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Our Trip to Quito, Ecuador and the Galapagos

By : Ranny and Donna Pierce
Trip Begins April 21, 2011
Trip Ends May 1, 2011

A once in a lifetime adventure to Ecuador and a Galapagos cruise aboard the Millenium. Add this trip to your "bucket list." A group of friends set off to experience the best of the country, including ziplining, horseback riding, snorkeling, and lots of wildlife on their Galapagos cruise.
See my photos : Our Ecuador Trip and Galapagos Cruise

Want to go? Haciendas of Ecuador, Millennium: 10 Day Tour

I went to: Ecuador, Quito, Casa Aliso, Cotopaxi, Hacienda El Porvenir, Otavalo, Galapagos, Hacienda San Augustin de Callo, Hacienda Rumiloma, Hacienda Zuleta, Bartolome, Santa Cruz Island, Santiago, Santa Fe, South Plaza Island, North Seymour, Espanola, Floreana, Rabida, San Cristobal, Lobos, Highlands, Charles Darwin Center

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April 21, 2011

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We arrive at 10:00 PM and Go to our hotel

Casa Aliso, Quito

It's hard to believe that we are in the capital of Ecuador. Frankly, before looking into a trip to the Galapagos I never really thought about spending much time in Quito.

I'm so glad that we made the decision to come a few days early and spend time exploring the capital city and the beautiful towns and countryside outside of Quito.

In fact, in hindsight, we could have added a few more; there's just so much to see.

I also would suggest (depending on your age - we're in our mid-sixties) to do more in Quito before your trip to the Galapagos. You'll have more energy, as the Galapagos can be a bit exhausting.

The airport was bustling, even at 10:00 at night. Our guide was "right there" waiting for us and ready to take us to our hotel - Casa Aliso. A little gem - a boutique hotel - a charming place to stay.

More about the hotel in tomorrow's journal. Tired now and it's time to go to bed.

April 22, 2011

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The Casa Aliso - Zip Line - Horseback Riding

Hacienda El Porvenir, Cotopaxi

We wake to a wonderful buffet breakfast that includes those things you could find in the USA but also some of the local breakfast treats from Ecuador. You won't leave hungry.

The staff is most accommodating and lovely to work with. There is no language barrier since all speak excellent English.

When we go outside to meet our van. I notice that the building across the street appears to be unfinished (see photo.) On our trip out of town I saw many, many other buildings in the same state. People were living in them, yet they appeared to be unfinished.

The mystery overwhelmed me and I finally had to ask Santiago (our wonderful guide), "What is the story?"

Santiago explained to us that if you don't finish a building, and it appears that more could be added on, you pay fewer taxes on the property. Pretty smart - there's always an answer.

We were supposed to go horseback riding today at the Hacienda and Zip-Lining tomorrow. That itinerary got switched, but who cares. We're on an adventure. More about the Hacienda, zip-line and horseback riding in tomorrow's journal.

April 23, 2011

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Zip Line - Hacienda - Horseback - Back to Quito

Casa Aliso, Quito

This part of the journal encompasses two days.

Our first adventure was zip-lining (the natives call it "the canopy." This was the first time for all of us, so this was a "real" adventure.

The part of the adventure we weren't expecting was the 50 minute - muddy path - uphill hike - to the beginning of the zip-line. After slipping sliding (it had rained) along the path and getting a bit "tuckered out" we reached our "first line." After an excellent presentation of what to do and what NOT to do, I went first. Exhilarating!! As you can imagine a few of us did not pay attention and their first zip was a bit less than they had hoped for. No injuries - simply, do it better on the second try. There were five tries in all. A MUST, if you haven't done it.

The Hacienda was stunning. Wonderful hosts and help. The food, absolutely outstanding and the rooms clean and bright and authentic.

The next day brought us our adventure on horseback. There is so much to say about this adventure and so little space. Simply put - a scenic wonderland - calm, gentle horse, no experience needed - Ecuadorian cowboys to help us every inch of the way - the freshest air.

After our return to the Hacienda, we had a wonderful lunch and took the bus trip back to Quito and our hotel.

April 24, 2011

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Shopping and Experiencing the People of Ecuador

Otavalo, Ecuador

After an exhausting day (the day before), we all slept well at our hotel last night. The next morning our guide picked us up to take us shopping. We had a new guide this morning and his name was Daniel. Once again a charming, good-looking, informed and articulate gentleman. There were 10 of us and we all fit into a comfortable van.

Our first stop was the open-air market of Otavalo. This market is one of the most famous in South America and especially in Ecuador. The local natives have their wares shown in the market square. All sorts of crafts, rugs and garments made by the local people are shown and sold. Bargaining is something that is to be expected. When buying you must never, never pay the asking price. 30% less than what they ask is a good way to gauge a good buy.

