Hacienda Zuleta - Riding in the Andes
... a ride with history

About Hacienda Zuleta
Upon stepping through the gates of Hacienda Zuleta, one enters into a historical legacy dating back thousands of years.
Surrounded by the natural beauty of the Andes Mountains, the fertile valley still bountifully supports its inhabitants and is sited as a model for farming and land use in Ecuador and all of the Andes.
Today the working farm thrives under the supervision of former Ecuador President Galo Plaza’s descendants. the farm produces a wide range of products including: milk (5000 liters per day), cheese, barley, quinoa, potatoes, wheat, organic vegetables and compost and also boasts a wide variety of livestock, dairy cows, sheep and horses.

Location
Located between 2870 and 3050 meters in the Andean mountains of Northern Ecuador and 110 kilometers north of Quito, the Hacienda can be reached within two hours from the capital. All guests are provided with private transportation to and from Zuleta. Airport pick-ups can also be arranged with advance notice.

Climate
Blessed with an equatorial location, Hacienda Zuleta experiences a temperate climate all year round. Temperatures average between 70 and 75 degrees during the day with low humidity. Nights tend to be crisp:  perfect for a fireplace and a warm cup of tea!
January through June are characterized by sunny days with occasional spring-like showers. During this time of year, the countryside is lush and green. July and August are typically dry and provide the best opportunities for extraordinary views of the surrounding volcanoes. September through December offer pleasant weather with occasional showers.

Clothing and Equipment
In most parts of the Andes, you can experience all four seasons in one day. Be prepared for cold nights and cold rain if you're caught outside. Warm, fast drying clothes are recommended (synthetics and wool are good, but avoid cotton, especially directly against the skin).
Since you will be riding at elevations between 9.000 and 11.000 feet, light warm clothing worn in layers is highly recommended.

History and Archaeology

Pre-Incan and Incan Period

To visit Hacienda Zuleta is to experience four centuries of Ecuadorian history seeped in Pre-Colombian, Spanish and Ecuadorian tradition.
The original inhabitants of the Zuleta region were the peace-loving Caranquis. They were an agrarian-based culture and flourished in this area rich in volcanic soils from about 800 A.D. until the arrival of the war-faring Incas in the late 1470's.

Caranqui Pyramid on the grounds of Hacienda Zuleta
  
Although the Caranquis fought stoically against the Inca for forty years, they were eventually conquered and forced into Inca servitude. Yet Inca rule was short-lived. By 1534, the last Inca king, Atahualpa, had been captured and assassinated by the Spanish conquistador, Pizarro, leaving the Inca empire in collapse and a free for all for the land-hungry vassals of the Spanish Crown.

Jesuit Occupation
In the late 16th century, King Carlos is believed to have bequeathed the Zuleta region to the Jesuits, who implemented their Spanish methods of farming and cattle and sheep production. In the following years an ‘obraje’ (small wool mill) was established. By 1691, the Hacienda house, granary and chapel were completed and the farm was in full operation.

Private Ownership of Zuleta
However, in 1713, under the direction of King Charles III, the property was confiscated and transferred to Canon Gabriel Zuleta, thus making Zuleta his seventeenth Hacienda. From this day forth the farm became known as Cochicaranqui de Zuleta. Upon the Canon’s death, the farm passed to the Posse family, who were inspired to bring the Hacienda back to its previous 17th century grandeur.

The Plaza-Lasso Family
Yet it wasn’t until the farm was sold to Jose Maria Lasso in 1898 and passed through two more generations to Galo Plaza Lasso, the ex-President of Ecuador, bullfighter and diplomat, that Zuleta recaptured its original prosperity. A farmer at heart, Lasso was an ardent supporter of modern agriculture and through this conviction he was the first to bring Holstein cows, systematic seed selection and tractors to Ecuador. Zuleta was his flagship, the place where each of these technologies were showcased.

Zuleta Embroidery Workshop

Meanwhile, Doña Rosario (Galo’s wife), established the Zuleta Embroidery Workshop. Doña Rosario had long observed the Zuleteña women’s affinity for intricate embroidery, so it seemed natural that they should use this skill to supplement family incomes. The idea took off with the assistance of a Peace Corps volunteer. The Zuleteña women started working together at the Hacienda’s workshop and at home, creating exquisitely embroidered tablecloths, place mats, blouses and towels, often especially ordered by the Hacienda’s illustrious guests and world-leaders.

Land Reform
In another gesture of social consciousness, Galo bequeathed 400 acres in 1963 to Hacienda workers, thus further solidifying the bond between Hacienda Zuleta, the Plaza-Lasso family and the local communities. In 1971, a time of national land reform, the ex-President gave another 2,011 hectares to Zuleteño workers.

Contemporary Zuleta
In 1987, Gallo Plaza Lasso passed away, and the farm was once again handed down to the next generation. Currently, the farm is managed by Galo Plaza Jr. and his nephew, Fernando Polanco. In honor of his grandfather, Fernando, along with other family members, created the Galo Plaza Lasso Foundation, which today carries forth the ex-President’s vision of always striving to create a better Ecuador.