Any tour of Ecuador simply must begin in the countries capitol of Quito. A city that offers an incredible blend of history, culture, and nature. And what better way to experience all of these aspects than by taking a day tour that includes riding the teleferico up Pichincha volcano, visiting the Middle of the World, and touring the cathedrals and churches in the city?
Our day started early as we made our way to the teleferico, a cable car system that takes visitors up to the top of Pichincha volcano. As we ascended the mountain, the views of the city below became more and more breathtaking. We could see the entire city spread out before us, and the Andes Mountains in the distance. At the top, we got off the cable car and hiked around the mountain, taking in the stunning scenery and snapping plenty of photos. Our guide advised doing this part of the tour first due to the crowds and he wasn't wrong. by the time we descended there was a line snaking out of the building and curling around along the sidewalk. The line that took us maybe 15 minutes first thing in the morning would have easily taken an hour or two by mid day - another wonderful reason to have a guide who knows the ropes.
View from Pichincha volcano (Jess Heuermann)
Next, we made our way to the Middle of the World, a monument marking the spot where the equator passes through Ecuador. The small museum and exhibits at the site that explain the science and history behind the equator and allow you to test the theory for yourself. We tried balancing an egg on a nail and watched water swirl in different directions on the different sides of the equator. A little cheesy? sure. But well worth a stop in conjunction with a larger tour through the city.
After that, we headed back to the city center to explore some of Quito’s stunning cathedrals and churches. The city is known for its beautiful colonial architecture, and there’s no shortage of churches to visit. We started with the Basílica del Voto Nacional, a Gothic-style church that’s one of the largest in South America. The church’s towers offer a stunning view of the city, but beware of the narrow stairs – they’re not for the faint of heart! Next, we visited the Church of the Society of Jesus, a Baroque-style church that’s famous for its ornate interior. The church is covered in gold leaf and features intricate carvings and paintings, making it a true work of art.
By this point, we had worked up quite an appetite, so we made our way to a restaurant near the Plaza de Armas for lunch. We were eager to try some traditional Ecuadorian cuisine, and we weren’t disappointed. We feasted on dishes like locro, a hearty soup made with potatoes, corn, and cheese, and ceviche, a seafood dish that’s popular throughout South America. We also tried churrasco, a grilled steak that’s served with rice, beans, and plantains.
All in all, our day tour of Quito was an incredible experience. We got to see the city from above, explore its historic landmarks, and indulge in some delicious food.
We were a group of three that initiated our research by independently searching for the best agency to help us in the somewhat complex experience of traveling to the Galapagos. We chose adventure life because they were the most responsive in the website provided the most comprehensive overview of the trip. Their reviews were also very good.
Adventure, life splits up its booking process in two parts. First Jeff, the booking agent helped us decide which experience best suited are interests. We chose a small 14 to 16 group sized yacht. Once the booking was made with Jeff, we were handed off to Coleene, who oversaw the complex process of assembling all of the necessary documents and making sure we had everything we needed to make the trip go smoothly. The adventure, life website, then becomes your personal place of reference for all things related to your trip from door to door. It’s a lot of information to assemble, especially for three travelers, but the website makes it easy and Colleen‘s gentle reminders kept us on track. In all, from the beginning, we had four months from the time we started our research till the time we departed. We felt that was, a good amount of preparation time and don’t think it would be wise to do it in less than four months. Mostly because I think you have more options with that amount of time. There were others on our trip that took six months and more from the time they started planning.
The trip itself was outstanding. We ended up on an excellent yacht (Galapagos Angel II) with a great group of guests that we were able to connect with and put together a really nice google photos album to share.
Jed
3 months ago
Great Experience! My trip planner, Jane, was available and knowledgeable. She made suggestions that suited the kind of adventure travel I like, still keeping within my physical limitations. She was very forthcoming with all of the details I requested. And she was always pleasant to speak with.
Charlene West
5 months ago
My travel consultant went out of her way to make sure everything went smoothly, everything from the flight reservations to the final booking.
johnw
9 months ago
We have told everyone we know about Adventure Life. What a great company to work with and no detail is missed. Call them for your next adventure!!
Paul Rupert
9 months ago
Clara was great to work with. She presented lots of options and always responded promptly. And she found excellent options within our price range.
