Tour to Ecuador Center of the World, 3 hours, except Sunday, private

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Price from:
54.00 US$
per person

The Equatorial Monument, 25 Kms. (16 miles) North of Quito, marks the exact Middle of the World, latitude 0º, where you can stand with a foot on each hemisphere.  Visit the Ethnographic Museum inside the monument, which shows the great diversity of Ecuador’s native groups.

Tour Details

This experience takes guest to the north of Quito, which has been the object of a number of studies attempting to measure meridian arc in order to determine the exact figure of the Earth, with the first result being obtained in 1743 by Geodesic Mission of the French Academy of Sciences, led by Louis Godin, Pierre Bouguer and Charles Marie de La Condamine. From 1899-1906, General Georges Perrier, also with the backing of the French Academy of Sciences, was sent to lead a mission to verify that result. Later, in 1936, with the support of the French American Committee, Ecuadorean geographer Dr. Luis Tufiño built a 10-meter monument in San Antonio de Pichincha to commemorate the first Geodesic Mission.

In 1979, the monument was moved 7 km to the to the town of Calacalí. Today, a new and much larger monument was constructed between 1979 and 1982, stands in San Antonio de Pichincha. The grounds contain the Museo Etnográfico Mitad del Mundo. The 30-meter-tall monument, was constructed to mark the point where the equator passes through the country in the geodetic datum in use in Ecuador at that time. A line down the center of the east-facing staircase, and across the plaza, was meant to mark the equator, and countless visitors over the years have had their pictures taken straddling this line.

The Equatorial Monument, is located 25 Kms. (16 miles) North of Quito, marks the Middle of the World, latitude 0º, where you can stand with a foot on each hemisphere.  Visit the Ethnographic Museum inside the monument, which shows the great diversity of Ecuador's native groups. Beside the monument there is a colonial-style town, complete with main square, church, post office, bullring, cafeterias, restaurants and many gift shops that sell postcards and souvenirs.  
A certificate for having crossed the Equator is issued to each guest.

Included

• Entrance fee to the Middle of the World

Travel Facts

• Dress in layers (T-shirt, blouse, sweater, coat)
• Take a sweater even if the day is warm and sunny
• Rain protection advised in the afternoon.  This tour includes walking at an altitude of 2800 meters (9200 feet) and climbing stairs
• Sun protection (SPF 40)
• Good walking shoes

Our recommendations for the best possible experience

• Dress in layers (T-shirt, blouse, sweater, coat).  
• Take a sweater even if the day is warm and sunny.  
• Rain protection advised in the afternoon.  
• This tour includes walking at an altitude of 2800 meters (9200 feet) and climbing stairs.  
• Sun protection (SPF 40).  
• Good walking shoes. 
• Entrance fee is included.
• Shopping opportunities for handicrafts and souvenirs available.

Information Rates per Person (US$) 2 persons 54.00

2013

PRICES PER PERSON 2013
1	2	3	4 - 5	6 - 9	10 - 15	16 - 20	21 +
95,00	54,00	40,00	32,00	28,00	24,00	21,00	20,00

Quito Cultural Tours

Quito, ethereal city of translucent vitality

The capital of Ecuador has a setting that few cities can match.  During the 13th century it was the prosperous center of the Kingdom of the Quitus.  It later became the northern capital of the Inca Empire.  In the 16th and 17th centuries, Colonial architects built formidable temples, monasteries and mansions, creating an urban jewel designated by UNESCO as a World Cultural Heritage Site.  Quito's artistic creativity awaits the visitor in cosmopolitan galleries and boutiques filled with contemporary paintings, sculptures and exquisite traditional crafts. 

The stay in Quito must include a visit to the Colonial sector, the old and charming city with  400 years of Spanish heritage.  Also, visit the Middle of the World, the very center of the earth, at latitude 0°, and enjoy a performance of the JACCHIGUA Folklore Ballet featuring a troupe of brilliantly costumed dancers reenacting traditional rituals and celebrations.