Travelling in Ecuador is exciting because this relatively small country has it all! Go hiking in the Andean highlands on one day, enjoy the beautiful coast on the other. Explore the the abundant wildlife of the Ecuadorian Amazon or experience the variety and beauty of the Galapagos archipelago. No matter what you do, it will not be disappointing!
Otavalo – what to do Otavalo is often associated only with the large market that is held there on Saturdays. I wanted to know if there was anything more to discover there and so I set off. Here I share my experiences with you: How did I get there? Where did I stay? How did […]
One Friday after work, I took the trole bus to the Quitumbe bus station in order to get on the bus to Tena. I have seen a lot of places in Ecuador so far but the jungle region was still missing. So I really looked forward to this weekend trip. The bus left at 6:00 […]
The capital of Ecuador is, with around 2.6 million inhabitants, the second largest city in the country. The traffic is immense, as many people move daily to work, to buy or to sell and back home. Especially in south-north direction – in the morning – and in north-south direction – in the evening – the […]
One day, I saw a video on TV about a group of people who were making a kayak tour on the sea and I thought, this looks exciting as I like adrenalin and to be alone facing such a marvellous scenery. Finally this eagerly awaited moment came. In January I was lucky to return to […]
I felt a little bit of anxiety since today was our last trekking day to reach the Quilotoa Lagoon and I didn’t want to return to the city problems. The room we stayed at in Mama Hilda was a lot bigger than in Insilivi and so was my bed. We slept in a duplex suite […]
I woke up very early in the morning, it was cold and after such a great experience outdoors it felt like my room was too small. My room was next to the living room from where I could see the yoga room. I started to spy out of my room to see if someone already […]
One of the most famous destinations in Ecuador, yet not that crowded is the Quilotoa Lagoon. Most travelers like to go there straight and comfortably in a bus or car and take some pictures, but we decided to take a longer way to reach it. Today I want to start describing a challenging experience of […]
When I heard that Mindo is located in the cloud forest, I had no idea what to expect because that should be my first time visiting one. In fact it is a type of evergreen rain forest on an altitude of 900 to 2.500 meters with an enormously diverse flora and fauna. Getting thereWe started […]
The Ecuadorian Andes offer a great variety of attractions from volcano climbing and hiking to horseback riding, canyoning, rafting or canopy. But there are also lesser known places just as beautiful. One of them is the ecological reserve of El Ángel, close to the Colombian border. Getting there Él Ángel is the name of a […]
Getting there As I was born at the coast, I am completely addicted to the ocean. Therefore, when I arrived to Ecuador it was clear for me to visit the Ecuadorian coast as soon as possible. Actually, we wanted to go to Olón but in the end we decided to travel to Puerto Lopez as […]
A couple of weeks ago, a friend and I decided that we wanted to attempt climbing Ecuador’s highest mountain, Chimborazo. With an altitude of 6300 meters above sea level this mountain is an actual giant. Therefore, it was clear from the beginning that prior preparation is needed. For that reason we planned to climb at […]
A couple of weeks ago, a friend and I decided that we wanted to attempt climbing Ecuador’s highest mountain, Chimborazo. With an altitude of 6300 meters above sea level this mountain is an actual giant. Therefore, it was clear from the beginning that prior preparation is needed. For that reason we planned to climb at […]
A couple of weeks ago, a friend and I decided that we wanted to attempt climbing Ecuador’s highest mountain, Chimborazo. With an altitude of 6300 meters above sea level this mountain is an actual giant. Therefore, it was clear from the beginning that prior preparation is needed. For that reason we planned to climb at […]
A couple of weeks ago, a friend and I decided that we wanted to attempt climbing Ecuador’s highest mountain, Chimborazo. With an altitude of 6268 meters above sea level this mountain is an actual giant. Therefore, it was clear from the beginning that prior preparation is needed. For that reason we planned to climb at […]
Last weekend I embarked on an adventure of a life time. Diego and I were investigating options for possible tours on the way from Tena to Loja in eastern Ecuador. During our search we found a tour which offers a three day caving expedition in the so called “Cuevas de los Tayos” some two hours […]
