Carnival in Quito 2023 Maria S. Like last year, I spent the Carnival holidays in Quito this year. I was eager to see the program without pandemic-related restrictions. On Quitocultura I had informed myself about the individual activities, although I had the impression that the program was more extensive last year. International carnival parade in […]
In the middle of the Amazon Rainforest – Day 3 and 4 at the Napo Wildlife Center SOLEQMASTER Diego and I spent our first 1.5 days at the Napo Cultural Center and were allowed to visit the Añangu community. We traveled from Coca to the Napo Cultural Center on the first day. On the second […]
4 days in Yasuni National Park – Day 2 SOLEQMASTER The first part of this blog series deals with the journey to Coca and the first day in the Yasuní National Park. This part is about lots of parrots, saying goodbye to the Napo Cultural Center, a two-hour canoe trip with lots of wildlife experiences, […]
Flora and Fauna Of Galapagos SPecies of Rays SOLEQMASTER The Galapagos Islands not only offer breathtaking, diverse flora and fauna above water, but also within the Pacific Ocean opens another species-rich world. In addition to land-dwelling species, the Galapagos islands are also home to 15 different species of rays. The most common among them are […]
New Year’s Eve 2022 in Ecuador – The Tradition of the “Old Year“ Diego Farewell to the old year in the traditional way in Ecuador Following the tradition of December 31 dolls are made of various materials: Cardboard, paint, newsprint, flex foam, fabric, wood, sawdust, cotton, etc. The idea is to represent in some way […]
4 days in the National Park YasuníDay 1: Arrival and first adventures SOLEQMASTER The journey to Coca The Yasuní National Park was the destination of the next 4 days for Diego and me. I am Elisabeth and currently an intern at SOLEQ.travel. The two of us set off for the Yasuní National Park to visit […]
fLORa And Fauna of Galapagos: The Blue-Footed Booby SOLEQMASTER In our series about the flora and fauna of the Galapagos Islands, we will introduce you to another creature typical of the islands now: The Blue-footed Booby. The blue-footed booby is, as the name suggests, known for its blue feet. But not only that, the Blue-footed […]
Flora And Fauna of Galapagos:The SEA Lion SOLEQMASTER The Galapagos Islands are one of the most biodiverse places in the world and were the basis for Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution. In addition to the Galapagos giant tortoises, which give the islands their name, you will see plenty of different species of iguanas. From the […]
flOra And Fauna Of Galapagos: The LAva Lizard SOLEQMASTER Another animal that enriches the Galapagos Islands located west of Ecuador is the lava lizard, which is also called the wedge-tailed iguana. The Galapagos lava lizard is also a species typical of the archipelago, found mainly on the large islands. While the lizard species, land iguana […]
Land Iguanas on the Galapagos Islands.
FLORA AND FAUNA OF GalaPAGOS: The MARINE Iguana Maria S. In the first part of our series on the flora and fauna of the Galápagos Islands we already introduced you to the animal eponym of the islands: The Galápagos giant tortoises. As you probably guessed, the tortoise is not the only species that inhabits these […]
Flora and Fauna of GalaPagos: The Giant Tortoise Maria S. The Galápagos Islands are located about 1,000km west of Ecuadorian mainland in the Pacific Ocean. In total, more than 100 small islands belong to this archipelago, but only 13 have an area of more than 10km². Furthermore, only 5 of them are inhabited, namely San […]
FAVORITE PLACES IN ECUADOR – PART 3 Maria S. With this article we conclude our short blog series about the favorite places of our friends and acquaintances in Ecuador. Maybe we have inspired you and you would like to travel Ecuador yourself and find your favorite place? Have a look at our website or get […]
Favorite Places in Ecuador – Part 1 Maria S. So far, blog posts have primarily been written by permanent or temporary members of the SOLEQtravel team and were based on their experiences, adventures and insights. In the following small blog series, we want to change the perspective. For this purpose, we asked relatives, friends and […]
A stroll through the museums in downtown Quito Maria There is a lot to see and experience in the Ecuadorian capital Quito. In various blog articles we have already presented some sights, especially in the old town. But Quito has not only many beautiful churches and squares, also the museums of the city are interesting […]
The desert of Palmira and the colorful market of Guamote – A day trip from Riobamaba. Maria S. That Ecuador is a country with diverse landscapes and that there are various colorful indigenous markets is probably common knowledge. But have you ever heard about the desert of Palmira? Or have you ever been to the […]
