What does Vicundo offer to you:

Accommodation

Vicundo receives visitors in host families  and there is a good area for camping site. In the family homes you will have your own room and will share the meal with the family together as a community tradition. Each of the houses have hot water. Normally, in each family has pets or farm animals like guinea pigs, hens or sheeps.

Some of the members of the family speak a basic english. They know how important you are and will consider to you as a one of them.

Don Velentín and Doña Ester with her friends at home

About food

Families of Vicundo eat what they grow and harvest. The most part of the food is of the organic orchards, specially potatoes, corn, chard, cabbage, lettuce, carrots, onions, mellocos, beans, or animal farms as well. Some important thing is that everything is organic being Vicundo one of the most organic communities of Cayambe. So, you can enjoy of natural and healthy food according your need. 

Growing potatoes

What to do if you are in Vicundo and want to go not too far:

The next suggestions to visit are interesting and not to expensive, you can go by yourself or with our guiding service:

1. Quitsato sundial: the entry is a dollar each and it is 10 minutes walking from Vicundo. This is a monument on the Latitude 0- Equator line where information is about ancient ecuadorian astronomy, culture and more. Very suggested. / www.quitsato.org

Quitsato sundial on the Equator

1. Pambamarca archaelogical site: it is the largest one in South America. In 2014 part of the Qhápac Ñan or the Ancient Andean Road was declared Cultural Heritage by UNESCO. The landscapes and communities are colorfull and unique to visit. 

Quitoloma it is in Pambamarca

1. Cayambe Volcano: it is the third highest volcano of Ecuador and up there the Equator crosses, being this point the highest all along the Latitude 0.You can go to the refuge and walk around or if you want can climb to the summit with the local mountain guides. It is located in the National Park Cayambe Coca, so there are many other nice places to visit.

Cayambe volcano

1. Oyacachi hotsprings: can take the bus and get there in 2 hours and enjoy of the hotsprings of the community named Oyacachi, it is part of the National Park Cayambe Coca.

1. Archaelogical Park Cochasqui: it is a group of pyramids of ancient local culture where you can go and learn more, it is in Tabacundo.

Cochasqui

1. Otavalo and its surroundings: it is 1 hour from Vicundo and can visit the Ponchos Market, San Pablo Lake, Peguche Waterfall, Totora Sisa artisans. From here you can go to Cotacachi and Cuicocha lake. 

Ponchos Market

1. Mojanda: these lakes are in Tabacundo and offer important sceneries for hikers and for who love good pictures and outdoor activities. 

Mojanda by Germania Catucuago

What to do in Vicundo:

There are many things you can enjoy doing in Vicundo:

Organic Orchards: You can participate with your family host growing local and traditional products like corn, potatoes and more. In this case Vicundo offers a speciall thing: they extract the agaves sap with an ancient and traditional process every morning and afternoon, you can do it and learn how important is this plant for environment preparing a delicious sweet drink or soup with cheese. 

Woman extracting the agave sap. Photo by Mishky Huarmy

Cooking delicious: if you are in Vicundo you can cook a traditional or local food with our families and have a unique experience. Some of the delicious food you can prepare are:

Preparing products to cook

Humitas: for this food is necessary to grind fresh corn kernels, making a mix with different ingredients and after this you put the cornmeal in corn husks, you cook them and after some minutes serve these with a hot and fresh coffee.

Llapingachos: it is an omelet of mashed potatoes that is served with fresh vegetables and pork if you want.

Delicious potatoes 

Chicha: it is the emblematic drink of ecuadorians also known as the drink of Gods. To prepare this we need at least two weeks if you want to see all the traditional process, or we can wait for you preparing everything and when you get to Vicundo can participate in some of the last preparations. 

Traditional way to cook

Or if you have in mind a different and traditional food you would like to prepare, just tell us!!!!

Learning to dance: For this activity you can use the traditional dresses and learn to dance with us in the way ecuadorian communities dance. Or in some moments can learn some salsa o bachata. 

Local dancers

Spanish classes: You can learn a good spanish in Vicundo with personalized classes.

Learning to play andean instruments: surprise your family and friends, learn to play andean instruments like rondadores, quenas, flutes, very easy and melodic. 

Learning

General information about Vicundo

Vicundo is a community locate next the Equator line in the valley of Cayambe. Its name is about a local bromeliad called Vicundo, a native plant that survives in dry zones, being a home for other animals as frogs or the main source for nourishment of the giant hummingbird, and was part of the local gastronomy of local inhabitants during ancient times. Actually in Vicundo are working to conserve and protect this emblematic bromeliad. 

Bromeliad growing in the canyon of Pisque in Guachalá - Vicundo

Where is Vicundo located: 

Driving from Quito by the Panamericana Highway at the north in two hours you will get there. Some of the important sites that can use as local references is the Quitsato sundial of Guachalá, just 5 minutes from this place you will get to Vicundo. If you travel in public transport, take a bus named Flor del Valle in the Ofelia central buses at the north of Quito.

Vicundo is at 2.700 msnm (9022 ft) and the temperatures average is 23 GC during summer and 15 GC during winter. 

Cayambe volcano and local pools along the Guachalá river. View of Vicundo.