How to Travel Better is a column with Condé Nast Traveler’s sustainability editor Juliet Kinsman. In this series, Juliet introduces us to the sustainability heroes she meets, signposts the experiences that are enhancing our world, and shares the little and big ways we can all travel better.
“Everything is bigger in South America,” smiles Fernando Polanco, the owner of Hacienda Zuleta, as he wields an eye-wateringly large star fruit. We're on his family's 17th-century, 4,500-acre working dairy farm and ranch. Zuleta, which is two hours north of Quito, has a big history, a huge heart, and charming accommodations. A great example of the positive, trickle-down impact that tourism can have, Fernando explains to me that his ancestors were among the first to give deeds back to the people, gifting slopes along with titles.
“Sustainability has always been our way of life and showing responsibility for our community,” Fernando explains over feather-light crispy cassava waffles and a spread of award-winning hard cheeses from their Holstein cows. “When my grandfather Galo Plaza Lasso was President of Ecuador… he changed society. My grandparents were agents of positive change, too—long before regeneration was a buzzword.” Our perfect breakfast, in the corner of his family home that once acted as a classroom for local children is a case study for the impact that ‘sensitive luxury’ can have on a community. Framed lace and embroidered linens are an ode to his grandmother introducing what is now a signature skill to the village Zuleta sits within.
It’s my tastebuds, in particular, which make me thankful for my time in Ecuador. There’s a cornucopia of reasons why fruit and vegetables grown on this South American country’s high-altitude slopes are fuller in flavor. Roque Sevilla, economist, environmentalist, and chairman of Metropolitan Touring, explains the ecological secrets to those unforgettable flavors at another breakfast in the historic Hotel Casa Gangotena. Put simply: the soils along this volcanic Andean belt work alchemy, partly thanks to this part of the world’s ‘eternal spring’. Not a Calvin Klein perfume, but a nickname for how the climate found here is optimal for growing.
The all-sensory-smacking fruit and veggies are extra special here, Roque points out, “due to the dramatic temperature drops at night, which fixes the fragrances and colors.” Ecuador has been one of the largest producers of bananas since the ’50s. The special conditions also explain the world-leading caliber of their roses. Everywhere you turn in this city, you see breathtakingly beautiful bouquets.
Ecuador’s take on ceviche was another surprise for my senses. Heladería Restaurante in San Agustín began life as a sweet shop in 1858, and spicy, zingy, fresh lime-cured fish is now a speciality that draws crowds. Other treats here tell stories about the local culture, including the iced cupcakes chimborazos, named after the highest, snow-capped volcano in the Northern Andean Volcanic Zone.
What’s noticeable in Ecuador right now is a lack of tourists. Chats with Thiago, on the table next to me at Heladería Restaurant, give rise to why they are so happy to hear I’m visiting from overseas. The lack of travel during the pandemic meant a sudden end to vital tourism revenue—and this, in part, is what has led to civil disruption in isolated coastal spots far from my orbit close to the capital. It’s so important as travelers that we recognize when activity is restricted to certain areas and not abandon the whole country—such as the wildlife-rich and super-safe Galápagos Islands.
The power of ethical food supply chains to unlock positive impact comes into sharp focus at Mashpi Lodge, a design-forward retreat with scores of species of hummingbirds. For me, it is the flower-garnished organic flavors of the forest that leave the sweetest taste. Obsessing about the end products on a plate in front of us has more gravitas when you know how the ingredients came to be, and the role they play in local culture and the economy.
“We wanted to grow all our own food when we opened in 2012, but the soil was too moist,” Luis Fernando Cárdenas Vera, the lodge’s executive chef, tells me. “But the chefs make the most of colorful herbs, such as mountain garlic and coriander-like chillagua, and we buy the rest from nearby growers.” The business is also supporting local farmers to rewild so as to create a much-needed wildlife corridor. Restoring a balance in nature while respecting the need for locals to earn money is dependent on hotels such as Mashpi bringing in international visitors.
Only 2% of Chocó Forest (which straddles Ecuador and Colombia) remains, so knowing that funds from stays at Masphi Lodge are helping tackle the loss of these lands to logging and mining is all the more nourishing. Carolina Proaño-Castro, who runs Fundación Futuro—the charity partly funded by Metropolitan Touring’s hospitality, including Mashpi—tells me how the delicious jams at breakfast, labelled La Guapa, play a big part. Fruits of the labor of the Association of Women Entrepreneurs of Guayabillas, La Guapa is a social enterprise kickstarted by the foundation's community outreach. Its name, meaning pretty in Spanish, is also the portmanteau of two local towns, Guayabillas and Pacto.
Wiggling our way from Mashpi in a 4x4 through twisting forest lanes, we arrive at an unassuming two story home in the jungle. Downstairs, below the decking, a door opens to a lab-like kitchen. This pristine space is where the cooperative of women work their condiment-making magic. In a macho nation where it's still mostly men in suits in charge, it is heartwarming to hear how this collective is a lifeline for women and single mothers. “Yo me siento muy emocionada porque estamos haciendo nuestro sueño realidad,” Lilia Lema, tells me (“I am very excited, because we are making our dreams come true”). Lilia proudly shows us jars of marmalades made from borojó, salak (snake fruit), arazá, and dried delights such as fruta chicle, the ‘chewing gum fruit’. Women— particularly those in rural areas—are most affected by economic crises and climate change, so those jams don't only attest to the big flavors coming out of the Andean Chocó Biosphere Reserve. They’re a delicious reminder of the power of luxury travel to support nature and sustainable livelihoods in remote communities, thanks to the ripple effect of our adventuring.
Juliet's top picks for where to stay in Ecuador
Hacienda Zuleta, Angochagua
This 17th-century dwelling and working farm of former President Galo Plaza Lasso's family doubles as a rural, chic place to bed down in antique-filled rooms after sunny days learning about local endangered species and local cuisine.
Mashpi Lodge, Mashpi
Embrace jungle living at Mashpi Lodge, found on a scenic plateau offering fantastic views of the surrounding forested mountains. Explore the locale with expert guides, discovering curious creatures while learning how the team respects the environment at all costs.
Casa Gangotena
Discover Casa Gangotena in the heart of Quito's colorful Old Town. Once home to Republican-era presidents, the property is now one of the city's most luxurious hideouts for tourists resting weary heads after day trips and city exploration. Dine on the rooftop terrace, sip cocktails in the speakeasy-style bar, and tap into the expertise of the team for exhilarating local experiences.
Metropolitan Touring, founded in 1953, is a trusted and established tour operator well known also for their wider expeditions to the Galápagos National Park. A one-week trip (based on two sharing) includes three nights at Casa Gangotena, two nights at Mashpi Lodge and two nights at Hacienda Zuleta.
All listings featured on Condé Nast Traveler are independently selected by our editors. If you purchase something through our links, we may earn an affiliate commission. This article originally appeared on Condé Nast Traveller UK.
