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From North to South or from East to West enjoy a fusion of gastronomic cultures. Ecuador has been able to include in its culinary richness, native as well as inherited tastes and textures. Its historic background brings together old European, Arabic and indigenous recipes that will last forever in your palate.
Spices and herbs are used in the Andes to enrich the best flavors of the agriculture products cultivated in this diverse and blessed land.
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Gastronomic Tour in the Andes
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Starting from the North of our highlands down to the south border, we will visit cities and towns that invite to taste a variety of amazing flavored dishes. Enjoy and learn how they are cooked by the talented cooks who have inherited their knowledge from generation to generation, surrounded by volcanoes, valleys and rivers. We will enjoy in Ibarra the helados de paila (pure fuit icecreams made in a huge cooper pan in front of your eyes), the nogadas (kind of small coconut with brown sugar cane), the arrope de mora (sweet blackberry sauce), and the empanadas de morocho (deep fried pastry made out of a tiny white grain filled with beef, rice and vegetables). In Atuntaquil we will try the delicious fritada (pork meat boiled and they fried in a huge cooper pan with several spices, garlic, onions), in Cotacachi we can find the carne colorada (fried pork meat with achiote), in Otavalo we can drink the chicha del Yamor (grain fermented beverage), in Cayambe we must have the bizcochos (biscuits) and queso de hoja (sort of mozzarella thin cheese wrapped in a soft fresh leaf), in the green valley of Guayllabamba try the best locro of the country (thick potato soup with milk and cheese). In Quito the native food of diverse regions has been fashioned by new talents, young chefs that refuse to forget their rich past, creating the “fusion” cooking. Nevertheless, they continue preparing the typical delicious soups such as quinua, sancocho, timbushca, arroz de cebada, ollitas de maiz, which have been for centuries the typical food of Quito’s families. The mistelas (candies filled with liquour) are still elaborated at certain homes. The arroz con leche (a tasty desert made with cinnamon, spices, rice and milk), the higos con queso (fig with cheese), the moncaibas (very delicate round shaped biscuits), aplanchados and quesadillas, sweeten the capital’s afternoons accompanied with a good cup of coffee or hot chocolate. Heading to the South, in Latacunga we find the famous chugchucaras (a big dish with pork meat, tiny cheese empanadas, boiled corn, and fried bananas), going a little further just on time for desert time, enjoy the helados de Salcedo (amazing multi color and multi flavor pure fruit icecreams divided into 4 or 5 layers). In Ambato the best place to eat their typical llapingachos with chorizo (potato tortilla) is in the local market and in Riobamba there is one of the best hornados of the country (whole baked pork). In Guamote enjoy the empanadas de viento (filled with cheese) with morocho de dulce (sweet and hot thick beverage made of tiny white corn, milk, spices and cinnamon sticks). In the beautiful city of Cuenca you must try the mote pillo (boiled corn with scrambled eggs, cilantro, and a dash of paprika), or the cascaritas (flamed pork skin … very crunchy!) being only two out of a wide variety of dishes you can delight yourself in this cultural city. Keeping South we reach Loja with the best cuy asado (roasted guinea pig). We have only mentioned one or two typical dishes of each city or town to be visited, but you will discover for sure a lot more to enjoy.
Tour: 8 days/7 nights
Departing from Quito
Available all year around
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Gastronomic Tour to the Coast
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Driving by the road that borders the ecuadorian coast, better known as “Ruta del Sol” (Sun’s drive), we will travel from North to South to visit tropical cities and towns, enchanting beaches with a diet based on seafood, but also with a rich agriculture based in tropical fruits. The big cattle farms provide excellent meat and chicken, too. Esmeraldas, with its huge extensions of mangles, provides the best option to taste the encocados de pescado (delicate steamed fish with coconut sauce), cocadas (grated coconut with sugar cane), arroz con concha (rice with shellfish), or the bolones de verde (round shaped green banana filled with crispy fried pork fat). In Manabi the cazuelas (baked smashed green bananas with several stuffs), muchines and pan de yuca (made out of mandioca) with frozen yogurt, a refreshing chicha de arroz (fermented rice sweet beverage with fruit), the corviches, chupe de camarones or the green banana balls soup will just enjoy your senses. In Guayas you can try its famous guatita, carne en palito (grilled thin meat holded by a stick), menestra con carne asada (boiled grains in a rich sauce with grilled meat), the cebiches (cold tomato and onion soup with shellfish and herbs), a tasty crab or fish soup, the goat or chicken stew well known in all region of Santa Elena. Guayaquil, the main port of Ecuador, is the gastronomic center for all tastes, its many fusion restaurants and its informal environment invite you to enjoy unique dishes. Don´t forget to accompany your food with the most popular hot sauce in Ecuador … aji! During the trip, we will have the opportunity to try a wide variety of fruit juices and deserts made of bananas, coconut, oranges, watermelon, grapefruit, mangos, tangerines, pineapples, soursops, and guavas. All of this … and much, much more you will find in the Pacific coast!
Tour: 8 days/7 nights
Departing from Quito or Guayaquil
Available all year around, although we recommend from November to May
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All of our tours may be combined according to the passengers tastes and interests.
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