UNIVERSIDAD DE ESPECIALIDADES TURISTICAS UCT Adventure Tourism in Tungurahua Province 2 Days/ 1 Night 3 Passengers from United States 30 years average age Prepared by Paola Mármol Supervisor: Gustavo Freire For getting the National Guide Degree Quito, June/2012 1 DEDICATIONS I want to dedicate my studies to my mother who at home is father and mother teaching me the value of small things, and that every sacrifice is fair if it does for the children could have a promising future, my mother is a role model, She teaching me values, good habits that will stay in my life and my reason for being forever. And to my brother who is my support in the important moments of my life who also has taught me above all discipline and perseverance anything is possible. Thank God for put them in my life and make it a reality and not a dream. Paola Elizabeth Mármol Guerra 2 THANKS To my teachers to make this dream a reality, I take with me the best memories and knowledge. Special thanks to my classmates, thank you for your unconditional friendship. To my father and to my sisters for the financial and moral support that gave me during my studies. To my boyfriend, Thanks for being with me at this time so important to me. I love you. 3 INTRODUCTION Ecuador is ranked 17 among the world's mega diverse countries, with only 0.2% of the planet's surface, are about 20,000 species of native plants, also has 369 species of mammals, 1578 birds, 394 of reptiles and 421 amphibians. Despite its limited size Ecuador has great natural treasures. Crossed by the Equator and the Andes, Ecuador is home to four biologically distinct regions. Galapagos Islands, Coast Region, highlands Andes and Amazon Region. 4 Tourism in Ecuador has developed over time; last year received 1'140978 of foreigners, an excellent market to carry out new forms of tourism. During my training in the career of National Tourist Guide for the past 3 years I had the opportunity to see many sights and I realize how valuable it is for the country the good use of the tourist attraction in the economy of each town. The Tourism encouraged me to give a new direction in my life, where I can give a grain of sand in the tourist image of the town and the people of Ecuador. Once completed the academic process, I began to carry out the process for getting the National Guide degree, I was assigned the theme "Adventure Tourism in the province of Tungurahua" with the advice of Professor Gustavo Freire , was taken into account all social, cultural, economic to carry out the tourist route, itinerary and supplied selection. Gradually, I carried out all procedures for the tourist route from June, 16/17 2012 in accordance with the planning. 5 JUSTIFICATION For the process of getting the National Guide degree is important to make a real guidance, the topic assigned to me was: Adventure tourism in the province of Tungurahua, with three U.S. tourists aged 30 years each. For the preparation of this tourist route, I did an investigation about what things likes to the American tourist with an average age of thirty years in preference adventure travel in Ecuador, and priority in the province of Tungurahua. Was determined that the profile of U.S. valued the contact with nature, in search of excitement and adrenaline but with less provision for risk, emphasizing it 6 as the age increases, motivating by the amazing landscapes, therefore seeking different alternatives for performing activities in the province of Tungurahua, an important guide were the city of Baños that is considered the capital for adventure travel in Ecuador, together with my tutor Gustavo Freire, I could find the way, in search of activities that can potentially satisfy the needs of tourists of United States For the realization of this route I thought in several options but the option that better embedded in the needs of the tourists was the route that based on the tourists to they have an unforgettable experience of risk, adrenaline, scenery, fun in two days which takes the tour. In conducting of this schedule, I had to trip several times to the province of Tungurahua to have a contact with service providers route , the first city in which I began my work was the city of Baños de Agua Santa, a tourist spot where find in most operating tourist adventure activities. The activity that was adjusted to the needs of my visitors was the "Canopy" a unique experience with 6 lines of cable and 2000 meters of cable. I leave open an option to visit the hot springs of the Virgin, because an important reason of tourism in Baños de Agua Santa, are the hot springs. This option was based on the times to meet as the route is already established. 