Information on Ecuador wanted !!!
eva gromova
I'm a student from Helsinki and plan to travel to Ecuador end of August.
I'm interested in any travel experiences, recommendations on hotels,
places to visit, transporattion etc.
I want to study Spanish for two weeks, too.
Any recommendations on language schools. What are the prices, what
classes are offered
Eva
Andreas Christophe
eva.g...@helsinki.fi (eva gromova) wrote:
>I'm a student from Helsinki and plan to travel to Ecuador end of August.
>I'm interested in any travel experiences, recommendations on hotels,
>places to visit, transporattion etc.
Hola Eva,
here are my recommendations for the Ecuadorian highlands (=Sierra)!
A) Introduction to Ecuador
B) Description of some mountains and national Parks
C) Optimal periods for climbing
D) Personal recommendations: equipment and tours
E) Some general traveler information
A) Introduction to Ecuador
Ecuador offers its visitors a unique diversity of scenery, wildlife
and people. Where else in the world can you find such a small country
that includes jungle, mountains, with peaks of 6.300 m, dreamlike
tropical coasts and last but not least the Galápagos Islands, an
animal wonderland.
The fluid transition between contrasting zones is the outstanding
feature of Ecuador. Here the visitor has the unparalleled opportunity
to pass through the tropical rain forest of the Amazon basin in a
canoe, to climb a mountain of 6.000 m, to relax on tropical coasts and
to get to know the spectacular flora and fauna of the Galápagos
Islands during a cruise.
Ecuadorian highlands
For many years now, hikers and climbers from all over the world have
been traveling to Ecuador. Here they can find optimal mountaineering
conditions. Ecuador provides a variety of highlands which are
gloriously colorful (sometimes completely isolated). They offer a
wide range of hiking and trekking routes - everything from easy day
hikes for beginners to long treks that cross passes above glacier
level. Here the outdoor traveler learns about some stunning features
of Ecuador: highest mountain at the equator, highest active volcano on
earth and the most active volcano in South America.
The western and eastern Cordilleras of the Andes with their embedded
Central Valley (=Sierra) form the geographical center of Ecuador. To
the east of the Central Sierra lies the tropical rain forest of the
upper Amazon basin (known as the Oriente). To the west are the coastal
lowlands. The massive range of volcanos with about a dozen major peaks
with permanent snow cover form an impressive and alluring contrast to
the greenery of the fertile valleys of the Andes. The Central Valley
which is about 325 km long stretches from the North to the South. It
is called ‘The Avenue of the Volcanos’. It was named by the famous
German explorer and scientist, Alexander von Humboldt, who visited
Ecuador in 1802. Nowadays this valley is also known as the
‘Panamericana’ which contains Quito and most of Ecuador’s major
cities, as well as almost half of the country’s inhabitants.
According to the motto: „Todos caminos llegan a Quito“ (all routes
head for Quito) Quito serves as the departure point and as the home
base for almost all touring activities in Ecuador. Despite being only
25 km from the equator its altitude makes Quito an excellent location
to begin acclimatizing. In Quito you have the unique chance to buy
necessary articles for the journey or to rent equipment.
B) Description of some mountains and national Parks
Cotopaxi National Park
Cotopaxi is considered to be the highest active volcano in the world
at a height of 5.897 m. It is the centerpiece of the beautiful
Cotopaxi National Park located about 60 km south of Quito. Three other
peaks tower above it: Ruminahui, Sincholagua and Quilindana. The park,
which can be entered through the fertile valley, is situated in the
east of the Ecuadorian Andes. The park consists of huge pine forests
and of bleak plains where wild horses and lama have settled. With any
luck you will see the famous fox of the Andes or even one of the timid
pumas. The animal world of the park is richly developed,
ornithologists in particular will enjoy it. Beside a huge number of
smaller bird species the beautiful Condor of the Andes inhabits the
park. Here he has found one of his latest retreats. The park at a size
of 33.939 hectares is an ideal location for a one-day tour or a
Paramo-hiking tour lasting several days. It is worth mentioning that
the park’s management is sponsored by the WWF (World Wide Fund for
Nature). The aim of the management is to develop the park for nature
enthusiasts while preserving the unique ecosystem.
