If you’re already in Ecuador, why not visit the equator also known as La Mitad del Mundo (the Middle of the World). It’s the geographic midpoint of the world and Ecuador is one of the few countries in the world where the journey is possible. Even if you don’t speak Spanish, it’s easy to make the connection between the name of the South American nation and its ties to its position along the equator.
Dating back to the Incan Empire, the equator has held historical and astrological significance to this day yet it’s nearly a well-kept secret that there are a few different points within Ecuador that you can visit. The two most famous Middles of the World are arguably impressive for different reasons yet both are worth a visit depending on whether you want more novelty or accuracy.
Find this road sign just outside El Reloj.
La Ciudad de la Mitad del Mundo (The City of the Middle of the World) was the first location, “discovered” hundreds of years ago by European explorers but, using modern advancements, it was found to actually have missed the mark by a couple hundred meters. La Ciudad is also considered by most local travelers to be a tourist trap in comparison to the other Middle of the World, El Reloj Solar Quitsato (The Quitsato Sundial). El Reloj is not only geographically accurate down to the millimeter but it was also founded by local activists and nearly all proceeds go to its maintenance. Thankfully, I had the fortune of being able to venture to both locales and, if you’re lucky, you might be able to fit them into one day-trip.
Assuming you’re staying in Quito, there are direct bus lines that run to either location yet the public transportation system can be a bit tricky if you’re not used to navigating one, especially in a developing country. It might be useful to brush up on a bit of remedial Spanish before heading the Ecuadorian capital to ask for directions, haggle better market prices, or book cheaper tours. Being a language teacher for years, I’ve broken down some useful phrases to get to know below as well as how to get to two Middle of the Worlds faster than you can say, Adios!
USEFUL PHRASES TO KNOW
ABOUT LA MITAD DEL MUNDO #1: (LA CIUDAD DE LA MITAD DEL MUNDO)
HOW TO GET MITAD DEL MUNDO #1: (LA CIUDAD DE LA MITAD DEL MUNDO)
BY TOUR BUS
BY PUBLIC BUS
BY TAXI
ABOUT LA MITAD DEL MUNDO #2: (EL RELOJ SOLAR QUITSATO)
HOW TO GET MITAD DEL MUNDO #2: (EL RELOJ SOLAR QUITSATO)
BY PUBLIC BUS
BY TAXI
FINAL THOUGHTS
USEFUL PHRASES TO KNOW
One thing to keep in mind when traveling around Ecuador, a vibrant country steeped in rich history, is that most of its tourism is catered toward locals even though the currency is in USD. You can find bilingual guides but you can expect them to be priced higher (sometimes even double) native Spanish tours. It wouldn’t hurt to try to speak the local language, especially if you might need to haggle prices, ask for directions or generally converse with the locals.
Practice your Spanish to be able to read signs like this one outside La Ciudad.
Keep in mind that nouns in the Latin language are always gendered so therefore you must use either feminine or masculine articles or adjectives. For example, la parada (del autobus) means “the (bus) stop” while el coche means “the car,” where the former is feminine and the later is masculine. Sentence objects also go before the first verb when speaking; i.e. the phrase is “yo lo necesito” (I need it), not “yo necesito lo.”
The ins and outs of Spanish grammar are far too complex to cover in a single blog posts so, as a former language teacher, here’s a crash course on the top ten most useful phrases to know in Spanish to help you get around un poco mas facilmente:
Where is…?/Where are...? : ¿Dónde está…?/¿Dónde están…? (DON-deh es-TAH/DON-deh es-TAN)
Places to ask for: the bedroom (el dormitorio); the toilet (el baño); the police station (la comisaria); the hospital (el hospital); the airport (el aeropuerto); the museum (el museo); the restaurant (el restaurante); the market (el mercado); the supermarket (el supermercado); the store (la tienda); the bank (el banco); the shopping center (el centro comercial); the park (el parque); the library (la biblioteca)
I want to go to... : Quiero ir a… (Key-eh-roh eer ah)
I would like a… : Me gustaría un/una… (Meh goo-star-EE-ah oon/oona)
I’m lost. : Estoy perdido/perdida (Es-toy pear-dee-do/pear-dee-dah)
Can you help me? : ¿Me puede ayudar? (Meh poo-eh-deh ah-yu-dar)
How do I get to...? : ¿Cómo llegar a…? (KOH-moh yeh-ghar ah)
Where do I change for…? : ¿Dónde cambio por…? (DON-de kam-bee-oh por)
I need to find… : Necesito encontrar… (Neh-seh-see-toh en-kon-trar)
Can I have something to eat/drink? : ¿Puedo comer/beber algo? (Poo-eh-do koh-mair/beh-bear al-go)
How much is…?/ How much are…? : ¿Cuanto es...¿/¿Cuantos son…? (Koo-wan-toh ess/Koo-wan-tohs sohn)
ABOUT LA MITAD DEL MUNDO #1:
LA CIUDAD DE LA MITAD DEL MUNDO
As previously mentioned, there are two different places to visit along the equator yet La Ciudad de La Mitad del Mundo (Middle of the World City) is the original even though it was erected in the wrong location. The site was originally marked by French explorer Charles Marie de La Condamine way back in 1736. He spent ten years in South America, mapping out the Amazon as well as calculating the position of the equator in present-day Ecuador using only astronomical observations.
