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]]>The Galapagos Island, a unique archipelago just a two hours’ flight west of Ecuador’s mainland, is home to species found nowhere else in the world. Think for example of the Galapagos penguin, the flightless cormorant or the marine iguana. And the best about the Galapagos animals is their reaction to humans or rather the lack of it. As they do not have natural predators, you can get very close to them without affecting their behavior.
Why to choose the Silver Galapagos for cruising the archipelago
In my last post, I went into how to travel the Galapagos Islands. I pointed out that a cruise is the best choice if you want to travel comfortably and wish to see as many different places as possible. Furthermore, I stressed the fact that the likelihood of a quieter trip is greater on a large ship – but we speak only of 100 passengers here! Finally, I described the Silver Galapagos’ benefits in terms of luxury. There is no better way to travel the Galapagos Islands on a luxury trip than aboard this ship. Silversea Expeditions, the adventure division of Silversea Cruises, operates two Galapagos Islands itineraries, out of which we did the western one (details see here). To illustrate how life is on the Silver Galapagos, I will narrate my typical day aboard this comfortable cruise liner.
A typical day as a Silver Galapagos guest
The most important thing you have to know about the Silver Galapagos is that it is an expedition ship, although a luxury one. Cruising the Galapagos Island is supposed to be an adventure trip, however neither strenuous nor arduous, at least for a moderately fit person. This means Silver Galapagos is not your traditional luxury fleet. If you are a regular aboard “normal” Silversea ships, you might find the standard here a bit disappointing. You will find neither all the luxury touches as e.g. your favorite Champagne nor the super professional staff. Silversea is a member of the International Galapagos Tour Operators Association and has therefore to adhere to strict regulations to protect the vulnerable environment. This involves locally sourced food and drinks, local bath amenities, an Ecuadoran crew and many other things. Nonetheless, there are enough luxury touches left to please also demanding travelers. But now to the typical daily routine aboard the Silver Galapagos.
Morning
After a hearty breakfast, a comprehensive buffet with a station where egg dishes are prepared on demand, served daily from 6:30 to 8:30, we proceed to the explorer room at 07:30 to go on the first excursion of the day, a hiking adventure. We are ushered into the provided zodiacs – usually an easy affair except when there is rough sea – and after a ten minutes’ ride we have a dry landing (no wet feet) on the island. Our group of about 8 – 12 persons is accompanied by an experienced naturalist who points out all the important things to us. About two hours later, we are back aboard and are treated to cold drinks and wet towels. Alternatively to the hiking adventure, labelled as strenuous (it is easy for a moderately fit person), I could have gone on a zodiac tour along the coast with an activity level of low (sign up necessary).
At 10:15 there is time for the next adventure, beach time and snorkeling. Meeting point is again at the explorer room with the snorkel gear and wetsuit provided by Silversea. This time, it is a wet landing meaning you get wet feet! If you need assistance with snorkeling, the staff is pleased to help you with this. My husband and I can manage without it although I am far from being an experienced snorkeler. At 12:00 everyone is back aboard.
Noon
For lunch, you can either choose the grill on deck 5 or the restaurant on deck 2. You have to be early for the former as the space is limited and the place is quite busy at most times. On the contrary, the restaurant is a location where you can lunch in all tranquility. We prefer lunch in the grill as we like the outdoor seating and fortunately we have two acquaintances who always reserve two seats for us at their table, which we highly appreciate! The menu here is the same as in the restaurant: salads from the buffet (served), meat or fish/seafood from the grill, alternatively a pasta dish, and desserts from the buffet (self service). I always opt for the fish, it is constantly fresh and tasty. Today, there is delicious local fish on offer.
Also I have a glass of white wine, nearly everything onboard is included in the cost of the cruise, also all the alcoholic drinks. One comment to the sparkling wine: although I am usually a fan of it, I did not like the one onboard, which comes from Chile, you remember, all the food and drinks have to be locally sourced. But as far as the quality of wine in general is concerned, there are no complaints here.
Afternoon
At 13:45 there is a lecture by a naturalist. Although being well made and interesting, I skip it because I dozed off the last two times and I take a nap at the public observation deck in front of our suite instead.