The unexplored north of Esmeraldas – A region worth seeing Maria S. The Ecuadorian province of Esmeraldas is known to tourists mainly because of its beach and seaside resorts like Atacames, Mompiche or Tonsupa south of the city of Esmeraldas. These places are easy to reach, for example, it takes only about five to six […]
The traditional ecuadorian Fanesca SOLEQMASTER A typical dish that you can enjoy only here in Ecuador. Fanesca is a delicious soup made of cooked tender legumes, especially prepared at Easter. Although Easter was a while ago this year, we don’t want to deprive you of this delicious dish. History of the Fanesca. In Latin America, […]
Motorcycle trip through Ecuador – from Quito via Riobamba to Cuenca Mathew If you got to this article, it means you are thinking about a motorcycle trip in Ecuador. You’ve come to the right place, because I’m going to tell you about my experience traveling through Ecuador on a 250 CC motorcycle. This adventure of […]
Team excursion to hacienda verde Maria S. Arriving to Hacienda Verde On Saturday two weeks ago, the Quito office team went on a trip to Hacienda Verde near Guayllabamba. We left early Quito in the morning, headed towards Otavalo and turned left after the bridge over the river Pisque, following the path to the protected […]
Recreacional Areas in Cumbaya Maria S. After a two-day trip to Papallacta and a relaxing visit to the spa there, I headed back towards Quito. This time I wanted to take a closer look at Tumbaco and Cumbaya on the way. I had often driven through these two suburbs of Quito, but had not yet […]
Trip to the thermal baths of Papallacta Emilia We took the opportunity last weekend to go on a day trip to the thermal baths of Papallacta and to enjoy the wonderfully warm water of the baths and the nature. We left Quito by car at 8 o’clock in the morning and passed the Cayambe-Coca National […]
Carnival in Quito Maria S. Two weeks ago carnival was celebrated in Ecuador. The holiday lasted from Saturday to Tuesday. I never had spent Carnival in Quito before, so I was excited to see what the Ecuadorian capital would offer. Various program items that I had read in an agenda from Quito Turismo sounded promising. […]
What to do at the Mitad del Mundo JULIA One of the many special features of Ecuador is its location on the equator. Therefore, during a trip to this beautiful and diverse country, a visit to the equator should not be missed. In the north of the capital Quito is one of the most popular […]
Visit to the domes of the churches of Quito SOLEQMASTER Get to know the city of Quito from above. The other day our agency, SOLEQ.travel, was invited by the metropolitan public company of Quito Tourism Destination Management to get to know one of the secrets of the city of Quito. This time I was the […]
Current entry regulations for Ecuador and Galapagos Maria S. Last Uptdate: 11.02.2022 As in the whole world, the regulations for entering Ecuador and Galapagos are currently changing very frequently due to the Covid-19 pandemic. With this article we want to give you an overview of current regulations and measures for your trip to Ecuador and […]
Beach trip to Mompiche EMILIA Over the last holidays in November we packed our suitcases and headed to the coast of Ecuador. To be more precisely, to the small fishing village of Mompiche in the province of Esmeraldas. The place is more than small – in fact, it consists of only two streets and a […]
Guided city tour Quito: Ruta Romance y Libertadores EMILIA Last week we had the opportunity to take part in a guided tour through the old town of Quito, Ecuador’s capital. The theme of the route is “Romance and Liberators” and takes its guests to the city’s historic churches and squares. Everything revolves around the love […]
A visit to the province of the lagoons – Imbabura JULIA Even before I arrived in Ecuador I knew that I really wanted to visit the artisan market in Otavalo. However, I didn’t know that the province in which Otavalo is located is so incredibly fascinating and beautiful. For the sake of you knowing more […]
10 must-see places in Quito JULIA Quito is the capital of Ecuador and due to its altitude of 2850 meters it is the highest capital in the world. With its 1.4 million inhabitants, Quito is the second largest city in the country, after Guayaquil. The historic center of the Andean metropolis was declared a World […]
New marine reserve in the eastern Pacific Master There is good news for the Pacific: As part of the UN climate summit, Ecuador, Colombia, Panama and Costa Rica announced the establishment of one of the largest and most biodiverse marine reserves in the world. This will significantly increase and join already existing protected waters in […]
Ambato and Patate JULIA Most tourists know the small town of Baños, located to the south of Quito on the edge of the rainforest. But not as many people know the places Ambato and Patate, which you can pass on the way there. In the following blog I will write about my weekend in these […]
