Soon Rosalind and I will be meeting up with Layla and Carol in Quito, Ecuador. We fly from London and will arrive in Quito in the afternoon Ecuador time and will be met at the airport and taken to our hotel, Hotel Quito for an overnight stay. Layla is flying from Hawaii and her mother Carol is flying from South Carolina, USA. Video picures of Hotel Quito can be seen on their website www.hotelquito.com. It has several restaurants and bars, a coffee shop and night club as well as a heated pool.
The following day we will be collected and taken to the airport once more for our flight to the Galapagos islands where we will stay two nights in a hotel in Puerta Ayora on Isla Santa Cruz before embarking on our 7 night cruise on a brand new first class yacht. We were orignally booked on the Guantanamera but have now been allocated cabins on the Yolita II, at no extra cost, which is a brilliant bonus for us. After our cruise we will be taken to the airport and will fly back to Quito, staying overnight once more in Hotel Quito.
Our itinerary therefore looks like this:
Day 1 - arrival in Quito at 4.15 in the afternoon and transfer to Hotel Quito. Dinner in one of the restaurants of the hotel and a fairly early night as we have to be up pretty early next morning. Also having travelled continuously since the night before I am sure we will be quite exhausted.
Day 2 - after an early breakfast we will be collected at 5 am and taken to the airport again. Here we have to pay the 100 dollar national park entry fee in cash before our flight and keep the receipt for the duration of our stay. The Galapagos islands are 1000 km, 600 miles out from the coast of Ecuador and the flight takes about an hour and a half. As we prepare to land in Baltra, we must peer out the window. The landscape below will seem out of this world – and it is for we will have come to a place like no other. Emily and Mauricio are going to meet us off the plane and take us to our hotel where we will be at leisure for the next two nights but Emily will give us some suggestions. At 12.30 today we will all be having lunch with Emily and Mauricio at Sol y Mar Hotel where local animals snooze on the terrace, something I suggested so that we can actually meet them. We will spend the afternoon exploring the island. Dinner later in a nearby restaurant and we will check out local night life!
Day 3 - Today we will have time to enjoy Puerto Ayora and maybe even visit one of the other islands. Dinner in a different restaurant tonight. Maybe a few drinks in local bars.
Day 4 - After breakfast we’ll get the 9 am bus to board the Yolita II yacht (our home for the next 7 nights). We will have lunch on board and our naturalist guide will tell us about the flora and fauna we will encounter at our first destination, Las Baltras beach this afternoon, where we will see flamingoes and marine iguanas and spend some time snorkelling. On the sandy white beaches of Las Bachas we will get a close look at a sea turtle nesting area and a lake frequented by leggy pink flamingos and other migratory birds. We will also see marine iguanas and afterwards, have our first dip in the blue waters of the Pacific Ocean.
We will next arrive at Black Turtle Cove located near Las Bachas beach in the north of Santa Cruz Island. This excursion provides passengers with a “panga” ride though mangroves, during which the outboard motor of the small boat is turned off. This allows close observation of Sea Turtles, White Tipped Reef Sharks, Spotted Eagle Rays, and Yellow Rays. As this is our first evening together, the crew will invite us to a pre-dinner cocktail on the yacht before the welcome dinner. If the night is clear, as it usually is, the stars above will bedazzle; we must look for the Southern Cross, the Big Dipper (turned up-side down!) and Orion.
Day 5 - 2nd day of cruise - South Plazas Island and Santa Fe Island
After breakfast we will sail to South Plazas Island, where a large colony of sea lions lounge daily in the equatorial sun. Plaza also boasts excellent examples of typical Galapaganean flora such as the towering cacti "trees" that form the principal diet for both the land iguanas and the cactus finch. Other birds that may fly by include lava gulls, yellow warblers and red-billed tropicbirds with their elaborate tails.
After lunch on the yacht, we continue to Santa Fe Island, a sea journey of two and a half hours. Upon arrival at the island, we will be treated to a noisy welcome by the local sea lion colony. Following our naturalist guide on the island paths we will come to Santa Fe's main attraction, a towering forest of giant cacti. Scattered around the cacti trees we will see a number of the island's indigenous sun-seekers: marine and land iguanas, the rainbow-streaked lava lizards and, if we are lucky, land tortoises – the namesakes of the islands. We will also see many varieties of sea birds.
After our walk we will plunge into the sea and snorkel in the company of sealions, lion fish and sea turtles. Finally, we will return to the yacht for dinner.
Day 6 - 3d day of cruise - Espanola Island, Suarez Point and Garner Bay
Espanola is one of the most magical of all the islands. It is a place where the animals reign supreme and we humans are merely guests. As our dingy brings us to shore we will see sea lion pups sunbathing with marine iguanas and blue footed boobies nesting in between. Nearby may be a Galapagos hawk. If it is boobie mating season we can watch the bonded pairs do the infamous boobie dance (if it's not mating season we can ask our guide to demonstrate - after all it's his job to teach us about the local fauna!!). We will also see nasca boobies and albatross. Our exploration will take place after a morning snorkel.
Lion fish, flycatchers, and Galapagos hawks will keep us company as we relax under the rays of the evening sun. Dinner on the yacht completes our day.
