Day 01
Quito to Las Lajas Sanctuary and Tulcán
- Meet your tour guide and head to the gorgeous Las Lajas Sanctuary between the mountains.
- After leaving Quito, we will see how the vegetation changes every 20 minutes. We will pass through páramos, dry areas, and temperate areas. While we are in Quito, we will be wearing jackets, but once we reach Valle del Chota, we will change to shorts and T-shirts. There is a high probability of rain as well, so please carry raincoats.
- Once there, walk to the Sanctuary. If you have a problem walking, a cable car is a good solution to reach the church quickly. You will have a nice view of the church from the top of a mountain, and it is time to admire the landscape. This part of the trip takes around 20 minutes. You can do the same again at the end of your visit to the Basilica.
- Head to see the Topiary Garden with pre-Columbian shapes. It has more than 300 figures formed with Mediterranean cypress.
- Next, visit the Tulcán Cemetery. It is probably the most famous burial place in Ecuador. These topiary works are by José María Azael Franco, who is buried in this cemetery. He mentioned the phrase, "the cemetery is so beautiful that it invites one to die."
- Try delicious food. One of the dishes is Hornado, whose main ingredient is pork. It comes with boiled potatoes, and fried plantain gives it a sweet flavour. Chicha is another drink we should not miss; it was prepared by our ancestors.
