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Ecuador Journals

Family Trip to Galapagos/Ecuador

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A March 2010 trip to Ecuador by robin@bolderworks.com

Quote: Family trip to Ecuador including Galapagos, Cotopaxi, Banos, Otavalo, adn Amazon rain forest.

Day 23 – April 3: Quito-Home

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QUITO AIRPORT:4:00am sure comes early! We were mostly packed, so we were checking out by 4:30am.I saw no taxis on the road, so I think it would help to pre-arrange a taxi. In our case, the Swissotel shuttle bus drove us to the airport for $8 for all three of us. I think a taxi would have been $5-$7 anyway. This time, we are headed to the "international" terminal.They aren’t lying about getting to the airport early. It took us almost 1 ½ hours to go through the process and board the airplane!1. Inside the airport, you have to show your passports before you even get to the ticket counter. 2. At the ticket counter, they also give you a departure...Read More

Day 22 – April 2: Otavalo-Quito

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OTAVALO:The market in Otavalo opens at 8am, and the stores in Cotacachi open at 10am, so Otavalo was our first stop of the morning.We had a nice breakfast in the lovely breakfast dining room at the hacienda and packed up our bags. Our taxi driver, Santiago, drove us into Otavalo about 8:30am. It was Good Friday, but the market was in full swing. Many people were still setting up their booths, and there weren’t many shoppers yet. The sun was out, so I tried to get a few photographs of the colorful wares.The main products in the market are knit sweaters, blankets, knit hats with ears, alpaca fur wall hangings, woven rugs, jewelry made of silver/shell or seed beads...Read More

Day 21 – April 1: Sacha Lodge-Quito-Otavalo

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SACHA-QUITOWe got to sleep in today until 6:30am – wow!We packed up, ate breakfast, and started the journey back. First the dugout canoe across the lake, then the 20 minute hike through the forest, then the 2 hour motorized boat ride up the river, 1 hour for lunch at the Sacha Lodge building in Coca, 5 minute drive to the Coca Airport, 1 hour in the airport, 30 minute flight, and then we were in Quito!I couldn’t believe how different the Napo River was on this trip compared to the first trip. We had a couple of rains while at Sacha, so all the sandbars and logs were now hidden beneath the surface. Our path was much straighter than before but the driver still magi...Read More

Day 20 – March 31: Sacha Lodge

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MORNING HIKE:Well, our vacation caught up with us today, and my son was just too tired to answer the 5:30am wakeup call. In the end, it was a blessing because it rained most of the morning, so instead of boating downriver to see the parrots as planned, the group did a very long hike. This was great for my husband, the hiker, but it would not have been good for the 8-year-old.My son and I spent quite a bit of the morning at the butterfly house, which is a dry haven out of the rain. We also enjoyed reading in the hammock at our room as well as catching up on homework and journaling.It seemed like all the groups came back earlier than usual to dry off, although many...Read More

Day 19 – March 30: Sacha Lodge

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I thought we got up early in the Galapagos, but when the wakeup call came at 5:30am, I realized that was sleeping in.... When does our vacation start?!CANOPY WALK:Sacha Lodge has a canopy walk that is strung between 3 enormous towers 43m/135ft high. We met our guide and walked about a half mile through the forest when suddenly a metal tower appeared out of nowhere. It’s like the Eiffel Tower stuck in the middle of the jungle….It’s a pretty long walk up metal stairs to the top, but what a view when you get there! I was happy to have our binoculars, super telephoto lens for the camera, and our guide’s spotting scope because there was so much to see!We ...Read More

Day 18 – March 29: Quito-Sacha Lodge

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nkeys right by our room!Animals:• Squirrel monkeys• Pygmy monkeys• CaimansEVENING:At the dock is a boat house where we were given our rubber boots for our stay. How they can keep track of U.S., U.K., and European foot sizes, I just don’t know!Before dinner, we headed to the bar area upstairs in the main building. It is a very cozy gathering spot. We got some wine, lemonade, and popcorn. It was a great place to socialize with lots of interesting people from around the world.At dinner, we are assigned to a guide and our group sits together. Groups are 6 people maximum. We were with a nice couple from Vancouver, so only 5...Read More