After the open-air market we went to a small town not too far away that is known for its leather goods. More than its leather goods, it was interesting because it wasn't a real tourist town and therefore we could experience the day-to-day life of the local Ecuadorians. We spent some time shopping and then we met for lunch at one of the local restaurants. Eating at this restaurant was an exciting experience. Not only would the locals eat their (once again not a tourist location) lunch, but also what they had on the menu was true Ecuadorian food.

The food was delicious but we had one person at our table that had a special treat. We had heard from our guide that one of the Ecuadorian delights and specialties was roasted guinea pig. Well, my brother-in-law Norman is a very adventuresome eater. When he saw that the roasted guinea pig was on the menu he ordered it up right away. If you look at our photos you will see a picture of the aforementioned guinea pig. Frankly, after trying it, you must partake of this special treat.

On our way back to Quito we stopped at many different, beautiful and interesting sites. One of which was the globe that showed you were right on the equator. It was back to our hotel, a good meal, a good nights rest and off to the Galapagos tomorrow.

April 25, 2011

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Winging Our Way to the Galapagos

Galapagos

We all had a well earned night’s sleep and a delicious breakfast the next morning. Did I mention about the breakfast at the hotel? Even though it was considered a continental breakfast, it was much more than that. Rolls, danish, fruit, coffee, tea, meats, cereals, eggs made to order and much, much more adorned the breakfast bar.

Off to the airport we went with our guide Daniel, once again in a comfortable van. He took care of everything, our tickets, our luggage and getting us to the gate right on time. We boarded the plane and we were about to embark on a new adventure.

I simply don't know why I had in my mind that the plane we would be flying in would be a small, old and dilapidated plane. I figured it was going to be one of those puddle jumpers. However the Galapagos are 600 miles off the coast of Ecuador and it was going to take a much bigger plane to get us there. Boy was I ever wrong! The plane we flew on was a Boeing 757 with all the bells and whistles. It was a great flight.

We made a stopover on the coast city of Guayaquil. Some passengers departed and we took on some new. Now we were headed to the island of Baltra in the Galapagos. It is one of two airports in the islands. While it was small it was very modern and very clean.

I will tell you more about that in tomorrow's Journal.

April 26, 2011

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The Airport - The Ship - and Sam

Galapagos

Over the next few days we visit many of the islands in the Galapagos, but of course not all. That would take an unusually long trip. Depending upon whether you do the four-day trip or the week trip, you of course, will see more of the islands.

What I will try to do is give you a taste of what to expect on this marvelous journey to a hidden wonderland. The things you will see in the adventures that you will be a part of are a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Cherish every moment of it.

Our tour guide Sam met us at the airport. Yes, Sam had a last name, but I frankly don't remember it and in essence it really doesn't matter. He became a good friend to all of us in our short time together and he was simply Sam to us.

Tour guides in the Galapagos are a rare breed. They must be native to the islands of the Galapagos and must be highly educated and trained. What Sam told us, showed us, experienced with us was simply marvelous.

We got on a bus and were transported to the pier where our ship was waiting. Well, it was not waiting right there so that we could walk on, but in the harbor and we needed a way to get there. So this became our first experience with the Zodiac. The Zodiac is what we might consider a rubber dinghy powered by an outboard engine. We would become very familiar with the Zodiac over the next few days, because it is our main mode of transportation to and from the islands and also when we went snorkeling.

We are now on the ship. Sam and the crew show us around. They show us to our rooms and bring us our luggage. After getting settled in our wonderful cabins, we were shown the different parts of the ship and had our first fire drill.

I will tell you more about the ship and what we do daily in the next day's journal.

April 27, 2011

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The Food-The Crew-And Snorkeling

Galapagos

The ship we were on is the Millennium. It is a catamaran, which is a double-hulled vessel. Because of the two hulls, the ship moves through the water very smoothly and except for an occasional choppy sea the ride was very nice.

There were 12 crewmembers on the millennium. The captain, the first mate, two engineers, two cooks and the rest were general deck hands. All spoke Spanish, and few spoke any English at all, but with Sam's help we all understood each other very well.

The food on the Millennium was magnificent. The chef and his helper were outstanding. Every meal was something new and delicious. I never heard one complaint the entire cruise. That really says something because when it comes to food somebody is always dissatisfied, but not on the Millennium.

Our daily routine was basically early to bed and early to rise. We would have our breakfast and then proceed to go on a hike or to go snorkeling. Most every afternoon was spent snorkeling off the Zodiacs.

Even though we snorkeled almost every day I will comment at this point about our adventures while snorkeling. The water was delightful, neither too cold nor too warm. The sea was always quite calm during our snorkeling adventures. Sam was always a part of the snorkeling routine. Not only did he swim with us, he also watched over us, pointed out the fish and other animals and made us always feel protected and at ease.

