Hacienda El Porvenir, Cotopaxi, Ecuador: Adventure Getaway

Where:

Hacienda El Porvenir, Cotopaxi, Ecuador. Located just an hour and a half from Quito (airport code UIO), it sits on the slopes of Rumiñahui volcano, in what’s known as the Avenue of the Volcanoes. The elevation is 3,600 meters, or about 11,800 feet, so you might want to spend a night or two in Quito before you head up there!

What:

This family-owned and operated hacienda is a brilliant, cozy mountain getaway for adventurous travelers. It was started by the current owner Jorge’s great-great-great-grandmother, who gave up her life on the coast to invest in this hacienda in the mountains. When her friends and family questioned her and told her there is no future in that hacienda, she aptly named it “El Porvenir,” which means “The Future.”

It is tastefully decorated, and cozy is the perfect word to describe this place. My room had a blazing fire in the wood-burning stove, a hot water pack under the covers, a jacuzzi tub, and a view of the volcano out the back window. The indoor common areas also have fireplaces and comfortable seats, making it the perfect place to warm up after a brisk horseback ride in the páramo or a long day of travel.

Activities available:

• Horseback riding
• High ropes course
• Mountain biking
• Hiking and nature walks
• Waterfall hikes
• Cooking classes

• Relax by the fire
• Play games
• Meet the horses and llamas
• Camping
• Climbing/Riding/Biking tours
• Lodge-to-Lodge tours

Best time of year to go:

One of the best things about Ecuador is that it doesn’t matter which time of year you go. The weather varies greatly throughout the country, but stays pretty constant within the regions. Around Hacienda El Porvenir, July and August tend to be the busiest months with the most families visiting. November through February are the best months to climb, so if you’re looking to climb Cotopaxi, this is your ideal window. Otherwise, the weather stays about the same for the rest of the year, go any time!

Price range:

This may be the best part. This is an affordable vacation, as traditional rooms with private bathrooms start at $113 and include breakfast. All activities and meals can be a la carte, or you can opt to get a tour package. With suites for families and bunk rooms for backpackers as well, there is something for everyone and every budget at Hacienda El Porvenir.

Recommended for the best adventure:

Splurge and get a suite, and do as many activities as you can! Don’t be afraid to canter on your horse (it’s faster than a trot and slower than a gallop), it’s the most exhilarating part of the trail ride into the páramo. Try the craft beer and homemade empanadas de queso (cheese empanadas). Test your strength and fears on the high ropes course, if I can do it, you can, too!

Length of trip:

Allow yourself at least three nights here. Whether you choose your own activities a la carte or opt to do a tour package, you will want enough time to explore and relax, and you won’t want to leave!

My experience and personal thoughts:

We arrived to Hacienda El Porvenir in the dark after a long day of travel. Jorge himself greeted us with hugs, beer, and food (what more could you possibly want!). We were more tired than hungry, so we shared some empanadas de queso (homemade and over the top delicious), and traditional potato cheese soup (it’s served with avocado, and I’m drooling just typing this) at the family-style dining tables.

When they showed me to my room, I was in love at first sight with the cozy, cabin-style accommodations, complete with a roaring fire in the wood-burning stove, and roses in the bathroom by the jacuzzi tub. The king bed called my name and after a hot bath, I crawled in only to find a hot water pack warming the sheets. Could this get any better? In the morning, I opened the shades to see the outline of Cotopaxi Volcano, wreathed in clouds, beyond the pasture immediately below. Yes, it gets better.

After a hot breakfast, we started our adventure by donning thick, antique ponchos and the most outrageously amazing chaps I’ve ever seen. Aside from the minor detail of being female in the 21st century, I felt like an old-fashioned chagra (Andean cowboy), as I mounted my horse. Quesillo was his name, and he was ready to run. On our trail ride into the páramo, he cantered with the best of them, and I couldn’t have wiped the smile and laughter off my face if I tried. Though the air was brisk, the surrounding landscape was exhilarating, and the hot canelazo when we returned to the hacienda was just what we needed to warm up.

I also tried my strength (and tested my fears) on the high ropes course, which I absolutely, 100%, recommend you try. It’s an advanced course, the same one used in the Amazing Race Ecuador just last year, and this girl, with fear of heights, conquered the entire thing, only to be rewarded with one of the most beautiful rainbows I’ve ever seen.

Before we left the hacienda, we went for a hike to a waterfall, and took a cooking class to learn how to make the amazing cheese empanadas, canelazo, and ají (Ecuadorian hot sauce). If the cloud forest wasn’t also calling our names, I would have happily stayed at El Porvenir for another week, or more…

Fun fact: This is where I host my women’s adventure retreats!