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Haciendas

A hacienda is a large estate that feeds on livestock, agriculture and forestry. In the colonial period, there was a bond of dependence between the owner of the hacienda, the hacendado, and the farm workers, the peones. This system was comparable to the medieval serfdom. Most of the haciendas are in Indian territory: the hacendado was usually of Spanish origin, the Indians worked more or less as slaves on the haciendas. After several land reforms, most of the haciendas have turned into more modern farms. Many haciendas have beautiful colonial-style buildings and a rich history. That is why they have been refurbished as luxury-class hotels, some of them are real gems of restoration.
Below is a list of haciendas from the Ecuadorian Andes and coast.

Hacienda Abraspungo

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This beautiful hotel is housed in an ancient hacienda. The hotel has thirty-eight comfortable rooms, all named after a mountain in Ecuador and decorated with great attention to the colonial style. All rooms have direct access to the beautiful gardens. In the restaurant, the chefs surprise you with a culinary high-quality Ecuadorian kitchen. From the hotel you can participate in various activities, such as horseback riding, hiking, etc. You are here in a quiet suburb of Riobamba, about a five-minute drive from the center.
For more information see  haciendaabraspungo.com

Hacienda Cusin

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Hacienda Cusin is a restored 17th century estate. The hacienda is located at an altitude of 2,600 meters, near Lake San Pablo and 5 minutes by car from Otavalo. You can take a stroll here through the five hectares of landscaped gardens with beautiful greenery, ponds and patios. In addition, the hacienda offers a view of the mountains Imbabura and Cotacachi. You can dine in the accompanying restaurant, with vegetables, fruit and spices from our own cultivation, or in one of the restaurants located on the shores of the lake.
For more information see www.haciendacusin.com

Hacienda La Cienega

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The famous hacienda La Ciénega has been owned by the descendants of the Marquises of Maenza since the 17th century. This hacienda is located at the base of the Cotopaxi volcano. The 2 meter thick walls are made of volcanic rock. Many important people in the history of Latin America have stayed here. The hacienda has beautiful gardens and a good restaurant. From here you can take trips to the Cotopaxi volcano, to Lake Quilotoa, the Indian markets of Saquisili and Pujili and take bike rides or go out on horseback.
For more information see www.haciendalacienega.com

Hacienda La Danesa

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Hacienda La Danesa used to be a large cattle farm. Now it combines this activity with running a luxury resort with top-level service. You can eat fresh cheese (made from milk from the farm), follow chocolate workshops (with cocoa from the hacienda) or roll up your sleeves to help milk the cows. The hacienda is an hour and a half drive from Guayaquil on the way to the Andes mountains, making it pleasantly warm. The estate has six guest rooms, all with air conditioning, bathroom, hairdryer, dressing gown and slippers. You can book in-room massages. There is also the possibility to cycle, walk, do tubing in the river etc. You can go horse riding, visit the nearby nature reserves, take cooking lessons etc. La Danesa is a good place to actively relax.
For more information see www.haciendaladanesa.com

Hacienda Los Mortiños

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Hacienda Los Mortiños is located at the entrance of the Cotopaxi National Park and is completely surrounded by impressive mountains and nature. The building has large windows throughout, making it very light. There are several standard rooms and suites, all with a private bathroom with hot water. You can take walks, rent horses, visit the llamas and rent mountain bikes. The hotel has a small modest restaurant where you can eat tasty Ecuadorian and foreign dishes.
For more information see www.losmortinos.com

Hacienda Pinsaqui

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The centuries-old Pinsaqui hacienda once employed more than a thousand native weavers and spinners. High-quality carpets were made for export to different parts of the world. In 1790 the hacienda was transformed into a hotel. Simon Bolivar, the liberator of Latin America, spent the night here while in transit. At the end of the 19th century, the historic peace treaty between Ecuador and Colombia was signed in this hotel. The buildings have been beautifully maintained and restored over the years. The hotel offers thirty suites with a fireplace, a fine restaurant and several centuries-old gardens. With its quiet location, minutes from both Otavalo and Cotacachi, Hacienda Pinsaqui is highly recommended.
For more information see www.haciendapinsaqui.com

