Zaruma: Mixing Antiquity with Nature in the South Coast of Ecuador

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Zaruma is a charming town located in the south coast of Ecuador, 1200 m (3937ft) above the sea level, in the province of El Oro. It is surrounded by various great mountains, waterfalls and forests that will make you have unforgettable experiences doing one of the various ecological adventure activities available in the area. Zaruma means “corncob” in Quechua. With its colorful wooden houses of the 19th century and its quiet streets where joyful and peaceful people live, this place is definitely worth visiting.
Here is a rough guide to the most amazing spots to visit while at Zaruma:

1.    El Calvario: It is a hill located 1500m (4921ft) above the sea level and approximately 1km (0.6mi) away from the city of Zaruma. Its peak is an excellent viewpoint from which you can appreciate the splendorous landscape of the surroundings.

2.    Zaruma Urcu: Located 14km (8.6mi) to the northeast of the city, this hill stands out because many orchids are cultivated on its hillsides. There, you can find 300 out of the about 4250 orchid species existing in Ecuador.

3.    Chivaturco: 90 minutes away from Zaruma is found this hill. On the way to its peak, you will find a great variety of avifauna next to the crystalline waters of the 100m (328ft) high Chorro Blanco Waterfall, which falls directly into a river surrounded by exuberant vegetation. Following the track to the peak, you will also see the archaeological remains of an ancient civilization that once was settled in the area. When you finally get to the peak, you will be able to enjoy the most amazing, hidden landscapes.

4.    Huayquichuma Forest: Located 8km away from the city, this 80 hectares wide forest is home of a great amount of flora and fauna with little brooks made by the condensation of the thick fog of the place. If you have seen and loved the majestic Chorro Blanco Waterfall, then you will also enjoy visiting the Pingllo Waterfall, with a height of 80 meters making an impressive and relaxing fall complemented by the beautiful surroundings.

Going to Zaruma is mixing antiquity with nature. This is a city that makes you fall in love and teaches you to enjoy the simple, natural things of life. Zaruma is undoubtedly the ultimate paradise in the south, certainly a visit you can’t miss!

Photo: Rinaldo W.

Find Out Why these Ecuadorians have got the Attention of the Whole World

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Otavalo is a city beloved by its people and known by them as “llakta”, which means “town” in their mother language. The people from this city are a vivid example of coexistence and adaptation to the modern world. They are people eager to show how much they are worth through their values, their love for nature, their craftsmanship skills and simply their excellence and versatility in all senses: qualities that have spread their fame to the whole world.

The main aspect of these people’s lives follows very simple rules: to respect Mother Nature, to use the natural resources in a rational way, to encourage the community’s development and to be joyful and committed to their responsibilities. These simple guidelines had made the people from Otavalo be great farmers, painters, musicians, weavers, polyglots and merchants not only in Ecuador, but all around the world, getting the fame of being impressive, multifaceted and certainly successful people that have set an example of development and organization for societies.

This way, with no other help except for their own ability to organize, they have created the South America’s largest and most colorful textile and handcraft indigenous market, making the city if Otavalo get the attention of the whole world. At present, their textiles and handcrafts are exported to places such as Australia, Italy and Spain, as well as some Middle Eastern countries.

Otavalo’s fame is not only due to the products they export. The artists from this town thought their music would also be liked by people from other countries. With no hesitation, they have managed to travel to countries like the US, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia and Singapore, where their excellent live Andean music is still enjoyed by many fans.

The culture of this town is a culture that has profited from its ancestral knowledge. The people from Otavalo has always believed in it and worked to make it richer and to move forward. Some of the locals are nowadays cosmopolitan people, but they keep on being themselves. They keep on expressing the art, the culture and the values that have given them their strong identity and that bond them to their hometown: their beloved and yearned for Llakta.

Photo: Rinaldo W.

Discover the Secret of the Río Pita Hidden Waterfall

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Only 30 minutes away southwest of Quito, you will find a hidden valley with a river called “Pita” that runs through the most splendorous landscapes. The river flows from the Cotopaxi volcano, tracing a route through an unforgettable ecological adventure 30km (18 mi) long in which 25 waterfalls can be seen. The river’s route has two outstanding touristic areas: the “Rumibosque” (stone forest) and the “Molinuco”, both places with unique attractions that make the Pita are a paradise right in the middle of Ecuador. Discover what makes the Pita River a natural wonder!

The Molinuco is located near the city of Sangolquí, south of Quito. Its name comes from the word “molino” (mill), which refers to a beer factory that used to be in that area. With an average temperature of 14°C (57°F) and an approximate altitude of 2900m (9514ft) above the sea level, the Molinuco is home of various natural attractions, such as the Pita River’s great 60m (196ft) high waterfall; the mini-Cotopaxi, a rocky natural formation with the shape of a volcano surrounded by waters in which you can swim and relax; the “Niñas” and the “Arcoíris” waterfalls that come from underground rivers; and the “Manantial del Samaritano”, which is a beautiful waterfall great for taking a break, drink something and enjoy its healing waters.

