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!
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 […]
A new era of transportation: The new metro of Quito Maria S. Quito has a metro. What sounds completely normal for many other cities was a construction project for Quito that took years, delayed by the difficult geological situation and archaeological finds in the area of Quito’s old town. The metro has officially been in […]
10 safe travel destinations in Ecuador – Part 2 SOLEQMASTER Two weeks ago, we already presented 5 safe travel destinations in Ecuador. Today you will get to know five more safe and interesting places. 6. Island of San Cristobal The island of San Cristobal is a jewel of the Galapagos archipelago and lies 1000 km […]
10 safe travel destinations in Ecuador – Part1 SOLEQMASTER In times of a state of emergency and some negative headlines from Ecuador, you might be wondering how safe Ecuador actually is as a travel destination. As we have already mentioned in previous articles, traveling, especially on guided tours, is absolutely possible. In this article and […]
From Manglaralto to Pacoche and surroundings Maria S. The last article was about my experiences in the rainforest region during my visit to Ecuador this year. Today I would like to report on my stay on the coast, where I also got to know some new things. Trip to Manglaralto and excursions in the surrounding […]
Excursions within the rainforest region of Ecuador Maria S. During my trip to Ecuador this year, one of my longer excursions took me to the rainforest region. A few years ago in Puyo, I met Yaku, a guide who is a member of an indigenous community and lives with his family outside Puyo near Mirador […]
Ecuador in a state of emergency?! Current information Maria S. Update 24.5.2024: The state of emergency that has been in place since the beginning of January expired on April 7, 2024. As organized gang crime, particularly against politicians and public officials, continues in some provinces, Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa declared another state of emergency for […]
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 […]
Cuenca – 8 things you should see SOLEQMASTER Are you visiting the Latin American country of Ecuador? Then it is definitely recommended to plan some days in the great city Cuenca. These following eight activities are a must-do and should not be missed. 1. The great market in Cuenca – Feria Libre If you go […]
Backpacking in the North of Peru – Part 1 SOLEQMASTER Elisabeth was an intern at the office in Ecuador. Before starting her internship, she traveled with her cousin to the northern part of Peru for about 10 days in. Read about her experiences and adventures below: Backpacking in Peru sounded dangerous and a bit reckless […]
Is it safe to travel to Ecuador Mathew IS IT SAFE TO TRAVEL TO ECUADOR? Ecuador is a country of incomparable beauty, known for its geographical diversity, also called the land of 4 worlds, since it includes the Amazon rainforest, the majestic Andean mountains, the Pacific coast and the paradise of the Galapagos Islands. Thanks […]
Why travel to Ecuador? Mathew Ecuador is the right place for you if you are looking for a place that offers unforgettable experiences, attractive landscapes and a rich culture. In this article, we would like to remove your doubts and show you why you should visit Ecuador. Improved safety It is important to consider security […]
More explorations in the north of Esmeraldas Maria S. Last year I had already explored some places in the province of Esmeraldas, but I had not enough time to see everything I wanted to. Therefore, I decided to visit this area again this year. A night trip by bus makes sense for me only from […]
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 2 Maria S. In this article we continue our tour through different favorite places in Ecuador. Dora’s favorite place: Galapagos Dora is originally from Venezuela, but has lived in Ecuador for 30 years. She loves the Galapagos Islands especially for the beaches, the good food and the friendly inhabitants. […]
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 […]
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 […]
Tayos Cave excursion – Interview with guide Omar Maria The Tayos Caves are located in the Ecuadorian province of Morona Santiago in the rainforest. The nearest major town is Limon Indanza. From Quito the caves are about 470 km away and one reaches the entrance after a hike of several days. Once at the entrance, […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
a tour through quito’s historical city center MICHELLE If you have just arrived in Ecuador, you will be interested in visiting the best places in 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 […]
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 – starting poinT for exploring the Ecuadorian Amazon. 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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
mirardor indichuris: incredible viewpoint in the amazon 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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 A WEEKEND 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 […]
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. […]
FAMILY WEEKEND ESCAPE TO THE COTOPAXI NATIONAL PARK CLOSE TO QUITO DAYANA 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 […]
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 […]
MY FIRST EXPERIENCE AT THE ECUADORIAN COAST DAYANA 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 […]
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 […]
LAS CUEVAS DE LOS TAYOS – AN INCREDIBLE CAVE EXPEDITION NILS adventure of a life time 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 […]
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, […]
JOURNEY TO PEGUCHE WATERFALL DAYANA 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 […]
YASUNI: PARADISE IN DANGER DAYANA 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. The Yasuni Because of the unique environment the Yasuni in Peril is world famous. Even the UNESCO recognized the Amazon area for its ecological and […]
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 […]
QUITO’S AMAZONAS AVENUE DAYANA 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 […]
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 […]
HONEYMOON IN ECUADOR ASTRID 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 […]
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 […]
COLOMBIA – A COUNTRY BETWEEN TWO OCEANS DAYANA 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. Experience Colombia with us – a country between two oceans. Cali Our first stop was Cali – also […]
A MIND(O)BLOWING EXPERIENCE SOLEQMASTER 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 […]
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 PEACEFUL AMAZON RAINFOREST- CUYABENO LODGE DAYANA 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 […]
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. […]
WHALE WATCHING – AN UNFORGETTABLE EXPERIENCE DAYANA I hope the next lines describe my feeling, have fun reading: Whale Watching – an Unforgettable Experience 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 […]
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 […]
PUERTO LOPEZ – A PARADISE ON THE PACIFIC COAST DAYANA 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 […]
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 […]