Mainland Ecuador

Neil Carpenter, Operations Executive, explores this compact and diverse country...

Mainland Ecuador

Mainland Ecuador is a wonderfully compact and diverse country with so much for the tourist to discover. It has the Amazon rainforest, the Andes Mountains, beautiful twisting countryside, awesome volcanoes, and the charming UNESCO heritage sites of Quito and Cuenca. Combining these with the highlights of the Chiva Express Train ride, the Otavalo market and the Mindo Cloud Forest easily makes mainland Ecuador a stand alone destination that does not have to be ignored and sit silently in shadow of the Galapagos Islands.

Our trip commenced in the Ecuadorian capital of Quito, situated in the Andes. There are many barrios (districts) in the city but the loveliest is by the far the Old Town. Beautiful sights include the Plaza Grande where the Government Palace is located, the cathedral (which is painted gold inside), the Plaza San Francisco and Santo Domingo. Other options can be to visit the panecillo hill and the statue of the Virgin or ride the teleferico 2.5km to the top of Cruz Lomo for fantastic views of the city (weather permitting). I could have happily lost myself for days wandering the safe and charming streets.

After exploring Quito we journeyed for a few days on board “The Chiva Express”, a colourful one coach train which travels along certain sections of the railway through the Ecuadorian countryside between Quito to Cuenca. The Chiva has open top seating on the roof as well as standard enclosed seating and it was such fun riding the top of the train with such fantastic views. Along the way multiple stops were made to discover the rural side of Ecuador at places such as a dairy hacienda to milk cows, and meet the “chagras” (Ecuadorian cowboys) and also ride llamas. Other sights and visits included the awesome Cotopaxi volcano, a rose plantation and different mountain guest houses to see how the locals live and also have a warm drink by the fire. En-route at the town of Alausi most people do a round trip Chiva ride to see the Devils’ nose, a world famous feet of railway engineering and also the fascinating nearby Inca ruins of Ingapirca.

Ecuador’s third city is the UNESCO world heritage site of Cuenca which is situated in the southern highlands. Here you can visit the famous Panama Hat Factory, then by foot visit the beautiful Modern Art Museum which is based in an old convent, the Plaza San Francisco and then the stunning cathedral. Like Quito the city is very safe and lovely to walk around and we journeyed to the viewpoint for a good feel of the layout of the city and also stopped at a Cuy stall (cooked guinea pig). In the evening we enjoyed ourselves at the locally renowned Café Eucalyptus where the live salsa music, as well as the cocktails, flow until the early hours.

We later returned to Northern Ecuador and travelled to Otavalo, famous for its large market (thought by many to be the best in Latin America). A visit to the market can be made as a day trip from Quito or you can stay overnight at one of the nearby countryside haciendas some of which offer stunning lakeside and volcano views. The centre of the market is at the main square but it spills out into numerous streets and here you can purchase all sorts of souvenirs such as ponchos, hats, alpaca scarves, and beautifully crafted wooden ornaments (and all very economical for us Brits). Bartering is ok to do but to be honest the prices are excellent in the first place. Those who love shopping will love it and those who don’t will still be fascinated.

In terms of new and unexpected experiences this small and understated country with a hint of mystery really packs a punch! It has an intriguing culture consisting of some of the most friendly and enthusiastic people, unique customs and quirky cuisine, and some of the most atmospheric and exciting scenery I have ever seen.