Avenue of Volcanos, Ecuador
Hacienda Zuleta
Hacienda Zuleta is a perfect place for anyone who wants to experience the real Ecuador of the Andes through its history, landscapes and traditions. A farm dating back to 1691, stylishly converted for guests but still actively working, this place is an authentic taste of rural life. Hacienda Zuleta is a perfect place for anyone who wants to experience the real Ecuador of the Andes through its history, landscapes and traditions. A farm dating back to 1691, stylishly converted for guests but still actively working, this place is an authentic taste of rural life.
Hacienda Zuleta is a perfect place for anyone who wants to experience the real Ecuador of the Andes through its history, landscapes and traditions. A farm dating back to 1691, stylishly converted for guests but still actively working, this place is an authentic taste of rural life. Hacienda Zuleta is a perfect place for anyone who wants to experience the real Ecuador of the Andes through its history, landscapes and traditions. A farm dating back to 1691, stylishly converted for guests but still actively working, this place is an authentic taste of rural life.
Location
Sitting in more than 2000 hectares of working farmland and forest reserves in the Ecuador’s Avenue of the Volcanoes, Hacienda Zuleta is a 2-hour drive north of Quito. The village of Zuleta lies nearby.
Accommodation
This 17th century manor house has been in the hands of the Plaza Lasso family, descendants of a former Ecuadorian president, for more than a 100 years.
Because of the unique history of the hacienda, you will find that there is no standard room; other than all having fireplaces, the 21 guest rooms are otherwise unique and varied, complete with stylish antique furniture. Some have their own private gardens and all bathrooms feature relaxing tubs.
Staying at the house is a grand but relaxed experience. Indulge yourself with a spot of reading in a library containing thousands of books, sitting below portraits of ancestors who once occupied the same rooms. You will have your generous meals at the antique dining table, feeling part of the family, and share fireside stories late into the evening.
Because of the unique history of the hacienda, you will find that there is no standard room; other than all having fireplaces, the 21 guest rooms are otherwise unique and varied, complete with stylish antique furniture. Some have their own private gardens and all bathrooms feature relaxing tubs.
Staying at the house is a grand but relaxed experience. Indulge yourself with a spot of reading in a library containing thousands of books, sitting below portraits of ancestors who once occupied the same rooms. You will have your generous meals at the antique dining table, feeling part of the family, and share fireside stories late into the evening.
Another option for recharging the batteries is the hacienda’s relaxation centre, which has 3 massage rooms, a soaking tub and a Páramo Pool fed directly from a highland spring.
As the hacienda is a working farm, your food could not be any fresher as is likely to have been picked or caught that very day. A typical meal may feature a freshly caught rainbow trout, vegetables grown in the family’s own garden, and cheese made on-site. Your host will also provide you with picnic or other alfresco options such as barbeques if you want, for with the family-style comes great flexibility.
The hacienda is a bona fide working farm producing more than 6000 litres of milk per day along with wheat, barley, 17 types of vegetables, wool and trout. The cheesery, which you can visit, produces 14 types of cheese. Additionally, the farm is fully embedded in the local community and your hosts work hard to provide educational experiences, including a summer camp, for children in the district.
As the hacienda is a working farm, your food could not be any fresher as is likely to have been picked or caught that very day. A typical meal may feature a freshly caught rainbow trout, vegetables grown in the family’s own garden, and cheese made on-site. Your host will also provide you with picnic or other alfresco options such as barbeques if you want, for with the family-style comes great flexibility.
The hacienda is a bona fide working farm producing more than 6000 litres of milk per day along with wheat, barley, 17 types of vegetables, wool and trout. The cheesery, which you can visit, produces 14 types of cheese. Additionally, the farm is fully embedded in the local community and your hosts work hard to provide educational experiences, including a summer camp, for children in the district.
Experiences
- Watch the cows being milked and visit the on-site cheesery. You will love sampling the variety of cheese and creams.
- Visit the Condor interpretive centre at the hacienda. The family have been working tirelessly for the conservation of this magnificent bird for more than 20 years. Hear about their condor release programme.
- Explore the local ramps and pyramid of Caranqui, which dates from pre-Inca times.
- The hacienda has horses for riders of all levels of experience, or you could opt for a carriage ride.
- Learn to cook Ecuadorian dishes with your host, or perhaps have a lesson in embroidery.
- If you venture out hiking or biking to the local swathes of protected forest, look out for the free-roaming endangered spectacle bears.
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