Day 17 – March 28: Galapagos #8 – San Cristobal/Quito

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SAN CRISTOBAL INTREPRETATION CENTEROur last morning on the Galapagos, sigh…. We were up early, got packed, a quick breakfast, and then we said good-bye to the Flamingo I. It was a sunny day, and the harbor looked beautiful.We took the pangas to the pier. You would think that we had our fill of sea lions, but we had to take another dozen pictures of the sea lions lounging in various dinghies and on the pier. A bus was waiting for us to take us to the San Cristobal Interpretation Center about 1 mile away. It was a self-guided tour, which talks about the history of the Galapagos including the natural history, human habitation, and development/conservation issues. ...Read More

Day 16 – March 27: Galapagos #7 – Espanola

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PUNTA SUAREZ:Our morning excursion was a dry landing. One of our guides had to shoo the sea lions off the docking area so that we could disembark. The sea lions were quite animated and vocal so very fun to watch (even after 7 days of seeing them!).Around the corner from the landing area was a protected pool which we called the "nursery" because it was filled with baby sea lions all playing together. Too cute Some sea lions would come out and sniff at people’s feet!In the same pool at the end of our hike, we saw a young sea lion that had an apparent shark bite out of its side. It didn’t look too bad, so our guide was optimistic that it would survive....Read More

Day 15 – March 26: Galapagos #6 – Santa Cruz

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TORTOISES IN SANTA CRUZ HIGHLANDS:In the morning, we went to the main pier in town and then took a bus to the highlands where we can see the giant tortoises in the wild. It is sometimes hard to see them in March, and there was a huge rain the day before, which flooded many areas, but we were going to try.Our first stop was a quick one to view a couple of lava sink holes. These were very deep, large holes with vegetation where the earth gave away.Next we went to Primicias Ranch, which is private land next to the Galapagos National Park. They have rubber boots, snack bar, and ping pong tables.Apparently, it is muddy on most days (hence the boots), but i...Read More

Day 14 – March 25: Galapagos #5 – Bartolome/North Seymour

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BARTOLOME:Bartolome Island has two volcanic humps with a sand spit in the middle. It has a boardwalk path that goes to the top of the volcanic cone. Not much wildlife – I saw 1 sea lion, 1 crab, and 1 lava lizard – but it has great geology with all the different lavas. It also has a great view from the top.After the hike, we took a panga to the sand spit for beach time and snorkeling. Very close to the beach were 4 black tip reef sharks! They were only about 2-3 feet long and didn’t pay any attention at all to the swirling snorkelers.A couple of people did the "deep water" snorkel, which started around the corner of the island and came around into the swimming ...Read More

Day 13 – March 24: Galapagos #4 – James/Bainbridge

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JAMES ISLAND:We did a "wet" landing to a black sand beach on James Island. There is a dilapidated building that used to belong to the salt operation, but otherwise the island is deserted.All of our beach things were left high on the beach, and then we hiked up on top of the island. It was partly on sand and partly on lava. The temperature was pleasant at first, but it got hot quickly.Most of the animals were the same as before with the exception of the fur sea lion, and lots of big spiders in the trees. We also saw "Darwin’s Toilet" where the water "flushes" through the lava tubes into a circular pool.When we got back to the beach, we could hear the ...Read More

Day 12 – March 23: Galapagos #3 – Fernandina/Isabela

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MORNING:Same routine today: • Wake up at 7:00am• Breakfast 7:30-8:30am• Morning excursion 8:30-10:00am• Lunch at 12:00pm• Afternoon excursion 2:30-4:00pm• Kids Dinner 6:00pm• Briefing 6:30pm• Dinner 7:00pmWe woke up to a pretty heavy rainfall Luckily by breakfast, it was a light drizzle. The guides prepared plastic bag raincoats for people who did not have raincoats.FERNANDINA ISLAND (PUNTA ESPINOSA):In the end, there was no rain on the hike. However in retrospect, I should have worn my rain jacket around my waist on the panga ride to the island – the seats were wet, which got my butt all wet....Read More