At 15:30 it is time for a kayaking session (with previous sign up), a little bit of workout is a fine thing to do after lunch and interesting things can be seen while doing this. We meet playful young sea lions, which are interested in our canoe.
Alternatively, we could have visited deck 6 to go either to the fitness room, the spa or the hot tub
or we could have attended tea time at the piano bar to the sounds of the ship’s pianist Alfredo.
At 16:30 a one-hour zodiac tour along the coast is scheduled. This is again a good occasion to spot animals and to enjoy the beautiful landscapes. At 18:00 everyone is back aboard.
Evening
With a glass of white wine we make our way to the daily briefing and recap in the explorer room. Our brilliant expedition leader, Israel Mata, and his expedition team report on the activities of the day behind us and the one to follow. I like listening to his speeches, he does this in such a good way.
After the orientation we go straight to dinner, which is always a highlight. It can be taken either in the restaurant or in the grill. You can start dinner at any time between 19:30 and 21:00 and either on you own or together with other guests, just as you wish. There is also the possibility to have in-suite dining, just in case. The dress code in the restaurants is casual, although shorts and jeans are not desired.
Tonight, is our second visit to the grill, where I am fond of the splendid al fresco dining. As the space is limited, you have to reserve ahead. Here, they feature a so-called Black Rock Grill where you cook the meat and seafood, served rare, to your desired level of doneness on heated lava rocks. Actually, I am no great fan of this concept but here it suits well, after all it is outdoors. I opt for a tasty New York Salad first
and a fabulous surf and turf dish, Lobster and Centre-cut Filet Mignon afterwards, which is accompanied by vegetables, a side salad and a baked potato. As to sauces you can choose between natural jus, peppercorn sauce, mushroom sauce or spicy Ecuadorian sauce.
For dessert, I go for a delicious Apple Pie with vanilla ice cream and caramel sauce.
The other five nights, we have dinner at the restaurant,
where you just show up and where the staff finds a suitable table for you without problem. The menu here changes daily, here is a sample menu to give you an impression.
I usually have three courses from the extensive menu, but you could easily order four or more of them. As the size of the portions is quite generous and the desserts are not exactly light, I do not seek for more. Menus emphasize local seafood, but cuts of beef and other meat dishes are featured as well. The chef also knows how to do Italian dishes very well! The cuisine is elaborate, the food quality is great, the dishes are skillfully prepared and nicely arranged and the staff does its best to please you.
A favorite main course of mine was Lobster trio: Lobster Stuffed Potato Pattie, Lobster with Spicy Ginger Sauce & Lobster Vol au Vent
The dessert I enjoyed most is Banana Cheesecake
It is fair to say that also foodies will find what they are looking for, although you will probably not have your ultimate gourmet meal here – understandable in light of all the restrictions placed on Silversea by the Ecuadorian government.
Once the meal comes to an end, there is of course the option of having after dinner cocktails and late night piano with Alfredo, but tonight Israel, the expedition leader, announces a special event, about a dozen Galapagos sharks are accompanying the ship. This of course entices almost all the 82 guests on board to flock on the deck to watch this fascinating spectacle.
To end the report on this fantastic cruise some remark to my fellow guests. Quite a few of them are first-timers on a cruise, just like me. Given the fact that this is not your traditional cruise but an adventure voyage, you find here many people who does not consider themselves as cruisers but think this is the best way to explore the area. Guests are also generally younger than on the typical cruise liner. I would guess that the starting age of the passengers is in the 40s and 50s. There are also a handful of families, some with smaller, other with adult kids.
Overall
A note at the end: Not only the Galapagos Islands are worth traveling to, but also Ecuador’s mainland. See my posts about what to do, where to stay on a luxury trip and where to eat as a foodie.
Date of stay: May/June 2017
MerkenMerken
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]]>The Galapagos Island, known for their unique wildlife and out of this world landscapes, had been on top of my travel bucket list for years. This year, a dream came true for my husband and I when we set out for a journey to this archipelago, located almost 1,000 km west of continental Ecuador, with its incredible endemic species and its fantastic volcanic landscapes.
