On this one day Ecuadorian adventure guests can ‘ride the roof’ on the Chiva Express along the Avenue of the Volcanoes. We will then continue by motor coach up the slopes surrounding the Cotopaxi Volcano to a hacienda in the highlands of Ecuador. Guests can also enjoy activities such as horseback riding, zip lining through the canopy and bird watching in the Andean moorlands.

The adventure starts in Quito with a bus ride to the station of Tambillo, where the "Chiva Express", a colorful one coach train, like a bus on tracks, is ready to depart. A highlight of the trip is to 'ride the roof' with a panoramic view of the stunning Andean region of Ecuador.  You will enjoy the ever-changing scenery as the "Chiva Express" advances along the ancient tracks.  Stop for a snack at a dairy hacienda with cows, horses and llamas.  Here guests transfer to a bus to continue up to the moorlands surrounding Cotopaxi for a short hike in this unique ecosystem. Enjoy lunch at a nearby hacienda which is a very comfortable farm house built with local materials like straw, adobe and eucalyptus wood.   A blazing fireplace warms the dining room, where guests enjoy a wonderful meal with fresh cheese from the farm, vegetables just picked from the garden, homemade desserts and natural seasonings. 

There will be time for an optional activity. You might want to try the zip line where you’ll be strapped into a harness and zip through on 5 different steel cables through paramo canyons between 328 and 1312 feet off the ground. You’ll feel just like a condor as you fly over the canyons! 
We will also explore the Ecuadorian country side by horse. We’ll head to the high Andean land south of Quito and near Cotopaxi National Park. It’s off for a fantastic horseback ride in the wild landscape, surrounded by snow-capped mountains. Ride over fields covered with straw and along hidden trails.  You’ll enjoy a dazzling landscape that encompasses several Andean volcanoes. Silence is pleasant in these surroundings among colorful rosemary, yellow, pink, and lilac basswood, and the eternal "chuquiragua." Several species of falcon and perhaps a condor can sometimes be watched while they go out for a flight above the summit of the volcano. Return to Quito in the afternoon