Cotopaxi 5.897 m
The extremely popular climb up this perfect, massive cone to the
summit is not technically difficult. At first, the climb takes you
along an ice-free slope followed by a gradual 30-35 degree ascent
covered with snow and ice that finally leads to the foot of the
glacier. Then you pass a complex slope. It is advisable to avoid
crevasses and continue climbing. On the way through the glacier you
will pass a few ice-caves with 2 meter icicles and finally you will
reach the rocky wall of Yanasacha (quichua: wild black place). The
wall is passed on the west side and followed by an ascent of 35-40
degrees toward the higher glacier. From there you have to follow only
one grade that finally leads to the second highest peak in Ecuador.
On the last stretch of the slope you will experience a magnificent
view when the light of dawn sparkles on the fresh and dry powder snow
and when the bizarre ice-formations slowly emerge out of the dark.
Gradually, the observer will become aware of the spectacular view of
the Amazon lowlands in the east illuminated by the rising sun. If the
sky is clear you will enjoy an incredible panorama of the central
highlands and nine other peaks: Chimborazo, Antizana, Iliniza and
Cayambe seem to be within reach. But even if it is cloudy you will
take home an unforgettable picture: The exciting view into the
steaming 300 m deep crater.
Las Ilinizas (5.248 m + 5.126 m)
The Iliniza is a twin-peaked mountain in the western chain, easily
accessible from Quito. Iliniza South (5248 m) has the distinction of
being the sixth highest mountain in the country whilst Iliniza North
(5126 m) is the eight highest.
Due to its easy accessibility and its attractive routes Iliniza South
offers the rare possibility of climbing a mountain above 5000 m in a
relatively short time. The steepness of the slope gives the chance to
test abilities in snow-, ice-, and rock-climbing. Right from the start
up to the end the route is very distinctive which is welcomed by
experienced mountaineers.
Iliniza North is a rocky mountain with no permanent snow. It can
easily be climbed in 2-3 hours from the refuge. Technical equipment is
unnecessary. The climb is easy. It is worth mentioning that the
mountain, with all its routes, provides marvelous picture taking
opportunities.
Chimborazo 6.310 m
This massive mountain with five peaks, located 150 km south of Quito,
is Ecuador’s highest mountain and for many years was thought to be the
highest in the world. It still retains the distinction of being the
point on the earth’s surface furthest from its center, due to the
equatorial bulge of the earth. The Chimborazo is much more complex
than other mountains and offers all alpinists a wide range of grades.
Chimborazo’s reputation as such a high mountain led to many attempts
to reach the summit during the 17th and 18th centuries before it was
climbed by Whymper in 1880. Until recently his route was the
standard-route which is no longer in use due to the danger of rock
fall. Nowadays among a bunch of possible routes the one over the south
side is the most popular. The south route is varied because with a
slope of 25-40 grades you will come across fields of boulders, solid
glacial ice and soft snow. The area of the crater is tremendously
large and is mostly covered with powder snow. On a cloudless day you
will have a fantastic view of all the other Ecuadorian peaks.
Terrific!
Due to the high altitude, the magnificent views during the climb and
the variety of climbing techniques, Chimborazo is one of the worldwide
most delightful adventures for all Alpinists, from beginners to
experts (Thielmann-Glacier).
Carihuairazo 5.020 m
This mountain with its unmistakable silhouette (2 sharp peaks) is the
sister volcano of the Chimborazo. The landscape surrounding the
Carihuairazo is picturesque and you can really experience the massive
expanse of land. Despite its attraction the Carihuairazo has rarely
been climbed. Climbers searching for remoteness appreciate this place
because even in high season you will never come across other climbing
groups.
Tungurahua 5.016 m
By far the most spectacular hike from Banos is the climb to the summit
of Tungurahua. While it is neither as tall nor as massive as Cotopaxi
and Chimborazo, Tungurahua has a graceful, symmetrical beauty of its
own. Though the climb is not very difficult or technically demanding,
you will reach the snow line, so crampons and ice axes are necessary.
Take into consideration that the climb is fairly steep and therefore
strenuous.
Remarkable are also some tours around Banos as the legendary
mountain-bike tour towards the jungle (to Puyo) or an exclusive flight
(max. 5 pers.) over the Sangay, Altar, Tungurahua, Chimborazo (from
Shell).
Cayambe 5.790 m
Cayambe, a massive extinct volcano, is located about 40 km northeast
of Quito and is Ecuador’s third highest peak. It also enjoys the
distinction of being the highest point on the earth’s surface through
which the equator directly passes.
The long glacier of the Cayambe is one of the most active and
impressive equatorial glaciers, with an unique ice structure.
Although the climbing routes are technically not very difficult the
height and the frequency of crevasses make the choice of routes fairly
hard which on the other hand makes the ascent more interesting.