Even though he was considered a brilliant mathematician/geographer and the first European to travel the continent extensively, his math was a bit off. Two hundred and forty meters off to be exact. It was still an amazing feat considering the times. There weren’t any handy GPS systems circling the globe and de La Condamine’s findings did eventually help support a novel theory at the time; that the world isn’t flat.
Photo courtesy of mitaddelmundo.com.
A mere 26 km away from Quito, The current site was constructed between 1979 and 1982 by order of the local government to replace a former, smaller monument erected in 1936. The site is constituted of a monument park that houses several tourist attractions such as the Equatorial Monument, which stands 30-m (98 ft) tall towards the back of the park. The monument park is open from 9AM to 6PM year-round and only costs $5 USD ($2.50 USD, discounted fare) to enter. You can buy your tickets at the entrance booth or purchase them online.
You’ll see the immense monument from the entrance of the park but make sure to check out some other points of interest first. There are dozens to choose from like a llama farm, Coco Square (basically a chocolate museum), the Beer Museum (also functions as a real craft brewery), a planetarium, a train station, and a chapel, along with several other cultural plazas and pavilions. Take the time to explore around the area to really see the tourist attractions since La Ciudad is practically a theme park located (nearly) on the equator. Make sure to bring your passport along to get a visitor’s stamp to commemorate your journey to the Middle of the World.
The north face of La Ciudad’s Equatorial Monument.
Why not have fun and wander around before heading to the Equatorial Monument? You might as well save the best for last so drop by the French Pavilion or the Guayasamin Pavilion, dedicated to Ecuadorian painter and sculptor Oswaldo Guayasamin. You can then walk on the equator following the yellow line cutting across the park or take pictures with a foot in each hemisphere. You might even be lucky enough to get blessed by a real shaman at one of their cultural events regularly going on.
For those with limited mobility, there’s an elevator that goes right up to the top of the Equatorial Monument but do yourself a favor and take the stairs down to check out the inner levels. Every floor stores a different exhibition on the country’s culture and are definitely worth strolling through. You might just be surprised by what you find out!
In case you’re hungry after you leave the park, there’s a shopping mall across the street where you can find both Western and Latin cuisine for reasonable prices. You can probably find some neat souvenirs there as well so try to look around.
HOW TO GET MITAD DEL MUNDO #1:
LA CIUDAD DE LA MITAD DEL MUNDO
There are several ways to get to La Ciudad de la Mitad del Mundo on four wheels or more. Whether you prefer to travel like a local and take the public transportation system, or would rather travel in the lap of luxury in a hired car, you’ve got options for every budget in between.
By tour bus
Road sign outside of La Ciudad’s French Pavilion.
For the most convenience, you can take a Quito Tour Bus directly to La Mitad del Mundo. There are several companies offering tour packages that leave daily from different points throughout Quito’s city center at set times but this one comes highly-reviewed. It leaves every day at 12PM from Bulevar Naciones Unidas (Boulevard of the United Nations) right in front of Banco de Pacifico and off the corner of Shyris.
This service offers double-decker, open-air buses so make sure to bring plenty of sunscreen and a pair of sunglasses if you’re planning to sit top-side. Tours normally cost around $30 USD ($20 USD, discounted fare), take around 7 hours including other stops and normally grant VIP entrance to the Middle of the World Touristic Complex. You should be given a lot of time to freely wander around the monument park and then the tour will typically drop you off exactly where it picked you up, wrapping your day up in a neat little bow.
Still, if you, like me, have a strong backpacking spirit and would rather do as the locals do, you can get yourself there and back for a fraction of the cost via public transportation.
By public bus
If you’d prefer to save some dough and not waste time on a half-day tour, you can get yourself to La Ciudad de la Mitad del Mundo for practically pennies. The only drawback is that the journey requires at least one transfer and also takes a little over two hours in each direction so make sure to bring enough entertainment for the long haul.
