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So it turns out I still have a few vacation days left this year and I would like to add another country under my belt if possible.

Just a quick check on whether about 10-12 days be decent enough to see some things in Ecuador?

I've been to Peru last year and not too particular about the Inca/Mayan stuff if there any. Also not a big beach guy except for maybe some snorkeling/diving fun.

From what I've gathered through basic searches, I would like to do something with the Amazon rainforest (not sure what it is that you do), the Galapagos (again not specific), maybe some little snorkeling/horse-riding, time permitting.

Is this doable (time-wise)? and correspondingly worthwhile and different from Peru? Or should I pick a different destination altogether?

Any thoughts appreciated.
Thanks.

To start, I've never been to Peru, so I really can't compare the two, but you could definitly see and do a lot in 10-12 days. Ecuador is great because there are so many differing areas to see--Quito, the mountains, the rainforest...all good stuff. Galapagos could also fit your schedule, but if you can only spend a few days you'd have to weigh cost into your decision. I went on a two week trip with a college class, and here was our rough itenerary:
Day 1: Louisville to Quito
Day 2: Explore the city--the Basilica and Teleferico are highlights
Day 3: 4-5 hours by bus to Chugchilan, in the mountains. We stayed at Black Sheep Inn, an amazing eco-hotel
Day 4: Horseback riding in the cloud forest/ hiking to Quilatoa-a volcanic crater lake
Day 5: Lengthy bus ride north to Otavalo
Day 6: Saturday Market/ return to Quito
Day 7: fly to Galapagos; we stayed on Santa Cruz
Days 8,9,10: Left each morning for a different island; North Seymour--blue footed boobies, frigate birds;
Bacchus--flamingos, beautiful beach
Bartalome--lava tubes, land and marine iguanas, penguins
South Plazas--Sea lions, iguanas, finches
We also snorkeled each of the three days
Days 11, 12, 13: We didn't have any scheduled activites, so explored Santa Cruz (Puerto Ayora); Charles Darwin Center, Tortuga Bay, Las Grietas (10m cliff diving fun washad by all )
Of course, simple changes could make the trip more tailored to your interests. There are 1-2 day trips available from Quito to the rainforest. The CDC recommends malaria pills, but it isn't a high risk area. The Cloud forest (Over 11,000 ft) might be a neat option where there are fewer bugs to deal with. Everything in Ecuador was really affordable, and even the Galapagos wasn't that expensive. I haven't traveled a great deal, but everything about Ecuador and the Islands was truly amazing!!

Except for the Galapagos Islands (with its $100 entry fee, for example), Ecuador is generally less expensive than Peru. You'll find similar indigenous cultures in both countries, if that's what you're looking to find. But since Ecuador is less visited by tourists as compared to Peru, there is less of a contrived, dog-and-pony-show for visitors. Even in Otavalo, one of the more touristed spots in Ecuador, the town has its own local culture even though it holds a huge tourist-friendly market on Saturdays. You can read more about Otavalo in an article I wrote for GoNomad.

You can work with 12 days in Ecuador, especially if you can splurge for internal flights instead of buses for long trips, like from Quito to Guayaquil. Using Quito as a base, you can go on day trips or overnight trips (hot springs or Otavalo) easily.

As this is the Central America forum, you might want to move this thread to SA. You'll probably receive more responses there.

quote:

Originally posted by omnivorous_t:
You can read more about Otavalo in an article I wrote for GoNomad.

No offense, as your article is interesting and well-written, but it's actually given me some second thoughts on Otavalo. While not a vegetarian, I'm also not a huge carnivore, and cock-fights.... eeks.

So, um, anything a little less.... heavy? in the area?

Don't be put off Otavalo - the markets are great and worth the journey. In my journey to Ecuador, I also thought Cuenca a great place to visit with its colonial arhcitecture and Banos with its superb nature nearby (hire a bike for a day) and enjoy the hot springs.

Mark H
Travel Wonders of the World