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Click for: Sample Itinerary |
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| * | Laguna Quilotoa | * | Rio Toachi | * | Cheese Factory | * | Pre-Incan Ruins | * | Cloud Forest | * |
| Links on Day Hikes Page 2: | ||||||||
| * | Day Hikes & Activities Page 2: | * | Horseback Riding | * | Mountain Biking | * | Transportation | * |
| Home |
Best Day Hikes & Walks in Rural Ecuador |
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PAGE 1
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| Black Sheep Inn | ||
| Highlights of the Area | ||
| Day Hikes & Activities | ||
| Links & Recommendations | ||
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For
Reservations: Black Sheep Inn |
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Day Hiker's Paradise - Great Walking! (photo by Alli) |
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Chugchilán is a day-hiker's paradise. Walks range from a
half hour to a full day and incorporate several micro-climates.
Experience the real Ecuador in this safe and rural location. Hike
through the Rio Toachi Canyon, enjoy patch work fields of the sierra, be
on top of the world in the high grasslands of the paramó, and enter the
eerie, humid, cloud forest. Altitudes range from 8,000 to 12,500 feet (2500 to 3800
meters) making it easy to acclimatize and train for Ecuador's higher
peaks while enjoying all the comforts of the Black Sheep Inn. (photo by Juerg Buehler) |
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Local Cheese Factory |
| In the late 1970's Swiss Aid workers trained local farmers to make European Style cheese. Today, there are 15 cheese cooperatives locally owned and operated throughout Ecuador. They make Mozzarella, Emental, Andino and Tilsit. The cheese is delicious. Chugchilan's cheese factory is small, but economically very important. The hike to the cheese factory is 4 hours round trip climbing up to the paramó and looping back down, providing spectacular views of the countryside. | |
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Rio Toachi Canyon |
| The climate warms and scenery changes as you descend switch back trails down to
the Rio Toachi. We call it the "Grand Canyon" of
Ecuador. The sheer canyon walls surround you as you hike along
the river banks. Hikes
are moderately
challenging and range from 3 to 5 hours. (photo by Juerg Buehler) |
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Pre-Incan Ruins |
| A full day round-trip hike will take you to these ancient churrós (spirals), sometimes called pucarás or fortresses. The ruins themselves are not very impressive as there is no stone work nor foundations, but they make for a beautiful destination and interesting speculation; were they communication centers, fortresses, burial grounds or UFO landing sites?? | |
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Cloud Forest: high altitude Andean Humid Forest is accessible just over the paramó ridge dropping down over 3000 meters (10,000 feet) to the hot coastal plain. Its unique equatorial eco-system is home to diverse flora and fauna. Bird List A hike in and out of the cloud forest takes a full day. It is also accessible by horse, mountain bike or 4-wheel drive. There are native guides available at the Black Sheep Inn. The Ecuadorian National Park Service has declared the area The Iliniza Ecological Reserve, yet there is still no education program, no publicity, no signs and no controls. Many people who own property or live in this area don't even know that it is a Reserve. There are large tracts of old growth, but deforestation here in Ecuador, as well as globally, stretches further and further. We hope that with some outside help this Cloud Forest can be preserved for future generations. |
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Orchid's in Cloud Forest |
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We have written an open letter with more information about the cloud forest and asking for assistance to help preserve it. Please feel free to copy and forward this letter. |
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| Links on this Page: | ||||||||||
| * | Laguna Quilotoa | * | Rio Toachi | * | Cheese Factory | * | Pre-Incan Ruins | * | Cloud Forest | * |
| Links on Day Hikes Page 2: | ||||||||
| * | Day Hikes & Activities Page 2: | * | Horseback Riding | * | Mountain Biking | * | Transportation | * |
| Click for: Sample Itinerary | ||
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Michelle Kirby & Andres Hammerman |
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