The "real" Mitad Del Mundo

When you are in Quito, you will quickly discover there are probably half a dozen places claiming to be the Mitad del Mundo or the equator half the world. We checked out 3 of them. One was very scientific on the road to Otavalo, one is just outside of Quito with a giant statue and the other is behind the second one and looks like a little village.
I will touch on all 3 and then you can decide for yourself which one you would like to check out or perhaps you will check out all 3 like we did.
The first one we visited is on the road to Otavalo and our tour stopped there. It cost $2 each person and a guide gave a 20 minute presentation about the equator and the solar system. Very scientific and very interesting. The donation/charge goes to maintain the site and to the scientific organization to continue their research.

The second Mitad del Mundo is about 20 minutes north of Quito. You can take a bus from Ofelia bus station or find a bus in the city that says Mitad del Mundo on it. The bus will cost you about 40 cents. To get to Ofelia, you probably want to take a taxi that will cost you $5. You may be able to find a taxi to take you all the way to Mitad del Mundo for $15-$20. Once there, you can buy a partial pass for $3.50 or a full pass for $7. We just bought the partial pass and walked to the monument. There were also some dancers and stores selling souvenirs with surprisingly reasonable prices. Interesting about this Mitad del Mundo is that people say it's actually in the wrong place and not on the equator at all.

The third Mitad del Mundo is behind the second one. If you exit and walk north about 1/2 block, you will see the sign for Initian Museum. Turn left and walk up the dirt road. The museum costs $4 per person and I personally think this one is worth every penny. There is a 1 hour tour included in your entrance fee. Take the tour. The tour is given in English and Spanish.

The Initian Museum or the "real" equator

The guide explaining cultural traditions of the Indigenous people

The guide will explain how the Incas and Indigenous people lived, show you replicas of their homes and then take you to the "real equator". On the line, he will show you how water spins different directions, ask you to balance an egg, walk a straight line and explain why this happens.

This is a video of the water draining on the equator

                      This is a video of the water draining north of the equator. Can you see the difference?
The bottom line is there are many different places to stand on the equator and each comes with its own experience. But whichever one you choose, the fact that you get to stand on Mitad Del Mundo is just amazing. Enjoy!