By Car in Quito

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By Car

The Pan-American Highway runs right through Quito, which makes driving to most places in the country fairly easy. Short trips are possible to some of the nearby tourist areas but should be carefully planned because road conditions are not always good once you leave the main highway. Do not drive into the Amazon or anywhere near the Colombian border. A better idea is to rent a car and driver.

Car Rental

Three of the major international rental agencies -- Avis, Budget, and Hertz -- have offices in downtown Quito and at Aeropuerto Mariscal Sucre. You can also rent a car from Localiza, an Ecuadoran company, at the airport.

Major Agencies

Avis (Av. Amazonas 3-22. 02/255-0243; 02/244-0270 at the airport). Budget (Av. Amazonas 1408, at Av. Colón. 02/254-5761 or 02/245-9052). Hertz (Av. Amazonas at Río Arajuno. 02/225-4257) Localiza (Aeropuerto Mariscal Sucre. 800/562-254. www.localiza.com.ec).