Otavalo is in the Andes, about 2 hrs north of Quito. It has a huge Saturday market (animals, arts & crafts, you name it), lots of hiking, and nearby villages to visit. A wonderful place to stay is Casa Mojanda ( http://www.casamojanda.com/), an eco lodge and organic farm with a friendly staff and delicious communal meals. One of their dogs graciously served as my guide on a hike to a waterfall, and the resident llama kept a close watch on me during hammock/reading time.

Posted Apr 02, 2012

Haven't traveled Ecuador like this, but I love that you're exploring the 4 worlds!! Here's what I can recommend -

The Amazon - check out La Selva Jungle Lodge. A friend spent some time there and highly recommended this place! http://www.laselvajunglelodge.com/

Galapagos - Enchanted Expeditions is a sweet company owned by a local family. They're longtime partners of AFAR, so it's definitely AFARish travel :) Let Tatjana know that you've come through this website. http://www.enchantedexpeditions.com/

Andes - I went to Banos with a rather large group, and we stayed at the Sangay Spa hotel. It's not the greatest place, and I'd actually recommend that you find a spot once you get there. Take the bus from Quito to Banos (local bus is super cheap and full of character!)...Head straight to the center of town. Along the side streets are plenty of family-run hostels and b&b's. Banos is great for soft adventure - my heartiest recommendations are for canyoneering, horseback riding up the Tungurahua volcano, and some short hikes. 2-3 days are plenty for Banos.

Don't know much about the coast; however, I have heard that Puerta Cayo is great for surfing. Or else, Guayaquil is supposed to be a lot of fun too. Hopefully someone else can make a good recommendation for Coast.

Good luck and have lots of fun! I'm sure this will be an incredible way to see the country!
-Sakhi

Posted Apr 02, 2012

Quito you can do in a day or less. Or spend 2 days here and 1 day use as a daytrip up the mountain to La Papallacta Hot Springs. Take an bus from the big bus terminal. Its a great day trip. the bus ride is about an hour up the mountain. http://www.termaspapallacta.com/.

In Quito, I stayed at a clean cute centrally located hotel in Quito called Eugenia Hotel. http://www.eugeniahotel.com/en/index.htm It was near a bunch of great restaurants all in walking distance.

I loved Banos! Spend 2 -3 days max here, Theres a local train around there that most ride on top. Its great fun.

You must go to the Galapagos Islands. My boat was the Angelito and it was a great crew and great fun. It's difficult to see the islands under 7 days. Take your time and enjoy this!

If you want deep jungle & a true jungle experience - go to the Sacha Eco Jungle Lodge in Cocoa Ecuador. http://www.sachalodge.com/eng/homeenglish.php The only way to get here is by boat down the Napo river traveling deep into the steamy tropical lowlands. It is a full Jungle experience! The lodge owns 3000 acres of rainforest/jungle, & their guides will take you deep through the swamplands & rivers and lakes. The rooms are simple but the food is great. If deep jungle and back to nature is your thing - go here.

Check out my pictures on my profile for Ecuador and the Galapagos. For some reason when you type in Ecuador not all my pictures come up in the Afar search.

Posted Apr 04, 2012

We just spent 5 days on a cruise in the Galapagos plus 2 extra nights on one of the islands there. I think we could easily have taken a longer cruise as there was a lot more to see, but for a shorter trip, this was a good taste. It's nearly impossible to see the Galapagos as an independent traveler because it is so highly managed and regulated, but it was so worth it. The wildlife there is incredible. We also spent 3 nights on either side of that trip in Quito. We could easily have spent a lot more time exploring that region, as there is a lot of great hiking within day trip range and a unique cloud forest. It's a beautiful country, so no matter what you choose, I imagine you'll love it! Good luck!

Posted Apr 05, 2012