Ecuador - CUENCA

Cuenca is Ecuador’s third largest city, yet it still retains its pleasant provincial air.  Its colonial architecture, red tiled roofs, cobblestone streets, flowery plazas and museums make it very special, so it is no wonder that UNESCO has designated the city a World Heritage Site.  Before the Spaniards arrived, Cuenca was the second largest city in the Inca Empire (after Cusco).

[ HOTELS IN CUENCA ]

Detailed descriptions of tours in Cuenca:

City Tour of Cuenca
This tour starts at the Plaza of San Sebastian, a colorful artisans market. Then, visit the Museum of Modern Art, featuring an excellent collection of contemporary fine art. The original building was the "House of Temperance" where alcoholics were once shut inside its thick walls in an effort to cure them. A stop is made at Plaza San Francisco, where the exquisitely embroidered skirts of the cholas are available for sale. Next is a visit to the flower market at the small plaza in front of the carved stone entrance to the church of El Carmen de la Asunción. From here, a stroll to the main square, surrounded by the imposing blue-domed Cathedral, the Court of Justice, the Municipal Palace, the Governor's Palace and the Church of El Sagrario. Then, a drive along the Tomebamba river to admire the city's overhanging houses and the laundry spread out to dry on its river banks and a great view of the city from the Hill of Turi.

Full day Cajas National Park
A jacket and walking shoes are necessary when heading for the area of Cajas, 19 miles (30 Km.) west of Cuenca. Cajas is lake country, a protected 28,800-hectare area starting at 3,000 meters (10,000 feet) above sea level; the region shows remains of intense volcanic activity and glaciation. The highest point is reached on the road at Three Crosses, the water divide of those than go to the Pacific and to the Atlantic. The wind and drizzle can make it very cold, but the scenery surrounding these 230 lakes is splendid, for walking and hiking, for observing flora, fauna and bird life. The vegetation includes small forests of quinua trees, a high protein grain. These dwarf forests are home to many species of birds like hummingbirds and the gray-breasted mountain toucan. The cold lakes of Cajas are full of trout. A visit to a trout-breeding hacienda is included. Lunch will feature delicious fresh trout. Entrance fee to Cajas National Park is included.

Full day Gualaceo Valley
The valley of Gualaceo is 22 miles (36 kilometers) from Cuenca, at an elevation of 7,446 feet (2,370 meters) above sea level. The ride starts along the Santa Ana valley and then high in the mountains, through very scenic landscapes, which change at every curb. Stops are made at the small towns of San Bartolome where guitars are hand made and artistically finished and at Sigsig, where the toquilla straw is harvested and prepared to weave into the famous Panama hats. Proceed to Chordeleg, through orchards and sugar cane plantations, a small town with many stores selling jewelry in gold and silver. Chordeleg is also known for its green and yellow pottery. Lunch is at a very pleasant country inn, surrounded by flowering gardens and very close to the Santa Barbara river. After lunch, follow the road along the banks of the river, lined with weeping willows to the village of Gualaceo, famous for its Sunday market which sells mostly produce, animals, household goods and leather shoes. The valley of Gualaceo is famous for the production of peaches and there is a Peach Festival the first week of March. Visit another tiny town, Bulcay, where the weavers produce the finest shawls and scarves using backstrap looms and the technique of ikat, where the threads are tie-dyed to form specific designs before weaving. Return to Cuenca in the afternoon.

Full day tour to Ingapirca
This fascinating day trip takes you to Ingapirca, the most northern fortress-temple remaining from Inca times. Sun-worshippers built this stone center on a promontory high above the Cañar valley, about 96 Km (60 miles) northeast of Cuenca and at an altitude of 10,595 feet (3,230 meters) above sea level.

Ride through enchanting highlands, passing through the towns of Azogues and Cañar. Visit the mountain-bound sanctuary of Our Lady of Rocio in Biblian built on steep rock and a small hat workshop. Upon arrival at Ingapirca stop at the on-site museum, and admire the stone fortress with several trapezoidal doorways and stone walls perfectly fit together, without mortar, of the Inca construction. There is an elliptical platform, known as the Temple of the Sun used for religious and ceremonial purposes, the barracks, the stone "Inca Face" and the zoomorphic carvings. Lunch at a pleasant inn of the area before the return to Cuenca.