Ecuadar Travel

Hi there

I would say one day in Quito is fine to see the old town, then next day travel up to Otavalo - to see the market - maybe a hike? Cuiococha Crater Lake, Peguche Waterfall - visit Cotacachi (nice little town).

I don't have much experience with local buses I'm afraid, I imagine it will take a good half day to travel to Otavalo between getting to bus station, waiting for bus and then the journey (around 2 hours by car) so you would need to stay at least 1 night then head south towards Banos.

I imagine by bus from Otavalo to Banos it will take a full day - it is about 4 or 5 hours by car. If you like adventure there are lots of things you can do in Banos so you may want to stay at least a couple of nights.

To visit Yasuni, the lodge that I know of and can recommend is the Napo Wildlife Centre - it's one of the top lodges in Ecuador - excellent for wildlife but I wouldn't rate your chances of seeing a jaguar ;o) The standard of the lodge and the wildlife you can see is reflected in the price. The minimum stay is 4 days / 3 nights (as is similar with a lot of Amazon lodges)

Thanks for your reply. I appreciate it. I land in Quito friday night at 10 pm. Any suggestions here? I think it will be just be me until my friends arrive the next day out of NY.

Would you recommend Yasuni of all the Amazon lodges?

And it seems like we should just get a local car. Any recommendations on where to go here?

If you're arriving into Quito alone at 10pm, I would book a taxi to take you to your hotel - there is a desk in the airport terminal where you can do this - it is a safe and reliable service with set prices.

There are lots of other lodges in the Amazon, for the best in wildlife I would think Napo Wildlife Center or Sani Lodge and I have recently heard good things about Shiripuno Lodge (much more basic accommodation but excellent wildlife) although I haven't personally had any direct experience with them.

I think the option of hiring a car is still a little difficult in Ecuador - roads have improved very much in recent years but there still can be some parts which are not in good condition, road signs are few and far between still so you really need to know where you are going and the biggest issue for me is knowing where you can safely leave/park the car (especially if you have all your belongings inside).... It's a tricky one!

Your best bet (if budget is not an issue and time is) is hiring a car with driver which gives you freedom and flexibility but this is not the cheapest of options. Maybe getting taxis between each destination is another option for you? Again it is not cheap when you compare it to a $4 bus ride which takes hours on end so it depends on budget and time really.

You will only need to think about how to get around when you are in the Andes (Otavalo / Banos). The Amazon tours normally include all your transportation.