In September 2019, I received a business proposal from a company called Ecuatraveling. They asked me if I wanted to come to Ecuador to do some promotion for their country. It sounded too good to be true, so I did some research. It looked legit, so I accepted the proposal. I didn't know much about Ecuador, never actually thought about going there. I had just heard about the Galapagos Islands like everyone else. This time, they wanted me to check out the mainland of Ecuador, the Andes, and the Amazon, which sounded insanely fun and very attractive for my Instagram. After some massive research, I fell in love with the country before even visiting. I was so excited. I started to count down the days; I felt the nervousness and excitement coming at me.

When I landed in Ecuador, one of the owners of Ecuatraveling, Pablo, and his coworker Lois met me at the arriving hall. The first impression was right. I felt like I had known them already for a long time. After picking me up, we went to a pizza place and got to know each other a little more, then Pablo drove me to the hotel Cruz Loma, where I was going to stay for several days. An old but beautiful hotel with views of Rucco Pichincha, the hike I was going to do a couple of days later.

EXPLORE THE CAPITAL OF ECUADOR, QUITO

The day we went to Quito's old town, I noticed the beauty of this spectacular city. Mountains and volcanoes surround Quito, and the green and lush nature make it even better. The buildings are so colorful, and the streets are spotless, which is outstanding since Ecuador is an emerging country. Other emerging countries I have been to has been very shady and dirty, but I found Quito super clean and tidy. I noticed that I felt exhausted and out of breath due to the high altitude. Just by walking a couple of stairs, I was breathing like crazy. It felt like my heart was going to explode at times, which you will get used to, though, but certainly very uncomfortable if you have never experienced high altitude before. Keep in mind that Quito has an elevation of 2850 meters, makes me sweat just writing it.

The main tourist attraction in the city is the old town of Quito. We went to a food market called Mercado central, where we tried fruit I have never seen or heard of before. Maracuya (passion fruit, yellow one), Naranjilla (fruit from the Andes), Tomate de Arbol (tree tomato), Granadilla (family of passionfruit, native to South America), Babaco, Guaba (ice-cream fruit), and Uvilla (Goldenberry). After trying all the different weird fruit, which tasted amazing, we went to the other corner to get some local food; llapingachos, which are fried potato pancakes with sausage, avocado, cheese, salad, and aji. Aji is a spicy sauce made with tomato, onion, tomato de Arbol, cilantro, lemon. Everything I tried was delicious. I love food, and Ecuador certainly provided me with delightful meals, yay.

After the food market, we went to a flea market where they sell old stuff. The market sold everything from shoes, clothing, sewing machines, shakers, posters, books, vinyl, et cetera. I have never been to a flea market like that before, so it was fascinating. It's cool if you want to purchase some souvenirs home. Maybe you can find some treasures there from the old days.

Churches worth checking out in Quito

Other things worth checking out are the Gothic Church, known as Basilica del Voto Nacional. A massive structure, inspired by French architecture located in the neighborhood of San Juan. I am not very into churches, but this one was cool because you could climb the tower and get a view of Quito. It might be a little terrifying if you are afraid of heights. Inside the church, you can find charming stained glass and some narrow bridges you have to cross to get to the top.

I also got to see the famous gold church, known as Iglesia de la Compañia, and the San Francisco church, known as the poor people church. Both churches were worth checking out, but keep in mind that it is not allowed to photograph in the gold church. One of the local guides explained that the San Francisco church was the first site registered in the World Heritage list in 1978. It is the oldest and most religious site in Ecuador. Inside, you will find more than 3000 sacred art pieces, beautiful architecture, and more. Next to the San Francisco church, you will find a stunning cafe located just a few feet from the -church, chocolate heaven.

Best cafe in Quito; Kaya Chocolatier

I assume no bloggers have ever mentioned this place, but it deserves a spot in a blog post. Once you walk into this unique cafe called Kaya Chocolatier, you feel like you are stepping into someone's costly house. You can sit down in some comfortable and elegant chairs next to the open French doors, with a view of Plaza de San Francisco. Keep in mind that this place is not the cheapest, but it has some of the best chocolate desserts and drinks in Quito. Worth a visit. The best time to go there is right before sunset. Update: Unfortunately, they didn’t survive the Covid-19.

