Chaski Antawa's exclusive train uses modern technology to re-create the classic trains of the old days. This is not just a train ride, it is also a combination of service, adventure and the charm and flavor of the past while crossing the Andean corridor. It has been designed two traditional coaches using materials such as wood, bronze and natural leather for total comfort. The first coach (23 ft.), which has been totally remodeled, is a 9-passenger car. The second one (59 ft.), which was especially built for the Chaski Antawa route, has a capacity for 20 passengers. With panoramic windows, balcony and a sun roof, it guarantees all the opportunities for taking photos on the Chaski Antawa train ride.

The landscapes provide a magical environment, run through by mysterious tunnels under mountains, astonishing bridges spanning wide canyons and gullies, and unique biodiversity. If you want to capture the splendor of the northern Ecuadorian Andes and take the best picture of your life, this is your chance because you can stop anywhere along the way. Thanks to its flexible departure schedule, the “Messenger Train” can be combined with trips of 1, 2, 3 or more days for touring this region: a geographical miracle where you will find yourself immersed in sacred mountains, lakes set within legendary ecosystems which change wherever you go. This region is well-known for Otavalo, the largest indigenous market in South America, as well as for the fascinating folklore of African ancestry displayed by the inhabitants in the Chota Valley (north from Otavalo).

The area includes indigenous, mestizo and African population groups who have survived the many cultural impacts that have taken place over the years, so that today they provide an exemplary model of ancestral ways. The Otavalo ethnic group is certainly the most noteworthy in the entire area. Nevertheless, the Chota valley with its African ancestry, as highlighted by its crafts, music and color, is also quite striking. The region has a wide variety of products all year round, and Ecuadorian cuisine provides countless dishes. Ethnic diversity is evident in the arts and crafts, including woven goods, leather, ceramics, jewelry, and musical instruments, which are available every day at markets as well as in a many shops everywhere. The region displays a great variety of habitats: temperate green valleys with mild temperature, open grasslands and meadows above the tree line on the slopes of high volcanoes, subtropical and dry regions ideal for sugar cane plantations, and towards the west, subtropical and tropical rain forests with their incredible wildlife. To complete this idyllic scene, various medium-sized lakes offer a water sports and great nature walks with fascinating opportunities for taking pictures.