Cahuasquí · Imbabura · Ecuador
An island in the sky, built by hand.
Plan your journey
Getting here
The route
Quito to the farm is about three hours by road. North through the highlands to Ibarra, down into the canyon, across two bridges, then up the far wall until the road lifts you onto the mesa.
Ask us to arrange itThree hours from the airport, a world away
Ways to arrive
Quito · UIO → CahuasquíEasiest · recommended
Private transfer
We arrange a private driver to meet you at Quito airport (UIO) with your name on a sign. Door to door in about three hours, one stop for coffee. Tell us your flight number and we handle the rest.
From $140 per vehicle, up to 4 guests
Most freedom
Rental car
The whole route is paved until the farm street which is cobbled. Take the E35 north to Ibarra, then the road toward Urcuquí and up the switchbacks to Cahuasquí. Any small car manages it in dry weather; a high-clearance vehicle is more comfortable in the wet months.
About 3 hours · gas and one toll
Local and cheap
Bus
Buses run all day from Quito's Carcelén terminal to Ibarra (2 hrs), then a local bus or shared taxi from Ibarra to Cahuasquí (1.5 hrs). It is the way most of the valley travels, and the last stretch is one of the great bus rides in Ecuador.
Under $8 total
Step by step
The drive, in four parts.
- 01
Quito airport to the highway
20 minutes. The airport sits east of the city, so you never enter Quito traffic.
- 02
North on the E35 to Ibarra
About 2 hours through Cayambe and Otavalo, volcanoes on both sides.
- 03
Ibarra to Urcuquí
35 minutes across sugarcane country to the base of the canyon.
- 04
Up onto the mesa
The last 30 minutes: switchbacks, two bridges, and the plateau opening up ahead.
Quito
0 km
Ibarra
2 hrs
Cahuasquí
3 hrs
Good to know
- Airport
- Mariscal Sucre International (UIO), Quito
- Drive time
- About 3 hours, all paved
- Altitude
- 7,700 ft. Take the first day slowly and drink plenty of water
- Check-in
- From 2pm; arrivals after dark are fine with notice
- Money
- US dollars; bring small bills, the town has no ATM
- Packing
- Layers, walking shoes, sun hat, a warm sweater for evenings
