Frequently Asked Questions

• Obviously, it depends on how luxury you want to travel.
• you can stay in a hostel bunkbed starting at around 10 USD – you can find a luxury hotel for 75 USD per person.
• Local public city busses are around 0.50 USD. An Uber or Cabify gives you a 15 minutes ride for less than 3.50 USD.
• Multi-hour bus rides between cities are often under 10 USD per person. Car rental is the same price as in the USA or Europe. However, a full tank of an SUV is around 25 USD
• You can have a nice warm lunch (not a la carte) for 5 USD. In a western style restaurant, you can have a very proper meal with some drinks for 10 – 15 USD per person
• Day trips are typically 50 – 75 USD. Galapagos is more expensive. You will need a couple of hours flight to get there and trips are typically a couple of days. You should expect around 1.000 USD for around 4 days

• First, it’s best to check with your own doctor, as this also depends on your personal circumstances. 
• Other than that, a few things are good to realize. Ecuador is a country with 3 difference climates: the coast (hot), the mountains (moderate) and the jungle (tropical). Most probably, if you don’t go to the jungle, you’ll need less vaccinations.
• Second, traveling straight from ‘high risk’ yellow fever countries (like Brazil), it may be required to proof that you had yellow fever vaccination more than a week prior to the flight. Ecuadorian authorities are pretty relaxed about this, but the flight company’s many not let you board

• Obviously, the basic stuff like socks etc. which you bring on every trip. Don’t bring an electrical toothbrush. The different electrical net will not let it charge. Also, you can’t find the replacement tops anywhere
• If you go to the highlands you’ll need warm clothing. Ecuador is at the equator, but the altitude cools it down significantly
• If you fly from a country considered high risk of yellow fever (like Brazil), you may be asked for vaccination proof to be allowed on the plan
• Anything you may forget, you can just buy in the larger cities. Although clothing and electronics are generally more expensive than you would expect (more than in Europe or the US)

1. • Depends on how much you want to do. Fortunately, Ecuador is pretty small (and diverse). Most people get a lot done in 2 – 3 weeks when planning it well.  

• Loneliness: If you plan your itinerary as such, you’ll meet a lot of other people who are traveling alone as well as locals you’ll meet on your way. In fact, traveling alone is the best way to meet as many new people as possible
• Safety: Ecuador is not a dangerous travel destination. But keep in mind that you may be used to living in one of the safest places in the world. Some general travel savviness is always recommended: Don’t us an ATM in the middle of the night, don’t swing your cell phone around in a poor neighborhood, etc. Furthermore, there are plenty of women traveling on their own. Ecuador is not known for being female unfriendly.
• If you have any doubts or questions, feel free to reach out to us. We know exactly which areas in the country are more and less safe. We’d be happy to advise.

• Completely depends on your preferences. Our advice would be to check what your health insurance covers and if that is in line with what your plans are. For instance, it makes a huge difference if you are planning to go sightseeing or bungee jumping. Some travel insurances can fill any health care gap not covered by your health insurance.
• Most travel insurances cover losses and theft (in case of a police report).

• Your body uses red blood cells to transport oxygen. Higher altitude, means less oxygen, which means you need more red blood cells. If you don’t get enough oxygen you can get a headache or feel sick. As soon as your body starts producing more red blood cells, the problem solves itself. Strangely enough, this does not depend on age or fitness. It really differs from person to person.
• Most people don’t encounter huge problems. However, if you were looking forward to mountain biking the Cotopaxi and you end up spending the day feeling sick, it can really spoil the experience. Therefore, it’s a good idea to plan your trip as such that your body can adjust. For instance, after the beach you first go to Quito and then to Chimborazo, instead of the other way around.

• Most people in Ecuador only speak Spanish. However, there are enough English speakers for you to manage getting around with English only.
• Frankly, if you would travel completely independently, speaking Spanish would widen your options. We can help you to not miss out of any experience if you don’t speak Spanish

• If you stay less than 90 days within a calendar year in Ecuador, you will not need a tourist visa. At the airport, before boarding, the flight operator may ask you to proof through a ticket that you are leaving the country within this time
• If you exceed the 90 days you need a visa – if you have the chance, it may be better to acquire this in Quito instead of at your local embassy, that would be much cheaper

• In restaurants, it’s common to give around 10%.
• If somebody helps you with your grocery bags, parking or something else on the street, you can give around 50cents (USD).

• In the cities we’d recommend using Cabify. It’s similar to Uber, but has stricter selection criteria for drivers. It’s very cheap and much more reliable than the local taxis on the street.
• There are many busses taking you over longer distances. It’s cheap, it works well. But it’s not the most comfortable. In some Latin American countries, there are “cama” seats. In Ecuador, you will mainly find “semi-cama”, because the country is smaller.
• Renting a car works well. Although it’s not so cheap. People drive more aggressive than you may be used to. So, we’d only recommend doing so, if you are an experienced driver. Also, it’s best to avoid driving during national holidays (especially to and from the coast) and it’s best to check the weather (especially when driving in the mountains or jungle).
• A private shuttle/driving service: in some cases, this can be interesting (and more economic than you would expect). 

• Ecuador has 4 difference climates: The Jungle (tropical), the coast (very hot) and the highlands (like a spring in France), Galapagos (warm, rainy and cooling winds).
• Jungle: a typical rain forest. It’s warm and wet all year round. It rains mostly in the period April – June. The rain is not unpleasant. Only if you go kayaking, rafting or very deep jungle hiking and it rained the night before, your guide may decide to cancel for safety.
• Coast: it’s always hot. Temperatures of 30 degrees and above. The sun is very strong. During the first half of the year there is a bit higher chance of rain (but not so much to avoid this period).
• Highlands: March – June and October – December are a bit rainier, but still fine to visit. The higher you go, the colder it gets. For instance, if you decide to go to the volcanoes, you may even consider wearing gloves (there is permanent snow at the tops). In Quito, it’s around 18 degrees Celsius during the day. At night, it can cool down to 12 degrees Celsius. In the lakes district it’s a bit warmer, around 25 degrees at the day and 18 at night. Don’t let the temperature fool you! The sun is still incredibly strong!
• Galapagos: July to December around 20 degrees Celsius (cooled by the winds and more rain in September and October); January – June: around 26 degrees and tropical rain.

• Ecuador can be visited all year round. It’s at the equator, so the weather is never going to be uncomfortable. We’d say that the effects of seasons create 2 main limitations to keep in mind:
  1. July – December: Galapagos is a bit colder (20 degrees Celsius), but also the best time for seeing whales (although these you can also see outside of this period as well)
  2. April – June: More rain in the jungle. You can still visit the jungle, but there is a larger chance for rafting, kayaking and deep jungle hikes cancellations for safety reasons.

Tailored trip: Together, before you go, we’ll plan your personalized itinerary exactly. We can tailor it precisely to want you want to experience. It will be organized from the first until the last day.

Semi-organized trip: We’ll only plan elements of your trip. The rest of your trip you’ll travel independently. While traveling independently, you can reach out to use if you’d need any further support