Private Devil's Nose Train and Ingapirca Ruins Tour

Diego is most professional and knowledgeable. He was punctual and considerate. Definitely a memorable day

Our guide Clever picked us up on time in a clean vehicle. He was very polite and organized and above all a safe driver. From the minute he picked us up everything was in his hands. We were taken right to the train departure car and picked us up from it and he preordered our lunch meals so we didn’t waste time waiting. He was very knowledgeable about Ingapirca. Some great attractions were made better by his organization and attention to detail.

We had a private tour with my wife in April. The trip was very successful. Our guide Javier gave us a lot of information about the country and places. Thanks to him, the trip had great educational values. The journey by train from Alausi is quite short and it is very commercial. The ruins of Ingapirca are very interesting, but if you were in Peru and you expect a similar class of monument, you may be disappointed. They are not so impressive and well-preserved. The views that you have on the way are wonderful. We can certainly recommend the guide Javier.  

Although this tour involves a good bit of driving, we found it to be really worthwhile. The drive to Alausí, where the train begins and ends, allowed us to go through amazing country and small pueblos. It gave us a sense of the beauty of Ecuador, as well as the difficulties in farming the mountainsides. The views as we climbed higher in the Andes were incredible -- Often we were looking down a valley enveloped in clouds. Javier was again our guide and was able to answer questions and give information beyond a simple guide book. The arrangements tickets, substantial bag lunch, water were made by CBT we just had to get on the train to Sibambe, a Cañari town that is the terminus of the train trip. The train's original goal was to create a link between the capital, Quito, and the coast, as a means of transporting food from the sierras. While that goal of food transportation was ultimately not achieved, the creating of that rail link is an incredible engineering feat. The stretch between Alausí and Sibambe, towards the Devil's Nose, lives up to its reputation as one of the most difficult stretches to build, as it climbs the face of Condor Mountain, with sheer drops by the edge of the tracks. The landslide closing the visitor's center higher up -- at Sibambe -- may representative of the inherent dangers in building such a railroad in such steep terrain. Right now part of the old center is hanging over the tracks! Riders on the train are welcomed at the station by Cañaris dancing. The Sibambe interpretation center provides historical background, as well as information about the various activities of the Cañaris who lived and continue to live in the area. The train trip was followed by a visit to Ingapirca, the site of Inca and Cañari ruins. Definitely worth a visit, even in the rain! The park provides guided tours, with the guides providing historical information about the site. When heading back to Cuenca, it was interesting to learn from Javier where many of the original stones of the ruins went!