When the whole world is your oyster, how do you choose your next destination? After spending the holidays at home (getting boosted, then getting and recovering from the OMICRON) I was really trying to send it straight to Chicago to visit with Grandma then heading to Peru… alas, this new variant foiled my plans to visit the Chicago retirement home and instead I had a few signs that led me to choose Ecuador as a first destination instead. For one, Cuzco and Machu Picchu have eternal thunderstorms the first two months of the year, and I figured that it be better to visit when I can do it properly. SO here we are now, in Ecuador, and I bought a one way from SFO to Atlanta to Quito which was still cheaper than flying to the East Coast ! Haha
My first day in South America! A new continent for me. Since I got in at 8 pm, I figured I’d have to take the $25 taxi ride to the city which is a whole hour from the airport, but nah man, I got a public bus and taxi for $12, just look for the red airport bus at the airport exit. My hostel, Secret Garden, was pretty sick and I probably chose it because of the relatively central location to Historical Downtown Quito, the sick rooftop and earthy feel, and for the wifi… but, they did not have a kitchen which was sad, so one less star for this property. Because I was so unsure about when I could finally begin my Ecuador adventure due to COVID setbacks, I basically did NO research before coming and just decided to start planning once I arrived!
So for your little geography lesson, you should know that Quito sits at about 2850 m (9350 ft) above sea level, making it the world’s second highest capital after Bolivia. Yeah, South America altitude is something else. That means from your first day, you can feel the altitude and if you have plans to trek any of the mountains (stay tuned!) you should probably at least walk or hike around Quito for a couple days to acclimatize.
Of course, Ecuador = equator, so the temperatures in Ecuador in January are not quite summer and not quite winter. Just think of it kind of like an eternal autumn. I was really comfortable all the time and normally just in a tee shirt and pants (I would wear shorts, but don’t want the attention). But as with anywhere near the equator or anywhere in the mountains, you always have to have your rain jacket handy!
My first morning I woke up at 8 AM Ecuador time (EST) despite some jet lag and was stoked to find that a good breakfasts in Ecuador run for $1.75— we’re talking two eggs, bread, coffee, and juice! It’s the perfect simple meal for me to start everyday. I spent about two hours walking around the historical center, passing by some landmarks and cathedrals I probably should have visited but was content just passing by…. My goal was to climb up el Panecillo which is a hill with a huge statue of the Virgin Mary on top, but I quickly learned that this was a little sketchy to do alone as I passed some beggars and saw myself as a target tourist, so I headed back to to hostel.
Now, while I intended to have a chill first day, I couldn’t really sit still and by 12 pm I found myself riding up the teleferico (cable car) right in the heart of Quito, since I learned there is literally just a 15,500 ft volcano that anyone can climb?? Starting from the top of the teleferico, you are already at 13,500 ft, which is super high! You’d think, great, that’s enough acclimatization for one day, but I decided to attempt Pichincha Volcano seeing that it was a simple out-and-back route from the teleferico. Since I got a bit of a later start, I was nervous about going to the top but I did go to 15,000 ft (still higher than Mt Whitney) and appreciated the views. I always gotta shout out my AllTrails Pro for giving me the confidence to solo hike thanks to downloadable maps! The last 100 vertical meters to the top would’ve taken a whole hour, so I decided to turn back and be safe than sorry. On the way back, I took my time to enjoy the stunning flora of the Andes, grabbed a traditional Ecaudorian snack and coffee by a mountain hut, and rode the swing on top of the world! Anyways, at the end of the day I felt really fulfilled since I literally just managed to hike so high up on my own, but I think it's because I've gotten enough experience to prepare for my own safety. There's a lot of planning that I have to do, like checking weather, buying insurance, downloading my maps, and getting all my snacks, electrolytes, gear, and water for every hike.
The next day, I ended up attempting the volcano a second time, but this time I felt wayyy crappier altitude symptoms and general fatigue as I think the jet lag was sinking in and I was sore from the day prior. Also, there were thunderstorms this time, which predictably started right around 1pm as I was nearing my turn around point from the day before. I had started the hike with a Swiss man and Ecuadorian with one lung (lol) who tried to push me to summit, but I totally knew I wouldn’t make it and sure enough decided to just hike a couple hours for further acclimatization.
Got caught in a hailstorm the second day---- notice the low visibility!
Afterward, I had a coffee in the sky at the restaurant on top, and jammed back down the mountain and to Quitumbe terminal where I hopped on a bus two hours south to Latacunga. I wanted to be in Latacunga a couple of days to visit Quilatoa, a beautiful bright blue lagoon two hours into the mountains. My hostel in Latacunga (where I write this now!) is called Tierra de Fuego and it is full of hikers and mountaineers, which is really refreshing because it is definitely a community I want be part of. It was also only $5 a night so this is where you see that budget traveling is where it’s at.
The bus schedule from Latacunga to Quilatoa lagoon ran the first bus at 6AM, so two hostelmates and I headed to the bus station at 5:30 AM to get that first ride in and experience the lagoon before afternoon clouds came in. After a stunning bus ride, we were already eating breakfast by 8:30 AM in Quilatoa and shortly after I commenced the loop hike around the whole crater, a 6 mile hike at around 12-13,000 ft elevation.
These photos are not edited-- it looks like that. Hard to believe!
At first, I found the lagoon beautiful but didn't notice the teal color I expected to find. Then, as the sun started peaking out more and more and as I walked to different parts on the circumference, it really became magical. I'm now calling this the prettiest hike I've done in my life! I couldn't help myself from taking photos and videos the whole way, and a stray dog (lol I'm scared of dogs) followed me halfway around the crater, even on the steep little goat trails. Honestly, he was photobombing me most the time but maybe he was just looking out for me :)
I thought I had plenty of time to make it for the 12:15 bus, but sadly the hike got harder in the second half, as I had to hike up to the highest point in the lagoon, and the downhill wasn't any easier with the risk of twisting an ankle. After 3.5 hours I finally finished the loop, hopped on a bus, and was back to Latacunga by 2 PM. The lagoon had already started to lose that stunning blue color as the afternoon was clouding over, so the morning was definitely the move. How much did this whole excursion, to the most beautiful hike, actually cost? The bus was $2 each way, my breakfast was $3, and the entrance to Quilatoa was $2. A similar roundtrip day trip from Quito would be $60 a person-- and this is how you do it for 7 times less! Clearly, I've had a crazy few days just getting straight into the tall Andes, and I'm taking a rest day before attempting Cotopaxi tomorrow. Vamos!
