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!
Cumbayá – the wealthy east of Quito MARIA The typical Ecuador – in Quito you can experience this best in the historical old town. Because in the Centro Histórico street vendors do their business. Indigenous people perform their dances and you can have lunch in the colourful, crooked colonial-style houses for two dollars. But Quito […]
Hiking around Santa Rita Eco-reserve Angela The SOLEQ.travel team set out to explore an area we did not know yet: Santa Rita Eco-reserve. A beautiful place in the middle of nature, that not a lot of people know about. As our team likes to keep their reputation of true Ecuador experts, we are always looking […]
Adventure tourism in Ecuador: an excursion to Baños SOLEQMASTER Baños de Agua Santa (“The Baths of Holy Water”) is especially known for its hot springs, supposed to have special healing powers. In addition, Baños has become an obligatory destination for adventure tourism with its numerous activities in recent years. This is not least due to […]
Ibarra – a day in the white city Maria Ibarra is located about three hours north of Quito in the Andes. The capital of the Ecuadorian province of Imbabura was completely destroyed in 1868 and then rebuilt. The pretty old town was mostly kept in white, which is why Ibarra was given the additional name […]
A walk through the historical old town of Quito – In times of Corona Maria It is Saturday, beginning of June 2020, three days after the first reductions in corona measures were also made in Quito. From 18 March to 2 June the city was more or less at a standstill. Curfew was from 14:00 […]
cuenca-WHAT TO DO Dominik Cuenca is Ecuador’s third largest city. Also it is known for the unique heritage, the churches and the architecture. Herewith comes the Nickname Athens of Ecuador. I wanted to know how the City handles all the expectations.Here I share my experiences with you: How did I get there? Where did I […]
Rainforest in ecuador – tena travelogue Maria Tena is known as a rainforest city. The capital of the province Napo is an ideal starting point to explore the Selva, the tropical rainforest in Ecuador. The journey took me to beautiful places of untouched, pristine nature and into the absolute darkness of the Jumandi Caves! How […]
Volcán Ilaló: easy day hike close to Quito Angela The city of Quito has a truly unique location. Not only it has an altitude of 2.850 meters and is very close to the equator: the city is also surrounded by 14 volcanoes. This ensures endless possibilities for spectacular hikes, at just a short distance from […]
Galapagos Cruise Travelogue Dorit Western Galapagos Island Cruise Part II We have already reported on the first days of our Galapagos Cruise. Also the second part of our trip to the western Galapagos Islands was amazing and full of exciting experiences! Puerto Villamil and tortoise breeding centre In the afternoon we drove to Puerto Villamil […]
The Mojanda lagoons SOLEQMASTER Approximately 17 kilometers from the small town of Otavalo in northern Ecuador are the four lagoons of Mojanda. They lie embedded in the spectacular mountain landscape at the foot of the Fuya Fuya volcano. The team of SOLEQ.travel made an excursion to the lagoons of Mojanda. How to get to the […]
Galapagos Islands Travelogue SOLEQMASTER Western Galapagos Island Cruise Part I The Galapagos Islands represent a unique and diverse flora and fauna. Located approximately 1,000 km off the coast of Ecuador, the harmony of nature and wildlife offers a breathtaking scenery. With the Catamaran Archipelago I we travelled the western Galapagos Islands and experienced the uniqueness […]
Wildlife and Activities in the Mashpi Lodge Ecuador Dorit Hansen How do you get to Mashpi Lodge in Ecuador’s cloud forest? How does Mashpi Lodge contribute to cloud forest protection in Ecuador? And how many waterfalls are there at Mashpi? We answer these questions in the first part of the travel report about Mashpi Lodge. […]
Between Montañita and Puerto López: the southern coast of Ecuador SOLEQMASTER The two small towns of Puerto López and Montañita are about 45 kilometers from one another on the southern coast of Ecuador. The vegetation in this region is similar to that of the Galapagos Islands. On long sandy beaches you can observe crabs, pelicans, […]
Andean bears in the north of Ecuador SOLEQMASTER At 2 pm we started our tour from the office – this time to the north of Ecuador. It will be one of our most diverse excursions! Because from the warm temperatures at Pimampiro in the Valle de Chota at only 1.300 meters the tour led us […]
A Trip from Quito to Patate SOLEQMASTER What do you do in Quito when you’re cold? My mother-in-law is quite “friolenta” – that she feels cold is a permanent condition, so to speak! When she once again complained about the cold in Quito, we decided to take her on a trip to the warmth. Only […]
The Mashpi Lodge – paradise in the cloud forest of Ecuador Dorit Hansen The five-star Mashpi Lodge is located in the middle of the cloud forest of Ecuador. In addition to its luxurious and modern facilities, it offers numerous activities to experience the fascinating nature surrounding the lodge during adventurous explorations. What activities does Mashpi […]
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 […]
Cotopaxi National park The Soleq Family decided to have a one-day trip to the Cotopaxi National park. I just recently joined them as the new Intern. Therefore, I was excited as they asked me to join them on this trip. During my first two weeks in Ecuador I was exploring Quito City. Hence I was […]