Day 7 - 4th day of cruise - Floreana Island, Cormorant Point and Corona del Diablo
Today when we awake and peer out our porthole we will see Floreana, one of the greenest islands in the archipelago. We must ask our guide to tell us about its mysterious history laden with rumors of witches, murderous baronesses, blackmail and dubious disappearances. In the morning we will visit Garner Bay, where the island's original post office – really only a wooden barrel – was established in 1793. The current system still functions as it did three centuries ago. This is a great place for sunbathing, swimming and snorkeling and we can leave postcards for future visitors. We will also visit Punta Cormorant, where we follow a footpath to a lagoon inhabited by flaming-pink flamingos. We will also pass by Carolina Beach, a sea turtle nesting area and a superb spot for watching sea birds and sea rays. Back on our yacht in the afternoon, we skirt the island's coast until we arrive at La Corona del Diablo (the Devil's Crown), a submarine crater that offers some of the most spectacular snorkeling in the Galapagos.
Day 8 - 5th day of cruise - Santa Cruz Island
We will visit the station's Tortoise Rearing Center. Here we can find tortoises, hand-sized between the ages of one and five, and marvel at how they achieve such a large size as adults (500 lbs or more!). Galapagos tortoises are believed to have a lifespan of over 100 years, so the young ones have a long life ahead of them as long as they receive the protection they need. As well as the Charles Darwin Station headquarters, Santa Cruz boasts the largest town and economic center of the Galapagos, Puerto Ayora. After our visit to the Charles Darwin station we can check-out the uniquely Galapaganean ceramic shop near the entrance. We can also buy souvenirs of the islands (postcards, t-shirts, books, etc). After lunch on the boat we will explore the upper region ('parte alta') of the island, a moisture-rich area with fertile volcanic soils – here we will see giant tortoises. We will learn about the vegetation and animal life of this zone, often strikingly different than that found at lower elevations.
Day 9 - 6th day of cruise - Rabida Island and Bartolome Island
We will wake-up in the morning to the sound of barking sea lions and the lapping of the sea. After breakfast we will travel by dingy to the seashell-pink sands of Rabida Island. Here we will see a pelican nesting area on the beach, and then we will set off on the short path across the island, gazing at the sea birds whirling overhead. After stopping at two Kodak worthy viewpoints we will return to the boat for lunch. After lunch we will visit nearby Bartolome Island, which at its highest point (114m) has one of the most photographed vistas in the archipelago. This island is quite young and quite volcanic. Therefore, it's relatively unpopulated; only a small handful of die-hard plant and animal species have survived long enough to call this otherworldly lava-land home.
Day 10 - 7th day of cruise - Genovese Island
This is the island of the birds and we will see many many varieties including the red footed boobies.
Day 11 - last day of cruise - North Seymour Island
After an early breakfast we will disembark at our last stop, North Seymour Island. Here we will see the nesting grounds of the frigatebirds, as well as the clownish blue-footed booby, and of course the ubiquitous sea lions.
With luck we will witness the striking courtship display of the male frigate bird, in which he inflates a red balloon-like sac below his throat and struts his stuff for all of the young females. We may also see land iguanas and marine iguanas. We will then sail to Baltra Island and be transferred to the airport for our flight back to Ecuador. We will then be transferred back to Quito Hotel again about 4 pm, will have dinner in the hotel and maybe check out the night club.
Birds and Birdwatching at Tinalandia (www.tinalandia.com)
The grounds of the Tinalandia Ecolodge offer some of the best birding opportunities in Ecuador. Although we were originally planning to get the bus to Tinalandia we have since decided to pay the extra to be transferred from Quito by private car. This costs 160 dollars and as there are four of us to share the cost, at least it means we can get there in 3 hours.
Days 12–15 - Tinalandia Bird Reserve in the Cloud Forest is where we will be staying for the next 3 nights. Tinalandia is a unique ecolodge in the cloud forests of Ecuador, and rests on the Western slope of the the Andes, at the southern end of the Choco bio-region and is part of the rain forest too. At an ideal altitude of 2,000 feet above sea level, Tinalandia is one of the most biodiverse places on Earth. While a single night´s stay would enable us to see many of the over 350 species found in the reserve (about half as many species as exist on the entire North American continent), a 3 or 4 day stay allows ample time to explore all of the reserve and hike across the rainforest to the edge of the "moss forest" where we will see even more varieties of birds. Those who make the hike into this habitat may very well encounter the fabled Long-wattled Umbrella bird, the exotic Golden-winged manakin, and the Glistening-green Tanager, among others. The great biodiversity, the open grasslands of the golf course and the abundance of natural food, make Tinalandia a perfect environment for butterflies as well. Everywhere we look we will see butterflies alighting on flowers and plants, posing for perfect photos for visitors to observe their beauty. Night time brings out an incredible diversity of moths, drawn to the warm lights of their lodges. In fact, a new species of moth was recently discovered and documented at Tinalandia – it will soon be named officially for their eco-lodge in scientific archives and journals.
Lodging at Tinalandia
Tinalandia has two main lodging facilities: on the lower bank are the reception area and dining hall; the other on the upper bank hosts the main guest rooms and a recreation hall. Next to the upper cabins is a 9-hole golf course which provides ample opportunities for butterfly-watching, as well as seeking birds that prefer open spaces and forest edges. The 16 rooms, each with its own unique style, accommodate 41 guests and give Tinalandia an aristocratic character and charm. The recreation hall is formed of an enormous interwoven network of "hard as stone" wooden floorboards. Card tables, several sofas and hammocks provide rest and relaxation after a long day of observation and adventure. A spectacular view from the screened windows spanning the length of the wall reveals the splendor of Tinalandia´s location. For those who choose to spend the night listening to the nocturnal symphony of birds and insects, an Old-World patio grants you an extended vista over the valley of the river Toachi.
