ECUADOR

QUITO
Brent Poling (4/01)

Beautiful, great place with weeks worth of stuff to see and do.  Most of you have already been to Quito so I won't go into great detail.  Prices and inflation have gone up so you may be surprised if it has been a few years since you have been there.  A ride from the airport now costs $4.00 and bottle of beer now costs $1.25.  Sucres are gone and dollars are in.  If you have American change or small bills, take them; you will be able to use them there.

I have two other short pieces of advice.  Don't go during Semana Santa because Quito is a ghost town and eat the famous pancakes at the Magic Bean.  Hotels are plentiful and tours are readily available.  Be ready to pay good money for the tours now as well.

John Johnson (3/01)

Two highly recommended (by us) places to stay in QUITO; both in the heart of "Gringo-landia" - Casa Sol http://www.ecuadorexplorer.com/casasol/home.asp for a quiet, clean, cozy, friendly bed and breakfast, and Café Cultura for art nouveau interior decoration, blazing fireplace, library, excellent restaurant, and reliable travel desk. The latter is more of a splurge than the former.

Mark Hughes  (9/00)

I highly recommend Ecuador as a place to visit.  It is very green, the people are friendly, there's lots to see and do, and it's cheap (for example, main courses at nice restaurants in Quito go for $3.00). The US dollar is now a legal currency in Ecuador.  Both bills and coins are accepted.  Most Ecuadorians are still trying to figure out the value of things so you will see lots of people checking charts.  There is a fixed rate of S/.25,000 to the dollar.  (Sucres remain the national currency, and the two are often used together). Be sure to bring lots of singles with you--the shop keepers will appreciate it.
Taxis are metered.  Taxis from the airport into town are not always, but the fare should be $3.

If you like birds-eye views and climbing stairs, you don't want to miss the Basilica de Voto Popular.  The basilica is not an architectural wonder by any means, but you can climb to the top of the bell tower and get a great view of Quito.  There is a nice snack bar about half-way up.  It had a full menu.  We only had something to drink so I can't vouch for how good the food is.  The view was great, though.  It is far
safer to get your city view at the basilica than (according to all reports) going up to the statue of the Virgin.  Finding the basilica is easy. Walk up Venezuela Street from the center of colonial Quito.

Good restaurant:  La Bodeguita de Cuba, Reina Victoria 1721 y La Pinta (it's on the edge of the touristy area of Quito).  Food is good. Servings large.  It has a bar which looks like it could be lively at night. Looking for adventure?  I highly recommend ugsha (that's the name--not a typo).  It is a small agency run by Sebastian Ponce.  He is a very experienced climber and outdoors enthusiast (he was on Ecuador's RAID team).   He is very friendly (you feel more like you are hiking with one of your friends than with a guide), and his English is excellent.  His assistant Edgar is equally qualified and speaks English pretty well. They lead bicycle trips down Cotopaxi (a good day trip if you are in Quito for a short time--Thanksgiving weekend?) and longer treks in the mountains, as well as hikes up to the top of Cotopaxi (second highest mountain in Ecuador).  Sebastian is willing to put together a trip to meet interests and the amount of time you have.  Prices vary according to the number of people in your group (you can make a group of two!). Address:  Foch 747 y Av. Amazonas.  E-mail: <ugsha10@hotmail.com>.  Sebastian is planning to put a site on the web.  You may want to check.

QUILOTOA
John Johnson (3/01)

High in the mountains, near the Quilotoa Crater is the unique BLACK SHEEP INN http://www.blacksheepinn.com/ It really is as ecological, as the web site says. The owners are "Black Sheep" from the States who set the place up some years ago. Excellent for trekking, horseback riding, dog-petting, talking to sheep (rather repetitive responses involving quantities of wool measured in bags) vegetarian meals, and enjoying the company of the other guests. Getting there is the hitch. Local buses are cheap, but run on eccentric schedules.  Hiring a car and driver works well but ain't cheap. The one recommended by the B.S. charged us exorbitantly on the return trip for going just a bit out of the way.

MISAHUALLI
John Johnson (3/01)

For a jungle jaunt, try the Jaguar Lodge 1 ? hrs downriver (great ride!) from the village of MISAHUALLI which is 4-5 hours from Quito (you can stop on the way at the beautiful warm baths of PAPALLACTA, if you wish). Again, transport is tricky and rather dear, especially when you throw in a mud slide or two along the way. High on a cliff overlooking the river with an excellent guide and manager, good food, exciting excursions, and swimming in the river, the Jaguar is worth the trouble. No web site, but you can arrange a package through Café Cultura (see above).

Volcanoland
Mark Hughes  (9/00)

A dumb name for for a nice place.  It is an old hacienda which has been converted into a hostal.  It is on the edge of Cotopaxi National Park.Horse riding is an activity they seem to be very ready to set you up with. Hiking is also possible, as is the opportunity to just hang out.  We arranged our stay through Sebastian (of ugsha) because it was our rest before ascending Cotopaxi.  He could make arrangements or give you contact info.  Price per person was $15 for room and breakfast.  Dinner was $7 (it was OK, but you don't have much choice--you are in the middle of nowhere). Oh, if you see a brochure for Volcanoland before you go, don't be put off by it.  The hostal is not as mystical/spiritual/bizarre as the brochure sounds.

