Cultural Tour Ingapirca Ruins + Gualaceo & Chordeleg From Cuenca

I loved Ingapirca and Chordeleg and absolutely recommend going to both. It's a lot of driving and not a lot of walking (Ingapirca is flat and not too big), so a good chill outing, if a lot of driving. I enjoyed learning about the culture and history from Diego throughout, which kept the driving entertaining. I'd have liked more time in Chordeleg, and might have preferred to visit these sites on separate days had I known, but overall recommend the experience.

Pedro was an excellent host and tour guide for this very full day-long tour. I really appreciated how he adapted his Spanish to my level of Spanish so that we could communicate effectively throughout the day. It was like having a day-long Spanish lesson with a very patient tutor! I really enjoyed getting to learn about the Canari people and the Incans and how each of them venerated nature and the celestial bodies both in their own ways and then later together. A really fascinating story. Beyond that, there was a cool hands-on silversmith demonstration and later a traditional weaving demonstration along with a fun stop at a local market to experience the sights, sounds, and aromas there. All in all, a really nice tour---definitely a memorable day for me!

Amazing day, very informative, well organized and balanced. Diego did an awesome job explaining the culture and history. A very valuable experience.

Booked a solo tour to do some exploring outside Cuenca. My guide was Sebastian and he was excellent. Very knowledgable and a great communicator. Our luck held in that the weather at Ingapirca was excellent. Nice ruins. You can really tell the local influence combining with the traditional Incan style. Off to Gualoceo for some great local food and to Chordeleg prior to returning to Cuenca. All in all a great day ! Will booked again with this company for certain.

I had a great trip with Eddy from Polylepsis Tours. Eddy picked me up at 8am, and I got back to my accommodation at 4PM. Eddy was very knowledgeable about the Ingapirca, Chordeleg, and was also able to provide a lot of interesting information about daily life in Ecuador. I'm a native English speaker, and Eddy's English is good, however at my request Eddy did the tour in Spanish. His Spanish was clear and easy to understand for me, and he was patient in my attempt to communicate. I would recommend Polylepis Tours.

A Fantastic Day Trip to Ingapirca, Gualaceo and. Chordeleg – A Must-See in Ecuador! Our day trip to Ingapirca Ruins was an unforgettable experience! From start to finish, everything was perfectly organized, making the journey as enjoyable as the destination itself. The scenic drive from Cuenca to Ingapirca was breathtaking, with rolling green hills, charming villages, and glimpses of the famous Andean countryside. The weather cooperated and was unusually clear. Our guide Sebastian from Polylepis tours was incredibly knowledgeable, sharing fascinating insights about Ecuador’s history, the Cañari and Inca cultures, and the significance of Ingapirca as Ecuador’s most important archaeological site. Upon arrival, the grandeur of the ruins was truly mesmerizing. The Temple of the Sun, with its precisely cut stones, showcased the incredible engineering skills of the Incas. Walking through the site, I could feel the history come alive, imagining how this place once thrived as a religious and ceremonial center. The contrast between Cañari round structures and Inca rectangular designs was intriguing, a testament to the blending of these two cultures. Sebastian explained this beautifully. After exploring the ruins, we had time to enjoy a canelazo and even spotted some wild llamas roaming nearby! Gualaceo, a lively town known for its traditional markets and weaving workshops. Visiting a local ikat weaving workshop was one of the highlights! We watched skilled artisans create intricate handwoven textiles using ancient techniques passed down for generations. The level of detail and craftsmanship was truly impressive. I bought a beautiful chalupa from Makana after seeing Master Jose’s wife show us how she does them. I would have bought the complete shop of if I could have. We also explored Gualaceo’s vibrant market, where we sampled fresh tortillas con queso. Not to be confused with quesadillas, those we sampled at a local bakery. They are a sweet treat you must enjoy with coffee. We made our way to Chordeleg, a town famous for its exquisite handmade jewelry. Strolling through the picturesque streets, we admired the beautifully crafted silver and gold filigree pieces, a testament to the town’s deep-rooted tradition in jewelry-making. I bough some exquisite earrings to take home with me of beautiful filigree orchids. Sebastian was nice enough to take us to the Orchid museum and it was well worth it!! A must see for all you plant lovers To top it all off, we enjoyed a delicious traditional Ecuadorian lunch at a local restaurant, savoring locro de papa and a chicken and beef seco. Overall, this tour was a perfect blend of history, culture, and natural beauty. Whether you’re a history enthusiast or simply looking for a unique experience in Ecuador, Ingapirca is a must-visit! Highly recommended!

