During Alejandro’s race to 30 countries before his 30th birthday, we decided to travel for a month in South America. Kicking off this final stretch and birthday celebration we met up in Quito, Ecuador in June of 2018.

Arrival

Upon arrival into Aeropuerto Internacional Mariscal Sucre (UIO) or Quito International Airport, it is hard not to notice how small the airport is. Although it seems new, the arrival hall for international flight looks as though it could only process one full flight at a time. This worked in my favor as I had to wait for Alejandro to arrive from Colombia.

Ecuador is one of the many countries that use the US Dollar so if you’re American no need to change your coins.

After Alejandro cleared customs we had a driver, Hermogenes, meet us outside the terminal. A couple of months prior, my parents had used Hermogenes when they visited Ecuador. While he only speaks a little English he was great and took good care of us the entire time we were in his country. Contact me if you want his info.

I would highly suggest you arrange a driver prior to arrival as the majority of international flights arrive at night and it is about a 45-minute drive to the center of Quito.

Where we stayed

By the time, we reached our hotel, it was well after midnight. As a matter of fact, the streets were deserted and the front door of the hotel was locked. We were staying at a place called Friends Hostel. This was our first time staying in a hostel so we weren’t really sure what to expect. Not wanting to jump in and stay in a room with other people we opted for a private room. Since the key to our real room was missing they just put us in a random room for the night. It was a basic room with a bathroom inside and no exterior windows but it was private so we didn’t care. We promptly fell asleep, exhausted from the day of travel.

Day 1

If you do not know this about us already we like to sleep. Especially on vacation! Everyone thinks we live these fabulous lives but in reality, we might as well be going to these different countries to try out their mattresses rather than their food. LOL Ecuador was no exception. We ended up sleeping in until lunch.

When we finally got up we went to see what the situation was with a towel or rather the lack thereof, in our room. I knew from seeing the sign in the lobby, towels were $1. Therefore we went downstairs to purchase one. According to the gentleman at the front desk, towels were included with our stay. He didn’t understand why we hadn’t received them upon check-in. We told him about the missing key and how it was so late.

To our surprise, we had actually paid for a very nice room with a really good view from right outside the bedroom. Talk about an upgrade!

After moving rooms we were pretty hungry so we went off in search of Almuerzo (lunch in Spanish). The streets surrounding the hostel were beautiful. Seemingly ancient architecture is mixed with modern buildings and cobblestone roads set atop these ultra-steep hills. The alluring graffiti painted on dilapidated walls gave this area quite a unique charm.

Almuerzo

One of the best ways to connect with local culture is through food. We love local eateries so we were lucky the streets of downtown Quito had plenty of them. Each place only serves one or two meals for just a few dollars. TRAVEL TIP: If there are a few options for places to eat ALWAYS choose the one that has the most locals in it. In reality, the restaurant we found was just an alleyway with tables set up. They had music playing and the World Cup on the TV so it was good enough for us. We wandered down the dark path and seated ourselves at a table.

For only $3 we had soup, salad, the main course, dessert, and drinks. For whatever reason, food always tastes better out of holes in the wall and this place was on point. Aside from the soup and salad, I had a steak topped with something similar to Pico de Gallo with beets, rice, and potatoes on the side. Alejandro opted for the lasagna (bad choice if you ask me, but he liked it). Since the place only made two dishes the food was on our table in less than 5 minutes. As we ate a couple of men came in and serenaded the restaurant.

Later on, we learned $3 was on the high end and many places had the same set up for about $1.50 a few blocks over.

After exploring our neighborhood for a couple of hours we headed back to the hostel to take a nap. We knew that the hotel gave FREE nightly tours so we wanted to make sure we were up for that.

The Virgin

The nightly tour took people up to The Virgin of Panecillo. Although we had a beautiful view of her from our room we wanted to see her up close.

Even though the statue has many names she is most often referred to as The Virgin of Quito, Virgin of the Apocalypse, Dancing Madonna, or Legarda’s Virgin just to name a few. The statue is made of 7,400 pieces of aluminum and stands at 41 meters (135 feet) tall. She is taller than the Christ De Redeemer in Brazil and is the highest statue in all of Ecuador. It is a monument that should not be missed. The statue is rare because she is the only Virgin in the world with angel-like wings. She is holding a snake with a chain around its neck standing on top of a globe. It can be interpreted that she is protecting people from the evils of the world.

