Hacienda Guachala is located close to the equator about an hour northeast of Quito, not far from Otavalo. It is one of the oldest haciendas in all of Ecuador. The church was the first structure on the hacienda grounds and was built in 1580 on the site of an old Incan fortress. The famed mountaineer Edward Whymper (best known for the first ascent of the Matterhorn) stayed at the hacienda during his climbs in the area during the 1880s. We stayed here the day before and after the Cayambe climb.
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The church


The courtyard



The courtyard from our room's door


Me in the courtyard


The courtyard from one of the church steeples


Alpacas and llamas that are part of the hacienda's farm


A cute baby alpaca (well, I think it is an alpaca)