7 For the second day I decided to change the cloud forest ecosystem on the moor National Park in the canton Llanganates Pillaro, that is a very little frequented by tourists, but it pays to know a different route. An excellent adventure activity is trekking in the National Park Llanganates also a tourist profile study of United States among its priorities of adventure activity is trekking in high demand and even better if you change the routes already established for disclose other landscapes, and taking advantage of proximity to the lagoon Pisayambo was thought that sport fishing is permitted only under the authorization Pisayambo of Hydroelectric Agoyan because commercial fishing is prohibited. An attractive alternative was to use the train to travel from Quito to Machachi as a tourist attraction of great historical value. As providers of accommodation and meals, I traveled in advance of the city of Baños to choose the best restaurant in which visitors feel comfortable and enjoy a great meal. For last minute changes I had to change hosting service provider, however I was thought in the comfort of the tourists who would accompany me, for lunch the second day, I was planned a place where we can enjoy some delicious trout 8 prepared is very close from LLanganates National Park it is known as “El Porvenir” The routes to be followed between provinces on the first day was taken from Machachi to Baños de Agua Santa in E35 route, and for the second day I took an alternate of route from Baños-Patate - Pillaro this route is in very good condition is also a route in which only accessible by private car as the buses do not go out there and we had the opportunity to meet other landscape that not everyone has the chance to meet. 9 ITYNERARY FIRST DAY 07:15 Meeting Chimbacalle Railway Station 08:15 10:15 Trip to Machachi 10:15 10:40 Breakfast at Machachi Railway Station 10:40 11:35 Arrival to Salcedo 11:40 11:50 Tasting Salcedo ice creams 11:50 12:00 Trip to Yambo Lagoon 12:00 12:15 Yambo Lagoon. Explanation 12:15 13:20 Arrival to Baños de Agua Santa 13:30 14:30 Lunch 14:30 14:45 Trip to "San Antonio de Puntzan” 15:00 18:00 Canopy 18:00 18:15 Trip to Hotel “El Trapiche” 18:15 18:30 Check in 18:45 19:00 Transfer to hot springs pool “La Virgen” 19:00 20:00 Bathing in hot springs 20:15 21:15 Diner 21:15 21:30 Tranfer to Hotel “El Trapiche” 10 21:30 21:50 Briefing and advice SECOND DAY 07:15 07:45 Breakfast 08:00 09:00 Trip to Pillaro 09:00 09:15 Meet with the last passenger 09:15 10:15 Trip to LLanganates National Park 10:30 11:30 Trekking in LLanganates National Park 11:30 13:00 Fishing in Pisayambo Lagoon 13:00 13:30 Trip to “El Porvenir” Farmer 13:45 14:30 Fishing in “El Porvenir Farmer” 14:30 15:30 Lunch 15:30 19:30 Return to Quito 11 ACTIVITIES DURING THE TOUR Iván Vizcaíno, Paola Mármol, Gustavo Freire, Cristian Robalino The activities were planned according to schedule, the times were met, in some cases we had to wait for service providers, despite the difference between a few minutes, activities that were performed were the following: DAY 1 The route began at 07:15 at the train station Chimbacalle, Two of my three professors arrived on time, Professor Gustavo Freire and professional guide Ivan 12 Vizcaino, the english professor didn´t came on day 1 due to reason of health, but we had to continue the trip without Cristian Robalino. At 8:15 o'clock came the train from Quito Chimbacalle to Machachi, our train route was "Machachi Festivo" this path was an introduction to learn more about the history of Ecuador, in the train route we could observed the south of Quito, we went through some factories, haciendas, plus a preamble to see amazing landscapes of the central mountains of Ecuador, that day in the morning the sky was clear and had an excellent view of the volcanoes, for example Pasochoa volcano, Rumiñahui Volcano, Atacazo volcano, Corazón Volcano, Cotopaxi volcano, North Iliniza volcano, Iliniza South volcano, on the road "Machachi Festivo" the train stops for 10 minutes in Tambillo, a chance to stretch your legs we continue our route to Machachi, we got off at the train Machachi, there we were able to eat corn with cheese, beans and coffee, then we continue our journey, our driver picked us up there. We continue our journey to the province of Tungurahua, going by the Salcedo’s Canton in the province of Cotopaxi necessarily we had to stop to taste the traditional and delicious ice cream of Salcedo, we stopped at the central square to go to shop "Salcedo pure fruit ice cream" of Don Jaime Jijón, after tasting the 13 traditional pure fruit ice cream we continued our trip and we stopped at the Yambo Lagoon, we saw the wonderful landscape, and also an opportunity to known about some of their legends, the wind was so strong so we decided to continue with our trip.