After spending some time in the Amazon, but before heading to the cloudforest, I had a full day to spend in Quito. My only regret from my whole adventure is that I didn’t get to spend more time in this incredible city.
Situated at over 9,000 feet, Quito is among the highest capital cities in the world. The urban spread is also nestled against volcanoes, including Pichincha – an active volcano which serves as the western border of the city.
The morning started with a ride out of town, as we headed to the Pululahua Volcano Reserve. The reserve is a dormant volcano crater that has filled in and is now about 5 km wide, and over 300 meters deep. Because of the crater has its own unique ecosystem, the area is protected but does have some resident farmers who were grandfathered in to the protected status. You can take a 45 minute hike down into the crater, but I opted to enjoy the views from an observation platform up top.
Pulalahua - a dormant volcano turned agricultural area (Liz Boeheim)
From here, we headed back southward towards town but stopped at the center of the world on the way. Mitad del Mundo marks the equatorial line. The cute, kitchy museum is a fun stop for families – kids and adults alike can play some fun games that illustrate the special forces particular to where the north and south hemispheres meet. Don’t forget to check out the live guinea pigs, as well.
At the very center of the world (Liz Boeheim)
Continuing on, we ended up in the Old City of Quito. This was by far my favorite par of the tour. The colonial architecture, plazas full of Quitanios enjoying their afternoon, and the local shops were so much fun to explore – and my guide Gabriel did a fantastic job of explaining the historical or cultural significance of each of our stops along the way.
The day ended at the far end of the Old City, demarcated by El Panecillo, a hilltop crowned by the Virgin of Quito. The perfect place to take in views of my new favorite city, and a fitting place to end my tour.
Tony and Shannon were always quick to answer my questions and requests. They booked my Upper Mississippi cruise perfectly. They made sure that my dietary needs were met which is a big deal for me. I have the utmost confidence with their assistance.
Code
1 day ago
Third trip we have book with Adventure Life. Like the last two, we have had a quick response to all inquires
Carol Borland
1 day ago
Angela was fantastic! She was thoughtful, helpful, and prompt in her responses without being intrusive. She accommodated our large group and was genuinely excited for us when it all worked out. Can't say enough good things! This is our second trip booking through Adventure Life and we will definitely do it again.
Emily
2 days ago
Jessica was extremely helpful and generous with her time. She was very responsive to our questions and comments and in a very timely fashion. She worked with us in partnership to plan a trip specifically for us and our wants and needs.
Linda Coleman
2 days ago
Mary Curry found right trip for my budget and the best date that I liked. She made
that reservation when other company's agent could not do it.
Thank you so much!