Day 11 – March 22: Galapagos #2: Genovesa Island

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MORNING:The wakeup call was at 7:00am. I am sure I was already awake because I had a hard time sleeping. We were moving most of the night to the next island, and the noise from the engines seemed incredibly loud to me. The people in higher cabins didn’t complain about noise, but they did seem to notice the rocking a lot more (one man felt almost rolled out of bed, and one woman said she couldn’t sleep on her side because of the rolling). I am going try ear plugs tonight….DARWIN BAY:After breakfast, we prepared for another wet landing. Our morning excursion was basically a walk around the beach and cove followed by beach and snorkeling time (about 2 hours total)...Read More

Day 10 – March 21: Quito-Galapagos – San Cristobal

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QUITO AIRPORT:Our flight to the Galapagos was to depart at 9:15am, so we were supposed to be at the airport at 7:30am. We left the hotel at 7:00am, but there was no traffic, so it only took about 10 minutes to get there ($5 for the taxi).Make sure you tell the taxi driver "nacional" or "Galapagos", so they don’t take you to the international terminal. Once inside, there are people to point you in the right direction. The first stop is the INGALA counter on the far side. If you have already paid for your $10 tourist card, they just check your passport. If not, you pay $10 cash (they do not accept $100 bills!) and fill out a form. Everyone then puts their luggag...Read More

Day 9 – March 20: Otavalo and Chaski Antawa Train

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CHASKI ANTAWA TRAIN:Since we had an extra day in Quito, we decided at the last minute to book the Chaski Antawa train. It seemed like a good idea, but I didn’t realize that it was a 3 hour drive one-way to get to the train! A 3-hour drive, a 2-hour train ride, and another 3-hour drive back – my poor son was going crazy  The train itself was fine, but noisy and dusty (we were provided with a thin neck gaiter to cover our faces). The weather was cloudy, so we did not get the great views that I think most people would get.The train goes from Ibarra – about 30 to 60 minutes past Otavalo – to Salinas. Salinas is a poor town that is being resurrected because of this...Read More

Day 8 – March 19: Quito/Teleferiqo

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TELEFERIQO:The sky was mostly clear, so we went up to the TeleferiQo. This is a gondola that takes you 4050 meters (over 13,000 feet) above the city. The taxi was $4.I had heard that on weekends, it can be a 4 hour wait to get on, but at 10:00am on a Friday in March, we had the place almost to ourselves.Tickets were $8.50/adult and $6.50/child for non-nationals. It took about 10 minutes to get to the top, and it was noticeably colder and windier at the top. There is a building with bathrooms, restaurants, and mechanical telescopes ($1), a small church, and many pathways to other great viewpoints. We also saw a number of mountain bikers taking the gondola up to...Read More

Day 7 – March 18: Banos-Quito

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BANOS:We were supposed to spend a third night in Banos, but the weather was bad enough that we decided to head back to Quito a day early. If we had stayed a little longer, we probably would have skipped the bungee jumping and white water rafting, but the hikes in the area looks very interesting as did the zoo.My husband had some sore muscles, so he went over the hot springs bright and early. After breakfast at the hotel, we walked to the Church of the Virgin of the Holy Water to see the inside. It is very large and beautiful. The paintings around the walls tell stories about the "water saint" that saves people from drowning. The church has a small museum, but it cost money...Read More

Day 6 – March 17: Banos

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LAUNDRY:Our first order of business today was to get some laundry done. There are many places around town that offer laundry for $1/kg and done in 2 hours. Make sure you confirm their hours so that you do not get there when it’s closed. After Cotopaxi, we definitely needed it!BUGGIES:There are a number of places to rent 4-wheel all-terrain vehicles and little dune buggies. My son was very excited at the idea of these, so we rented 2 of them for 3 hours ($10/hour or $25/3 hours). The ATV’s were faster but not as stable. The buggies were more comfortable and easily fit 2 people. Some of the buggies have a top for added shade, so look for those.We dr...Read More

