High Sierra Topix

We're taking a week-long grip to the Galápagos Islands next summer, and of course to do that, one has to pass through mainland Ecuador; we'll be going via Quito. We'd like to put a two- or three-day trek into the mix, either before or after the Galápagos, and I wondered if anyone on this board had any experience with guides, guide services, places to go, etc. Neither of us speaks significant Spanish (let alone Quechua ) , so we feel we'd like a package deal of some kind, but cost is always important. We've heard about an Inca Trail (obviously not the one to Machu Pichu in Perú); anyone with experience of that? Any information at all about trekking in Ecuador would be much appreciated.

I was in Ecuador about ten years ago when a friend of mine lived in Quito. He's not the outdoorsy type, so we didn't do any trekking, but we did hike/climb part way up Cotopaxi, the world's highest active volcano, which is just south of the city of Quito. It was really interesting to be standing on a glacier so close to the Equator. Man, it was COLD! It was also the highest in altitude I've ever been at 16,000 feet. Drinking coca tea did a great job at alleviating altitude my mild sickness symptoms. Too bad you can't buy that tea here in the U.S. Good stuff.

As I recall, there is an "adventurers club" right near the old town of Quito and that you can arrange trips and treks from there and they spoke English really well. We went there for some advice before our jaunt up Cotopaxi.

A really great country, I'd go back in a second. Be sure to try the cuy when you're still in the highlands. It is a surprisingly tasty meat. The natives have been eating it for centuries. Have fun!

Hi B2,

Copeg visited Ecuador and the Galápagos back in 2006 so he may be able to help with
some info.

As Peter mentioned my wife and I visited the Galapagos in 2006. We had a miserable set of flights (or actually, a lack thereof) to get there, so we missed our time in Quito save for a short night. Spent some time in Guayaquil on the latter end, it was interesting but I wouldn't necessarily recommend it (at the time it had a reputation for crime so I was neurotic more than anything else). I think the best choice we made was to spend a few nights on the Islands. We had a week long cruise, and stayed in Puerto Ayora for a few nights before and after. Its a small town with not much to do but relaxing - there's a beautiful beach about a mile hike from town which we visited almost daily. If I were to go back to Ecuador I would like to spend more time in the interior jungles.