Metropolitan Cultural center in the old town of Quito

The public library, which is located in the Historical Centre, has a colonial feeling to it. If you go to the rooftop, you will have a beautiful view of the gold church and the street below. There are plenty of opportunities to take some good photos, both inside and outside the building. I enjoyed the giant araucaria trees. You can find them at the terraces upstairs.

Hike Rucco Pichincha Volcano (4767 mts)

In the middle of the city, you find the spectacular Volcano, Rucco Pichincha. I don't recommend doing this hike the day after you arrive in Quito. Why? Because you have to acclimatize due to the high altitude. You need at least four days to get used to the altitude. I would recommend going to one of the many parks Quito offers to do some easy running or fast walking the days before climbing this mountain. It doesn't look challenging or steep at all, but when you start hiking, the lack of oxygen is hitting your hard, and you will take a lot of breaks to breathe and control your heart rate.

You can take the cable car up to about 4000 m. You start hiking from there. There are beautiful lookouts on the trail, and the swing at the beginning of the trek is incredible. Highly suggest trying the swing early in the morning since the mornings are most apparent. Usually, afternoon it gets cloudy.

The trek is not very challenging. This hike is for everyone in physically good shape. You have to acclimatize. The summit is super beautiful, and you can see the crater from there. When we finally reached the top, the clouds and fog were so heavy that I could barely see anything.

The next days continued with more hiking, cultural experience, and adventures.

The day after the Rucco Pichincha hike, we left the Capital and went to Cotopaxi Refuge. Cotopaxi is an active volcano in the Andes mountains, located in the Latacunga canton of Cotopaxi Province. It takes about 2 hours to get there in a car. About 50 km south of Quito. The volcano is the second highest summit in Ecuador, 5,897 m.

COTOPAXI

When we arrived at the Cotopaxi province, we stayed at a beautiful farm looking place, called Sinche. The views of the Cotopaxi Volcano were so stunning, and the surroundings were so green, and then the magical glacier on top of the volcano just made it unforgettable. We stayed at Sinche one night, and I got to make homemade cheese for the first time. We also hiked Cotopaxi up to 5000 m. I didn't struggle as much as I did at the Rucco Pichincha hike because I got more used to the altitude. This experience was unique. We ate and got something to drink at the Cotopaxi refuge cafe. There were plenty of pictures of people that had summited the volcano. They usually have to start trekking at 2 a.m. because of the melting snow and avalanche danger. The hike is a little challenging, very steep, but super worth it.

The day after, we woke up early for a super good homemade breakfast. There was juice, homemade drinking yogurt, fruits, granola, empanadas, and good hosts. After breakfast, we packed our things and headed out. We did some off-roading, and it was so much fun, they even let me drive, Woop Woop. One of the guides, Esteban, flew his drone to make some epic footage of the off-roading. We saw wild horses during the offroad driving, something I had never seen before, so that was indeed an experience for me. There were also llamas, which supposedly are everywhere in Ecuador.

QUIOTOA LAGOON + TOACHI CANYON

After a couple of days in Quito and Cotopaxi, I couldn't wait to see some water. We went to Quilotoa. Little did I know this was a volcano crater filled with greenish-blue water. I have never seen anything like it before. It's a lagoon surrounded by hills and volcanoes in the background. You can hike around the crater. It's about 10km if you take the correct route. There are lots of different trails that take you down to the lagoon or around. We went down to the lake. The hike down takes about 20 minutes. The walk back up will take a lot longer because of the altitude. I don't remember how long it took us, but much longer than 20 minutes for sure. When we reached the bottom, I did some photographing, and then the guide said we were going to do some kayaking. The weather wasn't the best, but we had a lot of fun, and I recommend doing some kayaking while visiting this crater. You can go back up with a mule, but I don't recommend doing so. They get super stressed and tired from walking up and down that hill several times a day, every day.

