Ecuador
Trip Ideas
Notes:
Always
ask before you get in the taxi how much or see
if they have a meter and tell them to turn it on. Most trips should be
under
$3.00. Fro m the airport at night can be up to $5.00
The
Ecovia is on 6 de dicembre and the trolebus is on
10 de agosto; both safe and get you a long way for .25 cents.
Be
cautious and aware of your surroundings - it is a
more touristy city and a lot more street kids and pick pockets. Just
use city
precautions and you'll be fine. Be aware that there are street scams
and don't
let people catch you off guard.
Our
ATM cards worked best at the Banco de Guayaquil
Cheap
clothes and stuff - the Rose Store - several
locations
Hostel
- Le Auberge
http://www.auberge-inn-hostal.com/
about $12-$19 a night for private room with bath; very secure;
internet;
restaurant
(1 day) Go to the Teleferico in the
morning (they
open at 10 AM) first thing as it is the best chance to have a clear
view of all
the volcanoes. It is on the volcano Pichinca and you can hike up a ways
on the
volcano at the top of the ride. Take a cab - not far but is on the top
of the
city off the highway.
Next - you can try and work a deal with a
cab to
Mitad de Mundo or just catch one to the trolley, then ride it to the
end and
get a bus from there. Trolley and bus are .25 cents or so each for
however far
you go. Ask at the end of the trolley where the buses are; look for one
that
says Mitad de Mundo. When you get there, they will let you off at the
tourist
attraction. It is only .50 cents to see which is fun; the shops there
are pricier
than the market. But, after, go around to the side of the tourist sight
and up
the road about .2 miles and you'll see a sign for the science museum
(Museo
Solar Inti Nan); that is the cool part to visit and try out all the
experiments.
Come back and go to the artesians
market the first
day so that you have an idea of what's available. Open until 6 PM.
Haggling is
necessary. Whatever they say, offer half and go from there. Be
courteous with
humor and you'll get a lot for a lot less. It is located in the
Mariscal area of town (tourist part) two blocks off of seis de
diciembre or Amazones. If you see the McDonalds, you are close.
The other market is in El Ejido on Sat. and Sun. and has more
artwork , but has moved temporarily to el parque el arblito
across the street because of construction. Lots of stuff.
( 2
days)
Puerto
Quito -
call Clemente at Cabanas del Sol 06 733470 he speaks English;
$30 a day
includes all food and activities, lodging. One night will get you all
you need.
About
a 2-2.5 hours from Quito. Leave in the morning
- drive out past Mitad del Mundo and just follow the road to Puerto
Quito. When
you get to the town, bear left at the fork in the road just past the
gas
station, go through town, left at the fountain, over the bridge and
take the
next right. Down the dirt road, on the right about a 1.5.
When
you get there:
- go
to a chocolate finca and make your own chocolate
from scratch
-
swim in the fresh water pool
- go
to the fruit farm; can go tubing down the river
after if you want
-
enjoy the birds and jungle setting
If
you drove - stop at the waterfall to hike to and
swim in on the way back - go to the Azul. It will be on the right side
as you
head back up the hills outside of town. Look for the sign. Ask Clemente
for
landmarks to look for and approx. mileage. Give yourselves about 2
hours there.
You can change clothes if you get wet right there.
Extra Trip: (1-2 days)
If you want to go on, the beach at
Atacames is about
another 2-2.5 hours. Lots of places to stay cheap; we stay at the
ArcoIris
because it has AC and is at the end of the beach away from the noise.
About $30
a night. 06 731 069 arcoiris@andianet.net .
The summer months are the cloudy season though so it can be cool.
(1
day)
Visit
Cotopaxi - ask at the hostel; they have trips
or the places across the street from Red Hots. About $40 a person for
the day.
Go at the end of your stay as you want as much time as possible to get
used to
the lack of oxygen. Will leave early AM and returns about 6 PM. You can
do a bike trip down and around the volcano or just walk up to the
refugio. You can't visit Ecuador without seeing Cotopaxi.
You'll probably never have another chance to walk on a volcano.
(1 day)
Old Towne - take the Ecovia right
down from the
hostel. It will take you all the way into town. You will want to get a
taxi up
to the Panecillo from the main plaza and they'll bring you back. Strike
a price
ahead of time. I marked on the map the worthwhile things to see.
Tena
(place for jungle tours) - Google for tour
companies and ideas if interested. Buses out of Quito
- about a 4-6 hours. Coco is also a jumping
off point. We stayed at the Sacha Lodge which was top notch.
Otavalo / Calderon (1 day)
take the bus from Quito - about an hour
;it is a
whole town of artisians; the prices and variety are just as good in the
markets
in Quito so the trip is only if you want more culture and to see the
countryside. The days to go are Wednesday and Saturday. There is a
great
restaurant on the lake on the way, Lake San Pablo; you go down a road
and it is
a cool restaurant with llamas and local fishermen in the reed boats.
The prices
aren't too bad and the view is great. You can get off and back on the
bus
there.
There is also a great pie shop on the
square in
Otavalo with every kind of pie you can imagine and they are homemade.
It is a
fun place to just wander.
On the way back (before 4 pm is best) stop
in
Calderon; you'll see the signs as you get back into the city limits.
Get off at
the last one. Go into the main street. It is famous for the bread dough
ornaments
and other handicrafts. There are about 4-5 stores on the main street,
just past
the farmer's market. You usually can get 4 for $1 of the ornaments.
Ask. My
favorite is the one with the big parrot out front. (He is a Christian
and
supports several mission families)
Extra
stops:
On
the way to Puerto Quito out past Mitad de Mundo,
Mindo has a lot of nature with butterfly parks and lots of birds.
(about 2
hours by bus) We have a friend that just opened a hostel this year; ask
for
Todd Robertson. The butterflies are on the road in on the left. Very
cool place
to stay as well. Cheap good food.
Or,
Bellavista - (before Mindo) a cloud forest
reserve with about 20 varieties of hummingbirds and toucans. They have
a crazy
pyramid lodge and you can borrow boots and hike through the paths.
You'll see
the signs off to the left and a rock/dirt road up. You can stay at the
research
center for about $8 a night.
In
Riobamba is the tren de nariz which only runs a couple days a week now
so check the schedule. You can ride on top of the train up the side of
the mountain where yo u are literally hang ing off the side.
Food:
Eat
at Red Hot Chili Peppers = fajitas and
chimichangas are good choices, and strawberry margaritas are great. Get
the
chips and guacamole if you like thick crunchy tostitos chips.
Best
food court with huge selection - El Jardin Mall
- on Amazones across from Parque Carolina.
La
Valencia - good pizza - across from the mall at
the other end of Parque Carolina - Quicentro, just past the people
bridge on 6
de deciembre.
On
the opposite corner from Red Hots is Mi Viejo
Arabal - great for steaks - not expensive.
Car
rental: about $40 a day for a compact. Gas 1.48 a
gallon. Best prices are online reservation
with Budget. Their office is in the Mariscal and the airport.
Shwarma
- an Arabic treat - go to El Rey de Shwarma
on Shyris across from Parque Carolina. The red sauce is HOT; good but
be
careful.