How to travel the Galapagos Islands
As we only had one week to explore these enchanted islands and as we wanted to have a comfortable trip, we opted for staying on a vessel, although not having been into cruising so far. But this is the only way to see many different places with several shore landings per day. When it came to the question whether to choose a small or a large boat, we went for the latter because of having more space available and the prospect of a quieter trip. As to what ship to opt for if seeking luxury, the Silver Galapagos is the best choice. No other ship cruising the area has that many amenities and that much open deck space. Although quite considerable cost are involved with it, we went for it. We are ready to spend money for luxury travel if we get value for money, and it was indeed the most luxurious way to explore the Galapagos Islands!
Which Galapagos itinerary to choose
If you are not familiar with the way this archipelago is travelled, here how it is done. In 2011, the Ecuadorian government and the Galapagos National Park introduced an East/West island split, i.e. some boats do the eastern islands, while other make the western ones. Most boats make both itineraries on alternating weeks, so it is possible to do the whole archipelago if you have two full weeks available. If you are short on time (and money) as we were, you have to decide whether do opt for the eastern or western Galapagos. Whereas the eastern ones are older and lusher, the western ones are younger and rockier. But there is really no bad choice! I have to admit that we did not dwell on this subject, we just chose the one which was time wise more suitable to us.
Before cruising the Galapagos Island, we visited Ecuador’s highlands. I highly recommend to this because of the abundance of natural and cultural sights to find there. Have a look at my posts what to see, where to stay and where to eaton a luxury stay in Ecuador’s Andean region.
Voyage journal Silver Galapagos western itinerary
Overview
On this 7-day journey aboard Silversea’s luxury ship Silver Galapagos we cruised the Galapagos Island and saw unique birds, plants, reptiles and animals that appear only here. Highlights included visiting one of the most volcanically active places on Earth, snorkeling and while doing this seeing penguins, sea lions, all sort of colorful tropical fish found nowhere else as well as seeing giant tortoises and the largest colony of marine iguanas. And the best is the animals do not go away when you approach. They do not have natural predators and are therefore fearless!
Day 1: Embarkation at San Cristobal & circumnavigation Kicker Rock
We embarked the Silver Galapagos at San Cristobal and after meeting the expedition team we set sail. Later on, we circumnavigated Kicker Rock, the remains of a lava cone. Frigatebirds accompanied our sail and swallow-tailed gulls could be seen.
Day 2: Bartolome & Santiago (Caleta Bucanero)
Then snorkeling around Bartolome’s Pinnacle Rock was on to explore the fascinating water world. Some fellow passengers even encountered Galapagos penguins and sharks.
Finally, after the ship repositioned to Santiago Island, a Zodiac ride along the Caleta Bucanero allowed contemplating the beautiful landscape and sights of several species of boobies, green sea turtles, seals and marine iguanas.
Day 3: Isabela (Punta Vicente Roca) & Fernandina (Punta Espinoza)
In the afternoon after the repositioning of the ship to Fernandina Island, Punta Espinoza provided the chance to see major concentrations of marine iguanas. They were literally everywhere, you had to be careful not to step on them by accident! Also a flightless cormorant was seen in action, hopping from one rock to another. Also there were many sea lions on the beach, cuddling up with each other.
Day 4: Isabela (Caleta Tagus & Bahia Elisabeth)
Heading to Bahia Elisabeth in the afternoon by zodiac, we saw the tallest red mangrove trees in the Galapagos and observed green sea turtles, pelicans, herons and sea lions.
Day 5: Floreana (Post Office Bay & Punta Cormorant)
At Punta Cormorant, a walk brought us to a water lagoon where we found many flamingos. Some of them took off letting us see a beautiful black and pink pattern on their wings. The sun was setting at the time we started back to our ship.
Day 6: Santa Cruz (Cerro Dragon & Bachas)
When the ship relocated to Las Bachas, it was time for another nature walk and some leisure time at the beautiful white sandy beach.
Day 7: Santa Cruz (Los Gemelos/giant tortoise reserve & Puerto Ayora/Fausto Llerena Breeding Center)
After a visit of Los Gemelos, two crater-like sink holes in a forest of tall scalesia trees, we headed for El Chato Farm, a private property which gets visited by wild giant tortoises most of the year.