The inside was closed by the time we arrived but if you are interested in going inside it is only $1. Check their website for accurate hours.

El Panecillo

The hilltop she sits on has had a few names throughout history as well. Most recently it was named El Panecillo, by the Spanish, because the shape of the hill kinda looks like a small bread roll. Prior to the Spanish’s arrival, it was known as Shungoloma, hill of the heart, in Quichua (a Native language of the region). And before the Incas arrived it was called Yavirac for the temple of the sun that once stood there.

We arrived after 7 pm so we just admired her and the surrounding city lights below. From the top of the hill, you can see out for miles. I kind of wish we had come in the day time so we could truly appreciate the difference between the neighborhoods. In the direction, the Virgin is facing, the white street lights are much more spread out while the yellow street lights are much closer together on the opposite side.

Night Life

When we got back to the hostel around 9 PM we were pretty hungry. We tried to return to the area where we ate lunch but everything was already closed. We found one single restaurant in our area that was open late. 9 PM to us is very early but the streets were empty and so was the restaurant we found. Unfortunately, the food wasn’t good so I won’t suggest you visit there but I will say you need to make sure you eat early if you plan to stay in this area.

We learned after leaving Ecuador that there are bars not too far from where we stayed but there is a curfew. On weeknights, alcohol is not served after midnight and on weekends the cut off is 2 AM.

Day 2

We honestly weren’t really sure what to do in Ecuador. Our driver Hermogenes was very helpful in suggesting quite a few things. We got up early to try one of those suggestions.

For those of you who don’t know The Andes Mountain Range runs directly through the center of Ecuador and a majority of Western South America. To see these majestic mountains up close is indescribable.

Leaving Quito

As soon as we got on the road we were met with the unbelievably huge Cotopaxi Volcano which is snow-capped and can be seen from miles away. The scene honestly looks so perfect as if it was painted for a movie set.

In fact, on the entire drive, there was nothing but lush green trees and free-roaming animals. I’ve never witnessed donkeys and horses galloping without harnesses or owners. They seemed to know their way through the mountainside.

There were also these inexplicably long waterfalls that seem to jut out of nowhere. Our eyes were like kids in the candy store, filled with wonder at the sights around us. 

The higher we climbed into the mountain the closer the clouds came to kiss the road. This was exciting for us because obviously, we have seen clouds from a plane but we have never been close enough to reach out and touch them. It’s a good thing Hermogenes is a good driver because there is no way I could have calmly driven through them. The clouds were so thick you could barely see more than 10 feet in front of the car.

I thought I would sleep on the drive but there was no way I could turn away, not even for a second. I kept thinking we were witnessing something off of National Geographic or something similar.  We travel a lot so it truly takes a lot to impress us. Nature especially has never been something of interest to us but driving for about an hour through these mountains changed our perspective entirely. I have a newfound respect for nature after this trip and this drive had a lot to do with it.

Termals de Papallacta

After our driving adventure up in the mountain, we reached Papallacta. In Spanish, papa means potato and in Quichua, llacta means town. So literally the town of potatoes.

Our main reason for venturing up here is to visit the Termals de Papallacta. The Termals are a group of natural hot springs that have been turned into a spa retreat. The site has hotel rooms for those who want to take advantage and stay a bit longer. If you are just doing a day trip adults pay just $9 for entrance to the pools.

This place had 12 different pools at varying degrees of hot and cold. I found it really cool that these are natural springs and they built pools around them. Some of the pools even have boulders still inside them.

The signs stated that the pools were good for bones, joints, respiratory system, renal problems, insomnia, anxiety, stress, muscles, and sleep. We saw families bringing older relatives to the pools to partake in their many qualities.

We stayed for a little over 2 hours. Feeling relaxed was an understatement. This was a great experience for me as I always have back pain.

After we got dressed we got back in the car and took a short ride.

Laguande Papallacta

We made a quick stop at the Laguande Papallacta or Papallacta Lagoon.

This lagoon is the largest in the region and currently supplies water to Northern Quito. After a volcano erupted into a glacier the lagoon was formed. Water continues to fill the lagoon from the melted snowcaps of the surrounding mountain tops. The water is so dark it often provides a mirror-like surface. If you ever visit ask a local about the legends surrounding this place.

After we left the town of Papallacta we headed back down the mountain for 45 minutes towards Quito.

