Ruta Escondida – Secret Route. Part 2: Atahualpa Dayana Atahualpa, the Hidden Treasure on the Secret Route Near Quito After visiting Perucho, the next fascinating stop is Atahualpa, the hidden treasure close to Quito. Nestled among mountains and green valleys, this small town is part of the beautiful and still underexplored Secret Route. This journey […]
Ruta Escondida – Secret Route. Part 1: Perucho Dayana An Escape to Discover the Hidden Destinations of Quito: Perucho Hiding among the mountains, just an hour and 15 minutes from the capital and 55 kilometers away, is the oldest rural parish of Quito, called San Miguel de Perucho, in honor of Saint Michael the Archangel. […]
Experience report Ecuador and Galapagos round trip part 1 Maria S. Two weeks ago, we shared with you the first part of the travel experiences of two of our travelers. Now follow them on their journey from Chimborazo to Guayaquil. As in the first part, this segment also offers a personal and authentic perspective on […]
The 10 most beautiful lakes and lagoons in Ecuador – Part 2 Maria S. In this article we present five more lakes and lagoons in the central and southern provinces of Ecuador. 6 – La Mica Laguna La Mica is located at the foot of the Antisana in the reserve of the same name in […]
The 10 most beautiful lakes and lagoons in Ecuador – Part 1 Maria S. The small country of Ecuador on the equator is – among other things – very diverse in terms of landscape. The Andes mountain range, which runs through the country from north to south, is characterized by paramo plateaus, active and extinct […]
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 […]
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 […]
A visit to the province of the lagoons – Imbabura JULIA THE UNEXPLORED NORTH OF ESMERALDAS – A REGION WORTH SEEING 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 […]
Exploring Ecuador’s Charms: 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 […]
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 Come with us FROM QUITSATO TO OTAVALO – THE MOST BEAUTIFUL DESTINATIONS IN THE PROVINCE OF IMBABURALast weekend it was time for a new adventure in Ecuador. Otavalo is one of the must-sees here, so we […]
Quilotoa lagoon – A great place 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 […]
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 […]
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 CUMBAYÁ – THE WEALTHY EAST OF QUITO 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 […]
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 ADVENTURE TOURISM IN ECUADOR: AN EXCURSION TO BAÑOS 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 […]
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 […]
Carnival in Ecuador: How to celebrate in Ambato SOLEQMASTER 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 Ambato: […]
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 […]
The Mojanda lagoons – in the spectacular landscape of the Fuya Fuya volcano 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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
FINDING REAL REWARDS – A QUILOTOA LOOP TREK EXPERIENCE (PART THREE) ESTEBAN last day Follow me on my last part: FINDING REAL REWARDS – A QUILOTOA LOOP TREK EXPERIENCE (PART THREE) 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 […]
FINDING REAL REWARDS – A QUILOTOA LOOP TREK EXPERIENCE (PART TWO) ESTEBAN Beginning the day Welcome to my second day: FINDING REAL REWARDS – A QUILOTOA LOOP TREK EXPERIENCE (PART TWO) I woke up very early in the morning, it was cold and after such a great experience outdoors it felt like my room was […]
FINDING REAL REWARDS – A QUILOTOA LOOP TREK EXPERIENCE (PART ONE) ESTEBAN 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 […]
MY TOP 3 HIGHLIGHTS IN MINDO DAYANA 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 […]
ÉL ÁNGEL – the most unknown national park DAYANA 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. […]
CAROLINA PARK – A PARK OF FIVE WORLDS ESTEBAN What do you know about the CAROLINA PARK – A PARK OF FIVE WORLDS. 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 […]
FOLLOWING THE STEPS OF THE INCAS IN THE ECUADORIAN ANDES DAYANA Last weekend the SOLEQ.Travel team went on an excursion to the Ecuadorian province Cañar to check out the Inca Trail. Come with us and FOLLOWING THE STEPS OF THE INCAS IN THE ECUADORIAN ANDES. Preparation Before our hiking trip there were a couple of things […]
THE ROAD TO CHIMBORAZO – LAST STOP NILS 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. […]
THE ROAD TO CHIMBORAZO – THIRD STOP ILINIZA NORTE NILS Come with me to THE ROAD TO CHIMBORAZO – THIRD STOP ILINIZA NORTE. 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 […]
THE ROAD TO CHIMBORAZO – SECOND STOP IMBABURA NILS Come with me to THE ROAD TO CHIMBORAZO – SECOND STOP IMBABURA. 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 […]
THE ROAD TO CHIMBORAZO – FIRST STOP RUMIÑAHUI NILS Come with me to THE ROAD TO CHIMBORAZO – FIRST STOP RUMIÑAHUI. 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 […]
DAYTRIP TO GUAMOTE – A Memorable DAY in Ecuador DAYANA DAYTRIP TO GUAMOTE Our intern went for a daytrip to Guamote – A Memorable Day Trip in Ecuador. 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, […]
CALDERAS IN ECUADOR – special types of volcano crater DAYANA 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 […]
OUR FAVORITE MUSEUMS IN ECUADOR SOLEQMASTER 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 […]
ANDEAN MUSIC – have a passion for music DAYANA Music is the art of mixing sounds, and expressing feelings and emotions. It is proven that people have created music from the beginning of time. The history of music begins with the Egyptian Culture. They used instruments that were very difficult to use and to build, […]
VOLCANOES IN ECUADOR DAYANA 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 […]
10 HIDDEN ECUADOR TOURIST ATTRACTIONS DAYANA 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 […]
THE ANDEAN CONDOR – A Symbol of the Skies in ECUADOR DAYANA 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 […]
HIKING IN THE ANDES OF ECUADOR SOLEQMASTER 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 […]
HORSEBACK RIDING FOR BEGINNERS IN ECUADOR SOLEQMASTER 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 […]
A JOURNEY TO THE SOUTH OF ECUADOR SOLEQMASTER 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. Cuenca A long weekend is a good starting point to head south, for example to Cuenca. It […]
OTAVALO – FAR MORE THAN JUST A MARKET SOLEQMASTER The market 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 […]
HORSEBACK RIDING IN PULULAHUA DAYANA 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. How […]
The Quilotoa Loop, a hike around the Crater Lake SOLEQMASTER 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 […]
Baños – A Place full of Adventures DAYANA Read all about my weekend in BAÑOS – A PLACE FULL OF ADVENTURES here: 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 […]
Northern Ecuador and a Magical Fores DAYANA 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. First stop: Cayambe The mountains with their amazing natural colors attracted our attention. […]
ECUADORIAN BIKE ADVENTURE AT MOUNT ANTISANA SOLEQMASTER 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 […]
ANOTHER HERITAGE OF HUMANITY FOR ECUADOR, THE INCA TRAIL DAYANA Another heritage of humanity for ecuador. 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 […]
AN ADVENTUROUS WEEKEND IN MINDO DAYANA 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 […]
Ecuador: A Paradise for Bird Watchers ASTRID 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 […]
Cotopaxi Adventure – The most famous mountain of Ecuador The Cotopaxi volcano, is an adventure on Ecuador’s most famous and active volcano. 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 Quito very […]