A warm home away from home
As I stood at the gates of Hacienda Zuleta in Ecuador, I knew straight away: this was going to be a special stay. As we drove through the gates and followed the winding track, we could already see a few animals passing by—horses and donkeys grazing peacefully, dogs looking at us curiously.
“ The atmosphere immediately feels warm and welcoming. ”
A warm welcome to the hacienda
When we arrive at the Hacienda, we are welcomed by Mauricio, the day manager. He shows us to the living room near our bedrooms, where he gives us a brief trip. The Hacienda has several blocks of rooms, with each block connected to its own living room. This creates a warm, homely atmosphere.
History and tradition
Later, we’ll learn more about the Hacienda’s remarkable history. In 1898, the estate was purchased by José Maria Lasso and has been run by his family ever since. Horse riding has been a tradition here for over a hundred years and plays a central role on the farm. So it’s only natural that this will be the first activity we take part in here: horse riding!
Mauricio takes us to the stables and tells us that the Hacienda has its own breed of horse, the Zuleteño. These horses are trained on the Hacienda and are suitable for riders of all levels. We’re all given the necessary equipment and assigned a horse. The staff help us mount up, and then it’s time to set off!
On horseback to the Condor Project
The ride takes us through the valley towards the Hacienda’s condor project in about an hour. The surroundings are stunning; during the ride we look out over the meadows and the mountains. For me, as a novice rider, it’s also great that the horses follow the guide effortlessly. After the ride, we arrive at the Hacienda’s condor project: Condor Hausi.
Here we meet the biologist in charge of this project. He explains that the hacienda launched this project to ensure that the condor population in Ecuador recovers. He explains that there are currently very few condors left in the country and that the hacienda aims to preserve the birds’ population in this way. As soon as it is safe enough for the condors to live in the wild again, the hacienda will release them back into the wild. A truly wonderful project!
After this visit, we return to the hacienda for lunch. We enjoy a fresh meal. The hacienda produces 65 per cent of the ingredients used in the restaurant itself, either in its vegetable garden or in its own cheese factory. The remaining 35 per cent is sourced from local farmers at one of the nearby markets. As a result, everything in the restaurant is truly ‘farm to table’.
In the afternoon, a visit to the famous Otavalo market and the Angla community is on the programme. At the colourful market, you’ll discover traditional, handmade products such as jewellery, textiles and wood carvings. At the Angla community, we’ll delve deeper into the local culture and experience a special purification ritual. Both the market and the community are situated on land once managed by the Lasso family of Hacienda Zuleta. After this special afternoon, we return to the hacienda, where manager Fernando welcomes us with a glass of wine.
“ We sit down together in the cosy living room to round off the day. ”
Family stories
The fire crackles softly in the background as Fernando begins to talk about the history and family stories. Fernando is the grandson of Galo Plaza Lasso, former President of Ecuador. Everyone hangs on his every word as he begins to share his personal family memories. Fernando explains that, in his youth, the hacienda was used exclusively by the family themselves. His grandfather lived on the hacienda and would occasionally invite the whole family to come and stay with him. Fernando describes how simply driving up the driveway was an adventure in itself. Where there is now a lovely stone path, things were very different back then. It wasn’t as neatly finished as it is now, so it took them quite a while to reach the hacienda. A warm smile spreads across Fernando’s face as he tells us that, back then, he always used to sleep with his cousins in the living room where we are sitting. His grandfather had their mattresses laid out across the entire floor, so it was always a big sleepover.
Fernando goes on to say that this is exactly the atmosphere they want to create now: a warm, homely feeling. He explains that the aim wasn’t necessarily to become a luxury accommodation, but rather to ensure that everyone who visits really feels welcome and at home, even if they’re a long way from home...
Take a trip through Ecuador
Would you like to travel through Ecuador independently and stay at this beautiful location? Please feel free to contact us for more information about the options available in Ecuador or for a bespoke travel proposal. Call +31 73 610 62 04 or send an email to info@sapapanatravel.nl.