The afternoon was devoted to visiting the Fausto Llerena Breeding Center to see the iconic saddleback tortoises after which the islands were named and to pay a call to Lonesome George, the preserved body of the last known Pinta Island tortoise, who died in 2012 without leaving offspring. After some free time in the quiet town of Puerto Ayora, the largest one of the Galapagos Islands, we returned the last time by zodiac to our ship. Our journey was over, but the memories of this unique encounter would stay forever!
Overall
Have you been to Galapagos Islands? What have been your experiences?
Date of stay: May/June 2017
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]]>4 restaurants for gourmets:
After having outlined what to see and where to stay on a luxury trip in Ecuador’s highlands in my last posts, I now want to go into where to eat when traveling the area as a gourmet. The highlands have a lot to offer as to natural and cultural sights as well as quality lodging, but there are also good opportunities for dining, also for guests longing for culinary highlights.
When I came to Ecuador, I did not expect to meet a foodies’ heaven because I had read that the Ecuadorean cuisine is rather basic, still mostly anchored in its peasant roots. While we sometimes had simple meals, we always enjoyed them. And imagine we even had here one of the better dining experiences in the recent past!
General
In the countryside, we mainly stayed at haciendas where all the meals were included in the rate (see my last post). Because of this, there was no need to look for restaurants in the rural area. I also have my doubts whether the search for places adequate for lovers of fine food would have been successful outside the main cities. In either way, Quito, Cuenca and Guayaquil have something to offer also for foodies. Here is my list of recommended restaurants in these urban areas.
4 high-end eateries in Quito, Cuenca & Guayaquil
Quito: Urko
I have to say at the outset that this was the absolute highlight of our culinary experiences during our stay in Ecuador but also one of the better ones we have had recently! Urko is in the new town about ten minutes by car from our hotel (J.W. Marriot) and is specialized in preparing Ecuadorian food using typical recipes but transforming them into modern times. On the ground floor, there is a casual eatery, upstairs a ten-course tasting menu is served for dinner only. My husband and I opted – of course – for the latter (Rutas – A trip around Ecuador) and ordered also the pairing drinks.
The restaurant’s interior is sleek and modernist. The staff are young, enthusiastic about their country and its food, knowledgeable and attentive.
We were catapulted to a veritable culinary journey through Ecuador’s regions, from the coast to the Andes, the Amazon and the Galapagos Islands. It truly was a memorable experience! All the courses were imaginative, immaculately prepared with attention to detail and full of taste. And imagine, the paired drinks were just as inventive. Of course, you got wine but also mint and sugar cane liquor (first course), fermented corn (second course) or chamomile gin tonic (ninth course).
Out of the ten courses, here are three highlights. As first course, a combination of salad, shrimps and mussels was served together with a mint and sugar cane liquor. An astounding but harmonious get together!
The fourth course was snapper prepared in four different ways served with test tubes containing four different cold coffees. The idea was to take a mouthful of snapper and then sample how the coffee tasted along with the fish. The result was that the coffee tasted quite different depending on how the snapper was prepared.
The ninth course was a perfect blend of cacao 90%, soursop (fruit) and salt, served with a chamomile gin tonic. It was an unbelievably tasty creation!
On balance, it was an unparalleled culinary experience and I loved every minute of it. If you are into modern cuisine, go there in any case, you will not be disappointed.
Quito: Zazu
Here contemporary cuisine with South American influences is served. Out of the relatively wide range of options my husband and I went for local specialties, newly interpreted by the chef.
A good starter was suckling pig taquitos. The tortillas filled with pork confit, guacamole, gruyere and chipotle aioli were carefully prepared and tasty.
I chose cazuela, a typical South American dish, as main course. Shrimps and bananas in quite a rich stock were served in a cooking pot. While I was impressed by the quality of the seafood, I found the rest not that exciting.
All in all, it was a nice experience dining in this stylish restaurant offering well-made western South American fusion food, although I cannot say that it was memorable.
Cuenca: Casa Alonso at Hotel Mansion Alcazar
The cuisine is upscale western, South American influenced. There is quite a choice, from all sorts of meat, fish, seafood to pasta. Prices are reasonable at least for dishes with local ingredients. Service is polite but discrete. Apart from the dishes ordered, we were also served an amuse bouche, a sorbet before the main course and friandises after dinner. Everything had been thought of to make the experience special.