Our guide, Juan Pacheco, created an educational, memorable experience through the Ingapirca site and related visits. Not only was he knowledgeable about history and, archeology, he also "taught" us some Kichwa phrases. Good walks, good lunch made for a satisfying day trip

My guide Wilson was very knowledgeable and friendly. I was happy with the amount of time we took in each of the places we went. Also, the fact that he suggested trying authentic foods/drinks from those places. Beautiful places.

Our guide Diago was outstanding. On time, very good driver. Knowledgeable and patient. We could not have asked for anyone better. We really enjoyed all the stops we made and did not feel pressured into buying anything. Lunch was very tasty with local prepared and sourced food.

Diego was a great guide and a really good driver, best we have had in Ecuador. He had great knowledge of his country and history and made the day go along smoothly. We had time for a little shopping and lunch was very good.

Our Tour guide was very knowledgeable about all the locations that we went to. The lunch included was delicious. It was a educational, adventurous day. I highly recommend this tour!!

Absolutely amazing experience and trip. Diego was a very professional guide, and his knowledge of the Ingapirca Ruins made for an unforgettable trip. I can highly recommend this trip & Diego as a guide for anyone visiting the Ingapirca Ruins.

Our guide, Edison, really went the extra mile during the Ingapirca tour. He answered all our questions knowledgeably, and he speaks both Spanish and English.

This is probably the most interesting, scenic, and value-packed tour we’ve ever taken. We first took it last year when scouting Cuenca as a retirement destination—and I went again yeaterday with my daughter. Both times, Diego was our guide—and he is not only a wealth of information but also a delightful person. I highly recommend this tour and Diego in particular.

The tour was a nicely paced mix of history and culture, with a visit to Ingapirca and cultural villages. Overall a good balance between Incan and Cañaría history and artisan crafts. Diego was a great guide and is very knowledgeable about the region, its history and culture.

Tour was amazing. We had a private tour with Diego. He was SO knowledgeable about every place we went and drove through, from agriculture to geology to history to architecture! It was a wonderful day and we loved being able to see both the ruins and the villages in the same tour. The demonstrations of the jewelry and textile making were fascinating.

Eddie was a great tour guide! He is an excellent driver and speaks English well. He has so much knowledge of the history of the Ruins and explained things as we walked along. We had a delicious lunch of Hornados at the market in Gualaceo and visited a family that makes pottery where we watched how it was made. The paintings are beautiful. We were able to shop for items like jewelry, wall hanging ornaments, and artwork, and miniature pottery. In Chorteleg we saw the most jewelry stores in one place than we have ever seen. The prices are very reasonable and, of course, some went home with us. Before we returned to Cuenca, Eddie stopped at a family business that weaves by hand scarves and table runners. We watched a demonstration of how they’re made which was fascinating. The finished product is available to purchase. I definitely recommend Eddie for any tours you are planning!

The guided tour was amazing. Our tour guide (Diego Parra) was incredibly knowledgeable and professional. He explained in full detail the history of the ruins, the culture of this beautiful area and took us to the markets in Chordeleg and Gualaceo. We highly recommend Diego, he really took the time to give us the best experience of this tour.

I consider that a magical and beautiful place is Cuenca, Ecuador. with a good climate, tourist places and full of culture and history, so we can also find delicious food. Cuenca has places for all ages if you want to enjoy the view the Turi viewpoint is perfect, if you like to dance the clubs are spectacular and inexpensive, or if your goal is to walk the city center you will find many places to visit that will have low prices or will be free.

Lots included in this day trip. Our guide, Diego, was extremely knowledgeable, friendly, and full of interesting information. The drive to Ingapirka was beautiful and the site itself was quite fascinating. Thank you for a great day out!

I had a great day at Ingapirca, Gualeco and Chordeleg. Our guide, Wilson, was very knowledgeable about the history of the Inka and Cañari. The ride to Ingapirca offered some beautiful sights on the Ecuadorian mountains and Wilson shared his knowledge of Ecuador with us. We also had a bunch of traditional and local food and drinks. The towns of Gualeco and Chordeleg were also very beautiful and offered some interesting sights. I can definitely recommend this trip, the moneywas spent very well.

Wilson is the best guide. I enjoyed my day with him as he had a good balance of historical info and yet knew when to move on. He was very kind and considerate.

Eddy was so knowledgeable, friendly and fluently bilingual that he made all the trip interesting and informative.

Ingapirca is not a terribly impressive archeological site compared to the Mayan ruins I've visited in Mexico. I've only seen pictures of Machu Pichu obviously it's nothing like that. Most of the stones and artifacts have been carted away. There were interesting silver-making and weaving demonstrations and good shopping opportunities in Gualaceo and Chordeleg. What really made the whole day worth it was our guide Diego. He is an extremely knowledgeable young man. His English is very good (and he wants to improve further). He took us to a very nice place for lunch and made every part of the tour informative and enjoyable.