Designed in the 1950's, Tinalandia offers a perfect synthesis of nature and civilization - amazing vistas, clean rooms, private baths with hot water showers, and 24-hour electricity (supplemented by the owner´s own hydro-electric system) make this natural reserve as modern and comfortable as it is natural.
The meals at Tinalandia are wholesome, home-cooked, delicious dishes. Most of the fruits are collected from Tinalandia´s own gardens - they harvest only that which is necessary and leave the rest to drop to the ground for the birds and insects of the region. Most vegetables are bought in Quito from a hydroponic and organic French farm. A typical meal consists of soup, potatoes or rice, vegetables, and meat or fish.
Day 16 - Thursday - we will travel back to Quito today and stay at L’Auberge guesthouse - situated in the old town of Quito. Depending on what time we get back there may be time for a little exploration around Quito and we will find a nice restaurant for dinner. Maybe even visit a Pena – a possible venue could be Pena Nucanchi, Av universitario and Armero, Tel (02) 254 0967 which is one of the best penas in town where one can listen to live local folkloric music.
Day 17 - Friday - Otavalo
Today after breakfast we will accompany Carol to the airport for her flight home - later in the day we will take a bus north to Otavalo and make our way to Casa Mojanda, an eco-lodge, andean inn and farm situated up the mountain above Otavalo itself - we will stay here the next four nights. We will probably arrive in time for lunch, which can be taken as an optional extra and spend the afternoon settling in, visiting the animals on the farm which includes llamas. Our plan tonight is to visit one of the penas in town and listen to some live folkloric music, but not too late a night as we need to be up early next day for the market.
Day 18 – Saturday
From a cozy rammed earth cottage, we will wake up to bird calls and breathtaking views of forested mountains, terraced farms and legendary volcanoes. After breakfast a taxi into town for the famous Saturday market where we will spend a good part of the day, taking lunch in town. Back to Casa Mojanda in time for dinner. Then another taxi back to Otavalo for an evening of live folkloric andean music at one of the penas.
OTAVALO MARKET - even hardened skinflints won’t be able to resist bagging a few of the fabulous handicrafts and weavings on offer at one of the largest and most colourful artesania markets on the continent. Every Friday afternoon Otavalo comes to life as pick up trucks laden with merchandise and vendors bent double under great blocks of textiles stream into town from the surrounding countryside, preparing for the fabulous Saturday Market. The Plaza de Ponchos is the centre of activity where indigenas dressed in their finery offer a wide range of clothes, textiles, hammocks and weavings, as well as jewellry, ceramics, dolls and other crafts. Artisan stalls spill off the square in all directions, especially up Sucre, recently improved with wide pavements and gaudy lampposts, all the way to the Parque Central. By 7am on Saturday morning the market is already buzzing, so we need to arrive early for the widest choices and lowest prices, before the tour groups roll in from Quito from 9 to 10 am.
The saturday craft market has become such big business that most of the town’s weaving and artesania shops stay open throughout the week, and we will find stalls in Plaza de Ponchos every day, particularly during the busy wednesday market which is not a bad substitute for the real thing. Otavalo’s market can get very crowded at times, providing perfect cover for pickpockets and bag slashers so we must take care of our valuables and keep them hidden from view as much as possible. The energy and excitement generated by the market find their outlet on Friday and Saturdays in Otavalo’s Penas, several of which offer live music at some point during the evening – usually folklorica, traditional andean folk songs accompanied by rondador, small panpipes, flute, charango and guitars, but sometimes salsa or tropical music is performed. Pena Amauta, Jaramillo and Morales, across from Pena La Jampa is a friendly spot with good established folklorica groups. Food available at upstairs restaurant Fri and Sat 8pm to 2am with live music from 10pm. Entrance £2. Pena La Jampa features good live folklorica but sometimes offers other types of music. Live music 9.30 entrance £2 to £3. We carefully planned when we’d visit Otavalo to take advantage of the live folkloric pena music on Friday and Saturday nights.
Day 19 – Sunday
After breakfast we will probably visit Peguche, a village a couple of miles away, which is famous for its own style of andean music. Possibilities are endless - we can walk, horseback ride or bike on mountain trails, passing terraced farms, gorges humming with birds, waterfalls and crater lakes. We will be on top of the world if we explore the Mojanda Lakes, the surrounding paramo grasslands and high montane cloud forests. If we wish we can buy handcrafts directly from artisan families, and even arrange to visit a yachac or shamanic healer. Rosalind and Layla might want to go horse-riding although I have no experience of this, especially on mountain trails. I would probably be happy to stay on the farm and enjoy the animals whilst they do this. After dinner in the evening we might soak in the hot tub on the mountain side under the stars and listen to the andean music which is played in Casa Mojanda each evening.
Day 20 – Monday
Our plan today after breakfast is to visit Ibarra for the whole day, taking a bus and exploring the town. Maybe find Mario Remache, Adrian’s friend. Having lunch there and further exploration of the town before getting a bus back to Casa Mojanda in time for dinner and either enjoy another soak in the hot tub or pay a last visit to Otavalo town or Peguche depending on what’s on.
Day 21 – Tuesday
After breakfast we will return to Quito and will probably have to change buses there in order to get one heading south for Riobamba where the plan on Wednesday is to experience one of the world’s great feats of railway engineering from the train as it descends the Andes over the Devil’s Nose, in a sequence of thrilling switchback turns. It is a good idea to get our tickets the day before travelling to avoid the long queues.
