This weekend we opted to take our last “solo” trip here in Ecuador. While our two-week stay in Mindo has been a relaxing contrast to the bustle of Quito, we’ve discovered that wet weather daily is a prerequisite for being called a “cloud forest”. We needed a little taste of equatorial sun and the playa in Tonsupa offered exactly that. Problem is Mindo is a small village (population 3,000) and we really had no easy way to buy tickets to get there (unlike the capital city of Quito where you can easily venture anywhere). Good thing we’ve had a few weeks of practice fumbling our way around the country…
Otavalo: Our first trip out of Quito was ~90 minutes north. Otavalo is a town built entirely around a GIANT outdoor market every Saturday. The commute was relatively straightforward via Metrobus ride to Ophelia station (northwest corner of Quito), a transfer bus to the transit hub of Carcelen (north station), and a long-haul bus directly to the center of Otavalo. We toured the market and bought some lovely sweaters and a scarf made of alpaca fur, a few gifts for family, and handmade notebooks for the boys complete with their own personalized covers. For the afternoon we taxied to nearby Peguche for a short hike to see a spectacular waterfall.
Baños: Our second weekend in Ecuador involved a trip to Baños, which is the subject of an earlier blog post. Roughly 3.5 hours south of Quito via direct commuter bus there and back from Quitumbe station (the south end of Quito). Easy peasy.
Guayaquil: We spent two nights in Ecuador’s largest city on our way back from the Galápagos, easily accommodated via a 45-minute flight to Quito. Their waterfront park called Malecon 2000 offered great sights and sounds for an afternoon->evening and we toured nearby Parque Histórico before jet-setting home in time for Sunday dinner with our host family.
Quilotoa: The Quilotoa Loop is a collection of small indigenous towns nestled in the central sierra of Ecuador. Being high in the Andes makes this journey popular for multi-day hikers, especially with the reward of a spectacular crater lake to finish the route. We didn’t have the time nor patience for this type of excursion so instead opted to set up base camp for an overnight in nearby Latacunga (~90 minutes south of Quito, on the way to Baños) and ride buses that connect the villages until we reached the lake. We encountered our first weather-related challenges upon arrival, enduring 20 minutes of walking in cold rain from the Latacunga bus station to our hostel (which additionally had a leak in its “skylight” and soaked the fifth bed in our room that we thankfully didn’t need). I awoke early the next morning hoping to see the sunrise behind nearby Cotopaxi, but was disappointed when thick cloud cover quickly turned to being completely socked in. We discussed as a family and opted to bail on the final leg to Quilotoa (another 2 hours there + 3.5 hours back to Quito) as all forecasts predicted the weather would only worsen as the day progressed. Quilotoa — actually hiking the loop — is first on the list for our next visit to Ecuador.
Tonsupa: Along the northern coast is this small resort town near the much more popular seaside community of Atacames. Travel there involved a taxi, almost hopping on the wrong bus in the nearby big town, having to switch buses mid-route, and a six-hour journey. Enjoyed two days alternating between the beach and the pool trying to decide what was warmer. Would have considered even looking at real estate in the area (prices for a 1-bedroom condo starting at $34,800) except for the earthquake experienced in 2016 (extent of damage is still not fully assessed) and signs for tsunami evacuation routes dotting the community. Our return trip was relatively calm once we forced our way onto the correct bus at an impromptu stop, and then thankfully only had to stand for 45 minutes instead of the full 2-hour ride.
We’ve had a wonderful time traveling around this country of amazingly diverse landscapes and ecosystems. Our final trek will be to the Cuyabeno Reserve next weekend — the boys can’t wait for this jungle experience!
Perrin Family Adventures 