This was my first time in Cuenca and having booked this excursion was the best decision made. Our guide Diego was so informative! The vehicle operator Sergio was patient and very helpful, especially as I travelled with my elderly parents. It was an absolute pleasure! I highly recommend this excursion and if you can have Diego as your guide you will be very happy at the end!

We had a such a wonderful day with Diego on this tour! He is incredibly versed in the history of these areas, speaks excellent English (and is happy to practice Spanish with you as well). We toured with our 11 and 12.5 yr olds and he was extremely accommodating / kept them interested and entertained. Highly recommend Diego's tour when you are in Cuenca!!

The tour was a fabulous value—and our guide, Diego Parra, couldn’t have been better. He has a good mastery of English, reads extensively (so is gold mine of information), and is a delightful person. We left at 8:30 am and returned at 5 pm, and we would never have expected to see and learn so much. The Ingapirca ruins—especially with the ideal weather (sunny, bright blue skies, and puffy white clouds) were fascinating. Lunch in Chordeleg was delicious. The scenery was gorgeous. And the exquisite hand-crafted pottery, silver and gold jewelry, and textiles in Guadaleo and Chordeleg is not to be missed. After we move to Cuenca, we hope to take our children and grandchildren on this tour when they visit us.

We really, really enjoyed this tour! Diego honestly was the best guide we ever had on a trip. He is so friendly and in a good mood, his English is really good and his knowledge on Ingapirca was astonishing. The visit of the ruins was fantastic and we noticed that other groups of tourists got way less information from their guide. But he also knows a lot about Ecuador's (and other South-American countries') history, geology, geography and political and economical situation and he is passionate about a lot of topics. We learned so much during this day and he could literally answer every question we had. The tour is a nice mix of activities. After Ingapirca, you also visit local handcraft shops and see things you would not experience by exploring this region on your own. Diego also translated the explanations of the local people, so that we didn't miss any interesting facts despite our limited understanding of Spanish. Everything was well arranged, the transport was very comfortable and safe and we got a lot of flexibility to adapt the schedule to our own wishes and preferences. It was defenitely worth every penny! Thank you so much for the amazing day!

Luis was really friendly and knowledgeable. His English was excellent, which was a relief because my spanish is terrible. The ruins were really interesting, lunch was delicious, and I would highly recommend this tour.

We had a wonderful time! Diego is an excellent tour guide that is worth recommending. Thank you for a terrific experience.

Excellent tour! Diego was an amazing guide. He was very friendly, funny, and was able to explain a lot about ecuador's nature and culture. Every question you asked he could answered easily. He adapted the tour to our liking and even visited a mountain church, which wasn't originally scheduled. His english was also very good, you could understand him easily. We especially liked the stop at a traditional weaving workshop. Our stop in Gualaceo was very short though and only consisted basically in driving around the main square. All in all a pleasant tour.

Because the normal road from Guayaquil to Cuenca had a landslide we had to take an alternate route that took a while longer. Our guide Andres was more than accommodating. He treated us to a fabulous lunch near Incapirca. We arrived in Cuenca past dinner time and he was generous enough to give us a quick city tour. Highly recommend this tour company and especially Andres

Our guide, Andres, was beyond knowledgeable. Not only were the places we visited explained in detail, but his knowledge of Ecuador’s history and its people was extensive. This tour, because of Andres, was the highlight of our trip to Ecuador so far. Beautiful drive where you get to see rural areas and small towns….not to be missed.

The tour was really great. I was with my partner ( only spoke English) and Diego ( our Tour Guide) was able to explain everything with his great English. We were picked up from our place and dropped off at the same place. This was super great and convenient. The trip itself to Ingapirca, Gualaceo and Chordeleg were just amazing. Diego explained everything in detail. He was funny as well 😂. The driver was great as well, driving safely. Overall 5 stars. The service and the communication was high quality. Recommend to everyone!!

Booked a private tour with Edison at Polylepis Tours. My customized tour included; Ingapirca / Cara del Inca, Banos Canari and a stop at Casa de la Macana. Hotel pickup was on time and his vehicle was clean and comfortable. On the way to Ingapirca you get to see the countryside and points of interest along the way. I saw the Catedral de Azogues (aka Santuario de la Virgen de las Nubes), the Mirador Virgen de la Nube and the Igelsia Virgen del Rocío. The Ingapirca site was interesting and worth the trip. The Temple of the Sun is the star of the complex. It’s a pretty easy walk down to the Cara del Inca rock face, but if you are short on time you could skip it. Next up was a quick 20 minute stop at Banos Canari. Not a whole lot to see, but it’s worth the 20 mins. When you are passing through Biblian on Carr. Panamericana, make sure you stop at a roadside hornado de chancho restaurant called Picanteria Senor de la Justicia! This is mandatory! This was one of my favorite lunches in all of Ecuador! The $5.00 Fritada almuerzo was sooooooooooo friggin good! A ridiculous amount of food - Pork, Mote, Tostado, Llapingachos and Maduro. Our last stop was Casa de la Macana. Did the quick 15 min tour / semi demonstrations. Ended up purchasing an infinity scarf for $25. At the end of the tour, Edison was kind enough and flexible enough to help me find a place to try Cuy and a bakery that I had on my Cuenca To-Do list. 10/10 for Edison’s customer service and guide services.

