Let's get Day 3 started! We began our day by soaking in their hot springs because we had a decent night's sleep after a long day of activity the day before. It was so relaxing we didn't want to get off!
The mountain view was truly magnificent. The surrounds, pool temperature, and terrain are all stunning and peaceful in their own distinct ways.
Knowing that today would be another hectic day, we left the hot springs to get ready and have our hefty meal at their buffet breakfast area. Their breakfast area has a large assortment of food - international English breakfast with a touch of local dishes. We had a good breakfast and are now ready for the adventure!
We began wandering around the resort's facilities, taking pictures of them, including the facade outside or at the entrance.
And, because we came late last night, we were only able to appreciate the resort's architecture in the morning. We also had the opportunity to go on a quick hike within the resort's vicinity, where we saw a variety of plants and farm animals such as alpacas and llamas, rivers and ended our tour by visiting their numerous hot springs - both public and private.
Our time to check out has come - even though our journey to Papallacta was distant from downtown Quito and we only remained for a short time, I can honestly say it was well worth it! This is perfect for travelers looking to relax and reconnect with nature.
Our next visit is the Parque Nacional Cotopaxi, also known as the Cotopaxi National Park. We traveled less than three hours from Papallacta to get here. We weren't able to go up the station because of a limitation due to the volcano being quite active at the time, but we had a lovely time visiting the Limpiopungo Lagoon, which is located within the park. The indigenous Andean people see this lake as a sacred spot. They think the lagoon is inhabited by spirits and has healing properties. As a method of paying respect and asking for blessings, many people make offerings to the spirits at the lagoon, such as coca leaves and flowers. With its spectacular views of the surrounding mountains and the reflection of Cotopaxi on its surface, the lagoon is also a popular photographic location. Most importantly, even though it was cloudy that day, we were able to glimpse the top of the magnificence, which is quite breathtaking!
Cotopaxi National Park is a beautiful place with a variety of activities for outdoor enthusiasts. Whether you're a hiker, a climber, or a nature lover, this park is a must-see!
We finished the day by meeting our incredible crew in Ecuador! Like Betty, their supervisor, whom we met on Day 2, it feels as if we've known the team for a long time, even though it was our first time meeting them in person - incredibly fascinating!
After meeting the team, Marie and I had the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to meet brothers and sisters in Ecuador. We went to the Kingdom Hall and refreshed our spiritual batteries!
The ocular at our hotel near the airport, Rincon de Puembo, was the last on our list after we had our dinner and before we finally ended our day today. Imagine going around the property after 12 midnight - taking pictures and documenting what this hotel has to offer and what sets it apart from others in the neighborhood. It was a fun and very educational experience.
The response from Adventure Life to my first inquiry was prompt and promising. I worked with Jamie Broeckel, Trip Planner, via text, email, and phone calls- always extremely responsive and thorough with information and explaining the process to arrange a private tour for me to Malaysia Borneo. Within about week, the booking was complete and I made decisions because of Jamie's great customer service , friendly manner, and overall competence on behalf of the company's travel expertise. Now I have an itinerary, additional Trip Planner Assistants, several links for vital information for traveling to Maylasia, etc. Still many details for Sept. trip, but now the heavy lifting is done and I can enjoy the rest of the anticipation and research!! Thanks Jamie- you are amazing!!!!
Susan Campo
3 days ago
The trip was not only memorable for the amount of animals we saw but also for the people and accommodations at the two camps where we stayed. Our first guide, BK, was a wealth of information about the animals, landscape and down to the plants and what they were used for. Everyday out was a learning experience with him. All the people at the camps were gracious and the food was excellent.
Our second camp in the Okavanga was just as good as the first as far as the staff, accommodations, food and animals. After our experience at the first camp we amazed that the high quality remained the same. Our guide, G, made sure we were able to enjoy every experience including a rush through the bush to witness a cheetah and an ensuing hunt that he heard over his radio.
In both camps there were enough guides out that if they saw something the other guides were informed which helped in seeing as much as possible. It was also nice that the concessions were large enough that we did not have vehicles following each other throughout the day.
Normally there is always something in a trip of this length that we think could be improved upon but this is the rare case where we cannot think of anything. From the time we left the States to when we returned it was one of the most hassle free vacations we took.
Perhaps emphasizing the use of the laundry facilities at the camps would be useful because of the luggage restrictions would be the only thing I can think of as an improvement to future clients.
Kenneth Dropek
4 days ago
Mary was so pleasant and professional. She made sure all of our questions were answered.
