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Quito

Tours
subject to change without notice

NOTE:
Dress in layers (T-shirt, blouse, sweater, coat). 
Women should not wear shorts nor miniskirts as visits to churches are included.
Take a sweater even if the day is warm and sunny.  
Rain protection advised between January and April.
Sun protection (SPF 40).  
Good walking shoes. 


QUITO CULTURAL HERITAGE
Full day with lunch.  Daily except Sunday and Monday.

A full day experience with a chronologic narrative along the history of the city: its ancient pre-Columbian origins, its foundation, the Colonial and Republican periods. An immersion into the spirit of the city, its architecture, art, cuisine, religiousness and music - its cultural heritage.

The capital of Ecuador, is the first city declared a cultural world heritage by UNESCO in 1978; Quito’s cultural heritage is a blend of Amerindian ancestry and Spanish influence.  This walking tour is a chronologic narrative of the history of Quito, since its very beginnings --with the first Pre-Columbian inhabitants-- civilizations which formed the ethnic cultural background of Ecuador centuries before the Inca Empire, like the Quitus in present-day Quito, who developed their own distinctive architecture, pottery, and religious beliefs.   Drive up to an observation point for a bird’s-eye view of the city’s layout;  and then stroll along downtown Quito, founded by the Spanish on the ruins of an Inca settlement, the best preserved Colonial historic center in Latin America. A unique opportunity to see Barroque art gems, observe the restoration processes and the brilliantly restored Jesuit church.  Immerse yourself in the city’s vibe, mingling with the locals in its many plazas and enjoying a taste of  Ecuadorian delicacies for lunch.  Be part of the first struggles for Independence in South America in the early 1800’s and catch a glimpse of the romantic La Ronda cobblestoned street with flowery balconies, where echoes of timeless songs of love can still be heard.

This is a walking tour at an altitude of 2800 meters (9200 feet) and involves climbing stairs.

SCENIC TOUR OF QUITO
A visit to downtown Quito to relish in this urban jewel and its treasures of art and architecture.  Quito’s colonial quarter, the largest and best preserved of South America,  is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.   The stroll starts at the Independence Plaza, flanked by the Cathedral, the Presidential Palace, the Municipal Building and the Archbishop’s Palace. Visit the temple of La Compañía de Jesús and its awesome gilded interior.   Continue on to the Monastery of San Francisco, one the of great religious buildings of the New World; its impressive façade and atrium that lead to its Baroque interior influenced by Moorish style, with the winged Virgin of Quito at its main altar. The tour ends at a lookout point with a great view of Quito.

This is a walking tour at an altitude of 2800 meters (9200 feet) and involves climbing stairs.

QUITO SCENIC TOUR & ARCHAEOLOGY MUSEUM
A visit to downtown Quito to relish in this urban jewel and its treasures of art and architecture.  Quito’s colonial quarter, the largest and best preserved of South America,  is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.   The stroll starts at the Independence Plaza, flanked by the Cathedral, the Presidential Palace, the Municipal Building and the Archbishop’s Palace. Visit the temple of La Compañía de Jesús and its awesome gilded interior.   Continue on to the Monastery of San Francisco, one the of great religious buildings of the New World; its impressive façade and atrium that lead to its Baroque interior influenced by Moorish style, with the winged Virgin of Quito at its main altar. The tour ends at a lookout point with a great view of Quito.

Then, relive the history of Ecuador’s most ancient cultures at the Archaeology Museum, one of the finest archaeological and gold artifact collections in the Americas,  part of the vast collection owned by the Central Bank of Ecuador.

There are over 1800 pieces arranged in chronological corridors with explanatory panels and dioramas. 

This is a walking tour at an altitude of 2800 meters (9200 feet) and involves climbing stairs.  No pictures are allowed inside the museum; your camera must be left with the guard at the entrance.

QUITO ARCHAEOLOGY MUSEUM
Relive the history of Ecuador’s most ancient cultures at the Archaeology Museum, one of the finest archaeological and gold artifact collections in the Americas,   part of the vast collection owned by the Central Bank of Ecuador. There are over 1800 pieces arranged in chronological corridors with explanatory panels and dioramas.

No pictures or filming are allowed inside the museum; your camera must be left with the guard at the entrance.

