Ecuador Travel - Round Trips

The Way of the Spondylus - 3 Days

Chirije is located about 15 km south of Bahia de Caraquez on the coast of Ecuador. On the way getting to the small village Chirije you will take the typical transportation of the coast: the “Chiva”, an open colorful bus. From here you can enjoy the view of the passing landscape. Cirije is the newest archeological park at the Ecuadorian coast; it is surrounded by a tropical rainforest of about 240 hectares and has miles long beaches. Here you will find marked treks where you can go trekking, horseback riding or go on a bird watching tour.

The hotel Casa Grande is a hotel with rustic cabins on a secluded beach amidst a Pre-Inca archaeological site in Chirije.

Itinerary:
Day 01: Quito – Manta –Corazon Island
In the morning you will fly from Quito to Manta. Upon arrival in Manta you will be picked up and drive to the hotel Casa Grande. On the way you will make a short stop in Montecristi to visit one of the Panama hat manufactures. Then you continue to Bahía de Caráquez and from there to the Casa Grande where you will have breakfast with a lot of tropical fruit. Before midday you will visit the Island Corazon, a project of the Ecuadorian ecotourism. This wildlife refuge consists of more than 100 hectares of mangrove forest (including 50 that were reforested by the native community) and is a great example of conservation. There have been reports that 99 bird species have been seen on these mangrove islands (Birdlife International 2006). Most important is the magnificent frigate bird colony on Corazon Island. It is larger than the colony on Genovesa on the Galapagos. You will do a trip in canoe to this frigate bird colony. During this trip you will enjoy a box-lunch. In the afternoon you will return to Bahia de Caraquez where you will visit the archeological museum and afterwards you will go to a place called La Cruz where you can watch dawn. Then you return to Casa Grande where you will have dinner and spend the night. B/L/D

Day 02: Chirije
After breakfast you will visit Chirije which is known for being one of the most important archeological sites on the Ecuadorian coast. It was an old harbor where the Bahia culture was born (500 A.C.- 500 D.C.). They were maritime merchants who were trading with ornaments and shells (Spondylus) from Mexico to Chile. Around midday you will have a typical lunch in Chirije and the afternoon is at your own disposal on the beach. In the evening you will enjoy a cocktail and a dinner accompanied by guitar music. Overnight at the Chirije Eco-Lodge. B/L/D

Day 03: Chirije - Quito
Early in the morning you will do a hike through the forest in order to observe the fauna. Then you will have breakfast and afterwards you can relax a bit on the beach. In the late morning you will have a snack and then you will go on one of the fisher boats for shrimps. Here you can taste some typical dishes with shrimps. According to your flight time you will be taken to the airport in Manta for your return flight to Quito. B/L/-

* According to the ocean currents the itinerary might be changed a bit but all points of interest will be included.

B= breakfast; L= Lunch; D= Dinner

Price per person 2010:
Children under 13 years pay 50 %
Children under 5 years are free.

Price includes:
- Private transportation starting and ending at the airport in Manta
- Bilingual guide (Spanish/English) specialized in pre-Columbian history and natural history
- Excursions as mentioned
- Meals as mentioned
- Accommodation

Price does not include:
- Air ticket Quito-Manta-Quito ca. USD 150.- per person
- Beverages
- Tips
- Personal expenses
- Insurance

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