Day 5 – March 16: Cotopaxi National Park - Banos

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HORSEBACK RIDING, PART 2My son, who was not excited about horseback riding yesterday, decided that he absolutely had to go on another ride. Apparently, he was the only one who didn’t have a sore butt! So first thing in the morning, I found myself on a horse on a short loop around the hacienda with our guide, Roberto. The highlight of the ride was cantering – my son’s hat fell forward covering his face, so he was yelling, "I can’t see! I can’t see!" while trotting along. It was very funny, but Roberto was quick to get control of his hat and his horse again.COTOPAXI NATIONAL PARKAfter another delicious breakfast, we joined a couple from the Netherlands and ...Read More

Day 4 – March 15: Horseback Riding/Waterfalls

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MILKING THE COWFirst thing in the morning, we got to milk the cow! I grew up in Minnesota and spent some time on the "farm", but if I ever milked a cow, I just don’t remember (and you’d think I would). Anyway, I know it’s not as easy as it looks, so I was a little intimidated.In the end, it wasn’t so hard (or so I thought). They brought the cow in, and get her all "locked in". Then they bring in the bucket and show you the technique. My husband had spent some of his childhood on a farm, so this was second nature to him, but I wasn’t so sure. I did actually get the milk to come out, and I squirted our poor cow guy a few times in the arm, but it was generally successful. T...Read More

Day 3 – March 14: Cotopaxi Area and Canopy Tour

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CANOPY TOURIt’s not easy to find lattes in Quito at 7:30am on a Sunday, but I managed to find one around the corner from the Le Parc Hotel.We left for the Cotopaxi area by 8:00am to our first stop, the Hacienda Santa Rita, about 1 ½ hours away. The first half of the drive is on paved roads (but not necessarily smooth or straight), and the second half is on bumpy rock-paved or dirt roads.Santa Rita is a private reserve which has some nice hiking trails, but most importantly the Salto Canyon Canopy Tour (zip lines). There is an interpretation center at Santa Rita with a presentation about ecological projects in the area. It is here that we got our climb...Read More

Day 2 – March 13: Quito City Tour and Equator

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QUITO CITY TOUR:We had a bit of trouble adjusting to the new time zone, but we were still ready for our city tour at 9:00am. We had a private car and guide, which was nice (particularly with kids) because we could make extra stops and manage our own time at each place.Our first stop was the Basilica de Quito, which is a magnificent building up on a hill. The gargoyles were actually sculpted into animals from Ecuador and the Galapagos.Next we went to Old Town Quito and Plaza Grande, which has the Presidential Palace and a cathedral around a nice courtyard. We spent about 15 minutes looking around and then our guide took us up to the balcony and courtyard of the Pr...Read More

Day 1 – March 12: Denver-Quito

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FLIGHT TO QUITO:Our flight from Denver, Colorado to Quito, Ecuador (Continental Airlines) departed Denver at 11:00am (Mountain Time), and we landed in Quito at 10:00pm (Eastern Time) with one stop in Houston. The first flight was about 3 hours, and the second flight was about 5 hours.ARRIVAL IN QUITO:We had a driver waiting for us at the airport to take us to our hotel. It was very nice not having to negotiate with the barrage of taxi drivers at the airport, but you should be able to get a taxi to central Quito for about $5 one-way (negotiate the price before getting in the taxi).Keep your luggage tags for your checked luggage because they check those ...Read More

Trip Itinerary for Ecuador

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Friday Depart U.S., arrive Quito, overnight Le Parc HotelSaturday Quito city tour and equator, Vivarium and botanical gardens at La Carolina park, overnight Le Parc HotelSunday Drive to Hacienda Santa Rita, canopy tour (zip line), overnight Hacienda El PorvenirMonday Morning horseback riding and afternoon hike to waterfalls, overnight Hacienda El PorvenirTuesday Hike to Cotopaxi Refuge, drive to Banos via Quisapincha (leather market), overnight Sangay Spa HotelWednesday Buggies to waterfalls, hot springs, overnight Sangay Spa HotelThursday Bus to Quito, overnight Mercure HotelFriday Day in Quito (TeleferiQo and Old Tow...Read More

About the Writer

robin@bolderworks.com

robin@bolderworks.com
Boulder, Colorado

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