In 1899 work started on Ecuador’s first railway, which would link the coastal city of Guayaquil with the capital Quito in the highlands. As the tracks advanced eastwards towards the mighty barrier of The Andes it was obvious that a serious challenge lay ahead. The most difficult part was met 130 km east of Guayaquil when the tracks reached the near vertical wall of rock known as Nariz del Diablo, Devil’s Nose. The ingenious solution was to carve a series of tight zigzags out of the rock, which allowed the train to climb at a gradient of 1 in 18 from 1806 metres to 2607 metres by going forwards then backwards up the track. The service from Guayaquil to Riobamba and Quito continued to run until 1997 when the tracks were devastated by El Nino. The 100 km stretch between Riobamba and Sibambe at the end of the Devil’s Nose descent has since been restored and is now operated by the Empresa Nacional de Ferocarriles del Estado as a tourist service; there are no plans to repair the rest of the line. Considered one of the highlights of a trip to Ecuador by many visitors, the ride offers spectacular views of Chimborazo and Carihuariazo, and a thrilling descent down the Devil’s nose itself over spindly bridges which span mind boggling deep ravines. Until recently the most popular way to travel was on the roof of the train, to the amusement of the locals who watched it trundle by, piled high with gringos. Nowadays riding on the roof is not advised as dangling cables have caused the death of some travellers. Refreshments are available at many short stops along the way, when vendors climb onto the roof to sell drinks, fried bananas and other snacks. We need to dress in layers as the weather is freezing at the beginning of the journey but warms up considerably after a couple of hours. We will probably stay in a hotel called La Estacion as it is right next to the railway station! Address is Unidad nacional and Carabobo 29-15, Riobamba, Tel (03) 295 5226. An excellent colonial building with all modern amenities and helpful staff. As we will be there on a weekday we have to phone ahead and ensure the nariz del diablo train will be running as the service is unpredictable. If it isn’t we will spend an extra night at Banos instead.
Day 22 Wednesday – The train leaves Riobamba at 7 am, taking roughly 4 hours to get to the village of Arausi, from where it is another hour to the station of Sibambe, at the bottom of the Devil’s Nose. After a 20 minute pause, the train heads back up the Devil’s nose and stops at Arausi at around 1.30 pm where it pauses again for over an hour. The train finally gets back to Riobamba about 6 or 7 pm. Tickets are about £11 for the standard Riobamba-Sibambe-Arausi route, and a further £3.50 for the slow haul back from Alausi to Riobamba. We will have dinner on arrival back and stay overnight at the same hotel.
Day 23 Thursday – After breakfast we will head for Banos by bus which is about an hour away. We will be staying in a hotel called La Petite Auberge. We will spend the day exploring the town and in the evening visit Ameritay, 16 de diciembre and Espejo Tel: (03) 274 1713 – a decades old pena with live music every night of the year and situated very close to the hotel where we are staying. I just hope Tungurahua doesn’t erupt again while we are in Banos. Banos has always been famous for its thermal hot springs bubbling out of the side of the wild and unruly Volcan Tungurahua. In 1999 the volcano started erupting again and the town was evacuated. Residents fought their way back in in 2000 at their own risk, even with the volcano spewing hot rocks and ash only 4 miles away. Tungurahua still presents a danger to Banenos and tourists but geologists are keeping a close watch on the peak and will evacuate the town again if activity increases. Eruptions can be viewed safely from Loma Grande, just past Salasaca. The most recent eruption was in January 2008 so we are slightly worried about this. The gentle and subtropical climate and vegetation around Banos (altitude 5886 feet) is another draw, especially after the chill of the highlands.
Day 24 Friday – After breakfast we will take a bus to Ambato and explore the town for part of the day. Perhaps after lunch take a bus back to Quito where we will stay overnight once again at L’Auberge guest house. After lunch perhaps explore the town a little bit. Have dinner and maybe even revisit Pena Nucanchi again or another pena somewhere near our hotel.
Some 80 miles from Quito, Ambato is the capital of Tungurahua province. Arriving in the city brings you abruptly face to face with the 21st century. Ambato was almost totally destroyed by an earthquake in 1949 and then rebuilt, so virtually nothing of the colonial town remains. With a population of about 150,000 the city is the fourth largest in Ecuador - we can visit Ambato’s two central plazas. The main one Parque Montalvo is named for the writer and has an imposing statue of him and on the north side is Ambato’s modern cathedral with some fine stained glass windows. Parque Cevallos a few blocks northwest is green and tree lined and the site of the Museo de Ciencias Naturales, open Mon-Fri 8 am to noon and 2–5.30 and is packed with stuffed animals and birds of the region. The Rio Ambato flows through a gorge to the west of the town centre. A walk south along the river leads to the subert of Miraflores, where there are several fine old quintas (old country homes) which have gardens open to the public.
Day 25 Saturday – This is when Layla and I set off on the long journey to Trujillo in the north of Peru, crossing the border at Huaquillas. We think we have found a bus company who do the whole journey from Quito to Trujillo on one bus which leaves late at night twice a week. We could not order our tickets online so have to visit their office in Quito as soon as we get back from the Galapagos in order to reserve seats on that bus. It isn’t wise making ones way on one bus to the border and then another bus to Trujillo because of the border crossing being so dangerous. Foreigners are really vulnerable if they are dropped off at the border because it is then a 4 km hike to the Peruvian immigration point, being constantly hassled by con artists and pirate taxi drivers.
Days 26–30 Sunday to Thursday (5 days)
After a night and day of travelling we will finally arrive in Trujillo. We are booked into Mochica’s guest house for our 4 night stay. During our Trujillo visit we will meet up with Johnny’s family in Porvenir, his grandmother too. We will also visit the families of Gabriel and Oswaldo, with whom I stayed in 2003 who know we are coming, plus visit Chan Chan ancient city. We also hope to spend a day on the glorious beach of Huanchaco. Then we leave on the 11 pm overnight luxury Cruz del Sur bus to Lima.
Day 31 Friday – Arrival in Lima after travelling by bus from Trujillo overnight. We will arrive at Cruz del Sur depot by 8 am and will transfer immediately to the airport by taxi and take the next available flight to Arequipa arriving on a day of fiesta when everyone is celebrating with parades, bull fights and night-time revelry highlighted by fireworks. We will be staying at Hotel Casa de Tin Tin and joining their organised 2-day tour of the Colca canyon departing next day.
Day 32 Saturday – We leave Arequipa about 8.00 am in a touristic bus which will collect us from the hotel, and then head for Chivay in the Colca valley. Approximately 4 hours drive, we’ll head for the Altiplano (highlands) where we will stop several times to see the local animals (llamas, alpacas, vicuñas). We reach a max height of 4900m (about 16,000 feet). We will arrive at Chivay in time for lunch where we can choose where to eat as meals are not included in the tour cost. In the afternoon, the tour sometimes includes a small and easy walk through the terraces around the village, which helps acclimatisation to the altitude (Chivay is at 3500m above sea level). We can also visit the thermal baths in hot-spring pools. We’ll stay the night at Anita Estancia in Chivay.
Day 33 Sunday – We will wake up early, have breakfast and then go with the same bus and the same group of people to the Mirador de la Cruz del Cóndor (about a one and a half hour drive). This is a Natural Park where we will have beautiful views of the Colca Canyon. Here the river is more than 1000 meters below us and, in front of us we will see escarpments more than 2500m high. This is also the place where we'll be able to observe several flying condors, sometimes passing very close to us (within a few meters). We then go back to Chivay, passing through and making a few stops in some small villages in the valley. After lunch in Chivay we will go back to Arequipa, arriving there at about 5.00 pm. After dinner and enjoyment of some more of Arequipa’s festivities we’ll be spending another night at Casa de Tin Tin.
Day 34 Monday – This morning we will take a mid morning flight to Cusco. On arrival there we will head straight to our accommodation which is only one block from the centre and then rest up a couple of hours to acclimatise to the altitude (almost 11,000 feet). Later we will head to Wanchaq train station to pay for our prebooked train tickets to Machu Picchu. Whilst in Wanchaq will have a good browse around the huge market stall covered area (it costs less to buy things here than in Cusco itself and there are some fabulous jewellry stalls). Next stop the Institute of Culture where we can buy our tickets to enter Machu Picchu sanctuary, followed by a visit to the place where we can buy our bus tickets up the mountain. In the evening we will check out restaurants where bands play and see who is playing where to inform our choice on subsequent nights. We’ll watch Juan’s band whilst we have dinner and later meet up with the band members and find out which band is playing at Ukukus and Kamikaze and decide which to go to and invite them to accompany us. We are sure to be able to enjoy the company of Juan, Alfredo and others during our Cusco visit.
Day 35 Tuesday – We will spend the day sightseeing around Cusco, maybe taking a taxi up to Sacsayhuaman which is one of the places we can visit using our Cusco Visitor Pass. We can wander at will inside and then walk back down to Casona del Inca, a restaurant where we can dine outside and look down over Cusco (and if we are lucky there will be a live band playing) and it’s a pleasant walk down steep narrow cobbled streets to the centre again. In the evening we can dine in a different restaurant and check out any live music and later go to Kamikaze or Ukukus if a good band is playing in either.
Day 36 Wednesday – Travel to Urubamba in the Sacred Valley today and stay overnight. I need to check out which day the market is on so that we are there for that so we might adjust when we visit here but hopefully Sunday is one of the market days – we might even visit Pisac or Ollantaytambo as well.
Day 37 Thursday – Travel back to Cusco for a few more days. The centre of Cusco is so delightful that just revisiting the same places is heaven. The children selling their homemade crafts are adorable and they love to sit and chat to foreign visitors. The Cross Keys pub is also worth a visit where bird enthusiasts and assorted adventurers are happy to talk about their travels.
Day 38 Friday – Another day sightseeing in Cusco – including visits to some of the museums featuring on our Cusco Visitor Pass and possibly Qenko which is higher up than Sacsaywaman. This pass costs around 10 dollars and is worth it just for Sacsaywaman let alone all the museums listed on it. Another dinner in a restaurant on Plaza des Armas followed by live music in either Kamikase or Ukukus.
Day 39 Saturday – Another day sightseeing in Cusco – definitely visiting the cathedral in Plaza des Armas and the 12 angled stone nearby. Lunch at Platos. We will treat ourselves to the buffet dinner at El Truco this evening where there is a magnificent floor show as well as Arco Iris playing live. Then go on for more live music at Kamikaze or Ukukus afterwards.
Day 40 Sunday – Get to San Pedro train station really early for our train departure to Machu Picchu. We will change trains at Ollantaytambo and there is usually time to look around there before the second train sets off. On arrival in Aguas Calientes we will be met and taken to our hotel, Gringo Bills and spend the rest of the day exploring the place. Perhaps bathe in the hot pool beneath the mountain in the evening and after dinner in the hotel, enjoy drinks in a restaurant whilst listening to a live andean band.
Day 41 Monday – Get up really early and catch our bus up the mountain to the sanctuary, hopefully the first one leaving at 5.30 am. Spend most of the day in the sanctuary. Return to Aguas Calientes late afternoon, perhaps have another soak in the hot pool beneath the mountain, then have dinner at the hotel and find somewhere different where we can watch more live music.
Day 42 Tuesday – Perhaps visit Vilcabamba today if such a trip can be organised at the last minute. Return in the late afternoon in time for dinner, and find another venue where we can enjoy live music.
Day 43 Wednesday – Possibly visit the orchid garden in Inkaterra’s Machu Picchu hotel. Visit the artesania shops to buy souvenirs. Have lunch and then another soak in the hot pool. Collect our luggage from the hotel and make our way onto the train which leaves at 5 pm and finally gets us back to Cusco about 9.30 pm, where we can meet up with Juan and the others and go to Kamikaze later on.
Days 43-48 Thursday to Sunday (5 days)
More days sight seeing in Cusco, possible visit to a highland village. More watching our musician friends play on our last days here and Kamikaze afterwards. Arco Iris show at Trucos on Saturday.
Days 49-62 (14 days) – Layla to fly back to Lima and thence her flight home this afternoon. I will accompany her to the airport and take a flight to Arequipa where I will be met by my dear friend Elva and her son Huguito and we will have lunch together before taking the 4 pm bus to Ilo where I will stay for the remainder of my holiday with my dear friends Elva and Hugo. Finally on Day 60 I will be catching the 4 pm Cruz del Sur luxury bus to Lima which will get me to Lima the following morning where Erika will meet me and we will have lunch and do a bit of sightseeing. I will stay overnight at her mother’s until departing to the airport in the afternoon of Day 62 to catch the early evening flight home.
THE GALAPAGOS ISLANDS
Stepping onto a beach on one of the Galapagos Islands you could well find yourself surrounded by dozens of sunbathing sea lions lying about on the sand like so many sacks of potatoes. As you approach, they don’t blunder off into the sea or shuffle behind a rock, as you might expect; they keep on sleeping in the sun or stare at you with studied indifference. If you stand within a meter or two they might snarl or bark with a sound that’s a cross between a pig’s oink and the klaxon of antique car, as if to say, “This is my space.” But they are unlikely to be aggressive or scared.
Walking along rocky shorelines, you encounter blue-footed boobies laying eggs on the pathways who show not the slightest concern at your presence. They don’t bat an eye if you approach within a meter. Prehistoric marine iguanas, which look like miniature dragons or extras from a science fiction movie, eye you languorously from jagged lava rocks and hardly deign to move if you poke a camera lens within a few inches of their glistening heads. For hundreds of years human visitors have commented on the abundance and tameness of the wildlife in these remote and isolated islands that straddle the equator in the Pacific Ocean, about 1,000 km [625 miles] off the coast of Ecuador. In fact, the word tame isn’t quite accurate since it implies domesticated wildlife. For the most part animals of the Galapagos have evolved and lived without fear of predators common in other parts of the world, neither human nor four-legged. This absence of fear on the part of the birds and animals, make human visitors feel an extraordinary, uplifting harmony with nature that cannot be experienced anywhere else on earth. It’s for good reasons the Galapagos Islands have often been called the Garden of Eden. For equally good reasons, the archipelago is also known as the world’s greatest natural laboratory of evolution. Ever since Charles Darwin’s visit in 1835, scientists have been drawn to the islands to study creatures that evolved in isolation from their cousins on the mainland. Darwin was interested in the various species of finches, all of which had adapted to local conditions and evolved in different ways. The islands continue to attract scientists from all over the world, and the Charles Darwin Research Station on Santa Cruz is an important center for their activities.
In 1959, responding to a growing awareness of the environmental and scientific importance of the archipelago, Ecuador designated 97% of the 8,000 sq km [3,088 square miles] land area of Galapagos as a national park. In 1986, the Galapagos Marine Resources Reserve was established, protecting the water around the archipelago. UNESCO has also recognized the islands as a Man and Biosphere Reserve, and as a World Heritage Site. Ecuador manages the islands through the Galapagos National Park Service, which has offices in Puerto Ayora on Santa Cruz. Nearby is the Charles Darwin Research Station, run by the Charles Darwin Foundation. The Research Station carries out scientific research and assists the Park Service.
The Galapagos National Parks Service has designated more than 60 visitors’ sites on the islands, enabling visitors to see all the interesting wildlife; the rest of the park is off limits to tourists. At each visitors’ site a discreetly marked trail provides excellent views of wildlife, vegetation and landscape of the island. Most of the trails are less than a mile long but can be difficult underfoot, leading over rough lava or uneven boulders. There are also some longer hikes in the highlands.
The different sites are varied in their scenery and vegetation but some animals are common at nearly all of them. These include Galapagos sea lions, marine iguanas, lava lizards and a variety of coastal birds. In addition to the visitors’ sites on land, the Galapagos offer excellent scuba diving, though these aren’t recommended for beginners. However, many snorkeling spots offer anyone the chance to see the colorful underwater life of the Galapagos Islands.
Almost without exception, visitors are extremely impressed with what they see and do on the Galapagos Islands. “The trip of a lifetime,” they say, “Like nowhere else on earth” or “ Paradise on this planet.” The only negative things you’ll hear anyone say will be about increasing threats to the environment and wildlife, and fears that the fragile ecosystem will be further damaged.