Last week, we got an invitation from the Inti Sisa Art Guesthouse to visit their hotel in Guatome. Guamote is a little mountain village in central Ecuador, about an hour south of Riobamba. The majority of the village is indigenous and Kichwa is still one of the main languages spoken by its inhabitants. We met […]
A few weeks ago, I made the journey to the most famous waterfall in northern Ecuador, Peguche Waterfall (or Cascadas de Peguche). It is located only 15 minutes from the beautiful market town of Otavalo, and easily accessible by bus or taxi. I decided to take a bus, so I walked from my hostel to […]
The Yasuni is part of Ecuador’s Amazon region and is among the most biodiverse areas of the world. Read why Yasuni, a part of Ecuadors Amazon Paradise, is in Danger. Because of the unique environment the Yasuni is world famous. Even the UNESCO recognized the Amazon area for its ecological and also cultural importance. The […]
Volcanoes can be threatening. But volcanoes can also be amazing, beautiful, unique, and impressive. Ecuador has one of the highest densities of volcanoes of all countries in the world. Especially the so-called Avenue of the Volcanoes in the Andes of Ecuador is peppered with several volcanoes. Most of them are not active anymore, but some […]
You can find many different museums in Ecuador. From tiny community-run exhibitions to pompous art museums of the so-called Quito school, there is a museum for every taste. The staff of SOLEQ.travel ranked their favorite museums in Ecuador. Unfortunately the National Museum with the famous Gold Room is currently closed for renovation, which is why […]
History of the Amazonas Avenue Before the 19th century, what today is the Amazonas Avenue were ample green areas that were used to cultivate Andean crops. With the population and businesses growing, wealthy families started moving to the areas north of the city center and the sector of the Amazonas Avenue was developed for housing. […]
Many people who visit our country get to see the typical Ecuador tourist attractions: Quito, the Cotopaxi Volcano, the market in Otavalo, and of course the Galapagos Islands. Of course they are all amazing, but we want to share with you some places that are not very well-known. Check out our team’s top ten list of […]
After the 7.8 earthquake in Ecuador we want to inform you that our travelers and staff are safe. Our clients’ safety is always our primary concern and we are glad that none were affected. The earthquake was the strongest one in about 40 years. It is a tragedy for our country, but it has not […]
As is a SOLEQ.travel tradition, I was able to visit our social project – the Refugio de los Sueños – last week with some of my colleagues. This way I was able to see where the money goes that we donate to the foundation – every one of our clients automatically contributes $10. Recently we […]
The Lion is the king of the animals. The ruler of the land, without any natural enemies. But there is also a lion of the air: the condor. Unchallenged and undisputed. The Andean Condor has also no natural enemy, there is no other species flying around that could challenge the condor in its habits and […]
Thinking about Ecuador the first thing that comes to your mind might be the Galapagos Islands or the Amazon. But at the same time it is also a perfect destination for hikers. In the Andes of Ecuador you find numerous mountains and volcanoes you can climb, suitable not only for professionals but also for beginners […]
The team of SOLEQ.travel took a weekend to the Riobamba area to share a lot of new experiences together. We took the opportunity to look for new tourist attractions that so far we had not visited in order to determine whether they will become a part of our tour itineraries in Ecuador. We also had […]
A great way to explore Ecuador’s stunning nature is on the back of a horse. There might just be a small problem: some people (like me for example) are not experienced riders. We may have some difficulties to completely trust an animal twice as huge as themselves. But no worries, I survived and so will […]
Would your perfect honeymoon be in an all-inclusive beach resort, where you do nothing but lie besides the pool the whole day? Then Ecuador is definitely not the destination for you. But if you’re looking for that wonderful combination of romantic hotels, breathtaking landscapes, adventurous activities and marvelous encounters, then a honeymoon in Ecuador would […]
Working and living in the northern part of Ecuador we are sometimes not that aware of what the southern part of the country has to offer. So I started exploring. A long weekend is a good starting point to head south, for example to Cuenca. It is Ecuador’s third largest city and the historic center […]