PANORAMIC QUITO BY NIGHT & DINNER
Drive into the old Colonial city for a sight of the romantic plazas and past the impressive public and religious buildings.  Quito  is particularly splendid in the evening when illumination adds a special drama and mystery to its baroque architecture.    Then, to one of the hills surrounding the city for a panorama of twinkling lights covering the valley below.  Enjoy a leisurely dinner at one of the finest selected restaurants of the city. 

Casual evening dress - coat is needed.  This tour does not include walking, it is a drive-through.    Camera and film for night.

THE CENTER OF THE WORLD
The Equatorial Monument, 25 Kms. (16 miles) North of Quito, marks the exact Middle of the World, latitude 0º, where you can stand with a foot on each hemisphere.  Visit the Ethnographic Museum inside the monument, which shows the great diversity of Ecuador’s native groups. Beside the monument there is a colonial-style town, complete with main square, church, post office, bullring, cafeterias, restaurants and many gift shops that sell postcards and souvenirs.  A certificate for having crossed the Equator is issued to each guest.

This tour includes walking at an altitude of 2800 meters (9200 feet) and climbing stairs.  Entrance fee is included.

CENTER OF THE WORLD & LUNCH
The Equatorial Monument, 25 Kms. (16 miles) North of Quito, marks the exact Middle of the World, latitude 0º, where you can stand with a foot on each hemisphere.  Visit the Ethnographic Museum inside the monument, which shows the great diversity of Ecuador’s native groups. Beside the monument there is a colonial-style town, complete with main square, church, post office, bullring, cafeterias, restaurants and many gift shops that sell postcards and souvenirs.  A certificate for having crossed the Equator is issued to each guest.  Lunch at one of the lovely restaurants of the area.

This tour includes walking at an altitude of 2800 meters (9200 feet) and climbing stairs.   Entrance fee is included.

QUITO & CENTER OF THE WORLD
A visit to downtown Quito to relish in this urban jewel and its treasures of art and architecture.  Quito’s colonial quarter, the largest and best preserved of South America,  is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.   The stroll starts at the Independence Plaza, flanked by the Cathedral, the Presidential Palace, the Municipal Building and the Archbishop’s Palace. Visit the temple of La Compañía de Jesús and its awesome gilded interior.   Continue on to the Monastery of San Francisco, one the of great religious buildings of the New World; its impressive façade and atrium that lead to its Baroque interior influenced by Moorish style, with the winged Virgin of Quito at its main altar.

Then continue to the Equatorial Monument, 25 Kms. (16 miles) North of Quito, which marks the exact Middle of the World, latitude 0º, where you can stand with a foot on each hemisphere.  Visit the Ethnographic Museum inside the monument, which shows the different Native American groups living in Ecuador.   Beside the monument there is a colonial-style town, complete with main square, church, post office, bullring, cafeterias, restaurants and many gift shops with postcards and souvenirs.  You will get a certificate for having crossed the Equator.

Dress in layers (T-shirt, blouse, sweater, coat).  Take a sweater even if the day is warm and sunny.  Rain protection advised in the afternoon.  This tour includes walking at an altitude of 2800 meters (9200 feet) and climbing stairs.  Sun protection (SPF 40).  Good walking shoes.  Entrance fees are included.

QUITO & CENTER OF THE WORLD PLUS LUNCH
A visit to downtown Quito to relish in this urban jewel and its treasures of art and architecture.  Quito’s colonial quarter, the largest and best preserved of South America,  is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.   The stroll starts at the Independence Plaza, flanked by the Cathedral, the Presidential Palace, the Municipal Building and the Archbishop’s Palace. Visit the temple of La Compañía de Jesús and its awesome gilded interior.   Continue on to the Monastery of San Francisco, one the of great religious buildings of the New World; its impressive façade and atrium that lead to its Baroque interior influenced by Moorish style, with the winged Virgin of Quito at its main altar.

Lunch at one of the excellent restaurants in Quito or the equator area.  

Then continue to the Equatorial Monument, 25 Kms. (16 miles) North of Quito, which marks the exact Middle of the World, latitude 0º, where you can stand with a foot on each hemisphere.  Visit the Ethnographic Museum inside the monument, which shows the different Native American groups living in Ecuador.   Beside the monument there is a colonial-style town, complete with main square, church, post office, bullring, cafeterias, restaurants and many gift shops with postcards and souvenirs.  You will get a certificate for having crossed the Equator.

This tour includes walking at an altitude of 2800 meters (9200 feet) and climbing stairs.  Entrance fees are included.

