Cuenca City Bike Tour is a 4 hours tour that runs everyday and goes for 16 miles all around Cuenca City . You’ll ride a nice bike, along the Tomebamba riverside trails and secondary roads with very little traffic as you explore the new part of town, lovely parks, ancient ruins and historic buildings. Get ready for this exceptional adventure!!!
Cuenca City attracts travelers from all over the world, but most of visitors explore only its historic city center by foot. On our Cuenca City Bike Tour you will have the opportunity to visit as well the down town and other areas of the city on two wheels!! We invite you to take this new way of enjoying Cuenca!!.
This Cuenca tour will take you to visit el Puente Roto, the old Inca city of Pumapungo, Parque Paraíso, the old train tracks, Quinta Bolívar, San Joaquin and El Barranco. You will also enjoy a delicious traditional lunch at one of our favorite restaurants.
El barranco is the name given to the buildings that hang above the rushing River Tomebamba which is flanked by a grassy riverside and gorgeous colonial buildings. The river can be accessed from the center of Cuenca via three stone stairways and one of the main features is the Puente Roto (broken bridge), the remains of an old stone bridge that once crossed the river.
Parque Paraíso, or Paradise Park, is the largest park in Cuenca. Covering 17 hectares, the park opened its doors for the first time in 2003. Two rivers pass through the park, the Yanuncay and Tomebamba. There are hundreds of trees including eucalyptus, willows and alders, as well as a large artificial pond which is home to ducks and geese, as well as small boats. There is a children’s play park, a miniature driving circuit for kids to learn about road safety, walking paths, bike paths, picnic areas, football fields and on most days you’ll find several street vendors with drinks and snacks.
As you walk along River Tomebamba, you’ll come across el Puente Roto, the broken bridge. Originally built in the 1840s by Juan de la Cruz Pugara, the bridge was destroyed on the 3rd April 1950 when the river broke its banks and took the bridge with it, along with other bridges in El Vado and El Vergel. It was reopened as a monument in 1961 and is used for open air markets and events.
Pumapungo, meaning “door of the Puma” was the central city of Tomebamba ordered to be built by the Inca commander Tupac Yupanqui after the Inca defeat of the Cañari. In its splendor it was said to have rivaled the Inca capital of Cuzco. By the time the time the Spanish found the legendary city, all that remained were ruins. Today Pumapungo is an archaeological park located near the historic center of Cuenca within the Banco Central complex. Surrounding the museum complex of the Banco Central, visitors can visit the ruins of the Inca city. While most of the original stone was used to build Cuenca by the Spanish, the archaeological complex is well worth a visit, with walking paths weaving their way around the foundations of the original structures. There are gorgeous gardens filled with plants believed to have been important to the Incan and Cañari cultures, llamas, a café and an aviary housing a selection of Ecuadorian birds.
Simón Bolívar was a Venezuelan statesman and military leader who led the armies of Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Bolivia to Independence from the Spanish Empire. In 1821 he became President of Gran Colombia (a state covering much of modern Colombia, Panama, Venezuela, Ecuador, northern Peru and northwest Brazil), before creating the Republic of Bolivia in 1825 of which he was also President. Bolívar visited Cuenca twice in 1822 where he stayed in a house which has since been named Quinta Bolívar. Although it isn’t the original building, which was demolished in the 1930s, this is the location which Bolivar used to rest and plan military and political actions when in Cuenca. It is now a cultural center used to exhibit work related to the life of Bolívar and his ideology.
The area of San Joaquín has historically provided vegetables for Cuenca. While these days it is becoming popular as a residential area, you can still find many active vegetable gardens providing natural produce for the city of Cuenca.
A part of this sample itinerary we can also create a customized itinerary to suit your interests and skills. END OF THE SERVICES!!!
| Price Per Person | USD 105.00 |