Las Palmeras Inn

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This 150 year old hacienda is located on the Quiquinche valley, two km from the center of Otavalo. The typical aspects of the hacienda have been preserved, such as the adobe walls, the fireplaces, the wooden beams and the beautiful palm trees in the garden. The hacienda has been converted into a comfortable hotel with various standard rooms and suites. All rooms have private bathrooms. Some have a fireplace. You can enjoy a nice walk and after the walk enjoy a delicious meal in the restaurant of the hacienda.
For more information see www.laspalmerasinn.com

Posada Ingapirca

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This 200-year-old hacienda is located about 500 mt from Ingapirca, Ecuador’s most important archaeological site. The hacienda has been carefully restored. Here you can sleep in one of the 23 rooms or suites, all with private bathroom and fireplace. Be sure to take a look in the game room or stroll through the beautiful gardens. In the restaurant you can enjoy a delicious gourmet kitchen, after which you can enjoy a drink in the bar.
For more information see posadaingapirca.com

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WHY TRAVEL WITH EXPLORE ECUADOR?

Tom, guide in EcuadorI’m Tom from Belgium and I’ll make sure your trip to Ecuador or cruise in Galapagos goes as smoothly and pleasantly as possible. I have been living in Ecuador for a decade and have been working in tourism for 8 years now. Before that, I obtained my guides diploma in Ecuador. Traveling and discovering new places is my passion.
Together with the local travel agency Descubre-Ecuador, we offer tailor-made tours in Galapagos and on the Ecuadorian mainland. Over the years, Descubre-Ecuador has built a reliable partnership with the best hotels and the best nature guides in Ecuador. Our small-scale way of working ensures easy accessibility and a lot of flexibility when traveling.
Customer satisfaction is the essence for us. And even in those rare moments of unforeseen difficult circumstances, we make sure that we are there to make sure your trip runs smoothly.
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WHY TRAVEL TO ECUADOR?

Indian woman from SalasacasIn South America, Ecuador is one of the smaller countries, but the country is hugely diverse in terms of geography, climate and population. You can visit the Andes, the Amazon rainforest as well as the tropical coast without taking extremely long domestic flights or transfers. And then you have the Galapagos Islands, a once in a lifetime experience. The diversity of flora and fauna per square mile is enormous. Ecuador is South America in a nutshell. Moreover, the country is relatively safe and little visited. The national currency is the USD and you have a wide choice of direct flights to Quito and Guayaquil from Europe and the United States.

WAAROM REIZEN MET ONTDEK-ECUADOR?

Tom - guide in EcuadorIk ben Tom uit België en zorg ervoor dat jullie reis naar Ecuador of cruise in Galapagos zo vlot en aangenaam mogelijk kan verlopen. Ik woon al een tiental jaren in Ecuador en werk nu 8 jaren in toerisme. Daarvoor heb ik in Ecuador mijn gidsen-diploma behaald. Reizen en nieuwe plaatsen ontdekken is mijn passie. Samen met het lokale reiskantoor Descubre-Ecuador, bieden we reizen op maat in Galapagos en op het Ecuadoriaanse vasteland aan. Descubre-Ecuador heeft door de jaren heen een betrouwbare samenwerking opgebouwd met de beste hotels en de beste natuurgidsen van Ecuador. Onze kleinschalige manier van werken zorgt voor een vlotte bereikbaarheid en veel flexibiliteit bij het reizen. De tevredenheid van de klant is voor ons de essentie. En ook op die zeldzame momenten van onvoorziene moeilijke omstandigheden zorgen we dat we er zijn om jullie reis toch perfect te laten verlopen. Ontdek Ecuador en Galapagos!