A rustic wooden suspension bridge above the Pita River marks the end of the route. A few minutes away from there, you will find a sign that reads “Molinuco, Pita’s waterfall”, and an open door next to it as a welcome sign. Finally, you get to the 60m (196ft) high waterfall. With its vigorous, tranquilizing and gratifying waters originated from the thawing of the magnificent Cotopaxi Volcano, this great waterfall is a life and balance generator. A highly recommended ritual to have at this place consists on passing behind the waterfall to cleanse your aura and be part of a spiritually balanced renovation.

After this excellent adventure, followed by a natural recharge of energies, you will feel ready for the rushed life of the city. Nonetheless, if you want to keep on enjoying nature’s charms, there is an area designated for camping in which you can rest in the company of the waterfall, with its constant, soothing sound.

Photo: Johan.dk

The Panecillo: A Silent Witness of Quito through History

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The Panecillo hill is Quito’s most representative natural formation. Located inside the historical downtown of the city at an altitude of 3000m (9842ft) above the sea level and a height of 200m (656ft), the Panecillo (meaning “Little bread”) is a historical hill that holds on its peak one of Quito’s largest work of art: the beloved Virgin of Quito, that can be seen from almost any corner of the city. This hill is a silent witness of the city’s history of development, destructions, conquests, wars, building and rebuilding.

This hill was already an important spot since the year 1400. Its sides were inhabited by the Quitus indigenes, who called it “Shungoloma”, that means “Hill of the heart” in their native tongue. It was the place of worship to their main god: the Sun, also known as “Yavirac” or “Inti”.

Later on, in the year 1500, the Panecillo hill witnessed the defeat and conquest of the Quitus by the Incas, who kept considering it important. On its peak, the Incas made a very important structure that can still be appreciated nowadays: the “Olla del Panecillo”. It is believed that this large rock container was initially a storage room for seeds –especially corn seeds– and that afterwards it became a water reservoir for irrigating the crop fields that used to be there in those times. Years later, a part of the structure was destroyed by Rumiñahui, the royal warrior of the Incan empire, when he found out about the advance of the Spanish conquistadors.

In 1534, the Panecillo saw the first white men when the conquistadores from Spain finally arrived to the city. They were less in numbers, but their weapons and their greed were superior to those of the Incas, so they defeated them and got established in the sides of the hill. When the Spaniards saw the hill from far away, they realized it had the shape of a little bread, and that is how the “Shungoloma” got its current name of “Panecillo”.

Due to its location, the hill was used by the Spaniards as a strategic military spot; and the “Olla del Panecillo” (which also got its name from them) served to collect rainwater that later got used for the irrigation of the gardens of new Colonial Era. Finally, after years of colonization, on May 24th 1822 the Panecillo proudly observed the liberation battle of Pichincha and the progressive defeat of the Spanish Colonial troops.
More recently, in the year 1976, the Spanish artist Agustín de la Herrán Matorras made at the top of the hill an impressive large structure called “The Virgin of Quito” or “The Virgin of Legarda”: a work made of 7000 pieces of aluminum, the largest of its kind ever made. The sculpture is a replica of the Immaculate Virgin made by the Ecuadorean artist Bernardo de Legarda, which can be observed in the high altar of the San Francisco Church.

Nowadays, the Panecillo can be visited up to its peak to admire the Virgin of Quito and see the Olla del Panecillo. When standing at the top, a look to the impressive landscape of the city will make you understand the love and veneration this natural formation has been subject of by the local people over the centuries.

Photo: ADN Montalvo

Live the Anzu Adventure to the Amazon

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In the Ecuadorian Amazon Rainforest Region, a 30Km (18 miles) river called Anzu goes through the predominantly green landscapes of the provinces of Napo and Pastaza. Anzu has different water currents great for practicing extreme sports such as rafting and kayaking but, if you are a like the kind of person who prefer to stay on land, you will find several touristic attractions that can’t be left unvisited.

The first adventure is right at the river’s source and is called "the Anzu Cave", a cave made of several smaller caves which have little holes leading to chambers. On the most inner chambers, stalactites and stalagmites of various sizes and shapes can be observed.

Going forward on the river’s course, you can also visit the nearby communities, which are essential to understanding the whole environment. Apart from discovering impressive cultures, you will be able to live these people’s harmonious way of life. Activities like hunting, identifying medicinal plants, participating in the local rituals and celebrations, and being hosted by a family or staying in a private house are part of the Anzu experience.

The trip continues with the Hola Vida Reserve, a place 220 hectares wide where you can see different bird and insect species and old giant trees. An activity that you can’t miss here is taking a bath in the Escondida waterfall whose cold waters are believed to have energetic powers.

Finally, you will approach the end of the Anzu River. Walking a nearby path, you will get to the mouth of another majestic river: the Napo River, located right at the heart of the Ecuadorian Amazon, which marks the beginning of a new adventure.

Photo: larry&flo