We witnessed hundreds of types of fish, seals, sharks, giant sea turtles, birds of every imaginable sort on our snorkeling trips. Most, if not all, of the guests aboard the Millennium stated that it was the best snorkeling they had ever experienced.

April 28, 2011

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Hikes on the Islands - And the Birds

Galapagos

Every day was a different island. Every island had its own unique look and its own particular inhabitants. Every island had a bird population, although some of the islands had many more birds than others. I wish I had spent more time studying the birds and writing down their names and descriptions. I did however take many pictures and even if I don't know the names of the birds I will always be able to look at the pictures and appreciate them.

As a general statement, I would say that if you are planning to visit the Galapagos it would be much to your advantage to read as much as you can about the islands and as much as you can about Charles Darwin and his adventures. I read a little bit, but in hindsight I wish I had read much more. By getting a background about the Galapagos you will feel more at home with the knowledge you receive on your trip.

Let me tell you about to the most interesting and outstanding birds on this island. One is the Frigatebird; the other is the Blue-footed Booby.

The frigatebird: a large black bird that has the reputation of stealing food from other birds. Yes, the frigate bird does that but it also fends for itself. The male bird has a large red pouch on its neck that it inflates to a huge size when trying to attract a female. It is a sight to see; look at my photos.

The blue-footed booby: just as its name implies has large blue feet. Have you ever seen a bird with large blue feet? Probably not! These birds are not only unusual, they are unbelievable fishermen. They dive from extreme altitudes at breakneck speed deep into the sea to catch their prey. You must witness this.

April 29, 2011

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Iguana and Seals

Galapagos

Two of the most interesting animals you will come in contact with in the Galapagos are the iguanas and seals.

Iguanas

The iguana was one of the most interesting varieties of animals on the face of the earth. Upon seeing your first iguana you will be both shocked and amazed at the same time. Initially, their ugliness takes you by surprise; however, upon closer inspection these animals are beautiful in their own way. Their colors, their shapes, their sizes and the multiplicity within the species is outstanding. You will see both land iguanas as well as sea iguanas. There is not a lot of time and space at this point to describe the many differences; please visit the Galapagos and educate yourself.

Seals and sea lions:

Poor, poor Sam. He explained the difference between seals and sea lions virtually every time we saw one of these animals. There is a difference, I know it has something to do with the ears, but frankly I don't know the exact difference. What I do know is that these are the most fascinating and beautiful animals you will ever encounter. While a bit awkward on land once they're in the water they are a wonder to watch. On one of our adventures to an island we encountered over 50 seals drying off and sunning themselves on the beach. We approached them and walked between them. We were close enough to touch them but of course we did not. They were unafraid of us but we still realized that they were wild animals and were capable of being very defensive. I felt that encountering these seals on the beach was the highlight of my experience in the Galapagos.

April 30, 2011

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The Giant Tortoise - Wrap up - Back to Quito

Casa Aliso, Quito

Our last day on the Millennium has arrived. We have seen so much and experienced so much with the company of old friends and new friends that we met on board the ship. We will be sad to leave; yet we know we will cherish these memories for a lifetime.

As I mentioned before, depending upon the length of your tour you may or may not see everything the Galapagos has to offer. Because we took the shorter tour we weren’t going to be able to visit the island with the giant tortoise. Virtually everyone on board the Millennium understood the situation but nonetheless was very disappointed.

But along came Sam to the rescue. By calling ahead he was able to arrange a visit for us on the final day to tour a tortoise-breeding compound. Look at our photos and they say it all. The size of these animals, the age of these animals and the fact that they seem to flourish in this environment is outstanding. The fact that we got to see these animals was because of Sam and more importantly because Adventure Life Tours delivers on their promises.

We boarded the plane and we went on our way back to Quito. We leave for home tomorrow.

May 1, 2011

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To the Airport - Winging our Way Home

Quito, Ecuador

Yesterday we flew from the Galapagos to Quito. The difference in temperature is a bit shocking. The Galapagos are at sea level where the temperatures range from the 60s to the 90s, while Quito being at 9,200 feet is significantly cooler, around 60°.

Once again we were whisked away by our friendly tour guide and taken to our boutique hotel. The manager of the hotel, who parenthetically is a wonderful gentleman, gave all of us vouchers for free drinks at the restaurant. The restaurant, which is part of, and attached to the hotel, is something you shouldn't miss. It features great service and delicious food. We go to sleep exhausted and with our bellies full.

The next morning, once again, we are whisked away by our tour guide who once again takes care of everything, transportation, information, luggage, ticketing and simply being in the right place at the right time.

The plane speeds down the runway; it begins to lift off; the landing gear retracts; we look out the window and see Quito below and we know we have come to the end of our Ecuadorian and Galapagos adventure.

Don't wait! Don't hesitate! Do it now! Adventure Life! Make a reservation for Ecuador and the Galapagos's! You won't be disappointed.