Pululahua

Once we got close to Quito, Hermogenes suggested we make a stop at Pululahua. In Quichua, Pululahua means “cloud of water” or fog. Which was a very fitting name as the fog was all we got to see. LOL

This picture was taken at the top of the lookout point. We literally could not see anything. When my parents visited a couple of months prior they took a picture in the same place. HAHAHA Clearly it was a nice day and they got a beautiful view of the valley.

Pululahua was declared a Geobotanical Reserve after it was discovered that this collapsed volcano was home to over 2000 species of flora, fauna, and insects. It was the first national park in Ecuador and all of South America, in an attempt to protect the area. Entrance to Pululahua is now free but you are welcome to leave a donation. There are a few trails you could use to hike down into the valley. We attempted to hike down one of the trails but the fog was so thick once we reached the first landing we decided it wasn’t worth it to continue.

Right around the corner from Pululahua is Mitad Del Mundo. 

Ciudad Mitad Del Mundo

Mitad Del Mundo is a small city built around the equator. There are over 99 shops, food stalls, and museums contained within this city. For $5 you gain entrance to everything.

The main attraction of this place is the Monument to the Equator. It is a 9-level museum that straddles the Equator line calculated by French Explorers in 1736. Ecuador is actually the named for the Equator line. Standing on the Equator was actually on our bucket list so we were happy to be here.

In the museum, you learn about the history of Ecuador and their people. It also covers the history of the equator and how the current site came to be. At the base of this museum, you can get your passport stamped. We chose not to as our passports are running low on pages. Additionally, there are a few activities in the city to test the Equator line such as balancing an egg on a nail.

We also visited the coca museum which informs you about the coca plant, how it got its name and how it became so popular. There is also an opportunity to learn how it becomes chocolate.

In recent years it was determined via GPS that this was not the true Equator line. The real Equator is about 200 meters away from the original line. I think that with the tools available in the 1700’s being this close is pretty impressive. We did not visit the “real” line and just enjoyed our time in the city.

After about two hours we drove the 20 minutes back to Quito.

Parque Navarro

On the ride back to our hostel we complained to Hermogenes about not having places to eat for dinner near us. He suggested his favorite spot with comidas tipicas, typical Ecuador food. Just outside of Parque Navarro there are a few food stalls.

We bought a plate from each place cart and sampled off of each other. Honestly, this was the best food we had on this entire South American adventure.

The park was full of people enjoying the yummy food and just spending time with their families. It was refreshing to see people actually hanging outside without their faces stuck to their devices. This park also has one of the many Quito city signs.

After we ate we went back to our hotel and went to sleep.

Day 3

Prior to visiting Ecuador, I had only known of a few attractions. The first being the Equator, which we already visited and the swing off the edge of the Earth. When we told our driver Hermogenes that we wanted to visit the swing he was a little apprehensive. A roundtrip drive from Quito to the swing is 6-hour. That is kind of far for just a photo opportunity so our driver suggested we do some other things once we got up there.

Los Baños

The swing is located in an area called Baños de Agua Santa or Baños for short. We left Quito around 6-6:30 AM making stops for food and gas. We arrived in the Baños around 11 AM. The drive into the mountains was spectacular again. We witnessed farmers tending to their fields on the steep mountain slopes.

The first thing we did when we arrived was pick up a local tour guide Hermogenes knew. He helped us navigate where to go and how to get there.

Road Side Attractions

After picking up the guide we stopped at this side of the road place that had cable cars that took you from one side of the mountain valley to another. The caged car is suspended over a river and leads to a gushing waterfall on the other side. Not going to lie, this was a bit scary. The cable was manually cranked and was really shaky. We tried to balance the car but it felt like it could tip at any time. We rode it right up to the waterfall and back. Considering that this was only $2 I would say it was a good investment.

Following the cable car, we stopped at another similar roadside place. This place had a slingshot type of ride. The slingshot hurtled between the valley. Unfortunately, I am not a huge fan of theme park rides. We took a pass on this on. It was way too scary for me.

Pailon Del Diablo

A short while later we arrived at Pailon Del Diablo or Casa Del Diablo which translates to the Devils Cauldron or Devils House. Now, why would we go to someplace with a name like that?? And that my friends, is a good question!

Going Down

Upon arriving at this location we had no idea what even happens here. As it turns out this was a very strenuous (to me) walk down a mountainside. The path is pretty large but not big enough for vehicles. On the way down all, I could think about was having to walk back up. The further we went down the more stressed out I became. This was nowhere near Mount Sinai levels of difficult but still hard nonetheless.