The guides also showed me the famous Toachi Canyon. A super dry canyon with a couple of cool cliffs in the middle of the canyon. You can go out on these, but be careful and watch your step because it gets narrow, and it is a high fall in case you trip or slip. After seeing canyons in the states, this wasn't the most outstanding I've seen, but it is cool to stop for couple minutes, take some photos and maybe say hi to the Lamas standing there waiting for tourists. It is on the way to Quilotoa lagoon, so no detour to get here.

CHIMBORAZO

We were finally arriving at the highest mountain in Ecuador, Chimborazo. It is currently an inactive volcano in the Cordillera Occidental range of the Andes. The elevation of the volcano is 6,263 m. We drove up to the refuge, which is around 4,870 m. We walked up to the monument, which took us maybe 10 minutes. I struggled a lot because of the altitude, haha. It was kind of a beautiful and sad sight at the same time. The view of Chimborazo and the surroundings was unreal, above the clouds and llamas roaming free. Then we saw the memorial of the people who didn't do the climb, which was a sad sight. The most recent person who died was a local guide.

BAÑOS

Driving from Chimborazo to Baños was a blast. We stopped a couple of times on the way. Plenty of unique viewpoints. Baños is a city in the Tungurahua province, the gateway to the nearby Amazon Basin, so you can just imagine the lush beauty there. It honestly reminded me of home, tall mountains, narrow green, lush valley, and waterfalls everywhere. Baños was honestly my favorite town in Ecuador. I enjoyed it so much.

The swing with the active volcano in the background

The first thing we did when we arrived was to go to Casita Del Arbol. There are two huge swings there, where you fly out into the infinity. The Tungurahua Volcano is right behind you, and you can take excellent pictures with yourself on the swing and the volcano in the background. This volcano is the most active in Ecuador. It has several eruptions each year. The swing, though, super awesome and fun. A man was standing there pushing you to get a higher speed, and I'm telling you, I thought I was going to fall off at some point. I tried it several times, people were standing in line, but I didn't care, I wanted a good picture, and I thought it was so much fun. I can't wait to go back there and try it again. I read a couple of blogs that say you are not that high off the ground. If you have someone strong to push you, you will fly so high that your belly is going to crumble.

Canyoning with "Jose two dogs official."

On the entire press trip, I kind of just went with the flow. I kind of asked what would be our next adventures but not much more than that. I heard that we were going to go canyoning. In my head, that would be something like kayaking, but in a canoe. It was not what I thought it was. It was more similar to what I know; rappelling. Canyoning is an adventure sport that combines jumping, rappelling, scrambling, and swimming as a way to navigating your way through canyons and waterfalls. Something I probably wouldn't agree to do if I knew what it was. But oh my, what an experience. The team was great, so knowledgable and funny.

The surroundings were outstanding, with beautiful waterfalls and lush green forest like everywhere else in Banos. The company owners provided us with a wet suit, helmets, special shoes, and ropes. We had to hike up a little to start the canyoning. I was so scared. I couldn't imagine id said yes to do something like this. They showed us how to do everything, and they kept repeating it at every new waterfall, which was good because I tend to forget everything while I'm nervous. They made me feel safe until the last waterfall. 45 meter high waterfall, just waiting for me to jump. It was so terrifying, but when I landed safely, and the adrenaline rush was calming a little, I felt so light. I think it is one of the coolest things I have ever done. So next time I go, I'm not going to think, just jump.

Biking the Ruta de las Cascadas

Again, Banos is terrific for all kinds of adventure; hiking, swimming, hot springs, climbing, biking, zip-lining, and so on. We were going to bike the Ruta de las Cascadas. It is one of the best experiences I have from the whole trip. The waterfall makes my trip, and this route had waterfalls around every corner. The biking was a little challenging since I was not in good shape. But when I got into a good flow, it was awesome. I didn't care about my heavy breathing and lack of lung capacity. The guide told me that we don't need to stop by every waterfall because the main waterfalls we were going to would be even better.

