Suggested 7-day Guest Itinerary & Expeditions
and recommended hotels and restaurants.
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sample itinerary | suggested expeditions | recommended hotels | Recommended Restaurants
Cusín Sample Itinerary (7 Days)
Area wallmap: Gamesroom. Small maps & anti-dog advice: Reception.
Guides are available for walks & tours. Taxis : from $7 p.hr.
| Day 1 |
A Self-Guided Tour & Cusin History (1-2 hours) is in Reception. Explore Salon Bolivar, bar, dining room & upstairs corridor, several acres of gardens, library & reading-room, squash court, games room, Casa Cusin craft store.
El Monasterio , towers (find the secret door), parapet views, salon Cotacatchi, dining room murals, stables: guineapigs, guineahens, turkeys, rabbits, geese, pigs.
Try one of many walks : Rinconada, left from Cusin's main gate, follow the road.
At 5 p.m. tea on the main garden patio in the sunset's often unusual glow, or a fireside cocktail. After a candlelight dinner by logfire, see the night sky or a video film with popcorn and logfire. Bienvenidos! |
| Chess, checkers, Scrabble, Monopoly, darts, ping-pong, pool, squash, volley-ball. In-room massage. Spanish language classes. |
| Day 2 |
Visit Otavalo's domestic market & general shops, Monday-Friday, largest and busiest on Saturday, 8 a.m.-4 p.m. ; animal market, 7-8 a.m.
Visit Condor reserve, Espejo, 10 minutes from Cusin.
There are two antique stores (also Casa Cusin and in San Antonio de Ibarra). |
| Lunch: |
Las Palmeras Inn ($8.50), Casa Mojanda, Ali Shungu are recommended. |
| Day 3 |
Gualavi valley , by horse and guide, mountain-bike or foot: from Cusin's front gate, right. After El Monasterio, right (walker: follow the usually dry Quebrada to a cement bridge*, climb out & go right) at fork, go either right, onto the higher road to the valley rim walk or take the middle road to the valley floor.
Picnic . There are lanes and short cuts to return on.
OR , *continue in the Quebrada, toward Imbabura mountain. Later, climb onto the road, go left & return to Cusin via San Pablo . Request an in-room massage.
OR , the 15,000' Imbabura climb, 8 hrs: with guide, Picnic . Wear sun-protection and sweaters for the summit. |
| Day 4 |
Request a taxi (& picnic) to Cuicocha crater lake, with prolific flora and panoramic views. Inside the park entrance, park right. A sometimes difficult, 5+ hour walk - it can be cold - a guide is important. A lake ( cocha ), boat trip to an island resembling a guineapig ( cui ). Return via Cotacachi's leather stores. |
| Lunch: |
La Mirage ($$$), or Mision de Flores ($) or 18th cent. Hacienda Pinsaqui ($$). |
| Day 5 |
From Cusin, beyond the rose plantation, is the mountain range of Mojanda and, to the right, is the ancient volcanic plug, Fuyafuya . 9 a.m. , warm clothes & picnic to Mojanda's lakes (taxi, 30 mins.). Then, a stiff uphill climb on a straight grass path toward Fuyafuya for spectacular views. |
| Lunch: |
Casa Mojanda. |
| |
Or 6:15 a.m , depart for Ibarra for an adventurous Andean train journey. Picnic . Then go north to the spectacular paramo of El Angel OR , l unch: $$ Hac. Pinsaqui, or $ Las Palmeras or $$ Yaguacocha.
OR ...visit the fine, partially excavated IXth century earth pyramids of Cochasqui , (40 mins one-way). Museum, medicinal gardens & guineapig house. Spectacular views on a clear day. Spanish speaking guide. Request an in-room massage . |
| Lunch: |
$$ Haciendas La Campania & rose plantation tour, or La Molino, Cayambe. |
| Day 6 |
A spectacular walk to Zuleta valley (5.5 hrs). Picnic within sight of snowcapped Cayambe. Hacienda Zuleta does not welcome visitors
on its property.
Arrange return transportation with Cusin's Reception.
Reserve a visit to Rinconada village, in-between Zuleta and Esperanza.
Or horseback ride halfway & return to Cusin for lunch (3hrs).
Or walk Cubilche , via Imbabura's saddle. Picnic . Return to Cusin(6 hrs.).