A day at the Pyramids of Cochasqui DAYANA One of the archaeological sites near the city of Quito, capital of Ecuador, are the Pyramids of Cochasqui, which are located at 3100 meters above sea level. From the historic center, you have an 1 hour and 30 minute drive along a first class road. From the […]
From Quitsato to Otavalo – the most beautiful destinations in the province of Imbabura MICHELLE The way to quitsato Last weekend it was time for a new adventure in Ecuador. Otavalo is one of the must-sees here, so we decided to go there. However, since the city is a little more than two hours away […]
quilotoa kayaking MICHELLE Last weekend I decided to do one of the day trips I’ve been dreaming about since the beginning of my stay in Ecuador – visiting Quilotoa Lagoon. In this blog you will learn everything you need to know about the destination itself, how to get there, the costs and things to think […]
a tour through quito’s historical city center MICHELLE If you have just arrived in Ecuador, you will surely be interested in the capital Quito. But even if you have already spent a few weeks in the country, there are still corners that have remained hidden. Therefore, we decided to do the Quito City Tour. It […]
Laguna de yambo – discover ecuador’s breathtaking nature MICHELLE Getting to the lagoon My first excursion outside the national capital Quito was to the “Laguna de Yambo” near Latacunga, about two hours away by car. Already the drive there was an adventure. As we left the metropolitan region and it became more rural, the climate […]
Cueva de los Tayos –an unforgettable experience MICHELLE Arriving at cueva de los tayos On May 21 2021, we started our trip to the famous Cueva de los Tayos. On that morning, we were so excited because we didn’t know what to expect. Cueva de los Tayos is situated in the province Morena Santiago of […]
A weekend in Puyo MARIA The best way to get to know a country is to be shown and explained by locals. I have a friend in Puyo and after the long time when all of Ecuador was at a standstill because of the coronavirus, I decided to visit her there. She is not only […]
Pack for a Purpose DIEGO Pack for a Purpose (PfaP) is an initiative that serves as a link between communities, schools or hospitals with multiple needs and travelers. Those do not only pack their clothes, but also some supplies, which they donate by help of the organization to those in need. They are motivated to […]
Ecuador is a safe travel destination – visit it! MATHEW I can assure you that Ecuador is one of the most beautiful destinations in South America, and if you are planning a visit but feel unsure because of the reputation that precedes South America as “risky”; let me tell you that it is somehow natural […]
Mathy eCUador opens its doors for tourism again last updated: 03.02.2022 Due to the current COVID-19 pandemic, several countries have issued entry restrictions, establishing health and safety measures for foreign tourists. Ecuador is not exempt from that, but it is among the countries that are open to tourism and have allowed travelers from various countries […]
Museum tip Quito: Guayasamin residence and the Capilla del Hombre Maria S. Visiting the Guayasamin museum If you have a few hours in Quito, you should visit the Guayasamin Museum. The museum is located in the Bellavista district directly at the foot of the Parque Metropolitano. The location itself is impressive, because from here you […]
A weekend in Riobamba Maria O. Riobamba is the capital of the province Chimborazo. It is named after the highest volcano in Ecuador. The Chimborazo reaches a proud height of 6.268. meters! Many Ecuadorian travellers are therefore motivated to work towards their goal of being able to climb the country’s highest peak once in their […]
Guayaquil – The jewel of the Pacific celebrates 200 years of independence MARIA On October 9, 2020, the independence of the Ecuadorian port city of Guayaquil was celebrated 200 times. A good occasion to take a closer look at the jewel of the Pacific Ocean, as the city is called by the locals. The Ecuadorian […]
Incredible viewpoint in the Amazon: Mirador Indichuris Angela One of the cities in Ecuador that is considered an ‘entrance to the Amazon’ is Puyo. This city is itself not very interesting, but from here you can start your tour into the jungle. There are plenty of options to book an organized tour, but this blog […]
Ascent to the highest volcano in Ecuador: Chimborazo MARIA The fact that Riobamba as a travel destination is generally very often underestimated, I will go into more detail in another blog article about Riobamba itself. Now I will talk about the reason why most people visit Riobamba in the first place: The city is a […]
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 […]