I insisted on stopping by every waterfall we passed, and I don't regret it. I loved them all, and they all were exceptional in their way. When we finally reached the Pailon del Diablo, I was in total excitement. Huge waterfalls were bouldering down, hanging bridges, canyons, and the greenest lush forest you can imagine. Also, the stairs were photogenic. You can imagine the beauty there. We spent hours here, just walking around.

Spa

I also got the opportunity to try one of the many spas there. Super needed after long days with adventures. I don't even think it matters where you go. They all are known to be very good. The prices are affordable, and there are several different types of massages, from chocolate to fish, eating the dead skin off your feet. If you just want a regular massage, they have that too.

Cafe del Cielo

If you want the best seat in town for a coffee or food, Cafe del Cielo is the place to go. You have a complete panorama view of Baños town, and if you want to spend more money, you can also swim in the infinity pool located in the hotel (Luna Volcan, Adventure spa) above the cafe.

Luna Volcan, Adventure spa

The hot springs were such a relaxed experience. The only thing I didn't like at the pool was that you had to wear an ugly bath shower cap. Seriously though, not cool. The cafe and pool are not far away from the famous swing, so take the time to do both early mornings or around sunset. We did it during the evening, and the light was just insane for photos. I went there for the pictures and because of the beautiful location. I think it is usually $20 each person to use the spa.

GETTING CLOSER TO THE AMAZON

After a couple of days in Baños (too short if you want to have the full experience), we were heading for Tena, the Napo Province capital, a city of the Amazon rainforest. We didn't spend long there, because we were going to meet up with a big group of people to go to Waita lodge in Cuyabeno.

TENA

The reason why people usually head down to Tena is because of the beautiful rafting and kayaking experiences. There are rivers all around Tena, varying in difficulty for rafters. We went there for the rafting experience, and I thought it was going to be boring. I have been rafting several times, and every time it was slow and not very challenging. So I didn't have any expectations. But this time was something else. I don't think my throat was happy with me after the rafting because screaming became a thing. Haha. It was so scary. I thought I was going to fly off the raft. Luckily I didn't.

The only time I fell off was when the guide threw me out in the river. It felt perfect. We stopped to get lunch, and I got to see the local kids swimming in the river with empty water bottles for safety. They were all naked, and the moms washed their clothes in the river on the other side. Some of them even got a lift with rafts to get to the other side of the river. Super unique cultural experience.

Very humble experience. After lunch, I started to get very cold, so I borrowed one of the guide's t-shirts. It helped, and once we got back in the raft, I forgot the cold due to the adrenaline.

The sunset was about to happen, and the colors were so intense. When we finished, I asked one of the guides to swim in the river next to where the car picked us up. One of the guides joined me, the water was warm, and I could honestly stay there forever. It was so exotic to me. I want to do the rafting again and take pictures of the whole experience instead of relying on another photographer, which doesn't know my style or how I want my photos. I have learned a lot from this experience, though.

CUYABENO WILDLIFE RESERVE, AMAZON

There is something special about the Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve. It lies on the foothills of the Andes. What is so special with Cuyabeno is that the park has narrow river branches, which means you are closer to wildlife onshore. Listening to the monkeys, all the different birds, such as toucan, hummingbirds, and harpy eagle, hoping to see the Amazon cat, snakes, piranha, and caimans. I heard over 240 different species of plants in one hectare, each with some medical use, over 500 other species of birds, 165 various mammals, and around 470 species of fishes that live in the Cuyabeno Reserve.

I was so lucky to see some monkeys, many different birds, pink dolphins (Inia Geoffrensis), fishing bats, and a lot of insects. We were fortunate to spot and hold (if we wanted to) a tarantula. I didn't. I can't stand spiders.

THE AMAZON EXPERIENCE, WHAT WE DID

A small tree boat to get there

We had to get into a tree boat to get to Waita Lodge, far into the jungle. It took us 4. I didn't think about the time at all. I had so much fun talking with the guide and listen to the fantastic stories from the Amazon. We had to keep in mind that there would be no service in the jungle, which I loved. They also told us always to use bug spray, mosquitoes are real in the Amazon. I was terrified of maybe finding a spider on top of me while sleeping, but luckily that didn't happen.

