By Kelly Shetsky
How to Travel in Ecuador
Ecuador is the second smallest country in
South America, but it's full of diversity and energy. In one day you can explore the Amazon Basin, drive across glaciated Andean volcanoes, through a tropical forest and end up on the warm Pacific coast. Follow these steps to learn how to travel in Ecuador.
Instructions
Difficulty: Moderate
Step 1
Buy your airfare during the offseason. Ticket fares are the most expensive between mid-June and early September, and between December and mid-January. Get a travel agent who specializes in travel to Latin America to save money.
Step 2
Fly into one of Ecuador's two major international airports: Quito's Aeropuerto Mariscal Sucre or Guayaquil's Aeropuerto Simón Bolívar. From the United States, you can get a direct flight through New York, Miami or Houston. The best deals can be found in Los Angeles and New York.
Step 3
Take a motorized canoe during a tour of the Amazon. These water taxis take up to three-dozen people at a time along the major rivers of Oriente.
Step 4
Jump on a bus to get around. They are the main form of transportation for Ecuadorians and run all around the country. Every major city and almost every town has a bus terminal within walking distance of the town's center.
Step 5
Experience the dramatic descent from Alausí along La Nariz del Diablo (The Devil's Nose) aboard a tourist train. Get up close and personal with one of the world's greatest successes of railroad engineering. There is another tourist train that runs weekends between Quito and the Area de Recreación El Boliche. You can ride on the roof of some of the rail cars.
Resources
About the Author:
Based in New York State, Kelly Shetsky started writing in 1999. She is a broadcast journalist-turned Director of Marketing and Public Relations and has experience researching, writing, producing and reporting. She writes for several websites, specializing in gardening, medical, health and fitness, entertainment and travel. Shetsky has a Bachelor of Arts in communications from Marist College.
Photo Credits:
MorgueFile
