Ecuador, Ecuador: the small country with so much to see: the jungle, the coast, the volcanos and never forgetting Galapagos, the paradise for those you love animals and want to see every kind of species in one island.
My visit to Ecuador was short and some events did not helped much to enjoy the country BUT: Ecuador is an amazing country full of nice stuff to do.
Quito is an colonial capital which is super nice and quite “small” for South America: the tight streets, the churches in every corner, the old buildings well care…
Volcanos’ road
But what I really loved about Ecuador was the volcanos road. Volcanos are an must in this country (if you like hiking here is the place to be). Unfortunately, I did not have much time to enjoy every volcano but I just hiked the most memorable ones: Cotopaxi Volcano and Quilotoa lake.
This lake is amazing and the hiking is not very hard. From the village to the lake it would take you 45 minutes and then 1h to 1h45 to return. BUT: you can also ride a horse to return if you feel very tired (I think it is 10$ per person).
In the lake you can do several sports like kayak. I know it is possible to camp around but it can be very very cold (so make sure you have the propor material to do it). If you are looking for a nature experience, it might be an excellent one.
Hiking Cotopaxi – 6000 m:
Cotopaxi was one of the things I really want to do in Ecuador. In South America this volcano is known to be a challenge one for those who are not yet volcanos’ professionals.
First, you need to know it is not always easy to hike volcanos (sometimes the weather conditions are not the best). For example, I could not hike to the caracter of the Volcano as I wanted (the volcano was active 2 weeks before I arrive). So, I hiked just to the 4800 m of altitute which you can do in half a day. Honestly, the hiking is not very hard but the weather conditions might change a lot your experience. Try to check the weather before planing your hiking otherwise, there are chances you can not see much of the volcano (if it is cloudy).
What do you need? :
- Hiking boots
- Food
- Water
- Warm clothes
- Passport (if you want to get a stamp from the volcano)
Make sure you visit Baños. These city is close to Amazonia and it is known for the extreme sports. If you like a little of adrenaline, I am sure Baños will be the right place (plus it is a small village where everybody is super friendly).
Hope you enjoyed this post. Keeping following my adventures about South America.
Beijinho,
Daniela