Most tasteful food I had in Ecuador

The chefs at Waita Lodge was something else. The food was so good. I just wanted to eat all day long because it was so tasty. The Chef was a local living in the Amazon. He had no education but truly an eye for good recipes; Chicken, green banana soup with cow ribs, yuca tortillas with homemade fresh cheese, to mention a few of the dishes we had. Every morning we got fresh juice blended with local tropical fruits. What I appreciated about the food and drinks was that everything was homemade and fresh

Birdwatching

Birdwatch wasn't mandatory, so I went only two times. Since I'm not very fascinated by birds, it was kind of boring. We saw many birds, and the guide kept talking about the different species and why he was so thrilled by them. There was one bird I liked, and that was the toucan, super cool bird. The other day I joined, we went to a bird watchtower. The tower itself was very cool. The views were extraordinary. You could see everything from there.

Paddleboarding:

Paddleboarding was on the list of the things we could do. It was exciting and a super cool experience to paddle through the riverbank, in the middle of the Ecuadorian jungle. We paddled for hours, knowing that we could encounter the scary piranha if we fell in the water. The guide fell in the water several times, not having the needed balance for the board. Pink dolphins surrounded us. They were super curious.

Yoga

I'm not too fond of yoga, it's too difficult for me, but I did join the group. I tried to be serious, but I couldn't stop laughing, and all the guys were standing behind us, looking at us doing all the yoga poses. Awkward, I know. But this is a super cool experience if you are into yoga. I mean, it is good for us, so why not try some yoga in the middle of the jungle of the Amazon? I would probably do it again, and maybe learn something if I got the opportunity. It is kind of sexy, though.

Night walk

If there is something I appreciated from the Amazon, it would be the night walk. After the sun sets, insects are getting out of their shield to work. We saw many different insects. The guides were informed and could answer all our questions. The fireflies were fantastic, and the sound they make sounds like something is ticking. The sound of the jungle at night is just something everyone should experience once in their lifetime.

Day walk

The next morning we went back into the rainforest where we did the night walk. But now we were going to see the insects and animals during daylight. We saw thousands of aunts working, carrying leaves. Spiders, monkeys jumping from tree to tree, curious about us. We also got to see many ceibo trees, and we got to try some natural medicine for our nose, which was horrible, but fun. The guides let us taste the lemon aunts and stick our hands inside their nests. The group that went before us tasted larvae as well. I don't know about that, living larvae inside my mouth? No thanx, but I'm sure it is a really cool experience for the brave ones.

THE LAST DAYS IN ECUADOR

CUICOCHA

After the Amazon, we went back to Quito. The plan was that I was going to stay in a hostel. But plans change, and I started to hang out more with Pablo. I stayed with him. Instead of staying in a hostel and being by myself in the city as planned, we went to Cuicocha, hot springs, and the coast.

Cuicocha is a crater lake at the foot of Cotacachi Volcano in the Ecuadorian Andes. It's an easy walk where you walk around the crater with beautiful scenery around every corner. You can choose between hiking the entire crater, which is pretty far, or just do a small hike to get a good impression of the surroundings. You need your ID, I always forget my passport number, so I usually just write something. The guards never check anyway. Most people will see this hike as very challenging due to the altitude. But if you have hiked a little and done some acclimatizing, it should be reasonably easy to do this hike.

The hike around the crater takes 4 hours if you are not a fast walker. For some people, it might take longer. It depends on your physical health, and if you want to take pictures. The path is very well maintained, and you won't get lost. Bring a lot of water since there is nowhere to fill your bottles. It is also possible to walk down to the lagoon to do a boat safari. There are two small islands at the center of the lake, cool for pictures. The water doesn't have any fish due to the volcanic gasses.

