[vc_row][vc_column][trx_section][vc_tta_tabs][vc_tta_section title=”Highlights” tab_id=”1449208778331-f30d2fa3-c18c”][vc_column_text]
HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDE:
- Connecting with wonderful locals – Zuleteños – to learn about traditions and culture
- Exploring the beautiful scenery around the Hacienda Zuleta
- Participating in experiences designed for the youngsters
- Learning about the Condor Huasi conservation project
- Staying in one of the most historic haciendas in Ecuador
- Visiting the working farm and learning about dairy production
[/vc_column_text][/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section title=”Itinerary” tab_id=”1449208778879-fcec8e78-e9ba”][vc_column_text css_animation=”none”]
DAY 1 Arrival to Hacienda Zuleta
Getting to Hacienda Zuleta is part of the experience! You’ll arrive in the afternoon after a scenic drive through Ecuador’s lush pasture lands and foothills. The highlight of the journey will be stopping at the “Middle of the World,” where a 170-foot interactive sundial is located on the equator. Here, kids can get hands-on with science experiments and learn about this unique setting they’ve heard about in school, and you can coordinate the perfect photo for a holiday card of the family straddling the equator! If weather allows, from here you’ll also be able to enjoy stunning views of the snow-capped volcano Cayambe—the highest point on the equatorial line on earth.
You might instead visit Compañía Roses Farm, a nearby hacienda rich with history and home to a bustling rose operation. Sip a cup of tea while learning about the roses, knowing that the ones you see being cut today will appear in flower markets all around the world the following morning. Whichever destination you miss today can be revisited on your way back to Quito at the end of your stay.
Upon arriving at Zuleta, one of our hosts will welcome you and introduce you to your one-of-a-kind suite, your home for the next three nights. Settle in and put on your farm boots! You’ll spend the afternoon getting acquainted with the baby calves, sheep, and beloved family dogs on the property. There will even be a hands-on opportunity to milk a cow—always a favourite activity for the kids!
After the farm experience, parents will have the chance to enjoy local wine while the children dig into Zuleta’s famous farm-made cheeses by a warming fireplace. A spectacular home-cooked meal customary to the hacienda rewards a day well spent.
DAY 2 Hacienda Experiences
Your first full day at Zuleta will be full of excitement. After a hearty breakfast, visit the cheese factory and organic garden onsite. Then it’s off to the stable, where special Zuleteno horses await. Bred specifically at the hacienda for their agreeable temperament and smooth gait, there is a horse at Zuleta for ever rider, ages six and up! You’ll spend the morning riding to the site of the Condor Project three miles up a verdant valley, passing ancient monuments dating back to 700 A.D. and grazing dairy cows along the way. Younger kids are welcome to enjoy time at the stables too, and can help the Ecuadorian cowboys, or chagras, feed the horses, watch as they receive new shoes, and learn how to interact safely with these wonderful animals that are a special part of Zuleta culture.
The Condor Huasi conservation program at Zuleta allows visitors to understand this near threatened species and what’s being done to protect them. You will get to see rehabilitated condors in the breeding program while learning about this incredible bird of prey from Zuleta’s experts. Keen eyes can often find wild condors soaring overhead during your visit, and local spectacled bears can be spotted in the surrounding hillsides, too!
After lunch, embark on a treasure hunt around the property crafted specifically for your youngsters. They’re sure to uncover other hidden gems as they explore the hacienda in search of engaging riddles and puzzles that correspond to the endemic flora and fauna in the area.
DAY 3 Hacienda Experiences
By now, chances are you will have developed a sense of curiosity about the stories woven into every corner of Zuleta. This morning, you’ll get to know the intimate details of the Plaza-Lasso family heritage and artifacts with a guided tour of the house, from the ex-President Galo Plaza Lasso’s private library to the chapel and everything in between.