QUITO’S TELEFERIQO CABLE CARS TO PICHINCHA VOLCANO 
Visitors to Quito can enjoy a bird's-eye view of the city from  the recently inaugurated  cable cars up Pichincha Volcano.  The view from the top is spectacular, covering the city of Quito, the surrounding valleys and snowcapped volcanoes.  This tour can be operated by itself or may be added to any of the private tours of Quito in our Tariff Guide, day or night.

Each of the 18 cabins, with panoramic windows, can take 6 guests, on an 8-minute ride, which starts at 3045 meters, up to the summit at 4050 meters, on Cruz Loma.  At the top, apart of several lookout points, tourists can enjoy a stroll along paths surrounded by Andean shrub forest, several coffee shops, and handcraft and souvenir shops.

Guests who have claustrophobia, vertigo or problems with high altitude should carefully consider if this tour is appropriate for them.  Cost of Express Entrance Fee is  included.

TULIPE: ANCIENT SUN CULTURE 
The ancient inhabitants of Ecuador, right on the Earth’s equator, had the unique opportunity to observe the sky at its greatest, both during days and nights.    Being at the Center of the World, and up in the mountains, they had an excellent natural location for astronomical observations, an entire panorama of the celestial heavens, as both the northern and southern skies are visible, and  it was easier for them to determine the movements of the Sun.  Because of the earth’s 23.5-degree tilt, the sun does not rise and set in the same place each day., but twice a year, during the Equinoxes on March 20 and September 23 the sun rises in the east and follows the equator line for 12 hours, setting exactly in the west.  At midday on an equinox, the sun is at its zenith over the equator and no objects cast a shadow there.   The sun not only determined the agricultural cycles, it was considered the highest deity in the Andean world.

Guests can now visit Tulipe, one of these ancient sites for astronomical and solar observations,  in a kind of pilgrimage to this sacred place, a spiritual, mystical encounter with nature, the unique energetic sites and ceremonial practices of pre-Hispanic societies and their relation to the Solar Cultures.

Tulipe, unique due to its position as a link between the coastal and Andean pre-Columbian cultures, lies at the heart of an exuberant subtropical forest to the northwest and very close to Quito, bordering a river of crystal-clear waters; it was the ceremonial center of the Yumbo culture.  The Yumbos were peaceful people dedicated to agriculture and commerce, with a close relationship with their environment and Solar Cosmovision.  It features stone structures like pools or water mirrors of various forms, joined together by a network of aqueducts, where the shamans (priests) and yachaks (sage men) performed astronomic observations, ceremonies and cults to the sun and the moon.  A hike on a path leading to the main pool is particularly interesting, surrounded by trees and medicinal, ritual and ornamental plants that borders the Tulipe River

The pre-Hispanic Yumbo etnia lived in this region from 800 to 1660; they were mindalaes or merchants, who controlled the crucial trade route between the Pacific Coast, the Andes and the Amazon to the east.   Their very interesting ancient mountain paths or coluncos can still be used; these are deep and narrow passageways, covered by entwined vegetation that formed a roof and allowed the merchants to travel under this cool protection.   

After lunch, a visit is made to the Quitsa-to Project, for a better understanding of the importance of the sun for the ancient civilizations of the Center of the World – including a visit to the monument marking Latitude 0°. 

This tour includes walking at altitudes averaging 1450 meters above sea level. 

 

Gastronomic Experiences at the Equator

Scents and Flavors of Ecuador

 

Ecuador’s  varied geography has  produced an equally varied cuisine.  A dazzling range of potatoes and corn from the highlands; bananas and  tropical fruits in the coastal areas, together with the bounty of the waters of the Pacific, particularly shrimp, makes dining in Ecuador a remarkable experience.

Ecuador has one of the tastiest cuisines in South America, with a great variety of fruits and vegetables, where the country’s biodiversity is reflected.   Apart of the traditional recipes, creative chefs offer a new proposal of contemporary Ecuadorian cuisine: healthy, light and delicious, where traditional recipes are enriched with a wide variety of ingredients which add new concepts of modern cuisine.

Three different hands-on experiences with Ecuadorian gastronomy have been developed to provide our guests with unique and memorable experiences to discover the scents and flavors of Ecuador’s diversity. 