Great way to see the country side, small villages, farms, learn about the Incas and have an opportunity to buy local crafts. Guide, Angel was very knowledgeable, friendly, courteous, great driver and answered all our questions.

First off, if you’re scrolling through tours and can’t decide then pick this one! You get a lot of bang for your buck. If you’re lucky enough to pick this one then you get picked up by Edison, who literally knows everything about Ecuador and the surrounding countries- you will learn but enjoy. Trust me when I tell you this is not the tour or the guide to miss out on.

Two of us went on this tour with Milton as our guide and driver. It was a fantastic experience. Milton spoke very good English and was incredibly patient and knowledgeable. He catered to all our odd requests and took us to see the most incredible workshops that we would never have found on our own. The silver filigree workshop in particular was just amazing! Milton made sure we did everything we wanted, answered all our questions, gave interesting explanations of history and culture and made sure we had a great day. It was a long day but very enjoyable. I highly recommend Polylepis tours and Milton to everyone looking for a day tour out of Cuenca.

Our guide and driver, Herman Flores, was exceptional. Not only did he take us to the destinations of the tour, he also took us to things that we wanted to see along the way. He has an encyclopedic knowledge of Ecuador, its history, geography and economy. Anything we wanted to know, he was able to provide the information. He also helped us with our Spanish, and ensured that we where not taken advantage of while purchasing items. The tour itself was first rate, a must do when in Cuenca, especially if you have any desire to understand the Inca and prior civilizations history.

My wife is on crutches, so we opted for a private tour, which allowed for some flexibility. Eddy Juca was our tour guide, and he is excellent. He answered all our questions and described everything in Spanish and English. Eddy picked us up at our hotel and drove us the Ingapirca, where he told us all about the significance of the site and what is known of its history. After a leisurely stroll through the ruins, we enjoyed a drive through the countryside before stopping at a roadside restaurant for an excellent lunch of pork, potatoes and corn cooked in a traditional Andean way with a "blowtorch." Our next stop was Chordeleg, famous for its jewelry. Next, we stopped at Gualaceo, where we saw demonstrations of traditional weaving techniques, including the natural dyes used. On our return to Cuenca, Eddy took us to Mirador de Turi, where we could see the entire city and get nice photos. Eddy answered all our questions and was very accommodating. On our next visit to Cuenca, we will definitely book a tour with Polylepis and will request Eddy!

Sebastian was an excellent guide. He mastered the information and the facts, was helpful, patient and competent. It was a very fruitful day in the outskirts of Cuenca, and way to learn more about the Ecuadorian culture. I recommend it to everyone.

We booked this tour the day before with Polylepsis tour. We spent a very rewarding day with Diego who captivated us all day. We highly recommend. We had a great day with Diego. He is very interesting and professional. We recommend

Excellent Service Fully recommended, the very trained guide Eddy Zea, friendly, considerate of the children, has much knowledge of history that made the hike more enjoyable. The transport in excellent condition and the driver very polite and attentive too. Money very well invested. Thank you very much.

Excellent experience. The best thing was to be able to see special things like entering a jewelry store to see the creative process and overall the day tour is perfect.

The tour to Inga Pirca, Chordeleg and Gualaceo exceeded my expectations. Punctuality in pick up to start the tour, impeccable drive and Andres very good driver and better guide. He explained the history of Ingapirca very thoroughly. Lunch was delicious.

We were delighted with the tour to the ruins of Ingapirca, where we learned all about the Inca culture. And also to the beautiful town of Gualaceo where we visit its different jewelry stores. Thanks to our tour guide Edy... excellent service.

Through the tourist info center this office was recommended to us. We contacted the agency and received immediate answers to all questions. Value for money is super! A very intelligent and friendly guide who adapted to our questions regarding the day tour. I can highly recommend it.

Our guide Edi was very friendly and helpful. When inquiring about info and booking the tour in advance they also answered our questions very quickly and accurately. Edi could tell a lot, not only about the archaeological site but also about Ecuador in general. Highly recommended!