TOUR DESCRIPTION

2 or 3 Days Esmeraldas & Mache Chindul Ecological Reserve.

Departing from Quito:

Day 1.
Depart from Quito in one of our private 4X4 car with guide, a very interesting trip by car descending from the Andes to the Coast, tipical & interesting vegetation & small towns in the way, arrive in Esmeraldas in the afternoon, check in the Hotel you want near the beach, free time enjoying the beach.

Day 2.
Early in the Morning departure with our private 4X4 car with guide to visit the Mache Chindul Ecological Reserve: this reserve maintains one of the last areas of humid tropical forest on the Ecuadorian coast and possibly in the world. It is characterized by very high biodiversity and amazing endemic levels. Another outstanding feature of the reserve is the mountainous hydrographic system, which feeds important rivers in Manabi (Cuaque, Cojimies, and Cheve) and in Esmeraldas (Muisne, Atacames, Tiaone and Dogola). Although the area is humid, in the dry season the upper elevations maintain a permanent fog. These unique features of the reserve encouraged the Ecuadorian government to designate the remaining forest areas as conservation priorities in the Basic Environmental Policies. This same area includes the largest forest reserve on the coast, which is currently threatened by deforestation, overnight in the Hotel you want near the beach in Esmeraldas

Day 3.
With our private car back to Quito or we can extend the tour one more day and explore some of the main Highligths in the area such as:
* La Tolita Island: Archeologic Park, the Tolita Culture inhabited this small island, they were one of the most important cultures from the precolombian period in Ecuador.
* The "canoe parade" (in November only) and the "Holy black man party"
* The Suicide's Rock: Excellent place to see the Landscape between Atacames & Sua.
* Ecological Reserve Cayapas-Mataje
* Majagual Mangroves (the highest mangroves in the world!)
* Ecological Reserve Cotacachi-Cayapas
* Indigenous Comunities Awa & Cayapas.
* Small & Tipical Towns: Camarones, Tonchigue, Muisne, Las Palmas
* Borbon Port: Visit the Cayapas Comunities -with a canoe trough the rivers Cayapas, Santiago & Onzole
* Beaches: Atacames, Súa, Tonsupa, Same, San Pedro, Cauchal, Castel Nuovo, El Brujo, late in the night return to Quito.

ESMERALDAS BRIEF GENERAL DESCRIPTION

Located in the mouth of the Emeraldas river is the city of Esmeraldas, average temperature 23 Grads Celcius. This city of 416.272 inhabitants is the capital of the province of the same name and enjoys a tropical warm climate year round. It is the principal port of the north of the country and possesses the largest refinery of Ecuador. Agricultural products, trade, wood, and the refinery are the base of the economy in Esmeraldes. It is also an important tourist center for national tourism and access to the stupendous beaches northward of Tola and southward until Muisne.

The Esmeraldas province is called the " green province" for the incredible plant-life of the forests. Despite the location in the coast, with it's main rivers: Esmeraldas, Cayapas, Santiago, Quininde, Viche, these forest are less dense and in the southern part you will find dry tropical forests. The emeraldas name originates from the first Spaniards that disembarked in these coasts in 1526 and saw that the Indian chiefs of Atacamez were carrying gold and emerald jewels. These precious stones probably originated from trade or wars with other groups from different sectors.

The population is predominantly of black race. Originating from slaves that were brought in a ship from Panama in 1553. The ship crashed into a reef and the slaves were sent to seek food, but never returned. The Spanish died of hunger and diseases, while the new esmeraldeņos that escaped were established and formed a well organized community that prospered during more than 50 years. The African cultural influence is very strong and is observed very much in the music, dances, clothing, gastronomy, religion, magic and social organization.

The music has Afro-American paces with the marimba as charaacteristical instrument. Percussion instruments, such as the bass-drums, maracas, and drums are also popular. The music is always accompanied with those which prefer frantic paces that invite everyone to dance. The food is very rich, assorted, and is based on fish, rice, seafood, fried and familiar banana coconut sauces. The women dress with brilliant colors and preserve the usage of carrying baskets and jugs on their heads. There also exists a complex spiritual world with catholic religion mixtures, vudú, magic, with strong beliefs in what is supernatural.

The beaches are of beautiful, fine sand and, in some sectors, covered with coco-palms. Though the epidemic that affected the coco-palms at world level in the 80's, the number of trees has been reduced considerably.

The economy of the province is based on the agriculture with products such as: cocoa, coffee, African palm, banana, and corn. Cattle-raising has gained a greater importance in the last years, with bovine cattle-raisings for the meat industry. Fishing is accomplished by traditional methods, with wood or launch canoes of glass fiber, in the estuaries and swamps as well as in the sea. The coasts abound with corvine, sharks, tunas, and, in the swamps, lobsters, oysters, oysters, shell, crab and shrimps are gathered. This last product has collected impulse in the last years through the shrimp industry, that regrettably have destroyed large swamp extensions with serious ecological consequences.

Contact us to quote a day tour: