Destination: Quito, The Central Highlands, Riobamba, Cuenca & The Northern
Duration: 9 Days / 8 Nights


With more than 12000 years of history, Ecuador offers a fusion of different artistic manifestations.  Since the utilitarian art with our first inhabitants, followed by the colonial “Quito School of Arts”, to the contemporary arts influence by international movements and the most colorful popular art different in each of the 4 regions of the country.

Since the beginning, the aboriginal populations of Ecuador expresses their religious Concepts in the construction of ceremonial spaces where the ceramic and the metallurgic reach a high artistic and technological level; with the influence of the Spanish Conquest a new art know as “Quito school of Art” was born in Latin America, and hybrid art that result form the combination of European invents, Christian inspiration and indigenous abilities.

From 1945 to our days, the artistic Ecuadorian tendency had being influence directly from the International art, the expressionism and other contemporary movements have result in the recognition of well re-known artists as Guayasamín,  Eduardo Kigman, Viteri, Enrique Tabara between others.

This fascinating 9 days visit in Ecuador, guides you through the World of archeology, history, cultures and the inseparable element of our art, the nature of a wonderful country.


Detailed Itinerary:


Day 1 
Arrival in  Quito (D)

Arrival in Quito, assistance and transfer from airport Mariscal Sucre to hotel. Time to relax and adapt to the city altitude. Quito is located at 2800 mts. above sea level.

In the afternoon, Seminar and introduction to Ecuadorian Art.

Dinner in a local restaurant

Overnight in Quito


Day 2 
Full day excursion in Quito “World Cultural Heritage Site”  (Religious Art) (B,L)

Known as the “Andean Shangri-la” or the “Florence of America”, touching its brilliant blue sky at 2800 meters above sea level, Quito was the first city to be declared by UNESCO a World Cultural Heritage Site, in recognition of its historic, architectonic and artistic value.

The City’s Historical Center, the largest and best preserved in Latin America, displays on its centuries old narrow streets, plazas, churches, monasteries and monuments a superb fusion of cultures and artistic styles which fascinates visitors and represents an unparalleled historic jewel.

A visit to the Church and Convent of Santo Domingo is part of this spectacular visit; this convent has the best exhibition of architectural and religious art in the colonial city. In approximately two hours, the passenger will have the opportunity to be delighted by the delicate and unusual beauty of this colonial Convent. 

Lunch in a local restaurant and in the afternoon, visit a Restoration Atelier.

Overnight in Quito


Day 3 
Full day excursion to the Central Highlands (Popular Art) (B,L)

During this full day visit we will guide passengers through a path of color and traditions that dresses the villages of the Central Highlands.

This day will be an unforgettable trip through the world of pottery and Andean religion.  The pottery art is a thousand years old tradition; it shows the relation between the clay, food, pottery objects and men that starts with the harvest, continues with the preparation and use of pottery objects and ends with dead when the body became clay again.

Our first stop will be La Victoria; pottery capital of the Cotopaxi Province; La Victoria is a small and picturesque Andean town where its paths show us side to side different artisan centers.  People creativity is unique the clay objects we found here goes from masks to relief paintings and the traditional piggy bank. 

5 Km. away from La Victoria, we found Pujilí, quichua word that means “The toys shelter” and it is, this small indigenous town well decorated in a colonial stile with narrow stone streets, internal gardens, colonial churches and gentle people displays an incredible range of light colors and beautiful handicrafts. Pujilí, as La Victoria, is famous for its pottery traditions rich in folklore with popular art pieces hand painted for it’s skillfully artists.

The Matriz Church, located at the central park is the only example in Ecuador of a missionary temple and is a sample of the monumental properties that characterize the romantic architecture.

This day is definitely a day of discover and magic, an encounter with artists and indigenous traditions. 

Overnight in Riobamba


Day 4 
Overland Excursion from Riobamba to Cuenca visiting the most important archeological Sites of the Southern Highlands (Utilitarian art) (B,L)

The city of Cuenca and its surroundings are an incredible cultural space dedicated to men and history.

This temple routes guides us through the fascinating World of archeology and the great cultural legate of the Cañari and Inca cultures.

Cojitambo, located at 11km away from the city of Cuenca we find the archeological complex of Cojitambo.  Cojitambo is a quichua word that means “seat and rest”; the cultural used that Cojitambo had is a mystery until today, but, the royal paths, big stairs and curved stones bases, seems to be what once was a sacred temple for sun adoration and magical rituals, as well as a force place to stop while the chasquis where doing their job. (Chasquis:  Inca character that use to take the mail from on place to another).

Pumapungo, the in site museum of Pumapungo is great dimension sample of what was once a neighborhood of the ancient Tomebamba, the complex is an architectonic testimony of a rich pre-Hispanic culture that was the result of the fusion between two ethnic groups:  the Cañaris and the Incas. Pumapungo displays an incredible archeological exhibition. During the visit to this museum the passenger will observe, watch and learn through a didactic way the significance of the worship spaces that are part of the complex plus histories of warriors, divine women, priests and rituals devoted to the sun.  

Overnight in Cuenca


Day 5 
Best Artistic Spots in the city of Cuenca ( Religious Art, Popular Art and specialized workshops) (B,L)

Cuenca is considered the most prominent artisan center in Ecuador.  The variety and quality of the fine handicrafts that are produce in the city and in its surroundings are remarkable and make of this region a commercial centre that joyfully surprise the visitors for the exceptional and creative skills of their habitants. 

