Destination: Ecuador

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As the world gradually reopens, we thought it would be fun to look at a destination that’s a little off the beaten path: Ecuador. Stretching from the Galápagos Islands in the west, across the towering Andes Mountains, and on to the Amazon jungle in the east, Ecuador is an incredibly diverse country that travelers are just starting to fully appreciate.

For this edition of the Woodlyn Travel blog we reached out to Jessica Rosen, an expert on luxury travel destinations. Jessica is an experienced traveler who recently spent 18 days in Ecuador and came back with a wealth of stories to share. Take it away, Jessica!

What if I told you that there is a place with white sand beaches, the highest and most beautiful mountains, some of the world’s most unique animals, a rainforest filled with different fauna and wildlife, delicious cuisine, history, chocolate and some of the best hospitality? Now what if I told you that it exists a short 4-hour flight from the US. This haven is Ecuador and it needs to be visited. 

Before I chat about the destinations, I want to briefly touch upon COVID precautions in Ecuador. As of early May, people are able to visit Ecuador with a vaccination card or with a negative PCR test taken 96 hours prior to arrival. Quito has non-stop flights from Miami, Houston and Atlanta while Guayaquil has nonstop flights from Fort Lauderdale and New York. It’s extremely accessible.  There are sanitizing stations before you enter every establishment (markets, hotels, restaurants) and each facility also takes your temperature. It’s extremely easy to get a COVID test to go back to the states, it can be done at the airport right before your flight or at your hotel. The fee ranges from $50-$85 USD. Now to the good stuff….

The Galápagos Islands

The Galápagos is an ancient archipelago in the Pacific Ocean dating back over 3 million years consisting of 14 main islands and over 100 islets. It’s a 2-hour flight from Guayaquil off the coast of Ecuador about 600 miles away. The Galápagos is one of the most impressive places I have visited.

I had the pleasure of visiting the Galápagos by a luxury catamaran, the Alya Yacht, for 6 days and 5 nights. On this trip we visited eight different islands, went hiking and snorkeling every day, and saw some of the most unique wildlife in the world. What was most surprising to me was how different and varied the islands were for being so close together. Some islands had animals that the others didn’t and their topography varied so much. Each island was a new experience with different things to see.

The gateway into the Galápagos is through Baltra Island. That’s where the main airport is and where you can go board your boat or start your land journey. On our way from the airport to pengha (or dinghy— the small boat you take to the big boat) we had to stop the bus because there was a land iguana in our way! It was the perfect traffic stop for our trip. 

As soon as we boarded our yacht, we were whisked away into Galápagan paradise. We started our first day with a hike on North Seymour Island and immediately started seeing the wildlife that is unique to the Galápagos. Within five minutes we were looking at the impressive and large iguanas, seeing how the blue footed boobies don’t move when people approach them, and staring at the giant red balloons on the frigate birds! Within an instant you’re drawn, hooked, and ready to see more of what the Galápagos has to offer.

Over the next five days we were taken to other islands where we walked, hiked, explored and got intimate with nature. We had some days where we were taken to empty white sand beaches to have to ourselves. Everywhere we went the animals and wildlife were abundant. We saw flamingos, we saw marine iguanas, we saw desert tortoises that are massive and live up to over 200 years! It was incredible.

When we were not on land, we were in the water! On one snorkeling experience we jumped right into the ocean and were immediately surrounded by baby sea lions. Baby sea lions act exactly like puppies and play fetch, imitated us in the water, and were the cutest things in the world. I didn’t know how much I could love sea lions until this trip. We saw so many starfish, parrot fish, and a shark or two! A highlight for me was swimming so close to massive sea turtles.

The Galápagos is not an easy trip, but it is a worthwhile trip. You’re waking up early, seeing nature and wildlife, and being active. You’re embracing the fact that you’re visiting an untouched, unfiltered, and pristine slice of life. If the Galápagos has been on your radar, GO NOW! There are no crowds, incredible rates, and the Galápagos is working on being fully vaccinated.  As of now, 80% of the people in the Galápagos are vaccinated. I could not have wished for a more perfect trip to get back out there in my travels. 

Woodlyn Travel Hotel Recommendation: Pikaia Lodge - Luxurious eco-friendly lodge offering all-inclusive packages.

Quito

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The beloved capital of Ecuador! Quito is at an altitude of 9,350 feet, making it higher than Machu Picchu and the second highest capital in the world (after La Paz). Landing in Quito is one of the most gorgeous landings I’ve experienced and you see how the city is completely covered in mountains, the Andes Mountains!

The city is shrouded in history with cathedrals, basilicas and beautiful city squares everywhere in Old Town. A highlight for me was Iglesia De La Compania also known as the Gold Cathedral dating back to 1605.  Quito is a great starting off point to get to the rest of Ecuador.

Woodlyn Travel Hotel Recommendations:

Casa Gangotena- Sophisiticated vibe in a 1920s mansion in the heart of Quito’s historic area.

Mashpi Lodge- Striking lodge just outside the city, offering amazing outdoor activities.

Mt Cotopaxi 

The lovely and most beautiful Mt Cotopaxi! Ecuador is home to 82 volcanoes and 17 are active! Mt Cotopaxi is the largest active volcano in Ecuador. Adventure seekers can hike Mt Cotopaxi or if you’re like me you can stay at a nearby hacienda and take in the views and what the area has to offer. I stayed at a hacienda called Porvenir that offers hiking, horseback riding, and is overall a great place to relax and cuddle up by the fire drinking Sunfu Tea. From Mt Cotopaxi, Lake Quilotoa is only a 1.5 hour drive and extremely worth it. I compare it to the Grand Canyon of Ecuador for its vast beauty. Mt Cotopaxi and Lake Quilotoa are a must see. 

