This hostel is located in the city of Saraguro, which is home to the Saraguro nation. The Saraguro are an Ecuadorian indigenous group with a great cultural and historical legacy.  Many historians believe that the Saraguro people were brought from Bolivia to Ecuador by the Incas during the northern expansion of their empire.

The language of the Saraguro people is Quichua.  Achic Wasi is a quichua name and it means the house of the sun.  The Achik Wasi hostel is run by the Kawsey Foundation, a Saraguro NGO whose mission is to rescue the Saraguro traditions which have been slowly eroding away  from the time of the Spanish conquest and in doing so improve the economy of this indigenous group. 

Two of the tools being used to achieve the goals of this NGO have been cultural and community tourism.

By staying at the Achik Wasi you'll contribute towards the projects being run by the Kawsey Foundation. Alternatively, if you wish a home stay experience, there are several Saraguro homes that have been improved to hold tourists.  This is a unique way to get closer to this culturally rich Ecuadorian nation. For more info on this alternative please click here or contact us.

All the rooms at Achik Wasi have their own washroom with hot water.  From this hostel you can plan several day tours.  For instance, you could hike the Inca's Bath and participate in a shamanic ritual, visit the Washapamba Nature Reserve or viist the many of the Sarajevo communities located around the city.  At this communities you could participate in a Pingui lunch, which is a communal meal made of local ingredients including potatoes, corn, cheese and guinea pig.

There is no full time kitchen staff at Achik Wasi, but there is a great restaurant located only  three blocks away which is open for lunch and dinner.

So remember, if you are traveling in Southern Ecuador you should consider making a cultural stop at Saraguro.

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To book a room at this lodge  please fill in the form below.