Casa Izabella is an excellent base for a variety of tours and activities. We can arrange any of the following tours or provide advice if you choose to venture off on your own.
Free Activities and Day Hikes
At Casa Izabella you can enjoy our heated pool, sauna, steam room, a stroll through the gardens, practice meditation and yoga, or simply relax in the hammocks overlooking the valley.
Casa Izabella Garden
Our location is perfect for day hikes. Pack your lunch and you can hike for hours throughout the rural Ecuadorian countryside of the surrounding mountains.
View From Hike in Local Area
Spa Service
A variety of spa services are available to guests. We highly recommend an outdoor massage with fresh picked flowers and a view of the Cumbaya valley. Also, an indigenous Shaman is available to perform a ritual healing of the body, mind, and soul.
Spa services are available upon advance notice as our therapist and Shaman make a special trip from Quito for Casa Izabella guests. Contact us for more information.
Mountain Biking
Casa Izabella is located along the Chaquiñán ecological route, a bicycle and pedestrian path which runs over 40km from Cumbaya to El Quinche. Bicycle rental is available and you can ride along the old railroad bed, through tunnels and over bridges, to explore from Cumbaya to El Quinche.
Bike path from Cumbaya to El Quinche
Click on the following image to see more details about the Chaquiñán path. Casa Izabella is located between Yaruqui and Checa along the railroad track indicated in this map:
Contact us for information about bike rentals.
Horseback Riding
You can travel by horseback from Casa Izabella up to the surrounding mountains. Admire the vegetation, forests, the mountaintop lakes and amazing views of the Cumbaya Valley. A wonderful picnic lunch will be provided at the top along with snacks and drinks.
Cost: $35 per person
Tour of Colonial Quito
Church in Old Town Quito
A fascinating guided tour of the colonial city of Quito begins with a stroll down Main Street to the “Teatro Sucre” (The Broadway of Ecuador), with additional stops at San Agustin Church, The Plaza of Independence, city Museum and several other historic churches. Lunch will be at a typical Ecuadorian restaurant in the “Plaza San Francisco”. The last stop will be the “Palacio de Cristal” where you can admire expansive views and enjoy some coffee or tea at the restaurant.
Cost: $75 per person (all day)
Sky Ride & The Middle Of The World
Enjoy an amazing gondola skyride over the city and take in the spectacular views of this beautiful, volcano spotted country. From here you will go to “The Middle Of The World”. This spot was established in the 18th century by the French Scientific Expedition as the oficial site where the equator runs through Ecuador. You will enjoy Lunch at the equator village, the museum, and shopping.
Cost: $50 per person (most of the day)
Otavalo and Imbabura
Otavalo Market
On our way North through Cayambe we stop at “The Middle Of The World”, travel through “Eucalyptus Way”, and San Pablo Lake. Our final destinations will be the quaint towns of Otavalo and Peguche for handmade artwork and Ecuadorian souvenirs. Although we visit the famous indigenous market of Otavalo and the “Plaza de Ponchos,” the highlight of this tour is a visit to local workshops to see weaving in process. Lunch will be at “Puerto Lago” where you will be amazed by the serenity of San Pablo Lake.
$80 per person (All day) – minimum 4 guests
Papallacta / Spa
Hot Spring Pool at Papallacta
Spend a day relaxing in the Papallacta’s volcanic thermal baths, indulging in pampering spa treatments, while surrounded by lush mountains in the shadow of the Antisana volcano. You can experience the hot spring medicinal pools, sauna, massages, facials, all included in your price. An exquisite lunch will satisfy you and a walk around the manicured grounds will relax you.
Cost: $130 per person (Most of the day)
Parque de los Frailejones / Forest
This inspiring tour will take you to over 40,000 acres of untouched nature, where you will see firsthand the unique frailejones trees that only grow in this area. Waterfalls and mountain lakes create breathtaking scenery. You will eat lunch at an approved local establishment before continuing your tour to the only forest in the world where “milenarios de polylepis” trees are found. They are ancient, intertwining and mystical. The tour concludes at Chota Valley Farm where you will witness the diverse Ecuador climate as we travel from cool to hot in a short distance. There you will enjoy refreshments and local fruits.
Cost: $120 per person (All day) – minimum 4 guests
Don’t stress about planning
With the exception of massage appointments, all tours can be arranged upon your arrival to Casa Izabella. We can provide much more information about these tours in person. Our staff can answer questions about Ecuador and provide advice if you choose to explore Ecuador without a guide!