The first four hours of the climb takes you through a relatively easy
area up to a saddle from where the climb begins to be much steeper and
more exciting. Here you need to by-pass crevasses that contain
enormous icicles hanging on both sides. On the way to the rim of the
crater (the ascent is about 35 degrees, some stretches are even
steeper) you pass some spectacular firn blocks. The final stretch is
picturesque as it runs alongside the ice-covered rim of the crater:
This presents an adequate ‘dramatic’ end to an exciting and
fascinating climb. The view from the peak is impressive too: down to
the peak of Reventador (3.485 m) -called the Exploder for its
periodical eruptions- and the cloudy rain forest at the east.
El Altar 5.320 m
El Altar, the fifth highest mountain in Ecuador, undoubtedly involves
the most technical climbing and has one of the largest approaches. It
is situated some 170 km south of Quito on the westside of the Sangay
National Park. Before it blew its top this was probably the highest
peak in Ecuador (well above 6000 m). An ancient eruption however
destroyed the cone leaving an immense crater surrounded by nine
summits. This unique constellation gave the mountain its name: El
Altar. Most groups will primarily head for the highest of the nine
peaks: El Obispo (the bishop). Due to the fact that there have been
only a few ascents to the other peaks many routes are still
undiscovered! A spectacular tour to one of the most exotic places in
the entire Andes.
El Antizana 5.758 m
El Antizana is the fourth highest mountain in Ecuador, but is seldom
seen by tourists because of its position some 55 km southeast of Quito
well away from any main routes. El Antizana is known for heavy snow
fall which leads to a big active glacier with the biggest equatorial
snow and ice masses in the world. This provides adventures in
route-finding and ice-climbing techniques. Despite its spectacular
appearance and the quality of its routes it is not climbed very often.
One of the reasons is the lack of solid, permanently usable routes.
Another reason is that the owners of the surrounding haciendas seldom
allow access to the mountain. They aim to protect the diverse flora
and fauna (i.e. deer, fox, wild horses, wild boar, condor,
hummingbird). Undoubtedly the Antizana climb is a worthy object for
the experienced alpinist.
Sangay National Park
The Sangay National Park with an extension of 271.925 hectares is one
of the least accessible regions in Ecuador. In the park you can find
the Tungurahua (5.023 m), the Altar (5.320 m) and the steaming volcano
Sangay (5.320 m). In the east the park fades away into the Oriente,
whereas in the west it extends over the coastal Cordilleras of the
Andes with the three (above mentioned) volcanos. Characteristics of
the park include its wild rugged landscape, its high humidity (up to
4.000 m precipitation yearly) and many types of animals such as
monkeys, birds, snakes, leopards, bears, etc.. Due to its unique flora
and fauna the Sangay National Park is listed as a World Heritage site
by UNESCO in 1983.
If you are looking for adventure of a different sort this fiery
caldron, regarded as the most continuously active volcano in South
America, provides it. The expedition takes at least 10 days which can
easily reach 12-13 days as the Sangay is located in an inaccessible
region on the southside of the Sangay National Park. Furthermore the
rain softens the earth which increases the delay. Before the climb
from the foot of the mountain up to colder regions can be realized you
need to pass through the hot and damp lowlands of the Amazon. No
question this expedition rewards you with a unique and adventurous
experience. The tour is worthwhile even if you finally don’t want to
climb up to the crater rim. If you are interested in this expedition
please keep in mind that it requires good physical condition and
necessary equipment which is different from that of the other climbing
tours.
C) Optimal periods for climbing:
Depending on the mountain, there are different optimal travel periods.
