In 2007, I finally decided to visit South America. I planned to go for two months and cover both its eastern and western parts. I asked the owner of a travel agency, a former Argentine, to draft a sample itinerary. However, plans changed, and I ended up going the following year, in 2008, focusing only on the western part. I already had a basic route prepared and took it from there: booking domestic flights, transfers, hotels, and excursions. I initially intended to go for a month but made a mistake with the dates, and the agent booked a 26-day trip instead of 30. This meant I had to cut the route short, but at least it turned out to be a relatively affordable flight ($1,300).
I flew there via Amsterdam and returned via Paris, enjoying walks in both cities during layovers. In Amsterdam, I had an entire day and walked all over the city since I had been there before and knew where to go and what to see. By the time I reached the train station, my feet were completely sore, and I was worried I wouldn’t be able to walk around Quito in Ecuador, where I was arriving. However, a night on the plane resolved everything, as I was only 74 at the time.
In Ecuador, aside from sightseeing in Quito (you will hardly need more then one day to see its central square, presidential palace, a beautiful baroque church, and a couple of surrounding streets), I went on an excursion to Quilotoa Lake located in a volcanic crater. On the way, we stopped by a rural market, which, due to a late departure, was almost empty but could have been very interesting. The journey itself was fascinating: mountain views, plots cultivated on nearly vertical slopes, and locals in traditional clothing, something you won’t see in the city.
For the second excursion, a trip to the rainforest reserve near the town of Mindo, no other participants volunteered, so I decided to do it on my own. However, the hotel, while providing a bus schedule, failed to inform me that it was different on Sundays, so I ended up missing the bus to Mindo. Since I was already at the bus station (which is far outside the city, even beyond the airport), I had nothing left to do but to go to the Equator line site, something I hadn’t planned to do at all. At least there were a few small museums there, including an entomological museum with an extensive collection of insects from around the world.
On the last day in Quito, all the city was engaged in the colorful celebration of Quito’s Founding Day. The streets were crowded and the trams were packed, so despite all my efforts to keep it, I emerged from the tram car without my mobile phone, extracted from the depth of my vest by a skillful pickpocket.
From Quito, I flew to the Galapagos, booking a package (including accommodation and excursions) for just two days—anything longer wasn’t feasible due to time and cost. A week-long excursion with overnights on a ship traveling between islands at night, was prohibitively expensive. But even two and a half days on a single island (Santa Cruz) provided plenty of unforgettable impressions.
The activities planned for two-days stay were boat trip to the islands with bird colonies and seal rookeries, a visit to the Charles Darwin Research Station (at the time, the hundred-year-old Lonesome George, the last of the Pinta tortoises, was still alive; he passed away in 2012), a hike to a remote beach—we had to make our way by jumping, like playing hopscotch, over iguanas sunbathing on the path, — and an excursion to lava tunnels, plus the sheer satisfaction of finally making it there, were more than fulfilling.
Ecuador undoubtedly has much more to offer—both nature and cities—but to truly see everything, one needs to focus on one or two countries or spend six months to a year, as some travelers do, to cover the entire continent.
To give a full picture, here’s what a 14-day organized tour in Ecuador might include, beyond Quito: a trip to the jungle; the towns of Baños de Agua Santa, reached via the Route of Waterfalls, Riobamba, and Cuenca, all known for their colonial architecture, and Guayaquil; the ruins of Ingapirca, the most significant archaeological site of the Inca Empire in Ecuador; and visits to 2–3 islands in the Galapagos.
In Ecuador, the local currency is the US dollar. Tram and bus rides cost (or did at the time) less than half a dollar. A power adapter from 110V to 220V is necessary; I couldn’t find one in Israel and had to search for it in Quito. Vaccinations are essential. You are required to carry a vaccination booklet with you, though no one asked for mine (they might, as with an international driver’s license). Only drink boiled water or Coca-Cola. Avoid eating anything washed in unboiled water. Peel what you can. If any of my information is outdated, I hope recent travelers can update or correct it.
