Middle of the World & Pululahua Crater Hike

Today’s full day excursion begins with a beautiful hike through the Pululahua Crater. Pululahua is an extinct volcano surrounded by botanical reserve. Crossed by Latitude 0°, the Pululahua crater is one of the world’s largest, so roomy that people live in the crater and cultivate crops in its fertile soil. You hike into the reserve and towards the crater, passing through a series of unique ecosystems, including mountain cloud forest, myrtle forest and dry acacia forest. This reserve is home to many bird species, including hummingbirds, mountain tanagers, eagles and hawks. Lunch will satisfy your hunger after this beautiful hike. Then, visit the Middle of the World complex. Here you will enjoy a collection of monuments and museums built around Latitude Zero. A highlight is the Intiñan Museum. See ancient solar calendars, clocks and season indicators and stand on the true Equator, experiment with gravity by balancing an egg on the head of a nail and see how the Coriolis effect works in both hemispheres. Return to Quito in the late afternoon.  (L)