A TRADITIONAL ECUADORIAN MEAL FROM START TO FINISH
(private, one day, Monday to Thursday and Saturday, from Quito.  Max 9 participants

 More than a simple cooking class, the “A Traditional Meal: Start to Finish” program is a “hands-on” culinary experience. Participants visit colorful markets where the people of Quito buy their fresh produce before heading to prepare and enjoy a delicious, traditional lunch under the watchful eye of an experienced master chef.  

The Ecuadorian culinary experience starts in the morning, with a visit to one of Quito’s main local food markets, a colorful, bustling maze of people, sounds and aromas.  Ecuadorian food is wonderful: fresh, crisp and tasteful.  This is your introduction to Ecuador’s varied fruit and vegetables, some you have never seen before, which your guide will explain. You’ll shop alongside the locals and learn how to pick out the best produce and how to negotiate a fair price.

Once you’ve picked out your ingredients, you’ll head to a well-appointed kitchen, where the chef will be waiting to walk you through the preparation of a tasty, traditional Ecuadorian meal. Preparation time usually takes about 1-2 hours, depending on the number of participants and the dishes involved. Everyone knows that food tastes best when you’ve worked hard to prepare it yourself, and once your Ecuadorian lunch is ready, you’ll get to enjoy it in a fine dining setting, accompanied, of course, by a glass of wine.

ECUADORIAN GOURMET CUISINE
private, one day, daily, except Sunday, from Quito

A combination of Quito city tour with visits to some of the city’s finest restaurants, the “Ecuadorian Gourmet Cuisine” is perfect for those who want to sample the best in local food while still getting to see the sights. The morning is dedicated to a Quito tour, followed by lunch at Hotel Plaza Grande, the city’s most exclusive hotel and restaurant.  Time to relax after lunch, and then pick-up for dinner, a great gastronomic experience with a tasting menu in one of Quito’s top-notch restaurants.  

The Ecuadorian Gourmet Cuisine tour begins with an introduction to the city of Quito with the very best sites the city has to offer: the Jesuit gold church, St. Francisco Monastery, the San Juan overlook, Benalcázar Square and the Mena Caamaño Museum. Once you’ve worked up an appetite, your guide will accompany you to the Hotel Plaza Grande, Quito’s newest and most exclusive hotel and restaurant, for lunch.

After lunch, back to your hotel to rest before pick up to go to one of Quito’s spectacular restaurants to enjoy a great gastronomic experience with a tasting menu, prepared by Ecuador’s finest chefs and featuring fresh local ingredients. Metropolitan Touring works with the following restaurants for this tour:

  • Rumiloma: A converted ranch on the slopes of Pichincha Mountain, Rumiloma features delicious food in a unique, rustic setting with a breathtaking view of the city.

  • Zazu: Hip and modern, Zazu is known for the creativity of Peruvian chefs Alexander Lau Moscoso and Hugo Tsuda Miyagawa.   Zazu was granted the “Five Star Diamond Award” by the American Institute of Hospitality Sciences of New York. 

  • Alkimia: A sophisticated yet casual Restaurant in the “in” zone of Uptown Quito, Alkimia presents a very Latin and spectacular Mediterranean menu, with creations of its chef Julio Avendaño.

AN ECUADORIAN WINE TOUR
The one-day Ecuadorian Wine Tour takes guests to the Chaupi Estancia for a full tour and tasting. Guests are then taken to the highly regarded countryside Restaurant La Marmite, to enjoy a traditional meal especially prepared with the finest local ingredients. Following lunch, guests will visit the Pakakuna Gardens, home to a dazzling variety of plants--including orchids-- and hummingbirds

The adventure begins with a drive to the small, traditional town of Yaruqui, about a half-hour outside of Quito and Chaupi Estancia (“Chaupi Ranch”), one of Ecuador’s most famous wineries, whose wines have won awards at prestigious international competitions. You’ll be treated to full tour of the winery, including the vineyards, cask rooms and showroom. A wine tasting is included.

Then, proceed to nearby La Marmite Restaurant, well-known to locals for quality international cuisine. There you’ll be treated to a traditional meal made of only the finest fresh local ingredients. You’ll get the chance to walk off your lunch at the unforgettable Pakakuna Gardens, home to more than 500 species of plants, including several varieties of orchids. As you wander the trails, passing ponds and waterfalls, you’ll likely see one of several species of hummingbird native to the region. Following the visit to the Gardens, drive back to your hotel.