Generally December-January are recommendable. Cotopaxi, however, is an
exception as it can be climbed throughout the whole year. For all
other mountains there are months with optimal conditions to reach the
peak and months which are less recommendable:
January: very good: all
February: good: all/optimal: Antizana
March: not as good: Iliniza, Chimborazo, Carihuairazo; rest: ok
April: not as good: Iliniza, Chimborazo, Carihuairazo; rest: ok
May: not as good: Iliniza, Chimborazo, Carihuairazo; rest: ok
June: very good: Iliniza, Chimborazo, Carihuairazo; not as good:
Sangay, El Altar, Tungurahua
July: very good: Iliniza, Chimborazo, Carihuairazo; not as good:
Sangay, El Altar, Tungurahua
August:: very good: Iliniza, Chimborazo, Carihuairazo; not as good:
Sangay, El Altar, Tungurahua
September: very good: Iliniza, Chimborazo, Carihuairazo; rest: ok
October: good: all; optimal: Cayambe
November: good: all
December: very good: all
D) Personal recommendations: equipment and tours
To rent equipment is easy, but the quality (and with it the safety) is
a lot of times "criminal" bad (rusty biners and ice axes, harnesses
with ripped seams, by crampon steps damaged ropes etc.). A lot of
shops buy only the old and weared out equipment of tourists to rent
it. - You can rent basic climbing equipment in Quito, Banos and
Riobamba; tents and special equipment only in Quito. Even if it is a
little more expensive I recommend you to buy and rent everything you
need in Quito, because quality is much better than in Banos for
example and you do not know if in other places they will have what you
need. My past experiences have shown that there is only one shop in
Ecuador which has only high-quality products for sale and rent
(mountaineering, trekking, climbing): it is called ANDISIMO (Avenida 9
de Octubre 427A between Rocas and Robles -a street parallel to the
Avenida Amazonas). It is not easy to find (it is located in a passage
of a pink/green building next to the church) and it is still not
listed in any guidebook although they have very good stuff (and cheap:
some articles cost 40% less than in Europe). Additionally they work
together with some very experienced guides (even in Cuenca) and they
organize tours to almost every mountain in Ecuador. They are also
offering some really nice and exclusive trekkings (highly
recommendable Altar Trek and Pullurima Trek). I liked especially their
kind of flexibility (we could change and combine their tours,
according to our wants and "invent" new itineraries), because it is
hard to find under tour operators in Ecuador. Many local mountain
guides meet in the shop for a daily chat, so you can get good advise
there (without obligations).
Furthermore you should contact the South American Explorer Club in
Quito - they always provide you with very useful tips and warnings
concerning mountains, guides and tours.
There are so many trekking/climbing possibilities, each an impressive
experience for itself, that it is hard to give recommendations. The
choice ranges from short 1 day hikes at the "house mountain" of Quito
(Pichincha) to expert climbing of the "Thielmann Glacier" of
Chimborazo.
My favorite Trekkings (2 - 10 days) are: Rucu-Guagua Trek (Pichincha),
Chimborazo Trek (Valle de Abraspungo), Altar Trek (El Altar), Trekking
del Condor (Cotopaxi National Park), Pullurima Trek (Cotopaxi National
Park), Sangay Expedition (Sangay National Park = declared World
Natural Heritage), Paramo Trek (El Cajas National Park).
E) Some general traveler information:
Linguistic proficiency:
Even without the knowledge of Spanish you can travel through Ecuador.
In this case, however, it is recommended not to plan trips away from
tourist sites. In Quito, Banos, Otavalo, Galápagos and Cuenca in
hotels/restaurants you will meet English speaking staff. As an
individual backpacker, however, you need to use hands and feet to
communicate with the people in remote regions. Quechua is not
necessary - with Spanish you can communicate everywhere
Vaccination:
for all regions: hepatitis A (I recommend HAVRIX, 3 injections which
last 10 years). Coast (excluding the Galápagos): malaria
prophylactics. Jungle: malaria prophylactics and yellow fever shot.
Cholera and typhoid Vaccination are not necessary. I do not know
anybody who suffered from these illnesses.
Expenses:
Ecuador is one of the countries in South America with very reasonable
prices. Costs for accommodation are per room (and not per person) and
almost everywhere in USD. All accommodations provide good value for
the price from the first-class suite for 100 USD down to the hostal
for 7 USD incl. breakfast. You can find everything. The prices depend
on region and place, but on average you should count on 10-20 USD for
a nice double room with private bath. Camping sites don’t exist in
Ecuador (but you can camp almost everywhere) and youth hostels are
first class compared to some European ones. Traveling costs are low:
inner-city-bus Quito 6-22 cents / 200 km = 2-3 USD - national flights:
500 km (2-way) 33-50 USD (only Galapagos is really expensive: 380
USD). A 3-course menu in a restaurant you can get from about 2-3 USD.
The most complete internet site about Ecuador (dozens of interesting
links) you can find under:
http://www.mcs.net/~soledad/ecuador.html
Have a nice trip to Ecuador - you will love it.
Buen viaje! Saludos desde Alemania ANDI
Andreas Christophe * Koeln
E-mail:a213...@smail.rrz.uni-koeln.de
Bernd Maierhofer
Eva,
perhaps this adress is valuabel for you:
--------------------------------------------------
Lcda. Monica Barreno Reinoso Galapagos Spanish School
INTERNET: m...@galapago.ecx.ec o m...@galapago.ecx.apc.org
Direcci'on: Av. Amazonas 258 y Jorge Washington
Piso # 2, Casilla 1703744, Quito, Ecuador
Telefono: (593 2) 540-164 Fax: (593 2) 220-939
---------------------------------------------------
Monica is the director of a spanish shool and she arranges a lot of tours to
the oriente and the galapagos. I think there is also the possibilty of taking
lessons in spanish.
have a lucky journey,
Bernd.
