Hacienda Cusin

The famed Otavalo market attracts visitors to the northern highlands of Ecuador.  One of the surprises of their visit is the gracious hospitality of the historic Hacienda Cusin, located 10 minutes from Otavalo.

Cusin's guests enjoy an environment of antiques, tasteful art on the walls, and handmade furniture.  The surrounding gardens are always blooming.  Full-service candle-light dinner is served by the fireside in the dining room.

Optional activities include horseback riding, hikes and mountain biking, visiting nearby villages where weavers, musical instrument makers, hatmakers and many other artisans ply their skills, as well as squash and pool back at the Hacienda.

Use these Activity Level Ratings as a general guide to help determine which of our adventures is best for you. Your perception of level of difficulty may vary from ours according to your own level of fitness and travel experience. Whether or not you stay in your comfort zone on the trip you select may also be influenced by the pacing we build into the itinerary, and your own preparation for the trip. While relatively high elevations are unavoidable when you're traveling in the Andes Mountains, we may judge a trip as "moderate" so long as passengers have sufficient time for acclimation. Our detailed trip itineraries give much more information about what you can expect. If you are unsure which trip is best for you, please call us. We'll help guide you toward the right fit.

Moderate

These adventures involve fairly easy travel. There is no camping: you sleep in hotels and country inns each evening. Trips may include short hikes and/or walks of two to three hours. Our itineraries include excursions in passenger mini-vans, over roads with many curves and potholes. Elevations rarely exceed 12,600'. At Machu Picchu and other Inca sites, we climb and descend relatively steep stone staircases. Trips to Amazon lodges involve travel by boat and canoe, plus hikes on forest trails at a moderate pace. In the rainforest, you may encounter rain, mud, and pooled water. Trips to the Galapagos include optional hikes on sometimes uneven rocky and/or slippery terrain. Passengers must get into and out of dinghies on beaches and at docks.

Active

These adventures include more hiking than in our moderate trips. You negotiate a variety of terrain, at elevations no more than 15,000'. Some trips include long days of overland travel. You sleep comfortably in hotels each evening.

Strenuous

While we rate all of our treks as strenuous, there is a substantial range of challenge between the easiest and the most demanding of our treks. Expect to hike 6-8 hours each day over steep and rugged terrain. You may hike to elevations of 17,000', with options to hike higher from several camps. Many include camping multiple nights at relatively high elevations. On most treks in the Andes, night-time temperatures can drop below freezing on one or more nights. On our Inn to Inn based treks, you'll spend each evening in a comfortable mountain lodge.

Extreme

Our toughest treks are suitable for those that enjoy a good physical challenge. You trek (and in some cases climb) over steep, rugged terrain at high elevations with substantial altitude gains. Some glacier travel requires knowledge of basic climbing techniques including use of crampons, ice axe, and ropes. These trips are in remote wilderness areas and include camping as high at 17,700'. Successful summit bids top out at 18,871' (Nevado Pisco), 19,347' (Volcan Cotopaxi) and 20,945' (Nevado Ausangate).

Open year-round.  On the weekends a 2-night minimum is requested.

2010 Rates, not including 22% tax/service

MOST ALL ROOMS HAVE WOOD-BURNING FIREPLACES

Standard Rooms with American Breakfast: Sierra rooms #1-25

Includes American breakfast, optional hot-water bottle, use of wi-fi, game rooms, basketball & volleyball courts, use of surrounding gardens and acreage. Not included: lunch, dinner, activities and other sports facilities & 22% tax/service

Umbrella Rate:$120 per person per day. Sierra Rooms 1 – 25.

Includes breakfast & dinner, horseback riding, mountain biking & internet café – each 2 hours; all sports facilities (squash court, snooker, Ping-Pong, darts, etc.); Wi-Fi; morning & afternoon tea & coffee; access to video/DVD library. Not Included: lunch

Dueno’s Suite:Spacious, king size bed, bathtub, television with VCR & film library, fireplace, master suite with high ceiling, two rooms furnished with antiques & fine crafts; patio with garden views & complimentary room service. ~ unexpected luxury in a pastoral setting.Umbrella Rate: $300/night, single or double, includes Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner & other Umbrella inclusions.

Duena’s Suite:Two bedrooms,1 King, 2 twins, with private bathrooms and log-burning fireplaces, Living room,  television/VCR/DVD, garden. Umbrella Rate: $150 (single); $300 (Double); $320 Triple or Quad.  2 singles or 2 doubles, includes Breakfast & Dinner.

Duenita’s Suite:1 King & 1 twin, with private bathroom and log-burning fireplaces. 3 rooms; garden. Umbrella Rate: $120 (single); $220 (Double); $250 Triple.  Includes Breakfast & Dinner.

Guests immerse themselves in the local culture, ride horses through the countryside, take their watercolors and easel out to the garden...there are many ways to enjoy Cusin and surroundings.

While Otavalo's Poncho Plaza is filled with vendors 7 days a week, the major market day is Saturday.  From pre-dawn hours, the town is bustling with activity.  The action starts at first light in the animal market, where pigs, chickens, calfs and other livestock change hands.   Meanwhile in the Poncho plaza, porters arrive staggering under the weight of towering bundles of weavings twice their size.  Day visitors from Quito arrive starting around 10 AM.

Other popular excursions include hiking to mountain lakes, and village visits.

• full-service country inn
• minimum two night stay on weekends
• horseback riding, mountain bikes, squash, volleyball
• two hours drive from Quito; ten minutes from Otavalo
• standard rooms, garden suites, family rooms and private bungalows