gottravel

My wife and I are in the throes of planning a winter trip to Colombia and Equador. We're currently planning on spending about three weeks in Colombia and four in Equador. We're concentrating our Equador time on Quito and environs, Cuenca, Otavalo, Cotopaxi, the Avenue of the Vocanoes, Baños and the southern sierra. We're also contemplating an Amazonian excursion. We tend to travel slowly and enjoy physical activities (hiking), art museums, artesania and colonial towns. Is scheduling four weeks strictly in the Andean part of Equador too much time?

Axel2DP

Do you have any desire to do the Galapagos? I just came back from a 7D/8N Galapagos cruise, and had a "trip of a lifetime." It was a great and memorable experience.

crellston

In 2013 we spent two months in Ecuador, although a month of that was in Quito taking Spanish lessons. We had a month to explore the rest of the country and felt that was just about right. We didn't include the Galapagos and got our jungle fix in Bolivia.

I think one month is enough to see the country without rushing, so no, I don't think you are spending too much time there. It is almost like South America in miniature and getting around Ecuador is cheap and easy.

Some detail of our time there and some photos are on our blog
http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog...ai/6/tpod.html

A couple of places not on your list that I would strongly recommend considering, are the Quiltoa Loop and Chimborazo ( from Riobamba).

My only concern is the amount of time you have allocated to the much larger Columbia. I haven't been yet, it's on the list for next year.

gottravel

Thanks! Quiltoa and Chimborazo noted. And the Colombia time seems to be expanding...we could end up with an eight-week trip altogether. We're going to forgoe the Galapagos for now...my understanding is that one can book both Galapagos and Amazon trips from Quito and we may do one or the other if we feel we've exhausted the Andean possibilities.

BTW, Crellston, I'd started reading your blog just last night...GotT

ChessieD

Hello Gottravel!

I don't think 4 weeks is too much for Ecuador, especially if you want to take a trip to the jungle. I do think 3 is not much for Colombia though!

If you like hiking the avenue of the volcanoes is the perfect spot! Indeed you can hike the famous Cotopaxi (mind that you have to have a guide for that!), around the Quilotoa Laguna and so on. North of Quito there are various spots too, close to the Mitad del Mundo and Otavalo: Mojanda (three beautiful lagoons!), Pululahua volcanoe... There is so much to just in Quito and surroundings, I'm sure you'll find time flies by!

gottravel

Thanks, ChessieD! The more I've read, the more there seems to be and do in Ecuador. And Ecuador's gain has been Colombia's loss...we're constrained by trying to limit our trip to seven weeks.

MarnieWDC

Hola gottravel,
This sounds like a great adventure, long awaited. Did I ever tell you that Ecuador is my absolute favorite country to visit (after France, but hey). I think a month, given the way that you and yestravel go about these trips, sounds wonderful. May I hide out in your luggage ?

gertie3751

Crellston and Marnie, do you have any recommendations for a Spanish language school in Cuenca? May have 3 weeks to study, Sept/Oct. I have read some reviews (Simon Bolivar, Yanapuma, Sampere) but personal recommendation is all.
Thanks

crellston

We took our Spanish lessons in Quito and visited most of the schools there enforce choosing La Lengua mainly because I didn't want to use the immersion teaching method again and my tutor spoke good English. We took 3 weeks of lessons with them. My teacher was good but my wife's not so good. On reflection we should probably have gone with Yanapuma who did seem very organised and professional.

The only thing that put us off was that in Quito they used open plan rooms for the lessons with several tutors working with students all at the same time which I felt would be less than ideal. If Yanapuma now have a place in Cuenca, I would go with them Simon Bolivar, although highly rated by some was singularly unimpressive.

IMO it is important to meet with your actual tutor before making a final decision if at all possible.

gottravel

MarnieWDC. Of course you may. As long as you can fit in a carry-on. We don't check luggage on our flights out of the US.

MarnieWDC

OH dear, and they're getting smaller, by regulation !

Gertie, I never took lessons in Equador, but my son and DIL did....I'll querry them.