Zaruma City, Cooking Demonstration & Gold Mine
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Port
Puerto Bolivar (Machala), Ecuador
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Activity Level
Moderate Activity
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Excursion Type
All
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Wheelchair Accessible
No
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Starting At (prices in USD)
$400
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Minimum Age
Information Not Currently Available
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Duration
Approximately 7¼ Hours
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Meals Included
Meals included
The city of Zaruma is famous for its Republican-era architecture, gold mines, culture and traditions, art, and coffee. Between 1536 and 1820, the Spanish colonists mined approximately 2,900 tons of Zaruma gold from the region. Prosperity declined after 1749, when an earthquake destroyed the city and most of its mines. The mines later reopened, with Native peoples working them and rebuilding the local economy.
Take a short walk among the city's heritage houses, learning about the history and traditions of this beautiful place in the company of your knowledgeable guide.
You'll also visit the El Sexmo Mine — the first in the Zaruma-Portovelo district. Enter with your guide to discover the secrets behind the extraction of minerals and metals. All around you is the distinctive scent of iron and sulfur, and the constant trickle of water that is central to this industry.
End your Zaruma experience with a cooking demonstration. The chef prepares a typical and tasty local dish, teaching you step by step how to make it. Then, lunch is served, and you will savor this delicious Ecuadorian food.
Please note: Time spent inside the mine is approximately 30 minutes. Tour requires walking approximately a quarter mile and some standing. Wear comfortable walking shoes. Dress in layers, as it can be cooler in the mine; wear a waterproof outer layer. The train journey in the mine is muddy; wear shoes that you don't mind getting dirty (you can borrow a pair of plastic boots at the mine entrance if you wish). Travel time to Zaruma is approximately two hours each way.