PAPALLACTA HOT SPRINGS

After almost a month of traveling, hiking, adventuring through Ecuador, I felt like I needed some peaceful adventure for a change. We went to the hot springs in Papallacta. The entire place is so relaxing with thermal pools. We went when it was dark, the stars were out, and it was so cold, so when we stepped into the springs, it was almost too warm—what a lovely feeling. The water is super clean, and you can find different pools with varying temperatures and depths. The locker rooms were kept tidy.

Termas Papallacta's website says, "The hot springs that feed Termas Papallacta arise from deep geological layers through fissures up to the surface with all its health potential. The source temperature of the thermal baths varies between 30 and 70 degrees Celsius. At the pools, the temperature ranges from 36 to 38 degrees Celsius."

HEADED TO THE COAST

Beaches, palm trees, and rocky roads were something I missed, so we went to the coast. We were supposed to stay in a hostel there with other travelers, but the electricity went off, and without electricity, we can't take a shower. We booked another place and stayed for 2 days.

Mompiche

If you want to go to Ecuador for the beaches, I would recommend Galapagos Islands, but if you want to visit the Andes and have a couple of days to spare or want some beach life to be part of your trip, you should definitely visit the coast of Ecuador. Relaxing place with beaches everywhere. Fishermen fishing every day, which will probably be your dinner. The food is the same wherever you go, and most of the food is fried. It is a very cheap option compare to, for example, the Galapagos.

Isla the Portete

We headed over to Isla de Portete, highly recommended. To get there, you need to take a boat, which costs just a few pennies. Its an island with white sand and amazingly lukewarm water and some shy waves. The island is full of palm trees, and it makes it look like a Caribbean island. I think this island is the most beautiful beach in Ecuador mainland.

SUMMARY OF MY TRIP WITH ECUATRAVELING

I feel so humbled going on this trip with a really professional and honest tourist company like Ecuatraveling. After visiting the old Quito's old town, hiking volcanoes, checking out the famous Andes, swimming in hot springs, watching pink dolphins in the Amazon, biking the route of waterfalls, and hanging outside a cliff on a swing with an active volcano in the background. Visiting an island full of palm trees and driving from the cold Andes down to the warm coast. It has been a blast visiting this small and underestimated country. The country has a good infrastructure, and there are so many things you can see and do in a short amount of time. The prices in Ecuador are reasonable, so you can travel on a budget.

THINGS WORTH KNOWING ABOUT ECUADOR

Ecuador is unique because of Mount Chimborazos located just one degree south of the equator where the earth's bulge is most significant, the highest point from the earth's center.
Ecuador uses the US dollar.
People are genuinely nice here.
Ecuador means the Equator in Spanish. (The equator runs through the country)
Cars won't stop for pedestrians, be careful.
Use a sunscreen. It is easier to get sunburnt in Ecuador.
Ecuador has the first UNESCO World Heritage Sites, Galapagos Island.
Ecuador is a third-world country. High rates of poverty, corruption, and low education levels.
Public transportation is cheap and easy to understand
Few people speak English.
Quito is currently building a metro underground.
Catcalling by men to women is very annoying, and it happens all the time. Just show them your middle finger and walk away.
Altitude sickness can strike anyone, no matter your physical health.
Quito is 2,850 meters above sea level.
Don't drink tap water.
Robbery is common. Watch your things
The most beautiful waterfall in Ecuador; San Rafael falls, is no longer visible due to its disappearance.
You should have cash at all times.
The Tren Ecuador is no longer running, so you won't experience the Devils Nose train ride.
Ecuador is safe for solo and female travellers, just be smart and have a common travel sense.
Ecuador is one of the most species-rich countries globally because of the varied ecosystem found in the country.
Ecosystems in Ecuador include the Andes mountain range, cloud-forests, the Amazon rainforest, mangroves, coastal regions, and a tropical dry forest.
Expensive shopping, since everything is imported. Brands in particular.
Ecuador has 47 volcanoes in total, of which 27 are active.
Health care in Ecuador is outstanding and cheap.

To book a trip, or if you have any questions, head over to Their website to get more information.

ECUADOR, THE COUNTRY OF FOUR WORLDS WITH ECUATRAVELING