Day Trips from Quito, Ecuador
Guayllabamba Zoo, Mitad del Mundo, Pululahua Volcano and Guápulo
With many sites of interest within thirty minutes or less from the city, tourists to Quito can enjoy a little rest and relaxation in the surrounding countryside.
Guayllabamba Zoo
Opened to the public in 1997, the Guayllabamba Zoo has become a popular day trip from Quito. Located about 30 minutes north of the city in the warm valley of Guayllabamba, the zoo is a great destination for families with children. It features typical Andean animals, such as llamas, condors and the famous spectacled bear (oso de anteojos), as well as other more exotic creatures from Ecuador, including the oversized Galapagos turtle, toucans and monkeys. Although small, the grounds are built into the side of the mountain and thus full of greenery and pleasant views of the neighboring mountains. Before returning to Quito, one can stop and have the local specialty, locro de queso, at any of the restaurants featuring traditional Ecuadorian cuisine.
Mitad del Mundo: Monument at the Equator
A mere twenty minutes from Quito, at latitude zero, stands the site of one of Quito’s most popular attractions: “Ciudad Mitad del Mundo.” Here, at the “Middle of the World”, tourists can straddle both the northern and southern hemispheres, placing one foot in each. The imaginary equatorial line passes directly through the monument. Within the monument is an ethnic museum which has cultural artifacts and information about Ecuador’s principal ethnic groups. Entrance to the museum costs $2, and hours are Monday-Friday from 9 am to 6 pm, and 9 am to 7 pm on weekends. Also on the grounds are other small buildings in which one can learn more about the expedition sent by the French Academy of Sciences in the eighteenth century to measure the circumference of the earth. The scientists and explorers who were part of this mission are commemorated by busts that line the walkway leading to monument.
The entire complex is designed to resemble a typical Ecuadorian town, with a number of colonial-style pavilions surrounding a central plaza, or square. The houses have been made into small souvenir shops and restaurants, and the town even has a functioning post office. On weekends there are often free concerts, bullfights, and other presentations featuring Ecuadorian folklore.
Pululahua Volcano
A few kilometers north of Mitad del Mundo rises the now-extinct Pululahua volcano. Tourists can venture to the top of the volcano along a paved road, and, weather permitted (fog is likely in the late afternoon hours), look down into the verdant crater below. There are mules for rent for tourists who would like to travel into the crater to view the fertile farmland. For an elegant meal, one can stop at El Crater Restaurant on the way down from the volcano and enjoy a bite to eat while taking in the view.
Guápulo Church
Once isolated on the sides of the eastern ridges of the mountains surrounding Quito, nowadays the village of Guápulo seems a part of the city itself. At about two kilometers down a narrow, cobblestone street behind Hotel Quito (Gonzalez Suarez y Orellana), however, this sleepy village is spared the hustle and stress of the big city. The center of the town can be reached by car or bus, but it is much more interesting to take it by foot, traveling the same route Francisco de Orellana took to discover the Amazon River.
In the center of the town is the church, recognized as one of the most beautiful colonial churches in the area. Now a museum, the church boasts of original masterpieces by Miguel de Santiago and Diego de Robles. The altar, considered by many to be the most beautiful pulpit in the Americas, was carved by the indigenous sculptor Menacho. The view from outside the church is breathtaking, looking out over lush, tree-covered mountains that eventually slope down into the Amazonian rainforests.
