BootsnAll Travel Community

In 2005 my girlfriend had to come back home from a two month trip to Ecuador after only being there two weeks. We are thinking about going back to finish her journey and add to it since I will be there with her. We are thinking Ecuador and Peru. Any tips, routes, must see, AVOIDs.

How's the food in those two countries? Can I get by without a lick of Spanish?

DEFINITELY do a Jungle trip. It was the most exensive tour I did while I was in Ecuador, but also completely worth it. There are a million companies you can find in the Mariscal that will book it for you once you're in Quito. My other favorite activity was a trip to the cloud forest to Cocoa lodge, where your guide, Gabriel, will take you to a fruit farm where you can sample tons of fruits that dont exist in the US, take you on waterfall hikes, cook dinner for you (actually his wife does that), to a botanical garden . . . etc, and for like $40 per person per day for everything. I booked him through another travel agency in the Mariscal . . . cant remember the name but it was on Amazonas in those first few blocks near like papayanet and stuff, but on the other side of the street.

The food in Ecuador is pretty great. Try chocho and tostado if you can find a street vendor selling it - toasted corn and vinegary beans topped with a great citrus-oniony sauce that they sell you in a bag and you eat with a spoon for like 15 cents. I was a vegetarian when I was there and also enjoyed the lunch special at El Maple.

You might have some difficulty not speaking Spanish - i was surprised at how few people knew english, even in Quito. Hopefully your girlfriend will get you by.

As for accommodation, you obviously have the bootsnall resources with you, but you might want to consider getting a minihostels card from minihostels.com which gives you a 10% discount off any night of your stay at any hostel in their network. They just added a bunch of hostels in Ecuador and Peru and only accept hostels with really great vibes that are clean and safe, reputable etc. The card costs only $10 each so if youre going to be traveling for a couple of months it will more than pay itself off.

Hope this all helps!

C