The Cotacachi Cayapas Ecological Reserve is located close to Otavalo. One of the National Parks in Ecuador. A reserve known for the Laguna Cuichocha. Because of a high altitude it offers different biological zones. The national park ranges between 200 to 4000 meters. Here you will find yourself within wasteland and a coastal tropical forest. […]
Ecuadorian shrimp ceviche is one of the most popular and tasted dishes not only from the coast but from the entire Ecuador. Therefore we want to show you how you can easily do this at home! So you can serve it so friends and family. To prepare this delicious Ecuadorian dish you will need: 2 […]
Sustainability has a high value for the SOLEQ family. We participate in certain projects or institutions. The following article talks about some parts of this mission. Read why traveling with SOLEQ.travel is good for the environment! During each voyage with a motorized means of transport, CO2 is emitted. This is a fact that is still […]
What do you know about Baños? What do you know about the so called adventure capital of South America? Do you know about the variety of all the sport activities or the nature? All the answers will be in this article! We will tell you about our weekend in Baños. the city Baños Baños de […]
If you thought you’d already seen everything in Quito and believed that there were no new places to go, well, you are wrong! There exists a magical place full of beautiful landscapes with spectacular flora and fauna, hidden among the clouds. And the most important thing is, it is only an hour away. This paradisiac […]
On one weekend, when I was in Otavalo, I decided to circle the Cuicocha crater lake – or at least I wanted to try it. I had been there before but never walked around completely. So, this was still on my to do list for Ecuador. Cuicocha is situated near the small town of Cotacachi […]
It’s been a while since our last blog entry and first of all we wish you all the best for this new year. We have been pretty busy during the holidays and the first weeks of the year but finally I found some time for an excursion: I spent a weekend in Guayaquil to visit […]
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 […]
After our three-day adventure on Santa Cruz, seahorse-shaped Isabela island is a real retreat. It is the biggest island in the Galapagos Archipelago, but with a very small population of only approximately 2000 and the small village, actually very small, Puerto Villamil stretching along the white-sand beach. It offers the expected island feeling. And the […]
At the beginning of October, Alexandra, our travel advisor, went to the Galapagos Islands for a couple of days with a group of students to oversee logistics. During her time there, she spent 3 days on Santa Cruz island and 3 days on the island of Isabela. Here you can read some more about this […]
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 […]
Just an hour and a half driving from Quito heading south there is a special place where you find one of the most visited volcanoes in Ecuador. It is the National Park Cotopaxi, with more than 33 thousand hectares. Another way to get there is by public bus. Those run to Latacunga or Ambato from the […]
Ecuador is a compendium of landscapes, climates, species of flora and fauna and of the most exquisite flavours. What’s better after a stressful day than to end it with a typical drink, accompanied by a dessert? We invite you to try Ecuadorian food! Canelazo Canelazo is a hot cocktail made with water, cinnamon, naranjilla (a […]
The beautiful metropolitan capital city of Ecuador holds a little place in order to escape the busy office and finance life of the Quiteños: the Carolina Park. Today I would like to explain what makes this place and its surroundings one of the most important squares in the city. Located on the main commercial and […]
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 […]
Last weekend the SOLEQ.Travel team went on an excursion to the Ecuadorian province Cañar to check out the Inca Trail. Preparation Before our hiking trip there were a couple of things that had to be prepared. First of all we had a meeting with our guide who told us about the trek and what to […]
Swimming with turtles, sea lions and sharks, sun bathing on a beautiful secluded beach, eating fresh lobster and watching amazing sunsets – all in one day? That’s life on the Galapagos Islands. My last articles were about the experience I had on the three islands Santa Cruz, Isabela and San Cristóbal. This article is about […]
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 […]
Christmas and Hanukkah are around the corner, and you’ve probably been too busy traveling to think about what presents to get your like-minded traveling family and friends. Or maybe you just miss Ecuador so much that you want a perfectly curated list to send to your family as a not-so-subtle holiday gift pointer. Either way, […]
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. […]
A tour to Ecuador and the Galapagos with kids is quite a big thing when you come from Germany, considering that the international flight takes about 15 hours. As our kids, 4 years and 10 months old, are quite easy, we thought we might try it and we were definitely not disappointed! We visited Quito, […]
Being among the summits of the volcanoes in Ecuador is no doubt an unforgettable experience. Perhaps you don’t know that each mountain is hiding curious legends, and that those have been told by grandparents from generation to generation. We believe that the mountains are not simple land formations, but more than that. According to the […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