Here are three highlights out of the dishes sampled, which were all well prepared, nicely presented and tasty. A delicate starter was the quinoa and crab timbale, a great combination, enriched with tomato, cucumber and avocado, accompanied by a passion fruit vinaigrette.
Another great dish was the steak Mansion Alcazar, a beef tenderloin in a mushroom sauce with mashed potatoes and vegetables.
Finally, my husband and I shared an excellent creme brulee trio consisting of following flavors: vanilla, passion fruit and guava. And imagine, we had this dessert on both evenings because it was so good!
Initially, we had not planned to dine twice in the same restaurant in Cuenca. But we changed plans after our first dinner which we enjoyed very much. And we would do it the same way again without hesitation!
Guyaquil: Le Gourmet at Hotel Oro Verde
As the name suggests, it is a French restaurant, and it shows. There is an opulent dining room with chandeliers, large murals and a grand fire place. Also the service is typical French, formal, polite and with a certain reservedness. Having said this, the atmosphere is pleasant, without the stiffness inherent at similar places.
French cuisine, inspired by South America, is served here. The menu is extensive and varied, local ingredients are combined with classical cuisine techniques. The place is a foodie’s heaven. Everything we had was perfectly prepared, elaborately arranged and blended magnificently. Above all, the food is good value, at least when prepared with local ingredients (imported ones are much more expensive).
Out of the dishes we had you find three examples. First, an inventive starter, stone crab steam bun with saffron emulsion and Katsuobushi (dried, fermented and smoked tuna).
Second, a main course is pictured, a superb grilled Barramundi fish fillet with vanilla infused butter risotto, coconut and smoked pimento sauce.
To end the fulminant meal, all of us (we dined with friends) had preordered a soufflé. These are available in following flavors: Grand Marnier, vanilla, cream cheese and chocolate and are served with lemon vanilla ice cream. I opted for cream cheese and was delighted by the palatable dessert.
Le Gourmet is indeed a place for fine food lovers. An exquisite classical cuisine with a regional soul is featured here, and this in refined surroundings.
Overall
Our trip to Ecuador included also a trip to the Galapagos Islands, and this on board of the Silver Galapagos. Come back and check out my posts about this exciting adventure!
What about you? Do you know a place in Quito, Cuenca and Guayaquil where fine food is served in a pleasant atmosphere?
Date of stay: May/June 2017
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]]>6 hotels for demanding travelers:
After having outlined a perfect Ecuador’s highlands itinerary in my last post, I now want to go into where to stay when visiting the area as a discerning traveler. The highlands have a lot to offer as to natural and cultural sights, but there are also good opportunities for lodging, also for guests seeking luxury.
When I came to Ecuador I had high expectations regarding things to do. These were not only fulfilled but also exceeded. I was amazed by the abundance of volcanoes between Quito and Cuenca as well as by the beauty of these cities whose historic inner cities are both UNESCO Cultural Heritage Sites. As to hotels, I was confident that the quality of accommodation would be pretty good as a consequence of Ecuador’s colonial past. And I was right about this. Here is my report on the hotels of our journey through Ecuador’s highlands.
6 quality hotels from Otavalo to Guayaquil
In the following, all the hotels we were are listed from north to south, as was our 9-day trip.
1. North of Quito – Zuleta area near Otavalo: Hacienda Zuleta
What I liked
The hotel complex is stunning, a hacienda straight out of a picture book. The wide range of activities is impressive. Food is good, simple but tasty. The hospitality is exemplary, we were taken care of in the best way imaginable. Everything on the property is immaculately kept and very tidy.
What you should know
The hotel’s location is beautiful but a bit remote (one hour from Otavalo). While our room (twin bedded, probably the least expensive category – booked through an agency) was nice, it lacked the wow effect, especially the bathroom was nothing special (very small, no storage area for toiletries, not heated).
2. Quito: JW Marriot Hotel
What I liked
Our room was spacious and well appointed. The executive lounge offers a good breakfast and a wide array of snacks during the rest of the day. Every staff member we met was friendly and helpful.