To get to La Ciudad, you'd have to catch the bus that goes there from Quito’s La Ofelia Station to the north of the city. City buses run quite frequently during the day (every 10-30 minutes, depending on the line) from about 6AM to 11PM but late-night public transportation is rather limited. Every bus stop has detailed maps of the various routes as well as an agent generally present in case you need a helping hand.
Looking up at the world from the top of La Ciudad’s Equatorial Monument.
Catch or transfer onto a city bus northbound using the Metrobus-Q System along nearly any major roads (specifically Avenida America or Avenida de la Prensa) and make sure the endpoints on their screen headers read “Ofelia.” You might have to take one or two buses to reach the bus station but they shouldn’t cost more than $0.45 USD per ride.
Once at La Ofelia Station, look out for or ask your first bus driver to point out the stand for buses heading toward La Ciudad de la Mitad del Mundo. Though many buses may have signs that they’re heading to the destination, make sure to double-confirm with your new driver (mention “La Ciudad” since there’s more than one Middle of the Earth) to make sure he stops to drop you off right outside the monument’s park.
This leg of the trip should take around an hour to snag a window seat and settle in as the Ecuadorian countryside whizzes by. The bus should let you off directly in front of the park so feel free to look around at your leisure; just make sure to start the trip early enough to get on the last bus back to Quito around 6PM, let you get stuck with no ride in the dark.
By taxi
If you can swing for it, the best way to get to La Mitad del Mundo is undoubtedly by rented car or grab a taxi. Renting a car almost anywhere in South America comes with its own headaches though so hiring a taxi for the trip. Depending on your level of Spanish and your haggling skills, a taxi ride should only cost you about $10-20 USD.* Not only is this both cheaper than a half-day tour and faster than public transportation but you can easily split this cost among travel companions or sit back and enjoy the extra legroom. You should arrive at your destination within the hour.
View of the equator from the the top of La Ciudad’s Equatorial Monument.
Getting back might prove a bit more difficult if no taxis are waiting outside La Ciudad to take you back to Quito. In a perfect world, you’d have an Ecuadorian SIM card for your mobile phone and, if you don’t, get one ASAP as they’re incredibly cheap.
This way you can take your driver’s number to call him later when you’re ready to return. If you’re street-savvy enough, you might even be able to negotiate a cheaper round-trip fare in advance, rather than paying for two one-way journeys. Most drivers probably wouldn’t mind waiting around the area for an hour or two if the price is right so pour on your charm.
*Ecuador is a fairly safe country for travelers and the taxi drivers are daily honest so feel free to catch any cab off the street and get to price-negotiating.
ABOUT LA MITAD DEL MUNDO #2:
EL RELOJ SOLAR QUITSATO
El Reloj Solar Quitsato (Quitsato Sundial) may be the second Mitad del Mundo but it’s one of the only travel destinations in the world that lies entirely on the equator. As backed by the Ecuadorian Military Geographic Institute and the latest geographical calculations, the Quitsato Sundial is actually the most accurately-positioned tourist destination in Ecuador, located precisely at Latitude 0°00'0.00".
Look out for this sign when heading to El Reloj.
This Middle of the World is only 46 km north of Quito, just outside the town of Cayambe, and the 2300 m² (24,756 ft²) site was constructed in 2006 by a non-profit group before being inaugurated in 2007. Its main purpose is to promote astronomical knowledge uncovered by the region’s pre-colonial civilizations who had long ascertained the equator’s location and astronomical significance hundreds of years before the first European explorers arrived.
So the Quitsato Sundial is exactly that; a sundial. It’s made up of a circular disc spanning 54 m (177.64 ft) in diameter and decorated in a fascinating mosaic of light and dark pebbles. These stones blend together to draw out an eight-pointed star that is supposed to represent the solstices and equinoxes along with lines marking the four cardinal directions. There’s also a 10-m (33 ft) high orange pole in the center which serves as a gnomon, the part of the sundial that casts the sun’s shadow.
Find this globe outside of El Reloj.
According to where its shadow lands, the sundial can denote both the time of day like a clock and the time of year as a monthly calendar, using a technique that dates back to prehispanic America. The site is open from 8:30AM to 5:30PM every day of the year and only costs $3 USD ($1-2 USD, discounted fare) to wander around.
Once you get there, you can find the information booth within the central pole complete with a bilingual guide who will be more than happy to break down the sundial’s complex history and local significance. If you’re looking for the thrill of traveling to the true center of the world, then this is the place to be!
HOW TO GET MITAD DEL MUNDO #2:
EL RELOJ SOLAR QUITSATO
Find the toilets and the Fake Museum of the Equator here at El Reloj.