Diego, the giant tortoise that ensures the survival of its species in Galapagos Maria Diego, a giant tortoise of the species Chelonidis hoodensis, returns after 80 years to his home island Española, one of the uninhabited Galapagos Islands. In the 1930s Diego was brought to the USA on a scientific excursion and lived the following […]
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 […]
Ecuadorian carnival:colorful parades, concerts and carioca Angela As a Dutch girl with a catholic upbringing, I have celebrated carnival since I was young. Since I love the celebrations in the Netherlands, I was excited to experience what Ecuadorian carnival is like. So I planned a four-day trip to Ambato (the ‘Carnival capital’ of Ecuador) and […]
Rainforest in ecuador – tena travelogue Maria https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UZwiQzmFEv8Tena 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 […]
Carnival in Ecuador: How to celebrate in Ambato SOLEQMASTER https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VhlRXGjrfh8 There are two cities in Ecuador where carnival is a must: Ambato and Guaranda! The two cities are so to speak the capitals of carnival in Ecuador. But carnival here in Ecuador is not celebrated as you might maybe know it… This blog is about […]
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 […]
Christmas at Refugio de los Sueños SOLEQMASTER https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hr2Aj5ceYIg Since many years SOLEQ.travel has been supporting the day care center Refugio de los Sueños (“Refuge of Dreams”), a social project for neglected and socially disadvantaged children in Quito, the capital of Ecuador. This year 120 children and 15 Ecuadorian and international helpers attended the Christmas celebration. […]
Mindo-WHAT TO DO DOMINIK https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qH7Fwj5aBTAMindo is often associated with the unique cloud forest, the flora fauna and the adventurous activities. It is even called a paradise for bird lovers and the popular bird watching as well. Soleq.travel set off to Mindo for a weekend and wants to have a look at their own! How did […]
OTAVALO – WHAT TO DO DOMINIK 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 […]
COTOPAXI NATIONAL PARK WITH THE SOLEQ FAMILY DOMINIK 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 […]
NATIONAL PARKS IN ECUADOR SOLEQMASTER Cotacachi Cayapas 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 […]
HOW ECUADORIAN CEVICHE IS COOKED SOLEQMASTER 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 […]
TRAVELING WITH SOLEQ.TRAVEL IS GOOD FOR THE ENVIRONMENT SOLEQMASTER 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 […]
A WEEKEND IN BAÑOS SOLEQMASTER https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zy-yo9nkPZc&t=13s 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 […]
BETWEEN THE CLOUDS – YANACOCHA RESERVE SOLEQMASTER 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 […]
A HIKE AROUND THE CUICOCHA CRATER LAKE MARIA 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 […]
SOCIAL PROJECT REFUGIO DE LOS SUEÑOS – ACHIEVED GOALS AND ONGOING SUPPORT SOLEQMASTER It was a great joy for me to see how the inner courtyards of the social project Refugio de los Sueños were covered with zinc roofs (work that began in March 2017). We´ve been supporting this center since 2015 in corporation with […]
ZOO, GUAYARTE AND MANGLARES CHURUTE – A WEEKEND IN GUAYAQUIL MARIA 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 […]
QUITO FOUNDATION CELEBRATIONS – FIESTAS DE QUITO 2018 MARIA Although I have lived in Ecuador for three years I never made it to the Fiestas de Quito, the celebrations of the foundation of the city. So this year I was really looking forward to it and was curious how it would be like. We already […]
Tena and Puerto Misahuali – A weekend trip to the edge of the jungle MARIA 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 […]
GALAPAGOS EXPERIENCES – 6 DAYS IN THE ARCHIPELAGO (PART TWO) ALEXANDRA 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 […]
GALAPAGOS EXPERIENCES – 6 DAYS IN THE ARCHIPELAGO (PART ONE) ALEXANDRA 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 […]
VOLCANIC ACTIVITY ON TWO GALAPAGOS ISLANDS DAYANA The Galapagos Islands are of volcanic origin. This property of the islands can still be felt today. For current reasons, we would like to inform you about the actual situation on the islands of Isabela and Fernandina regarding volcanic activity. This way we hope to eliminate incertitude. About […]
PARKS AND SQUARES – THE GREEN LUNGS OF QUITO SOLEQMASTER 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 – […]
ECUADOR FOR VEGETARIANS – TIPS AND RECOMMENDATIONS MARIA When you are a vegetarian and traveling through Ecuador your first impression might be that you will starve. There is meat everywhere. But don’t worry, when you get to know the Ecuadorean cuisine better, you will notice that there is a great variety of vegetarian options. In […]
WATER SPORTS IN GALAPAGOS – A KAYAK EXPEDITION EXPERIENCE SOLEQMASTER 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 […]
