A few steps east of La Mitad del Mundo complex, is the one-room Museo de la Cultura Solar . Here, visitors can learn about the real site of the equator, which happens to be on a hill called Catequilla visible across the highway. Zero degrees latitude lies on an old indigenous site that was only discovered by researchers in the late 1990s. Little is known of the 1000-year-old culture, aside from their magnificent equatorial and solar calculations. More sights are still being discovered all over the country, which astoundingly coincide with other equinoctial points. The informational museum is run by the Quitsato scientific research center. This is also a good place to inquire about hikes to the real equator, with tours led by indigenous guides (around $25 per person).
