3 1/2 hours from Quito and we were in Otavalo, set in beautiful highlands and famed for its Saturday artesians market, when the place becomes packed. We were surprised to find it almost dead on a Thursday and there’s not that much to see and do, but there is a good sized permanent market which … More Adios Ecuador – last stop Otavalo
To get to Quito we took a 2 1/2 hr bus to Manta up the coast from Puerto Lopez and pretty much got straight onto an 8 hour bus to Santa Domingo. It was a long trip (particularly with no toilet or toilet stop!) but some of the scenery was great with jagged lumpy hills … More Quito – Colonial Splendour
We went to Macas from Cuenca, but had to go back to Cuenca to get to the coast. So after getting back we stayed in Cuenca overnight, got up early and caught a 4 hour bus to Guayaquil then got straight onto another 4 hour bus to Puerto Lopez. Guayaquil’s bus terminal is massive, like … More Hunting for humpbacks in Puerto Lopez
We decided to go into the Amazon jungle in Ecuador for purely practical reasons, the distance to/from the jungle is much shorter in Ecuador. Plan A was to go to Macas in the southern half of Ecuador’s Amazon and try to find a Shuar guide – the Shuar tribe is most commonly known for its … More In the jungle with the Shuar
The journey from Loja to Cuenca took 5 1/2 hours and ranks up there with one of our worst bus journeys – there was air con instead of windows that open and we were both feeling rough before we even got on the bus. With high speed and bumpy windy roads most of the people … More Cuenca – Panama hat shopping
Marie was pretty ill before we got the bus from Piura, Peru, but really wanted to cross the border to Ecuador. We did have tickets to Loja 8 hours from Piura but after crossing the border the bus stopped for lunch in the Ecuadorian border town of Macara, 3 1/2 hours into the journey and … More Hola Ecuador! Macara & Loja