Next, get hands-on and build a straw hut in the plaza! The kids will work with a staff member to craft their own authentic shelter using bales of straw from the stable, using their imaginations to bring their fort to life. After lunch, the fun continues with a lesson in Andean lasso throwing with one of the chagras. The kids will be ready to dive into second helpings at dinner after so much fresh mountain air, and marshmallows around a bonfire that evening, too! Bedtime will likely be forgotten as traditional Traditional Andean music and family stories stretch into the night beneath a blanket of southern hemisphere stars.
DAY 4 On to the Next Adventure
On your final day at Zuleta, enjoy a morning stroll through the gardens and leisurely breakfast before departing for your next destination. You may either visit the equator or Compañía Roses Farm on your family’s return trip to Quito.
[/vc_column_text][/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section title=”Important Info” tab_id=”1449289392103-be095264-cb20″][vc_column_text]FOR FAMILIES: Zuleta is very safe and fun for families with children of all ages. Triple occupancy rooms and connecting rooms are available and children under 12 receive are discounted nightly rate when sharing a room with adults. Children enjoy the freedom to roam the extensive farm, see exotic wildlife, and interact with local children of the community. Special visits can be arranged with the local schools that are supported by the Hacienda’a non-profit foundation.
PLEASE NOTE: This itinerary is subject to change. Although we always do our best to stick to the itinerary, due to the ever changing nature of our world, activities, hotels, and sites are subject to change due to forces beyond our control.
PASSPORTS: Must be valid for at least 6 months upon return date to your home country. Proper documentation is the responsibility of each traveller.[/vc_column_text][/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section title=”Inclusion & Exclusion” tab_id=”1449208780765-5fd2d40a-5e8d”][vc_column_text]TOUR INCLUSIONS:
– Accommodation in double occupancy at Hacienda Zuleta
– Full Board (all meals) – European style breakfast, 3-course lunch menu, afternoon snack,3-course dinner menu. Note: Menus are planned upon guests preferences. Vegetarian/vegan, and lactose-free options are available
– Access to activities and attractions onsite
– Private transportation as mentioned in the itinerary
TOUR EXCLUSIONS:
– International flights (can be booked by nicola@finisterra.ca)
– Mandatory Travel Insurance (can be booked HERE)
– Extras at hotels (telephone calls, room service, porterage, laundry, alcoholic drinks, etc.)
– Drinks not specified in the itinerary
– Any additional/extra tours or park fees
– Personal and/or medical expenses
– Any incidentals out of pocket or medical expenses. Please ensure you carry appropriate insurance, which covers all the activities in this itinerary, inherited risks, luggage protection and holiday cancellation.
– Late check-out or early check-in
– Departure taxes or immigration fees (to be paid at some airports or land borders)
– Costs associated with changes to your itinerary for reasons beyond our control
– Any other service not mentioned in the “included” list or the itinerary
Note: This is just a quote and suggested program. Please contact us for more information.
*IMPORTANT NOTES:
– Though we will do our best to follow this itinerary as closely as possible, it is subject to change due to factors beyond our control
– Please note that it is the responsibility of each traveller to make sure they have the proper shots, documentation, etc.
– Passports MUST BE VALID FOR 6 MONTHS BEYOND YOUR RETURN DATE TO YOUR COUNTRY. Finisterra Travel is not responsible for improper documentation.[/vc_column_text][/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section title=”Sample Hotels” tab_id=”1449223591510-29ce0fb2-4171″][vc_column_text]SAMPLE HOTELS
HACIENDA ZULETA – https://zuleta.com/
Please note that all hotels are subject to change and availability
[/vc_column_text][/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section title=”Pricing & Dates” tab_id=”1449223591510-29ce0fb2-4172″][vc_column_text]Date: UPON REQUEST
Please note that prices will change depending upon time of year, itinerary and confirmed hotels. If there are more than 2 people, the price will be less.
Final PaymentFull payment is due 60 prior to departure.
[/vc_column_text][/vc_tta_section][/vc_tta_tabs][/trx_section][vc_masonry_media_grid gap=”2″ grid_id=”vc_gid:1590355342227-85cab243-b3c3-10″ include=”51338,51332,51349,51337,51329,51334,51335,51339,51353,51354,51350,51328,51352,51351″][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]
[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]