In article <4tcmet$1...@oravannahka.Helsinki.FI>
eva gromova <eva.g...@helsinki.fi> wrote:
> I'm a student from Helsinki and plan to travel to Ecuador end of August.
> I'm interested in any travel experiences, recommendations on hotels,
> places to visit, transporattion etc.
rebecca watson
eva.g...@helsinki.fi (eva gromova) wrote:
>I'm a student from Helsinki and plan to travel to Ecuador end of August.
>I'm interested in any travel experiences, recommendations on hotels,
>places to visit, transporattion etc.
eva,
i only had a short time in ecuador. so, i ended up traveling south from quito through riobamba, ban~os, alausi, and eventually to cu=
enca. i spent a few days in cuenca, a very good destination. it has much of the same colonial architecture as quito, but is a smalle=
r city and less full of tourists. by the way, while in oldtown quito i would tend to be very careful with any bags that you might be=
carrying- there is a lot of pickpocketing.
cuenca also has several interesting sidetrips around it. both the lodging and food is very inexpensive. the nicest thing is- when yo=
u need to get back to quito (or if you want to head on to another major city such as guayaquil), you can fly for about US$30. i woul=
d especially recommend the cuenca-quito flight. you pass close to many of the highest peaks in ecuador and can see them all quite cl=
early from your window. by the way, i also headed up to the otavalo/cotacachi area for a few days. if you have any other questions, =
feel free to email me.
rebecca watson
rwa...@macalstr.edu
Bel...@pyops03.aus.xerox.com
In Article<4tcmet$1...@oravannahka.Helsinki.FI>, <eva.g...@helsinki.fi> writes:
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> From: eva.g...@helsinki.fi (eva gromova)
> Newsgroups: rec.travel.latin-america
> Subject: Information on Ecuador wanted !!!
> Date: 27 Jul 1996 09:10:53 GMT
> Organization: university of helsinki
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> I'm a student from Helsinki and plan to travel to Ecuador end of August.
> I'm interested in any travel experiences, recommendations on hotels,
> places to visit, transporattion etc.
> I want to study Spanish for two weeks, too.
> Any recommendations on language schools. What are the prices, what
> classes are offered
>
> Eva
>
Hi Eva,
I spent 2 months in Ecuador last year.And 1 month studying in a
Spanish school.The Spanish school was called" The colonial Spanish school"
it was one of the cheaper spanish schools in Quito (US$2.50 per hour). They
have 2 branches in Quito 1 in the old city & another in the new city as well
as on the beach .They also have an orphanage. The teachers were great and they
are always organizing nights out in Quito with teachers & students.
They can arrange accomadation with a family as well . I stayed at the
Resedential Marsella (US$4.00 PER NIGHT) . It is very popular,clean & safe.
If you want the addresses then let me know.
Felicity
tomchr...@gmail.com
> I'm interested in any travel experiences, recommendations on hotels,
> places to visit, transporattion etc.
> I want to study Spanish for two weeks, too.
> Any recommendations on language schools. What are the prices, what
> classes are offered
Hi Eva,
first I can say Ecuador is a great country, its really a good choice;) My experiences here are just good. The bus system is good, it always has an bus that takes you to somewhere. The price for one hour ride is 1$. So ig you for example go from Guayaquil to Baños, then it costs you $7. (seven hour bus ride)....
in Baños I can really recommend you the hostel La casa de molino blanco.Also very nice to see is Montañita, Canoa. Bahia de Cuaraquez, Manta, Guayaquil, Quito, Puno, Otovalo and and and :)
I can recommend you the Ailola Latino homepage, they have many different schools in Ecuador. And do a really great service. I was in Cuenca to study spanish, and was very happy with my choice. The city is amazing, its in the UNESCO. And also the school does a really good service and I could really improve my spanish there. Also in Ecuador they speak a very clear and easy understanding spanish, which makes it easy to learn and get in contact with the natives there.
Link to Hostel in Baños:
http://www.casamolinoblanco.com
Link to Ailola Latino:
http://www.ailolalatino.com/en/spanish/south-america/ecuador.php
for more informations or question, do not hesitate to contact me
Saludos
Tom