Ecuador Travel Guide
Quito
Quito, Ecuador's capital, sits high in the Andean foothills at an altitude of 2,850m. Constructed on the foundations of an ancient Incan city, it’s known for its well-preserved colonial center, rich with 16th- and 17th-century churches and other structures blending European, Moorish and indigenous styles.
Getting to Quito:
I flew into the capitol city of Quito from Los Angeles. Once you land in Quito the airport is about an hour away from the city center, so be prepared for the long ride. I found that a lot of the hotels in Quito will send someone to pick you up at no extra cost.
The Elevation
Since it is hard to predict how you will react to elevation, I suggest to spend the first full day and night in a hotel so you can acclimate. I found a great priced room that was clean and in a good part of town.I did not feel any elevation sickness, but I definitely had a lack of energy. I spent almost the entire first day in Ecuador sleeping. Each person is effected by altitude sickness differently, so my advice is to not plan too much for your first and probably second day in Quito. Take it slow and rest up.
Explore By Foot
You can easily walk around the old town of Quito on foot. You can walk to a market to get some food and maybe even grocieres to make in your hostel kitchen.
Quito is a stretched out and large city, it can take time to walk places and you often find yourself walking up hill. So my advice is the same, go slow and take it easy. When I start to explore a new city I like to just walk around and figure out the lay of the land myself. Then once I am there long enough I start to recognize landmarks and places I want to return to later on.
A great options is also taking a free walking tour. There are many offered walking tours in Quito, but my favorite is the one organized by the Community Hostel.
Accomidations
Secret Garden: This Hostel is probably the most well known and popular among the backpackers visiting Quito. The dorm rooms were very clean, and the place had a welcoming and friendly vibe from the staff.
The hostel is also well known for its rooftop bar and restaurant. Here is where most guests hangout all day and night. Enjoying sprawling views of the city and up into the hills of Quito. Take your morning coffee and get some work done, and at night take part in great happy hour deals and get to know some of the other backpackers.
If you are planning to make a trip to Cotopaxi National Park, you can arrange your reservation at the Secret Garden in person and they will provide transportation for free to guest who book with the sister hostel in the National Park.
Community Hostel was home for me in while in Quito, and I found community here without a doubt. Located near the center of the Old Town, a lot of things are in walking distance. You can go to the market right across the street for fresh juice, fruit, and a cheap lunch option.
I stayed in the four bed dorm and it was very comfortable. The dorm room floor also has multiple restroom and shower options, and everything is kept clean and well stocked.
This hostel also features one of the best tour desks I have seen in South America hostels. Well-staffed with both English and Spanish speakers. They are there to not only assist you In booking day tours, they are happy to answer any questions you need to plan you own adventures safely and for the right prices to know about.
Community is built here very easily, and by the first night you will have new friends for life. One of the way’s they do this is with a nightly family dinner that you can opt into each night. For a reasonable price, a local chef come to the hostel and make amazing meals for everyone. At this group dinners you get a really good chance to meet new people. This in addition to trivia nights, free walking tours, and yoga classes on the roof you will leave Community Hostel with a new family of backpackers.
Cotopaxi
Cotopaxi is a protected area in Ecuador situated in the Cotopaxi Province. The best time of year for clear views of the Cotopaxi Volcano is mid-July until early October during the dry, windy season.
Getting Here
Cotopaxi is located not too far from Quito. You can arrange a shuttle through your hostel for a day trip to the park, of look into accommodations that provide transportation.
I stayed at the Secret Garden, which is a popular stop for most people visiting the National Park. They provide free transportation from their sister hostel Secret Garden Quito. You can just head over to the Quito Hostel, book a room through them and sign up for the shuttle.
What To Do
You can arrange day trip adventures all through the park. If you stay at the Cotopaxi Secret Garden Hostel, they arrange group trips as well. You can do horseback riding, hiking to near the summit of the volcano, and ride mountain bikes down the volcano and through the park. I reccomened the hike on the volcano, as you will be over 16,000ft of elevation, and finding yourself near the top of the 2nd tallest summit in Ecuador. Here, you can combine the mountain biking and ride a bike down the mountain back on amazing dirt road tracks. I loved racing along side my friends from the hostel, and we moved faster and faster towards the van waiting for us at the bottom.
Clothing
Cotopaxi can get very cold at night, and rain and sometimes snow is common on the volcano summit hike. Make sure to pack a rain jacket, hiking boots, warm socks, and warm clothing for at night and for sleeping.
Quilatola Loop Trek
The Quilotoa Loop is a popular trekking route for travelers and backpackers in Ecuador. The Quilotoa Loop is a self-guided multi-day hike in the Andes mountains. It's a must for budget backpackers who want to trek in Ecuador. While it doesn't receive as many visitors as other areas in South America, it is an excellent way to see the Ecuadorian Andean landscape and hike through a mix of wilderness, farmland, and pastures. Most of the people who live in the villages along the route have lived in the region their whole life and maintain traditional practices.
The route will guide you from the low end of the valley in Sichos, crossing the valley floor and a river each day before climbing to the crater. Over the full route, you'll ascend from 10,000 to 12,500 feet after ending at Laguna Quilotoa, a crater lake inside an extinct volcano.
There are many variants on the Quilotoa Loop, with no "official" route, but the trail presented here is emerging as the standard route, and if you ask for directions, this is the route to which you'll be directed.
Full Trek Guide to 3 Days In The Ecuadorian Andean Mountains In Available HERE.
Banos
Banos can easily be considered the adventure capitol of South America. Backpackers flock here for the mountain biking, river rafting, rock climbing, and long relaxing soaks in the natural hot springs.