We finally reached the base of the mountain but guess what we weren’t finished! We reach an entrance point and there are two different paths. Since I was already struggling we took the easier path.

I would NOT classify this path as easy! The very first thing we encountered on this path was a slippery staircase. For the life of me couldn’t figure out why they were wet but I mentally decided it’s a rainforest so it could have been raining. The last couple of stairs were so giant we were basically rock climbing. Suddenly, there was an opening to a beautiful rushing rapids type of waterfall. I suppose if I was paying attention I would have heard the sounds of the waterfall way before actually reaching it but the sound was probably drowned out by my labored breathing.

The pictures from this part are so funny to me. I was so tired I couldn’t even pretend to smile. 

At this point I realize okay we’ve come here to see a waterfall. That’s cool. We must be going back now. NOPE, wrong again.

Just Keep…Crawling??

The path continues back up behind the waterfall. For the most part, the only way to continue is to crawl on your hands and knees. I wanted to just wait at the bottom but Alejandro convinced me I should just see it to the end. 🙄 So not only am I exhausted from the walk but now I’m also wet from the spray of the waterfall and my back hurts from crouching down between the rocks. Did I mention I scraped my hands and back on the rocks?

Eventually, we reached the top. Diablos House is a small space behind the heaviest part of the waterfall. There is no avoiding it. You will get wet!

Going Back Up

The return back to the bottom of the waterfall is even harder than going up because of the crawl space available and it’s now facing downhill.

Overall it’s a cool little area. They have a small restaurant there if you want to chill out after the walk.

Although I truly felt like I went to hell and back, I’m not sure of the actual reasons why it’s called Diablos Cauldron. I thought going down there was bad but in reality, it was the going back up the mountain that was the worst. I made sure each person going down knew from the look on my face this wasn’t an easy hike.

Swing Off The End Of The World

After driving around what looked like a scene straight from Jurassic Park, we finally reached the swing off the edge of the earth. Casa Del Arbol is its actual name. Once upon a time, this place was only a swing attached to a tree. After it became an Instagram hot spot they changed it into a little play area on top of the mountain. It only costs $1 to enter and you have an unlimited amount of time in this area. There are a few copy-cats so make sure you go to the correct one. 

Since the location’s rise in notoriety, they have added an additional swing to the other side of the tree and another set a little further down. In addition to the swings, they have a zip-line set, a tight rope over a pond and something I could only describe as logs of wood you could climb on.

The Swing

The main attraction here is obviously the swing. I won’t lie it was pretty scary at first. Just imagine you have driven for three hours to fling yourself off the edge of a mountain and the only thing holding you into your seat looks like a piece of duck tape. It was nerve-racking, to say the least.

After a few tries though it becomes less scary. At least that’s what I told myself. The clouds were set very low when we arrived. There was no way to see the volcano across the valley. This might have had something to do with the scariness factor because if you fell you could not see where you would end up. Inevitably making the fall seem greater than it actually was.

Lucky for us it wasn’t very busy and we could ride as much and for as long as we wanted. I have seen pictures where people have waited in line for ages just to get the shot.

On Top Of The World

We stayed up there for exactly an hour. We had a great time frolicking like little kids. Going from swing to swing and activity to activity like we were back on the playground. I am quite clumsy so I almost fell into the pound but I caught myself at the last minute. We climbed up on the logs and it was as if we were on top of the world! I’m sure if it wasn’t so cloudy/ foggy these would have been pretty cool pictures. The only thing we didn’t do was the zipline.

Just as we were about to leave the clouds opened up and the sun shone through just for us. We were able to capture these amazing shots. It actually wasn’t so scary since I could see the ground (not saying it was close but it was visible. lol)

https://www.instagram.com/p/BkGa3uCAUM2/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

A 3 Hour Drive???

I would for sure return to this play area but I would not recommend visiting this location just for the picture. Unless you plan on doing more things up in the Baños I don’t think the 3-hour (6-hour roundtrip) drive from Quito can justify the picture. But if you do have other things to do up in the Baños it’s for sure worth the drive.

Back To Quito

The return to Quito was majestic. We passed by a different side of the Cotopaxi Volcano.

That night we slept like babies!

The following day we just stayed in bed. We eventually got up to leave for the airport. Like I said the airport is far from downtown Quito so make sure you leave early. We then boarded our plane and headed to our next destination on this tour. Lima, Peru…

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