The first part of this excursion enhance the charming neoclassic architecture of the colonial city, balconies beautiful decorate, colossal doors carved on wood,  stained glass windows, interior courtyards, murals and fresco paintings that displays the great artistic work for what this city was declared by the UNESCO as a World Cultural Heritage.  

We will visit one or more workshops where you can find the emblematic “Panama Hat”. The hats are made of the “toquilla” palm fiber, previously treated and patiently hand woven in a process of several weeks, sometimes months. These hats have acquired world recognition and status by being worn at solemn occasions by world personalities, including Kings and Queens, Presidents and other celebrities.

Another re-known handicraft of the area is the ceramic industry. We will visit a workshop where potters of the region have inherit a exceptional skill for molding the clay and convert it on hundreds of the most original and colorful objects like dishes, dinner sets, vases, etc, with different sizes, forms and designs.  So much value has this pottery work achieved that today is notable the growth of the industry due to the great quality of the objects and the demand that they have generate. 

We will visit too, a fine jewelry studio.  Here passengers can watch and learn with this fabulous artists and artisans that work together with an extraordinary skills the most beautiful jewels in gold and silver reflecting the innate artist spirit of the inhabitants of this region.

Overnight in Cuenca


Day 6 
Cuenca – Quito (Contemporary  Art) (B)

During the morning, assistance and transfer to the airport to get your flight back to city of Quito. At your arrival, assistance and transfer to your hotel.

In the afternoon:  Visit the Chapel of Men and / or the Guayasamin Foundation

The Chapel of Men is a unique architectonic cultural space of great dimensions. It is an interactive mural where master Guayasamin expresses in sculptures, murals and paintings the grief, song, furious, wail, tenderness, protest, dreams, struggle, heroism, sacrifice and victory of the Latin American men. This excursion is a great display of art and architecture that leaves to our judgment and observation the Latin-American history.

After this, we will visit the Guayasamin Museum, which counts with three different cultural spaces.
• The archeological pre – Columbian collection
• The contemporary collection of Oswaldo Guayasamin
• The museum of colonial art and the School of Quito

The museum also counts with a small souvenir store, gold and silver jewels with exclusive designs that were inspired in the art of this great Ecuadorian artist. 

Overnight in Cuenca


Day 7 
Overland excursion to the Northern Highlands (Popular Art) (B,L)

Located at 2530 meter above sea level we find the everlasting fertile, Province of Imbabura, these magical lands surrounded by lakes are cradle of artists, histories and living pre-Inca cultures.

We will visit Peguche, a picturesque and messy little town whose habitants are famous for their weaving abilities on hand made looms in vivid colors representing figures of the Andean Region. At Peguche, the art of coloring wools have became a recreational game where traditions, norms and rules end up in an incredible blend of hammocks, textiles, sweaters, etc, that the community exhibits with proud and color.

Together with the weaving industry, the community of Peguche, following with their ancestral traditions, is well known for the manufacture of wind instruments like the Sikus, Kenas and charangos, here we found the House of the Instruments whose walls bring us memories of the Andean music representing the song of nature, water and air.

In the area, we also find the strong and artistic hands of the people of San Antonio. Art studios with wood, stone and ceramic sculptures that represents the Quito school of art that transmit us the spirit of the indigenous villages whom had kept this Spanish cultural manifestation within a lot of generations.

All this artistic towns, commercialize their art in the Otavalo Market, beyond a shopping tour this tour teach us the work, traditions and customs of our indigenous communities.

Overnight in Otavalo


Day 8 
Overland excursión from the Northern Andes to Quito visitng el Quinche and Pakakuna Gardens ( Sacred Art and Natural Art) (B,L)

The Ecuadorian Andes holds between its mountains an unlimited number of memories, secrets and cultural histories of the Andean communities.

El Quinche or Hill of the Sun; is a picturesque town known since the pre-Incan times as a sacred land; different archeological studies had agree that the remains of pre Columbian architecture found in the area represent sacred temples for sun adoration. In this century, el Quinche maintains its popularity as a sacred land, an annual pilgrimage is made to honor the Holy Mary Image that was sculpted in the colonial years by Don Diego de Robles who was one of the principal representatives of Quito School of Art.

Today, el Quinche holds one of the most beautiful colonial and historical treasures of Ecuador, The Holly Virgin of El Quinche;  different histories surrounds this image but its still unknown why it was moved from the community of Oyacachi to the community of El Quinche.
Besides this beautiful piece of art we found at El Quinche and exuberant collection of religious colonial art. 

To complement this full day we found Pakakuna Gardens which means the Hidden Site.  This wonderful private botanical garden posses an area of 75 acres and is located in Checa one hour and a half away from the city of Quito. The Gardens of Pakakuna, hides a unique ecological landscaping, with over 500 plant varieties, both native and brought from all around the world. Different examples of aquatic plants, orchids, bromeliads, trees, fuchsias and daturas or guantos (the sacred flower of the Inca) are just a little taste of the menu that offers this magic garden.

Overnight in Quito


Day 9 
Departure (B)

At and appropriate time assistance and transfer to airport to get your International flight.


End Of Our Services.