There are fewer options to get to El Reloj Solar Quitsato (aka the “second” Middle of the World) than La Ciudad de la Mitad del Mundo, as this site has been open for less time. Still, it’s steadily been gaining popularity so only time can tell if it’ll receive its own tour bus route. You still have a few choices to suit different price points, from being thrifty and using the public transportation system, or splurging for a taxi ride.
By public bus
The beginning of the journey to reach El Reloj Solar Quitsato is very similar to that of its more well-known competitor in that both destinations require a bus transfer at La Ofelia Station. Like getting to the other Middle of the World, this disadvantage of this trip is that it takes at least a couple of hours each way so some material to keep you entertained while on the road is a must.
Standing in two hemispheres at once.
To get to El Reloj Solar Quitsato, you'd have to take the bus heading toward Cayambe from Quito’s La Ofelia Station to the north of the city. City buses run frequently enough during daytime hours every day (one about every 10-30 minutes, depending on the line). Expect to be fine between about 6AM to 11PM but late-night public transportation is quite limited. Every bus stop has detailed maps of the various routes as well as an agent generally present in case you need any help, however.
Information booth at El Reloj.
Get on the bus or transfer onto a city bus going northbound using the Metrobus-Q System. Typically these run along major roads but mostly from either Avenida América or Avenida de la Prensa so make sure the endpoints on the buses’ screen headers read “Ofelia.” You might have to take one or two buses to reach the bus station but each ride shouldn’t cost more than $0.45 USD per trip.
Descend from your first bus to look for the bus heading toward a town called Cayambe. This second bus will pass right by El Reloj on its way to the town so before you get on make sure to let the driver know where you’d like to get off (mention “El Reloj Solar”), just in case. The second leg of the trip takes about 80 minutes and then you should get off right in front of the monument.
Walk over to El Reloj just a few meters from the road and marvel at knowing you’ve made it to the real Middle of the World. Take a few pictures of the true equator or as the guide some questions about the local history. Either way, you’re sure to be enchanted but make sure to catch the last bus to Quito before nightfall lest you be left out on the road in the dark.
By taxi
If your pockets are deep enough, the easiest and fastest way to get to El Reloj Solar Quitsato is certainly via hired car. Renting a car in Ecuador can be a bit of a hassle so why not hit up a taxi stand instead?
View from standing along the equator.
Dust off your high school Spanish and try your hand at haggling a decent price to El Reloj, though a ride shouldn’t cost you more than $15-25 USD each way.* If you’re persuasive enough, you might be able to negotiate a cheaper round-trip fare since your driver probably wouldn’t mind waiting around the area until you’re done exploring.
Moreover, you could always split the cost of the taxi among your travel party or keep the legroom to yourself if solo-traveling. The one-way journey shouldn’t take more than an hour, making this the most convenient route in case you’re on a time crunch and need to get
Take a moment to enjoy El Reloj but if you’re feeling adventurous enough, try to also head over to Cayambe for its fantastic Sunday and Wednesday mornings markets. These colorful markets offer some fantastically-priced local wares and scrumptious Ecuadorian cuisine for the cheap. Cayambe is the destination in Ecuador for souvenirs outside of Quito so get your driver to swing by while you’re in the area to make sure you don’t miss out on any trinkets for the family.
*Ecuador is a fairly safe country for travelers and the taxi drivers are daily honest so feel free to catch any cab off the street and get to price-negotiating.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Straddling the equator in La Ciudad with the world in my hands.
Ecuador is undeniably bursting with enchanting sights to see from the equator to the Galapagos Islands. While I didn’t have a chance to visit the latter, the former was certainly split into two places I’m happy that I got to tick off my travel bucket list. Situated only a few kilometers away from Quito, both make excellent day trips individually or together. While it’s not impossible to squeeze both into your itinerary since they’re practically in the same direction, yet you’ll need to set off early enough in the day to reach them both if using public transportation.
This issue should be less of a worry for those hiring a taxi for the day but make sure to negotiate a fair fare before you step into the vehicle. Any price point between $50-75 USD for a day of driving is fair but it never hurts to bargain where you can. My honest advice would be to get used to utilizing the public transportation system as it’s known for being safe and reliable if a little slow. If it’s good enough for the locals, it’ll be good enough for you hopefully, especially since it can readily help you connect to the other dozen amazing sites surrounding the Ecuadorian capital.
Doing some yoga on the equator at El Reloj.
From swimming in Lake Quilotoa (an active volcano) to flea-market shopping in Cayambe, or getting spa treatments in the rejuvenating waters of Baños, Quito’s perfect location holds something for everyone. Still, nothing beats traveling to the Middle(s) of the World. Write to me when you get there!
May you get lost in the wonder,
M