Getting Here From Latacunga
From your hostel you can take a $5 taxi to the bus station that is just outside of town. Here you can easily find you bus to Amabato, which will cost about $2. In Ambato you will need to change to a bus going to Banos. The transfer is really easy, and you can even pay for the Banos bus in advance. Just show your ticket at the entrance of the Amabato station, and someone will help you find you bus.
The bus station in Banos is a 10 to 15 walk to the city center, so prepare for a good walk or grab a taxi just outside the station. I liked the walk, but it can sometimes feel a bit unsafe with all of your things. Bus station in Ecuador have a reputation for crime, so just keep your wits about you.
Accomidations (Where to Stay)
This is the sister hostel to the Community Hostel in Quito. The location is far enough away from the center to be quiet, and close enough that you can get to town walking easily. Just like the Quito hostel they have options to purchase breakfast each morning, and to opt into a family dinner each night. Community Hostel sources fresh local ingredients, and employees local chefs to cook the meal, and they are delicious.
This location also provides a great tour desk, and the staff are all very friendly and speak good English. I stayed in the 4 bedroom dorm, and the beds are very comfortable. Each bunk has lockers attached to them, and the main door to the dorm Is locked by an access code only you will have. The four bed dorm also had an attached bathroom.
I highly recommend this hostel for any solo traveler or backpacker looking to meet new people. They have great game nights and group activities, and even organize nights to go out dancing in town.
Things To Do
Like mentioned before, this city is home to all the adventure one person can handle. The location high up in the Andes Mountains provides an environment to feed any adrenaline junkies appetite.
Mountain Biking to Pailon Del diablo
Pailon del Diablo is one of the best attractions on the road known as Ruta de las Cascadas, which, as the name suggests, offers many stops with wonderful views of waterfalls.
Renting a bike in Baños is super-easy; the price ranges between $5 and $7. Just make sure your bike has functional brakes as the ride leads downhill almost all the time.
This ride was one the best things I have done in all my travels. Diablo Waterfall is about a 2 hour bike ride out of town and into the mountains. When you get back to Banos, you can use the bike to go visit some hot springs to end the day.
*Note: Packs a Rain Jacket for this day trip. You Will Need It.
Rock Climbing:
A lot of fun but is a very intense experience, so be prepared to jump right in and start climbing some mega walls quickly.
Hot Springs
Located all around the city are Hot Spring Pools. They can be very crowded so do you research and ask around about what one you should visit
Swing At The End Of The World
One of the most popular Instagram Picture locations in Banos is the Swing At The End Of The World. You can take a bus from Banos to the Swing Location for $.50. The ride is about an hour because of the multiple stops along the way. There is an entry fee to enter the park, and once you get to the swing expect to wait in line as people swing and take many pictures. I get the attraction of this place and I am happy I went to check it out, but if you are not keen on tourist traps then go ahead and skip this, you won’t regret it.
If you do go and want to add some adventure to it, you can hike back to Banos. You can look up the turn by turn directions in advance of you bus ride, or ask your hostel. The walk is long ,and passes through farmlands, and provides some really amazing views of Banos below.
Galápagos Islands
The Galápagos Islands is a volcanic archipelago in the Pacific Ocean. It's considered one of the world's foremost destinations for wildlife-viewing. A province of Ecuador, it lies about 1,000km off its coast. Its isolated terrain shelters a diversity of plant and animal species, many found nowhere else. Charles Darwin visited in 1835, and his observation of Galápagos' species later inspired his theory of evolution.
Flying to Galápagos Islands From Guayaquil
Flights leave from only Quito or Guayaquil, both of which have regular morning flights to the islands (though the Quito flight will almost always stop in Guayaquil). The Islands are a little over two hour flight from Guayaquil, and the flight from Quito to Guayaquil takes about 30-40 minutes. See the time tables below.
Since the flights leave in the morning, an overnight stay is almost always required in either Quito or Guayaquil. If time permits, spend a few days exploring Quito, with one of the world’s best-preserved historical Spanish colonial centres.
Controls and Park Fees
Given the fragile ecosystem of the Galapagos, the government has taken several measures to avoid conserve the Islands’ fragile ecology and the introduction of non-native species into the Galapagos, and yes, this includes humans.
After you check in at the airport in Quito or Guayaquil, and before you go through security and board the plane, you’ll have to go through a baggage screening process which checks for live animals, plants and seeds to avoid their transport to the islands. Once you’re in the air, the flight attendants will also spray the overhead bins with an insecticide to further reduce the chance of introducing insects.
Once at the airport in Galapagos, you’ll have to step on a wet mat which sterilizes the soles of your shoes. You’ll need to fill out a form and pay USD $10 for the Ingala Transit Card and the National Park Fee.
Galapagos National Park Fees
Non-residents of Ecuador 12+ years, US $100
Non-residents of Ecuador under 12 years, US $50
Andean Community of Nations or Mercosur Nationals, non-residents of Ecuador 12+ years, US $50
Andean Community of Nations or Mercosur Nationals, non-residents of Ecuador less than 12 years, US $25
Tourists and foreign nationals residing in Ecuador, 12+ years (must show cedula), US $6
Tourists and foreign nationals residing in Ecuador, under 12 years (must show cedula), US $3
Students not living in Ecuador who are enrolled in Ecuadorian educational institutions
US $25
Travel Galápagos Islands On A Budget
You can find more indepth information about backpacking in the Galápagos Islands, from one of my favorite blogs The Broke Backpacker
Broke Backacker - Backpacking Galapagos Travel Guide