RIOBAMBA – Known as the liveliest city in Ecuador's Central Sierra, Riobamba has old colonial charm, with cobbled streets, pastel-colored buildings, stately squares, and an overflowing Saturday market. The city is also a staging point for various excursions, including mountain-bike tours, the Parque Nacional Sangay wilderness area, the Chimburazo volcano, and the Nariz del Diablo (Devil's Nose) train ride.
Before embarking on a side trip, a stroll around the city is worth your while. The Parque Maldonado is a large square area rimmed by nineteenth-century architecture. Facing the park is the city's cathedral and the Municipio, where Ecuador's first constitution was signed. Several other parks throughout the city provide a welcome respite from walking. The Monasterio de las Conceptas is one of the best museums of eighteenth-century religious art outside Quito, and many list it as a must-see. As in many Ecuadorian cities, food stalls offer welcome breaks for strollers, day and night.
The Nariz del Diablo train ride is a favorite of many tourists, who often travel on the roof of the train, to the amusement of locals. It's roughly a four or five-hour ride, depending on whether you get off at the town of Alausi or at Sibambe. The ride takes you through every climate zone in the land, starting in the cool high lands, going through the cloud forest, and ending in the hot coastal jungle. The train remarkably descends caboose first and mounts the cliffs by means of switchbacks with thrilling twists and turns, offering spectacular views of Chimurazo and a thrilling descent down the Devil's Nose, a 45-degree gradient. El Nino storms battered the tracks in 1997-98, but after reconstruction the train ride has become one of the most popular tourist activities in Ecuador, departing several times a week.
Things to avoid: Getting caught in the weather changes and becoming uncomfortable while riding the Nariz del Diablo train. (Dress in layers for the differing climates and bring a sleeping bag or similar to sit on. Also, to avoid disappointment, check the schedule, which can be unpredictable, and buy your ticket the evening before to avoid long queues.)
BANOS
Easily accessible by bus, notably from the state capital of Tunguranhua province, Ambato, and from Quito (among others), Banos, Ecuador is a scenic little town named after the 5 sets of thermal baths fashioned into concrete pools. It's close to the most remote regions of the Amazon, making it particularly attractive as a base camp for outdoor diversions.
Those going for a soak in one of the five sets of pools, will often be sharing mineral water of varying degrees of warmth with local families in a friendly atmosphere. The pools are especially nice if one goes early in the morning to savor a fantastic sunrise view of the Andes.
The clear to yellow-brown waters of the baths are heated by the Tungurahua Volcano. In 1999, Tungurahua was put on orange alert, indicating the likelihood of an imminent eruption and sending Banos inhabitants fleeing, with only about half of them returning later. No large-scale eruption materialized, but levels of volcanic activity have remained high, offering sensational views of spitting lava, particularly at night. Not to worry. News services keep eeryone advised of Tungurahua's current state and Banos hotels provide evacuation procedures.
Built around a landscaped central park and surrounded by dramatic mountains, Banos has few significant buildings except for the Basilica de Nuestra Senora del Rosario de Agua Santa, a neo-Gothic church that attracts thousands of pilgrims yearly, coming to worship Our Lady of the Holy Water. On the enormous altar is a tiny carving, credited with rescuing Banos and its residents from countless calamities, including volcanic eruptions.
Outdoor activities, including horseback riding and rafting, abound in Banos Ecuador, and biking is especially popular. One can rent bikes from countless shops but must check them out carefully, testing gears and brakes before making a commitment. A choice ride is the unpaved route to the village of Rio Verde, reached in about two hours. The scenery is dramatic, with hairpin bends and sheer drops and a pitch-black tunnel. (one must bring a head torch or bike lights!) For the more adventurous, the road from Banos to Puyo (seven to eight hours mostly downhill, but with serious uphill stretches) provides a scenic approach to the Amazon basin. The area boasts more than 20 waterfalls, some hanging over the road, and others reached by short trails.
For those who like walking, one can take a 10-minute stroll from the bus terminal to the new San Francisco bridge spanning the picturesque Rio Pastaza Gorge. After crossing the river, one can take several paths up the steep hillside and along the bank of the gorge, linking up with several other bridges.
OTAVALO
Otavalo is a small city and a bus ride of just over two hours from Quito. It has by far the most famous indigenous market in Ecuador. Villagers from surrounding areas have been bringing their wares down from the hills to the Otavalo market for hundreds of years, spending a day filled with bartering, exchanging, selling, and socializing. Today, the market draws huge crowds of locals and visitors every Saturday.
Otavalo is especially known for weavings and the people have been accomplished weavers for centuries. You'll discover an array of tapestries and clothes at the market and an almost unbelievable array of colors. A large portion of the market is devoted to tourists, and people flood the streets, making for a circus atmosphere. At a quieter time, you can visit the workshops of the hard-working weavers, working on backstrap and Spanish treadle looms, along with other artisans at work making hats, weaving straw mats, and knitting sweaters. During the week, the city returns to normal, and people gather on the town square. A few markets operate on a smaller scale, and natives go about their business while visitors look to nearby lake and mountain sites in the beautiful countryside surrounding Otavalo.
