Practical Information#

Host institution#

Yachay Tech is relatively new (9-year old) research-oriented university in Ecuador. Its campus is located in the northen region of Ecuador up in the Andes mountains (at an altitude of ~2300 meters above the sea level). This year, Yachay Tech will host the third edition of the EPIC school series, which is also the first edition to be carried out in person. If you want to know more about the host institution, please clic on the link below:

https://www.yachaytech.edu.ec/en/physicsandnanotech/

How to get to Yachay Tech?#

The campus of Yachay Tech is located in the Urcuquí canton in the Imbabura province.

See location: https://goo.gl/maps/XbB5P739rvPBCJCv7

The nearest town to Yachay Tech is Ibarra. To get to Yachay any bus to the Ibarra terminal will work. Busses go from Ibarra terminal to Urcuquí. From Urcuquí there are buses or pickup trucks that go from the Cemetary to the University. The trip from Ibarra to the University takes about 1 hour. Some detailed examples are below with estimated costs.

From Ibarra (Terminal Terreste Ibarra)#

  • Purchase a ticket from the ticket office (0.15 USD) to access the bus zone for the bus to Urcuquí.

  • The bus company going to Urcuquí called “Urcuqui”. These buses arrive and depart every 15-20 minutes and the cost is 0.75 USD. The trip takes around 40-50 minutes depending on the traffic. image (1)

  • When you arrive at Urcuquí you have to get off at a bus stop located next to the “Urcuquí Cemetery”.

  • Walk around the corner to the other side of the Urcuquí Cemetery, where you’ll find another bus stop. Here you have two options to reach the University:

  • Urcuquí pick-up trucks which arrive and depart every 15 minutes and the cost is 0.35 USD image (2)

  • Urcuquí buses which arrive and depart every 30 minutes and the cost is 0.40 USD.

From Quito (Carcelén Bus Station)#

  • Take a bus towards Ibarra.

  • Get off at the Ibarra bus station (don’t leave the terminal, otherwise you will need to pay 0.15 USD).

  • Search for the buses going towards Urcuquí (the Ibarra-Urcuquí fare is 0.70 USD).

  • The buses from Ibarra to Urcuquí go from 05h45 to 20h00 (every 15 minutes).

  • Get off at the Cementery.

  • Then, take another bus to go down to campus (the Urcuquí-Yachay bus costs 0.40 USD).

From Quito’s airport#

  • Take the bus from the airport that goes to one of the terminals (Carcelén).

  • Once in the Carcelén bus station, take a bus towards Ibarra.

  • Get off at the Ibarra bus station (don’t leave the terminal, otherwise you will need to pay 0.15 USD).

  • Search for the buses going towards Urcuquí (the Ibarra-Urcuquí fare is 0.70 USD).

  • The buses from Ibarra to Urcuquí go from 05h45 to 20h00 (every 15 minutes).

  • Get off at the Cementery.

  • Then, take another bus to go down to campus (the Urcuquí-Yachay bus costs 0.40 USD).

Via taxi from Quito to Urcuquí#

  • Quito - Ibarra (15 USD)

  • Ibarra - Urcuquí (10 USD to 12 USD)

From Urcuquí to Ibarra#

  • The last bus from Urcuquí leaves at 18h30.

History of Yachay Tech campus#

Read more on the history of Yachay Tech campus:

https://www.yachaytech.edu.ec/en/about/history-of-the-campus/