Activity Level: Easy to Moderate
Trip Length: 5 days
Season: Year round
Private Tours: Available on any date of your choice
Activities: Sightseeing, Hiking, Nature, Wildlife, Culture, Gastronomy
Begins/Ends: Quito, Ecuador / Quito, Ecuador
Nearest Airports: Mariscal Sucre, Quito, Ecuador (UIO)
The Northern Forest is a vintage part of the beautiful Ecuadorian biodiversity. The Northern Forest trip offers the opportunity to explore one of the most ancient and important homesteads of Ecuador, brimming with culture and traditions. Visit the enchanting forest of Polilepys and a cheese factory on this custom Ecuador trip. You'll also see the great Andean Condor and hike the unique trails to learn about the legends surrounding the Northern Forest. From destinations like the San Pablo Lake to the high paramo ecosystems as well as other interesting sites, get ready to explore the unique landscapes of the forest on this tour.
From your hotel in Quito we will head north. On the way we will pick up some “Bizcochos” famous and tasty local biskets, we will then make our way to the majestic San Pablo Lake, Cabañas del Lago hotel awaits us to enjoy aquatic sports or relax next to the lake. Afterwards we will drive for a few minutes to hacienda Zuleta, one of the oldest and most representative haciendas of Ecuador. At your arrival you will be shown around the beautiful hacienda; its chapel, the library, and after this you will enjoy a glass of wine together with Zuleta’s famous and delicious cheese.
Accommodation: Hacienda Zuleta
Meals included: Dinner
A delicious breakfast awaits for us, after this we will head to the Cheese factory to learn and to be part of the making process. We will hike to the Andean Condor reserve to see at first hand more about the foundation which works on the rescue and preservation of Condors which is Ecuador’s most emblematic and representative bird, back at the hacienda we will have an amazing lunch and in the afternoon we will visit the local community to learn more about their local sustainable projects and their traditions.
Accommodation: Hacienda Zuleta
Meals included: Breakfast, lunch and dinner
After the last photos at Zuleta, we will continue our journey north. We will reach El Angel National reserve, the frailejones land. Here we will enjoy amazing hiking to discover the flora of the Paramo until we reach one of its beautiful lagoons. In the afternoon we will reach Polylepis lodge to rest after our day of impressive Andes hiking.
Accommodation: Polylepis Lodge
Meals included: Breakfast, lunch and dinner
Start the morning with breakfast and get ready for an amazing hike to the Polylepis forest in the heart of the Ecuadorian Andes! We will go through the paths of the forest to discover the mammal species of the region and learn more about its flora, after the hike, we will return to the lodge for lunch and some siesta time. In the evening, we will walk through the Torch, Legends and Goblins of Polylepis, were we will be told about the tradition and legends of this forest.
Accommodation: Polylepis lodge
Meals included: Breakfast, lunch and dinner
We will prepare our luggage to start the journey back to Quito. We leave the paramo behind to visit the Otavalo town host to the biggest Indigenous market in South America, after the market and some shopping we will be part of the weaving making process at an Indigenous local house, where locals will show us how they make their products to be sold at the market. In the afternoon we will head back to Quito where your hiking tour will end.
Meals included: Breakfast
Discounts available for larger groups on Selected Dates for 2026 Bookings