The Amazon

The wild, wild Amazon. There are two places to go when visiting the Amazon in Ecuador - the upper Amazon and the lower Amazon. The upper Amazon has less animals and more adventure activities like white water rafting. It’s also a few hour car ride away from Quito. The lower Amazon, the Amazon I experienced, is much more focused on animals and getting there is much more interesting! From Quito you take a 35 minute flight to Coca where you’re greeted by a team. I stayed at Sacha Lodge (which is amazing!) and they picked us up and took us to a dock. From there it was a 1.5 hour motorized canoe ride, followed by a 30 minute walk in the jungle (don’t worry they give you boots!) and lastly a 20 minute small canoe ride. While there, you have plenty of opportunities to explore with your personal guide. Daily hiking, canoe rides, night time canoe rides to look for caimans, piranha fishing, walking across canopy bridges and much more.

We had a guide named Fausto who told us of his encounters with anacondas, caimans, and bullet ants, so by the time he picked up a poison dart frog, we weren’t completely freaking out! While we didn’t see any anaconda or jaguars, we did see a caiman, toucans and sloths. The Amazon took me out of my comfort zone and I loved every minute of it. 

Banos 

Three hours south of Quito lies a city called Banos. This is more for adventure seekers and people who have more time to spend in Ecuador. It’s filled with beautiful waterfalls, zip lining, swings over the world, and a good time. I was able to take a gondola above a waterfall for a truly unique experience. 

Papallacta

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By the 15th day of the trip I was pretty exhausted and scheduled myself some spa time! An hour north of Quito lies Termas Papallacta. Termas Papallacta has over a dozen hot spring pools that get its warmth from a nearby volcano. We spent two days here relaxing in the water, getting massages and body scrubs. The views were outstanding and a great way to relax at the end of the trip. They offer some hiking at the property and if you book three nights it includes fishing and milking cow experiences. 

Ecuador is a highly underrated country and it shouldn’t be. It’s one of the most beautiful destinations I’ve been to, has excellent hospitality, and is an adventurers paradise. 

Exploring the National Parks with an Annual Pass

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America’s national parks have been a mainstay of road trips and summer vacations for generations. Whether you’re hiking Zion or kayaking through the Everglades, crossing a few parks off your bucket list every year is a great way to get out into the wild and appreciate this country’s natural beauty. But if you’re not careful you can actually rack up a tidy little bill paying admission fees: seven day park passes usually cost around $35, while an annual pass for a single park is typically $70.

Fortunately, there’s a good alternative: the “America the Beautiful - the National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Pass.” (For this article, we’re just going to call it the annual pass. Much easier, right?) At just $80, the annual pass pays for itself in just a couple park visits, and having it ready to go in your wallet or glove box makes hitting the road to explore a new park that much simpler.

Here are a few things to remember about annual passes:

  • The passes are accepted not only at National Parks but at lands administered by a whole host of federal agencies: the National Forest Service, the Fish and Wildlife Service, Bureau of Land Management, Bureau of Reclamation, and Army Corps of Engineers. So you can do a ton of exploring on a single pass. Just be aware that it doesn’t cover state parks, which have their own system of passes.

  • A single pass provides entry for everyone in your vehicle. If the site charges by the person it covers the pass owner and 3 individuals age 16 or over. Kids under age 15 are free with or without a pass.

  • Remember that an annual pass only covers entry into the park. Generally you’ll still have to pay for things like camping fees, off-road vehicle permits, or other “expanded” amenities.

  • There are a couple different ways to buy a pass. The important thing to note here is that you need to have an actual physical pass to enter a park- you can’t show your receipt or a screengrab. If you’ve got an REI nearby and you need to pick up some gear anyway, you can get a pass in person at the store. Just call ahead to make sure they have them in stock. They’re available from the REI online store as well.

  • If you’ve got some time before you’re trip and you’re willing to pay a $5 processing fee, you can order the pass from the from the official USGS website, but be warned that the pass can take a week or more to arrive.

  • If you’re pressed for time, you can always get a pass in person when you arrive at most sites- just check the complete list of issuing sites before you go.

  • A pass is good for one year from the date of purchase, ending on the last day of the month, which is indicated by a little hole they punch on the pass when you buy it. So if you buy your pass on April 30th, 2021, your pass will expire on April 30th, 2022. But if you wait one day and buy it on May 1st, it will be good through the end of May 2022. So try to buy early in the month if you want the most bang for your buck. And if you buy your pass in person at the end of the month, but you’re not actually using it right away, ask if they’ll stamp the hole for the following month.

  • There’s no free replacement if your pass is lost or stolen. A ranger can’t just look you up in their computer and issue you a new pass if you can’t find yours. So don’t forget where you stashed it during the off season!

  • Are you traveling with a 4th grader? Then they’re your ticket in! All 4th graders qualify for a free annual pass that works just like the full version. Just visit https://everykidoutdoors.gov/index.htm to print up your pass. And due to the coronavirus pandemic, 5th graders qualify as well through the end of August 2021. Just head to https://www.nps.gov/kids/fifthgrade.htm to print your voucher.

  • There are lots of other annual pass options out there to be aware of. Members of the military, their dependents, veterans, and Gold Star families can qualify for a free military pass. Seniors age 62 and over can buy an annual pass for just $20 or a lifetime pass for $80. And if you’re REALLY into the parks, you can get a free pass when you put in 250 volunteer hours. (We’re going to just pay the $80 bucks, but to each their own!) For more on all the options visit the official USGS website.