What you should know
While the location in the new town is favorable because of its centrality, it is quite far away from the old town. Furthermore, the hotel is situated at a very busy intersection. An upgrade to the executive lounge is worth the extra charge, but be advised that only one alcoholic beverage per person and day is included.
3. Near Cotopaxi National Park: Hacienda San Agustin de Callo
What I liked
The property filled with Inca history is absolutely gorgeous! I was very much in love with our room featuring an open fire in the bedroom and a wood burner in the bathroom, which by the way was lovely. The dinner we had at the hacienda was delicious and having it in such beautiful und historical surroundings was the cherry on the cake. Also a fun thing was it when an employee summoned the lamas to the courtyard where you could feed them.
What you should know
There is another building with rooms outside the property, which does not look equally charming as the main house, but I only saw it from the outside. What I noticed further were that many furniture items in the room and in the drawing room (public space) were a bit worn out. Staff is nice although not as accommodative and professional as in the sister hotel of Hacienda Zuleta.
4. Riobamba: Hacienda Abraspungo
What I liked
The room we had was spacious and had a likewise bathroom which was renovated recently. The hotel grounds are nice, a walk in the garden would have been a good thing to do – sufficient time provided.
What you should know
Although the fireplace was lighted in the room – upon our request –, it was cool during the whole stay. In spite of a recent upgrading (bathroom), our room had a very dirty carpet. While the food in the hotel’s restaurant was solid, I very much disliked the dirty placemats they used on the tables. In short, it is a good enough place to stay and eat for one night, but not more than that.
5. Cuenca: Mansion Alcazar
What I liked
The two-level central court is a true eye-catcher, very well conserved with beautiful furniture. Service at the hotel is outstanding, everyone is eager to please you. Dinner and breakfast in the beautifully located and decorated restaurant are excellent (my next post will be about it).
What you should know
As mentioned, the rooms in the main house are around a roofed court and that comes with some disadvantages. All the rooms with two exceptions have only windows going to this court. This together with the non-existent air condition makes the rooms rather stuffy, at least the one we had on the ground floor (No. 105). My advice: opt in the main house for rooms No. 104 and 204 with additional windows going to the garden.
6. Guayaquil: Hotel Oro Verde
What I liked
I was in favor of our well appointed and nicely decorated room, which was large and also had a spacious bathroom. Service was kind and eager to help. I was impressed by the restaurant selection at Hotel Oro Verde, food wise they cater for every need that might come up. I was especially fond of our dinner at the restaurant Le Gourmet (my next post will go into it).
What you should know
The location above the city center cannot be called ideal, at least not for tourists. It is possible to walk to major sights but this needs some time. In addition, the neighborhood is rather charmless and I would not recommend walking around in the area at nighttime. Furthermore, I found the pool area a bit underwhelming. Finally, the executive lounge is not worth upgrading to (mostly unattended, only a few snacks and beverages available).
Overall
What hotel did you like especially when traveling the area?
Date of stay: May/June 2017
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]]>The Ecuadorian highlands were the vacation destination of my husband and I when being in South America for the first time some weeks ago. We wanted to tour the Galapagos Islands aboard Silver Galapagos – posts will follow later on –, but also visit Ecuador’s mainland. This is also the most visited region in the country as it has a wide span of cultural and natural diversity.
I put together the trip myself and asked our Swiss travel agency to arrange a private tour by car. As always I put emphasis on the fact that we stay in good hotels and eat in fine restaurants. My next post will be about lodging and dining in Ecuador’s highlands. The Swiss travel agency, Travel Worldwide in Zurich (highly recommended) arranged this journey through the Ecuadorian agency Contactours in Quito that hired a local freelancing driver guide for our trip. We were very lucky to have a competent, reliable and kind person at our disposal, Paul Urigüen from Quito, who did an excellent job in bringing his home country closer to us.
General
In the highland one travels north to south. I do not know the reason for this but every trip I looked at proceeds like that, maybe because most people fly into Quito, I do not know. Some start in Quito and then go southwards, other make a detour to Otavalo as we did or start even more in the north. Then you travel south along the Pan American Highway to explore the so-called Avenue of the Volcanoes. On either side you find massive, stand-alone volcanoes providing an amazing contrast to the lush greenery of the rest of the landscape. Wherever you are, you are never far away from a volcano. When leaving Quito, you pass Cotopaxi National Park, the quirky town of Baños (gateway to the Amazon Basin) and Chimborazo Nature Reserve to finally arrive in Cuenca, the last stop of the highlands. Afterwards, you travel further to Guayaquil.