Banos
Mark Hughes  (9/00)

Most of what any of your guide books tell you about places to stay and eat is no longer valid.  The town was evacuated in December and January because of its neighborhood volcano.  No damage resulted, but many people have not come back or have not reopened their businesses. The town has kind of an odd feel to it because part of it feels like a ghost town, yet there are plenty of new restaurants and tourist
shops which are freshly painted.  It is possible to see the volcano smoke and spill out lava at night.  There are tourist trips which can take you to see things, but you can also walk out of town on your own.

Hotel:  Hostal Cultural, Av. Montalvo y pasaje Velasco Ibarra.  This has to be one of the best deals around--$5.00 per person in a super cleanroom w/private bath (hot water).  Try to get room 2 or 5.  Both overlook the waterfall (you can hear it ).  The namesake baths are very close (the other side of the waterfall).  They are public and are nothing fancy, but only cost $1.00.

Otavalo
Mark Hughes  (9/00)

Bad news for those who have enjoyed the Ali Shungu Hotel.  It is still there, but the authorities have diverted traffic from the highway so that it now passes the hotel.  It is no longer the peaceful retreat it was.  One of the owners apologized profusely, but didn't know how long it would be before things would be back to normal.  Although it is a comfortable place, it is not good value for money. The second-floor Mexican restaurant overlooking the market is recommended for either a meal or a beer.  I didn't write down the address, but you can easily spot it at the corner of the market's main square (you will have to hunt for the stairs which go up to the restaurant because vendors have their stalls in front of them).

Kris Paulson

Our favorite place has been a small hostal run by Elizabeth and Martin in the hills outside of Otavalo.  The hostal is called La Luna. They offer dormitory style rooms with a kitchen, dining room and fireplace for $3 per person.  Private rooms for 2 or 3 people with shared bath at $6 per person, breakfast included.  Double rooms with private bath & fireplace $8 per person, breakfast included.  Camping plots are also available.

This was a perfect place for us.  Elizabeth and Martin have a little boy and lots of dogs so there was plenty of things for the kids to do. Hammocks hang from the lodge posts and the view is spectacular.  There are several hikes to do in the area including a 45-min walk to town or another to a waterfall.  It is also easy call a taxi.

There isn't any place to eat but we found the food at La Luna to be wonderful.  The usually only offer two main items to choose from each evening, one being a vegetarian meal.
International Reservations:  593-973-7415
Ecuador: 09-737415

Julie Rottier

We went to Otavalo by bus first.  If you don't want to waste too much time, be sure to ask if there is a direct bus.  The local one stops along the way and it took us 3 hours.  The market in Otavalo is excellent - it gets really good on Saturdays.  We also hired a taxi driver one morning to visit some nearby waterfalls and a crater lake.

GALAPAGOS ISLANDS
John Johnson (3/01)

Luckily, the oil spill did not hamper our week in the Galapagos, but Isla Santa Fe was closed because of it. We were aboard the Angelique, a motor sailor with lots of "character" and, considering we went with the Cannons, characters.  We liked our guide and the crew was responsive and fun. The boat is due for an 80% refit soon, and should be very appealing when this is done.  We arranged with Galapatours.

In the last issue I wrote that I was going to go the GI.  I had asked a friend in Quito where teachers at their school send their families and friends to arrange GI trips.  She recommended two agencies.  We went with Angermeyer's, and I highly recommend them.  They have smaller boats (we had just 12 passengers on ours), good food, good guides, and best of all, a substantial discount for Peruvian residents.  An eight-day, seven night trip was US$875 (airfare and park entry fee of US$100 are additional).

Angermeyer's Enchanted Expeditions
Foch 726 & Av. Amazonas / PO Box 17-1200599
Quito - Ecuador
Telephone:     (593-2) 569-960 / 221-305
Fax:      (593-2) 569-956
E-mail:   <angermeyer@accessinter.net>, <angerme1@ecnet.ec>,<angerme2@ecnet.ec>
Web site: <http://www.angermeyer.com>,

Another recommended company is:

Safari Tours
Casilla 17116060,
Quito, Ecuador
Telephone: (593 2) 234-799 / 552-505
Fax:      (593 2) 223-381
email:  <admin@safari.com.ec>

John Johnson (3/01)
The owners of Ali Shungu Hotel want all to know that they have won their fight with the city, and the PanAmericana highway no longer passes by two sides of the hotel.  All is peaceful and quiet. We were heartily welcomed by the husband and wife, American, owners who "Love people from Roosevelt." This hotel was purpose-built and the attention to detail in accommodations and décor is well worth the reasonable rates. The food is very good, and it's just a short walk from the famous Otavalo market. In addition to the market, though, there's plenty to see and do in the surrounding area. We found the animal market on Saturday morning fascinating - good prices on pigs.
http://www.alishungu.com/

Ann Tangerose
Ecuador is a very cheap place to travel, except when going to the Galapagos Islands.  The plane fare alone from Quito to the Galapagos is $350 and then to get in the Galapagos which is a National Park is $100.  What I found was that  many places gave  4 or 5 day tours for about $800 on up into the thousands did not include the plane fare or the park fee.   Then I found this web site and I found an economical
midrange  tour which include the airfare, park fee and four transports from the airport.  The transports were very valuable as the transportation system went on strike while I was there.   I paid $1,000 per person for five days which included everything. I did all the arrangements from my computer. The site give a variety of options for boats and prices plus a lot of information about the Galapagos Islands. http://www.galapagosislands.com/html/travel.asp The agent that worked with me was very nice.  She really helped us with every detail of the trip by e-mail. Angeles' e-mail address is angeles@mailserver.accessinter.net