The Hummingbird Trail

The Hummingbird Trail starts from the Green Horse Ranch in the Pululahua crater and is a four-day journey. The day begins in the crater, goes through some tropical landscape and goes up next to the EL Cachaco volcanic springs. Visitors stay at a hacienda the first night. The second day starts at the Valley of Nono, which is next to prestigious farms and hilly pastures, and goes through some beautiful valleys next to Pinchincha Volcano, which is 4800 meters high. Riders stay in the old colonial village of Nono. The third day passes through the fishing town of Tandayapa and the Bellavista nature reserve. The forth day is spent in the Bellavista nature reserve and a jeep takes riders back into Quito during the afternoon. The tour costs $595 per person, and for an extra $120 the tour can be made into a five-day journey.

Cloud Forest to the Highlands Trip

The Cloud Forest to the Highlands trip is a nine-day journey through Green Horse Ranch. Riders are picked up from Quito and dropped off near the western cordillera that faces the Pacific cloud forest. The first day is spent on foot and in the car and riders stay in the Bellavista nature reserve. Throughout the journey, riders pass by the Pinchincha volcano, the village of Nono, the Pucara hot springs, the Rio Blanco valley, the western town of San Jose de Minas and ends in near the town of Otavalo. This costs $1620 person and is recommended for experienced riders only.

Hacienda Pinsaqui

Located between Otavalo, Cotacachi and San Antonio de Ibarra in the province of Imbabura, Pinsaqui is one of the most historic haciendas. In fact, The “Treaty of Pinsaqui” which was the treaty that ended the war between Ecuador and Colombia in the 1800’s was signed in one of the grand salons of the hacienda. The hacienda has several horses and can arrange for rides along the trails in the back of the hacienda. The hacienda is a maze of well-kept beautiful gardens, and patios. Decorated with old saddles and equestrian trophies won by Pinsaqui horses over the years is the bar area of this hacienda which demonstrates the great emphasis that the hacienda has put on horses.

Pambamarca

Located in Cayambe in the province of Pichincha it is an archaeological complex of tremendous magnitude. In addition to the magnificent ruins of fortresses that can be found in this complex, horseback rides are also available in the area. Horseback riding is available so that visitors can take in the beautiful scenery and landscapes as well as admire the magnitude of this complex.

Cotacachi

Sitting at the bottom of the Cotacachi volcano and near the city of Otavalo in the province of Imbabura this city offers a wide range of activties. Horseback riding is available from the city of Cotacachi to the Laguna de Cuicocha or lake of the gods. This is the most important natural attraction of Cotacachi and it is also part of the reserve Cotacachi-Cayapas. It is a 12 km ride from the city of Cotacachi to the lake.

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Chagras

A great way to enjoy the great scenery that unfolds in the country of Ecuador is from the back of a horse. Several tour companies offer horse-back riding trips for all skill levels and ages. Ecuador offers riding enthusiasts with a wide range of riding opportunities. One can ride in the high Andes through the paramo, grasslands, and plains with snow capped volcanoes in the background.

Colonial Haciendas

One of the most popular horseback riding trips in Ecuador is called the Colonial Hacienda ride. This trip takes riders on an eight-day trip through the grassy fields of the Andean valleys, goes up through the northern highlands and the paramo landscape, and ends in the plains below the Cotopaxi Volcano. While going through this tour, riders get to stay throughout various historical haciendas, which first popped up in Ecuador in the 1600s. Prices vary.

The Cotopaxi Adventure

The Cotopaxi Adventure is suited for more experienced riders, but still can be done by someone with intermediate skills. This ride takes seven days and riders spend their nights in both haciendas and farmhouses built from orginal Inca stone and adobe. The ride goes through the open plains surrounding the Cotopaxi National Park. The journey ventures through barren landscapes and rugged passes. Riders can see glaciers and volcanic activity on this trip. Again, Prices vary.

The Pululahua Trip

First time riders can take a one day trip inside of the National Reserve Pululahua. A jeep ride takes visitors 40 miles outside of Quito to this spectacular national reserve. The journey goes into the crater of the dormant volcano, which is one of two inhabited craters in the world. The ride takes about 4 hours. It costs $120 for one person but group deals starting from two people cost $75 each.

The Trefoil Trail

The Trefoil Trail is a three-day adventure and also starts in the Pululahua crater. After seeing the crater on the first day, the second day is used to travel along gorges, a cloud forest and there is a chance to swim in a clear volcanic stream on this day. The third day is full of tropical plants and animals, and also allows riders to see the pre-Inca ruins of Portalanza. This can be done through the Green Horse Ranch and costs $490 for one person and group rates are $315 for each rider.

Hike and Ride

There is also a four-day excursion called the Hike and Ride. It starts in the Pululahua crater. The first two days are spent on horseback and passes by the Cerro Portalanza and the village of Yungillas. The last two days are spent in the Maquipucuna nature reserve. It costs $450 per person and no riding experience is necessary.

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