Day 1: Quito airport – Zuleta area near Otavalo
Our hotel at the foot of Cayambe Volcano is situated about two hours north of Quito and about one hour east of Otavalo. There may be adequate lodging closer to the main attractions in the area, but the hotel we chose was worth the detour. More to this can be found in my next post.
Day 2: Zuleta area – Otavalo – Laguna de Cuicocha – Zuleta area
After visiting the market, there is enough time for another activity. A trip to Cuicocha in combination with a short hiking tour is ideal for this purpose. This is a caldera and crater lake at the foot of Cotocachi Volcano. There is a trail along the edge of the crater rim. It is possible to hike all the way around the lake, but plan a full day for this. To get an impression it is sufficient to do a short hike from the visitor center and back. The trail is well maintained and gives you the opportunity to enjoy the special flora and fauna of the area.
On the way from Otavalo to Quito make a stop in the town of Cayambe at the rose plantation La Compania de Jesus/Rosadex (on appointment only). There is a beautiful estate house with an adjacent chapel where you can visit the gardens, the splendid building’s interior with ancient European furniture, the showroom with many rose varieties and also the nearby rose production.
Day 3 & 4: Zuleta area – Quito
Quito, the capital city of Ecuador at an elevation of 2,850 meters (about 10,000 ft) has an unbelievably beautiful historic inner city. It is the second most populous city (2.7 million) after Guayaquil and the first one that was declared a Cultural Heritage Site by UNESCO. Quito is said to have the largest, least-altered and best-preserved historic center in the Americas. Plan at least two days to explore the Spanish colonial heart of Quito. Conquistadors made it their artistic masterpiece in the New World with palaces, monasteries, cathedrals and plazas. Before you visit all these treasures, go (by taxi) to the El Panecillo, a large hill on top of the old town, to get an overview over the city and its enormous dimensions.
Day 5: Quito – Cotopaxi
Alternatively or if you have some time left, Termas de Papallacta, probably the most beautiful and most comfortable thermal bath of Ecuador, is an activity worthwhile doing.
Day 6: Cotopaxi – Baños – Riobamba
Baños at the foot of Tungurahua Volcano is a town which is considered as the gateway to the Amazon. It is quite a touristy place, there are many backpackers around as it is known as Ecuador’s adventure capital. It is recommended visiting due to the Pailon del Diablo, an impressive waterfall.
Day 7: Riobamba – Chimborazo Volcano – Ingapirca – Cuenca
After returning to Riobamba and continuing further towards south you can enjoy a very scenic drive. Wherever you look, you can admire patchwork fields of crops that create fascinating patterns on the hillsides!
A last stop before coming to the city of Cuenca is scheduled at Ingapirca, an archaeological site. Here you can explore the remains of the most northerly fortress of the Incas.
Day 8: Cuenca
As to activities, make a city tour by foot to see all the highlights of the old town and visit a factory where Panama Hats (they stem from here, not from Panama) are made. Half a day is usually enough for exploring the city. Use the other half day (preferably in the morning) to pay a visit to the nearby Cajas National Park. This is one of the most beautiful nature places of the country with more than 200 glacial lakes and many possibilities for hiking.
Day 9: Guayaquil
After having left behind la Sierra, you have now reached la Costa. Guayaquil is the largest city in Ecuador with around 3.5 million inhabitants. It is situated on the banks of the Guayas River, which flows in the Pacific Ocean, and it has the nation’s most important port. Although it is the commercial heart of Ecuador and does not have an old town in the proper sense (large parts of the city were destroyed by a major fire in 1896), it has some attractions to offer. Above all it has a great waterfront called Malecon which is gated, monitored by the police and stretches over 2.5 km with gardens, open-air restaurants, playgrounds etc. Then there are the picturesque neighborhoods of Las Penas and of Santa Ana with its colorful houses, which are both worthwhile going to (climb up 444 steps to the lighthouse).
Overall
Date of stay: May/June 2017
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