Or , on a clear day, by taxi for San. Marco lake, near snowcapped Cayambe. Picnic . (5 hrs.). Request an in-room massage. |
| Day 7 |
Walk to Mt Lechero (90 mins.): turn right after Cusin's main gate. Continue across a main road and into Sn Pablo's main plaza. Walk to the far right corner and on for half a mile, turn right before a modern church & left, right and up steep gravel road, then on to the top of the hill for a magnificent lake & area view. |
| Lunch: |
$ Cabañas del Lago. |
| |
Take a taxi to Agato (weaving workshop).
Return to Cusin via tea at lakeside Puertolago, 10 mins. from Cusin. |
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Suggested Overnight Expeditions
Casa Mojanda | Paramo El Angel | El Refugio lodge | Cotopaxi and Quito
Casa Mojanda, Mojanda mountain range: 1 night / 2 days. For experienced riders. This 4 and half hour ride with guide begins at 9 am , proceeds from the lake valley of Cusin and climbs through magnificent rural countryside to approximately 10,500 feet. Enjoy a picnic along the way. It is possible to spend the afternoon riding around Lake Mojanda or taking a stiff climb by foot up to the volcanic plug Fuyafuya for stunning views of the countryside. Dinner and overnight at Casa Mojanda. After breakfast, return along different route for lunch at Cusin. Return to Quito or dinner and overnight at Hacienda Cusin. 1-4 guests, $175 per person. Helmets must be worn.
Paramo El Angel: 1 night/2 days. Jurassic Park without the dinosaurs. This unique reserve at about12,000 feet, is 2 hours north of Cusín and near the dry Chota valley. Thousands of 8-foot high frailejone resemble a cross between a giant chrysanthimum and a palm tree. Take the boardwalk to an extinct volcanic crater-lake. Stay overnight at Hacienda San Francisco in nearby Salinas (double, from $55/night). 2-day 3-seat taxi, from $80.
Intag Cloud Forest Reserve, El Refugio lodge: 2 nights / 3 days. 2 hours NW from Cusin, at 6,000 feet and home to over 200 bird and animal species. Full accommodation, $50 per person per day, 4-seat taxi, from $70 1-way. Minimum group of 3, reserve early.
- Day 1: Depart Cusin 8:30 am. Travel via Cotacachi to 11,000 feet. Several ecosystems make this journey a destination in itself. Lunch. Explore this mountain retreat's forest. Dinner. Night walk. Guide, Oswaldo, cook, Lupe.
- Day 2: Exploration and bird-watching in the peaceful, misty forest.
- Day 3: Return for lunch at Cusin. Double/single room, dinner, breakfast, $80.
Cotopaxi National Park & Quito: 2 nights/3 days. 3 hours south of Cusín, take a picnic.
- Day 1: Drive 90 minutes to Pasachoa Reserve or direct to Cotopaxi National Park, $10 entrance fee. Park near Limpiopungo Lake; walk and explore far side. For spectacular views, drive up to the parking area below Rufugio Ribas.
Hotel San Agustin de Callo, once an Inca temple, from $220/double or Hacienda La Cienaga, from $60/double.
- Day 2: On Thursdays, visit the impressive Saquasilli market, 8 a.m. Return to Quito Hotel.
- OR a day trip with picnic to the exquisite Quilotoa Crater Lake, with overnight at famous Black Sheep Inn, from $50
- OR, return for dinner and overnight in Quito.
- Day 3: Exploration of recently conserved colonial Quito. Lunch. Museums and gift stores of modern Quito. Dinner and night in Quito.
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Recommended hotels - For reservations, email: hacienda@cusin.com.ec
Quito
- La Rábida - The best small hotel in Quito , double $48.
- Café Cultura - www.cafecultura.com - from $55.
- Hotel Quito - www.hotelquito.com - Hotel Quito, large and well-managed with swimming pool and gardens, from $45 ($54 rooms are best).
- Swissotel & J. W. Marriott - luxury hotels in modern Quito , from $140.
- Patio Andaluz - conserved 19th century houses. Colonial Quito, from $85.
Cotopaxi
Recommended restaurants
Near Cusin:
- Las Palmeras Inn
- Casa Mojanda
- Ali Shungu
- La Mirage
- Haciendas Pinsaqsui, La Compañia, and Molino
Quito
- Nispero
- La Viña
- Cocina de monasterio
- Theatrum - colonial Quito
- Mea Culpa - colonial Quito
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