ISA Ecuador and Galapagos Trip: part 2
As part of Ideal South America’s goal to provide the best possible tour operations to its passengers, our General Manager, Donovan Hervig, recently traveled to Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands. The first stop, Quito, was UNESCO’s first world heritage city. Its colonial squares, churches and cathedrals are rivalled only by the middle of the world complex – both the large monument square and separate Intiñan museum, where one witnesses various zero latitude experiments. And the city’s new underground metro system is finally operational!
While Ecuador’s capital is certainly worth a visit, we like to spend more time in the countryside, closer to nature and local culture. The world-famous Otavalo indigenous markets are just two hours north of Quito and even closer to its airport. And while it is truly an excellent place to shop for locally produced goods and wares, considering price, value and selection, it is much more than that. It is one of the cultural hearts of the country, with natural highlands wonders to boot. After a walk around one of its volcanic lakes, have lunch in one of the local towns and enjoy a scrumptious bowl of locro (potato and cheese soup), seco (meat and rice) or a humita (tamale). Or do a rose plantation tour! Most of the roses in North America come from Ecuador. For an even deeper experience – either before or after your visit to the Galapagos – stay overnight at one of the haciendas (countryside ranches).
Cotopaxi, one of the highest active volcanoes in the world, is just an hour outside Quito, and visible from city heights on a clear day. A tour there of its national park includes some fantastic countryside walking with amazing views – animals, lakes, mountains and more. And then there’s Papallacta, with its volcanic thermal hot springs, just 45 minutes drive from Quito’s airport. There are many walking trails to enjoy, although most prefer to simply relax in a hotel’s spa area, with its many large thermal pools of various temperatures. You can even dip in its natural waters running right in front of your room! With its high altitude (3,330 meters – 10,800 feet above sea level) and reached via a notoriously foggy and sporadically maintained road to the jungle, one must arrive before dusk and should be visited only after some days acclimatization. Or visit after the Galapagos – one of the best ways to end the trip!
And while the Mindo Cloud Forest outside Quito is also worth a mention, we cannot forget about Guayaquil. This coastal city is the country’s largest and flights from Quito to and from the Galapagos usually stop there, as do some international flights. It is a good base from which to explore banana plantations, panama hat weaving centers (different than in Cuenca) or to head north, along the coast, for tours of migrating humpback whales. In its warmer climate, enjoy swimming, along with more seafood inspired dishes, such as encebollado. Finally, the Historical and Nature Park, with its open boardwalk through animal rehabilitation enclosures, surrounding by historically maintained buildings, is our favorite city visit there.