Being in Ecuador I have always been curious to get to know our neighboring country Colombia. The majority of people who visited loved it there, so we decided to go. Our first stop was Cali – also known as The Capital of Salsa. Arriving there we were surprised by the hot weather. We definitely had […]
You are addicted to speed, heights and nature? You love the feeling of wind blowing in your face, of rushing down a rapid stream, of being surrounded by lush green hills? Then your next travel destination should definitely be Mindo! This small, charming town in the cloud forest of the Ecuadorian Andes is located about […]
Spices, food, jewelry, leather bags, belts, scarfs, and other clothes in every imaginable color – you can find all of this at the huge indigenous market in Otavalo. It is a daily market held on Poncho Square, but on Saturdays it also expands to the small streets around the main square and covers a big […]
This weekend I decided to do a Horseback Riding Tour in Pululahua with my friends. About one and a half hours away from Quito, in the middle of the Pululahua Volcano’s crater, a wonderful horse ranch is located. It offers fabulous horseback riding tours from one to eight days. At nine o’clock in the morning […]
Welcome to the Amazon Rainforest! Imagine yourself sitting in a canoe, surrounded by sounds of monkeys, insects and birds, feeling the warm sun´s rays on your skin and watching the beautiful untouched nature. You are on the way to Cuyabeno Lodge which is located in the Cuyabeno National park, in Northeastern Ecuador. The Amazon rainforest […]
Today we show you one of many impressive destinations for a nice hike in the Ecuadorian Andes. If you are looking for a perfect day trip from Quito, we recommend going to Quilotoa, where you can hike the Quilotoa loop or just hike around the crater lake. From the lookout on the crater rim you have […]
Last weekend my friends and I went to Baños, a little town in the Ecuadorian Andes about three and a half hours south of Quito. It is famous for its hot springs, the active volcano Tungurahua and the several adventure activities you can do there. Arriving there we were surprised about the good weather – […]
Getting to know something new in the beauty of creation always causes indescribable curiosity. This thirst and spirit for adventure evolves, so that I and my friends decided to travel to the Northern Ecuadorian Highlands. The mountains with their amazing natural colors attracted our attention. At our first stop in the city of Cayambe suddenly […]
On the first weekend in September me and my friends from Quito went to Ecuador’s Coast – Puerto Lopez. Ever since I was a child, I have dreamed of seeing humpback whales and hoped to have this opportunity during my six-month stay in Ecuador.After a ten-hour bus ride we finally got to the little town […]
If you are looking for some challenging adventure and fun, a bike tour to the Antisana, Ecuador’s fourth highest mountain, is a great option. With its 5,704 meters (18,714 feet), it presents one of the most challenging technical climbs and tours in the Ecuadorian Andes. Our tour started at 7 am, and the ride in […]
Last weekend I wanted to spend some days on the beach and decided to go to Puerto Lopez – a wonderful place on Ecuador’s Pacific Coast that offers a perfect combination of relaxing near the ocean and doing different interesting day activities. When I arrived Saturday morning I was happy to check into my hotel […]
The Inca Trail or also named as Qhapaq Ñan is be declared as a World Heritage Site. It is therefore the fifth destination of Ecuador which is recognized by UNESCO. This Andean Route System was built by the Spanish hundreds of years ago and was mostly used for trade and defense. It is about 30,000 […]
Last weekend I decided to go to Mindo. A little, calm village in the cloud forest and about 70 km western from Quito. It is especially known for its unique bird world, like hummingbirds, toucans, parrots and the famous cock of the rock. As well you can do there a lot of other things, for […]
For being such a small country, Ecuador has an amazing diversity of plants and animals. For bird lovers, Ecuador is a true paradise with a huge variety of birds in the different areas of the country. Recently we went to check out Yanacocha and the area close to Mindo. Yanacocha is a nature reserve at […]
Sunday, the day for resting, and 18th of May, International Museum Day, a beautiful morning in Quito. Which museum should we pick to visit? We decide on Yaku. What is Yaku? Yaku is a word from the indigenous Kichwa language which means “water.” We leave for the city center and drive towards the El Placer […]
The Cotopaxi volcano (5,897 m / 19,347 ft.), in the National Park of the same name, is one of Ecuador’s most popular visitors’ sites. Don’t miss the spectacular views on your Ecuador tour! Our intern Fanny went and shares her impressions: “Last Saturday I went on a tour to the Cotopaxi National Park. We left […]
