Family Adventure - Ecuador and the Galapagos Trip Report
The Rees family trip to Ecuador and the Galapagos 2008
We had always dreamed of going to the Galapagos. The kids really love being outdoors and getting up close to lots of wildlife. The Las Islas Encantadas trip looked great, but it was not exactly what we wanted as we also were keen to cruise around some of the islands by boat and visit the south of the country. So Michaela in the Families Worldwide office helped us to put together a tailor made trip that was exactly right.
Our family was mum, dad and two children aged 13 and 10. The plan was to spend a few days in the high Andes around Quito and Otavalo before flying out to the Galapagos to spend some time on the boat with a few days in a beach front hotel, and then return to the mainland to explore the area around Cuenca.
The Itinerary
Note: This was a private departure, and the itinerary varies from the ones appearing in our brochure.
- Day 1 - Travel to Quito, stay in colonial style hotel in the old town
- Day 2 - Explore the Cotopaxi Volcano National Park
- Day 3 - Free to explore Quito
- Day 4 - Travel to Otavalo, stay in a traditional hacienda and spend the afternoon horse riding
- Day 5 - Visit the famous Otavalo market
- Day 6 - Return to Quito, stopping off for a relaxing dip in the Papallacta hot springs
- Day 7-11 - Fly to the Galapagos and join the boat for five days of cruising and exploring the different islands
- Day 12-13 - Spend a couple of days recovering from the cruise in a beach front hotel
- Day 14 - Travel back to Cuenca on the mainland, staying in another colonial style hotel
- Day 15 - Visit the Cajas National Park
- Day 16 - Visit the Inca ruins at Ingapirca
- Day 17 - Return flight home
Quito and Cotapaxi
Quito is a lovely colonial city. We were staying in the old town which means we were only a short walk to most of the sights, but it was also fun to take the cable car to the top of one of the surrounding mountains and look down on the city. However the highlight was visiting the Cotapaxi National Park, about an hour's drive away, high in the Andes. It is a perfect snow-capped cone, made even more memorable by the sighting of a majestic condor soaring at upwards of 6000m!
Otavalo and the surrounding countryside
After an afternoon spent horse riding out from our hacienda we were up early to get to Otavalo in time to see the livestock market, where the local indigenous people come to trade their cattle, pigs, horses and other more exotic creatures including big fat guinea pigs. But the main reason to visit Otavalo is for the handicraft market, where you can get a great bargain if you are prepared to haggle. The Panama hat comes from Ecuador, so we all came back with one for a few dollars each. The surrounding area is very beautiful with volcanoes and lakes to hike around and explore. On our way back to Quito we stopped at the Papallacta Hot Springs, where you can try a series of bathing pools ranging from freezing cold to seriously hot.
The Galapagos
After flying in from the mainland, we boarded our boat for a five day / four night mini cruise. There is a wide range boats to choose from when booking your holiday, ranging from small and basic to large and luxurious. We opted for the MV Santa Cruz which caters for 90 passengers in comfortable double cabins. The ship travels from one place to the next at night, and then during the day you visit the islands in small groups by Panga, which is a small rubber boat, accompanied by a naturalist guide. There were plenty of opportunities to snorkel with the sea lions (and reef sharks!), or you could take the option of a glass bottomed boat for non-snorkelers. The wildlife was amazing - land iguanas, sea iguanas, sea lions, penguins, blue footed boobies and the famous giant tortoises.
After the cruise we opted to spend a couple of days in the Finch Bay eco hotel, which was an ideal opportunity to chill out by the pool and on the beach before returning to the mainland.
Cuenca and Ingapirca
The great thing about the beach club was that it felt small and safe enough to allow the girls some independence. They could go off for a swim in the pool while I kept an unobtrusive eye from the bungalow or chat to the staff at the beach bar while I lay on a sun bed (bliss!). My 3 year old became very attached to Emily, the English representative out there who also runs the kids' club in summer. Emily spent time with Daisy every day doing craft activities while I got to lie on the beach, join the girls on the water or read a book - Hallelujah!!
Food, drink and general advice
We were pleasantly surprised by the food in Ecuador, although we took a rain-check on the roasted guinea pig! The volcanic soil is very fertile so they grow a huge variety of crops. A meal in a traditional restaurant will usually start with a delicious bowl of potato soup, served with roasted corn and avocado on the side. You could follow this with some grilled meat or seafood, and the most gigantic prawns you have ever seen in your life. But the best thing was the freshly squeezed fruit juices - every place seems to have its own house specials, including many fruits we had never heard of before.
Everyone we met in Ecuador was incredibly friendly. We never felt unsafe anywhere we went, even in Quito after dark. The local tour agents who ran the various trips that we went on were very efficient and all spoke good English. But one thing you should be aware of is the altitude in the Andes, especially when you get above 4000m such as at Cotapaxi and Cajas. It was not enough to make you ill, but you do have to walk slowly and drink lots of water if you find you are affected. A wide range of clothes is also a good idea as it can be quite cold and wet in the cloud forests, but shorts and T-shirts weather in the Galapagos, but you may get wet and muddy on the Panga trips.