You can easily get to several lakes from Otavalo, including Lago de San Pablo just a few miles away. On its shore live many weaving families who celebrate colorful fiestas. About four hours away from Otavalo are three lakes, known as Lagunas de Mojanda. Nestled among rolling mountains, with amazing views of mountaintops from numerous trails and idyllic waterfalls, these lakes have spurned a number of lodges and resorts that offer numerous ways to keep you active outdoors.
Offering some of the most spectacular indigenous tribal handicraft you could wish to find in Ecuador, Otavalo is one place that usually finds itself on every tourists' itinerary of "things to do - as a result, Otavalo Ecuador hotels offer a richness in both variety and numbers. Another very well known Otavalo hotel is the Hosteria Hacienda Pinsaqui, located in the heart of the town center. This fabulous hotel is a renovated colonial building - and it'll certainly provide you with a superb night's sleep.
With its magnificent colonial architecture, Otavalo also has a number of converted haciendas that you can choose to stay at. Although these are normally more expensive places to stay at than your run-of-the-mill Otavalo hotels and hostels, the beautiful architecture and spectacular scenery certainly make a night's stay here worth the money. If you would rather be saving your money, so that you can spend it at the famous market, why not consider one of the cheap Otavalo hotels, guest houses and hostels that Otavalo also offers travelers to the town. The option to stay at one of the guest-houses in the center of town will provide you with very similar accommodation to that found all over the country, indeed the continent, which is a cross between a private house and a hotel, but not quiet a youth hostel. In fact, this type of facility is the same as those popular in Europe, and known by the name: "bed & breakfast". Overall though, the aim of Otavalo's guesthouses is to provide you with a place to sleep, usually in a room with on-suite bathroom, without the need to incur large hotel bills. They are also normally family-run affairs.
Things to avoid: Pickpockets and bag slashers. (Keep your belongings hidden from view).
Two of the most popular hostels in Otavalo include the Jatun Pacha Hotel, a family hostel which provides double, triple and dormitory rooms, some with private bathrooms - all with hot water; and the Hostal Dona Esther, a colonial style small hostel, which includes the well-known Restaurant II de Roma. Whether you'd like to save your money to spend it in the market, or live it up in one of the grand hotels, Otavalo hotels, budget hotels, and hostels, are available for all types of travelers!
HOTEL QUITO
When you stay at Hotel Quito, you will be welcomed by the hospitality that is a longstanding Quito tradition. You will feel very close to the sky because the hotel’s art deco building, whose construction dates back to the 60s, is located on top of a hill from which there is an exceptional 360º view of both the city and the neighboring valley and the mountains surrounding Quito. Because of the hotel’s spatial configuration and special architecture, which was awarded a prize by the city, sunlight shines everywhere, even in the conference rooms. It is an authentic hallmark of Ecuadorian hotel service because it blends elegance and graciousness with service and comfortable facilities. This wonderful resort, which is adjacent to the U.S. ambassador’s residence, a few minutes away from the city’s historical downtown, and only 20 minutes away from the airport, is notable for its peaceful and relaxing surroundings. Forget the pressure and stress and take advantage of our spa’s installations, which include a temperate pool, a fully equipped fitness center, whirlpool bath, and wet and dry sauna. Its spacious and beautiful gardens, where you can breathe clean air, make you feel as if you are in the countryside when you are actually in the very heart of the city, close to everything. We want you to live, feel, taste, observe, listen to, and enjoy every single thrill that Hotel Quito can give you. Hotel Quito has a magnificent combination of tradition and fine taste.
Every nook and cranny of Hotel Quito’s recently remodeled rooms are comfortable. Take a load off your eyes and contemplate the city or nearby valleys from your room. For longer stays, choose a bungalow in the hotel’s ample and well-trimmed garden. There is no other hotel in the city that can offer you this special privilege. Enjoy the complimentary bathroom articles that we provide in all of the hotel’s rooms and contact friends and family by wireless Internet. The coziness of the rooms and our courtesy services will make your stay in Quito the best you have ever had. Gourmet dining with the city at your feet.
Get together with friends or family for a delicious meal at the hotel’s rooftop restaurant, Techo del Mundo (Roof of the World), which offers international and Ecuadorian gourmet delights either à la carte or at our buffet. Taste the mouthwatering suggestions of our chef or simply relax at our bar with your favorite cocktail, while enjoying a breathtaking view of Quito and listening to live music. If you prefer to stay in your room, you can also opt for room service with the best of our menu of specialties and do not miss the opportunity of having lunch at the poolside barbecue or in the garden, which is the largest of any of the city’s hotels.
The hospitality of Quito, which is a World Cultural Heritage city, is evident in the hotel’s entire staff, who will be more than pleased to meet your every need. You’ll be impressed by the friendliness of everyone working here and you’ll be able to enjoy high-quality modern services. We extend to you our most cordial invitation to experience the warmth of a unique team, one that provides both personal and professional services. The exceptional options that Hotel Quito has to offer for resting and leisure, along with the facilities that we provide for your working meetings, are ideal for mixing business with pleasure, guaranteeing successful events and a pleasant stay in a city famous for its tradition and culture.
Video picures of Hotel Quito can be seen on their website www.hotelquito.com
More can be seen about the places we are are going on the following websites:
http://www.lepetit.banios.com (our hotel in Banos)
http://www.mochicas.com/ (our hotel in Trujillo)
http://www.hoteltintin.com (our hotel in Arequipa and the Colca Canyon tour)
http://www.casamojanda.com (our hotel in Otavalo)
http://www.tinalandia.com (the bird reserve at Tinalandia, Los Colorados)
http://www.gringobills.com (our hotel at Machu Picchu)
