint, or taking a 10 minutes ride on the cable railway 4050m (13287ft) above the sea level where you can appreciate the beauty of the city surrounded by the Cayambe, the Antisana and the Cotopaxi volcanoes.

The South of Quito, on the other hand, is a tribute to Nature. This is the area that gives the city the condition of being biologically diverse, thanks to its large surface with heights going from 500m to 4800m (1640 to 15748ft) above the sea level. Here, you can find various ecosystems like cloudy forests, subtropical forests, mountainous high forests and high plateaus, home of 2330 flora species among which 254 are endemic. Places like the Lloa Valley, located at the skirts of the Pichincha Volcano, and the area close to the Cotopaxi Volcano, known for its beautiful ranches, are characteristic of the region. Activities such as hikes and horseback rides can be done during your visit to this area.

Definitely, Quito has it all. It is a place for everyone’s tastes that offers visitors to learn about history in a fun and different way. The city mixes Nature and modernity, fun and relaxation, past and present. It is an experience like you couldn’t imagine. Visiting Quito is going to a place which is unique and full of contrasts, a place as high as your imagination.

Photo: Shoestring