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Post by tucano on Jan 14, 2013 7:08:22 GMT -5
Seeing as those lovely folks at the other place have not restored the S. America board, I’m hoping you can help me with this  Looking at places to maybe take a trip (14-17 days) in either early June or September. Would prefer June really. I’d love to visit somewhere in the Andes again. Thinking of maybe Bolivia or Ecuador. Have you been to either? What were the highlights for you? Muchas gracias chicas. |
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Post by sophie on Jan 14, 2013 10:17:45 GMT -5
Been to both, great destinations. Highlights for me were: Bolivia: the salt flats (absolutely one of mother natures awesome places in the world), Tiahuanuaco (site of a pre inca civilization which started 500bc and disappeared mysteriously about 1200 ad) which gets very few visitors and swimming in a hot springs high in the mountains near Potosi which is off the beaten track and was used by inca royalty once upon a time. Ecuador: Galapagos, hands down.. Worth every penny, and one of the most amazing destinations in the world, i was on a sail boat for a week, and loved every minute. I also spent a few days birding in the cloud forest near Mindo which was fun and 5 days in a jungle lodge on the Napo River (a direct tributary of the amazon) which I enjoyed. Quito was okay, but it is the natural environment in equador which is worth more of the traveller's time.
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Post by lillielangtry on Jan 14, 2013 10:20:16 GMT -5
Well, I spent nine months in Ecuador, but that was 10 years ago now!
Highlight was fairly obvious - the Galapagos. But not everyone makes it there because of the expense. Aside from that, Ecuador has it all really - volcanoes, cities, coastline, Amazon - yet you don't need to spend days and days getting from place to place.
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Post by Raised_By_Wolves on Jan 14, 2013 13:08:27 GMT -5
would be hard for me to choose if i haven't been to either!
Ecuador is on my list. i want to visit Bolivia again so yes it's still on my 'list'. an amazing country that gets less tourists than Machu Picchu alone!
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Post by tucano on Jan 14, 2013 14:34:05 GMT -5
I was watching a programme about Bolivia the other day, and the mixture of mountains, salt flats and rainforest definitely appeals. Need to check out flight prices.
I don't think we could afford the extra cost of going to the Galapagos though I'm sure it's fantastic.
OH has also thrown the idea of Guatemala into the mix, so any feedback on that would be good too...
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Post by sophie on Jan 14, 2013 21:46:57 GMT -5
I have spent a fair amount of time in Guatemala over the years. If you want to learn some Spanish first, then going to Guatemala first to a Spanish school makes great sense. It is very affordable to learn Spanish there, either in Antigua or quezeltenango (Xela). It is a much smaller and poorer country than either of the two South American countries mentioned, and more limited in some ways..but it does have Tikal!
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Post by krazykatie on Jan 15, 2013 0:04:27 GMT -5
Sophie out of the three which would you say is the cheepest? I've been to Bolivia and Ecuador before but I'm keen to go to Guatemala, I was even trying to persuade mr kk to go there for our honeymoon (not having much luck though)
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Post by canayangel on Jan 15, 2013 0:25:54 GMT -5
it's been at least ten years since i was in Guatemala. I think it would be cheaper than Ecuador, but maybe about the same as Bolivia. Like Sophie, I spent some tme in the Galapagos, and i also went across the salt flats. It really depends on how much time you have and what you want from your vacation. This wasan amazing, relaxing, interesting experience: www.sailing-diving-guatemala.com/Testimonials.htm When it was over, i took a bus up to the town outside of Tikal, which i think was the most amazing ruins i have ever seen. From there you can bus to Belize and spend a couple of lovely days in Caye Caulker or one of the other islands, or ask Muppet for a suggestion, as she spends a lot of time in Belize. if you are interested, check out travellers responses to the trip. I wrote one that was published in the Vancouver paper. |
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Post by sophie on Jan 15, 2013 0:46:36 GMT -5
Ecuador is NOT cheap. I think Bolivia and Guatemala are close.. Both affordable!
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Post by Bastet on Jan 15, 2013 2:17:12 GMT -5
It's been 8 years since I went to Ecuador and I found it wonderful. I loved every place I went to.
It is so small and easy to get around. Few bus journeys are more than 3-6 hours with a few (if you chose to bypass a lot and go non-stop between places) are 10 hours or so. At the time the cost worked out about $1 per hour.
The use of the US dollar made everything easier as well as easy to say the numbers. Nothing was 14969 which I would find rather hard to say or understand in Spanish whilst anything up to 10 (even 100) is easy.
It was absolutely gorgeous. Snowcapped volcanos, stunning country-side, dramatic waterfalls, hot springs and great markets. There is jungle access too but I never made it there, nor did I make the cost. Apparently there's an area called "poor-mans" Galapagos which many backpackers went to instead of the real thing. Oh and at the time I went you could ride on the roof on the "Nariz del diablo" train which was just fantastic but I don't think it's worth it if they haven't re-opened it to do that and you have to sit inside.
However, having been to the Galapagos Islands - well it's one of the most amazing places I've ever been to. Yes it is expensive but worth every cent and I can't recommend it enough.
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Post by sophie on Jan 15, 2013 13:05:14 GMT -5
picture of landscape at the salt flats.. the reflection, the endless vista, the colour... my picture doesn't come close to what it is like..
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Post by tucano on Jan 15, 2013 13:05:43 GMT -5
Not enough time to take Spanish classes sophie, although I could do with brushing up on mine, which is pretty basic! Thanks for all the feedback |
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Post by sophie on Jan 15, 2013 13:09:13 GMT -5
tucano, you also might want to check weather conditions for when you go.. I know the salt flats get rather cold(-20 C or so) in June and July; I was there in April and the night I arrived, it was -7 C. Altitude does do that! However, that is also the 'high season' as that is when you can travel a long ways on the flats (right down to a salt encrusted 'island' which I couldn't do since there was too much water on the flats for the 4 wheel drive vehicles to much further than the salt 'hotel'.
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Post by sophie on Jan 15, 2013 13:18:22 GMT -5
That was a picture of the penguin I was snorkeling with while in the Galapagos.. the only underwater picture was a bunch of bubbles which I think was penguin pooh.. they are so fast underwater.. Tucano, if you want nice weather, I think June in the Galapagos is fine. I was there in May, and it was great.
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Post by ruthincanada on Jan 21, 2013 0:57:24 GMT -5
My daughter went to Honduras and Ecuador/Galapagos last year. She found it was much cheaper to book the Galapagos trip upon arrival in Quito. She shopped around and saved a lot! www.travelblog.org/Bloggers/222-Bats/ |
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Post by Bastet on Jan 23, 2013 3:52:26 GMT -5
My daughter went to Honduras and Ecuador/Galapagos last year. She found it was much cheaper to book the Galapagos trip upon arrival in Quito. She shopped around and saved a lot! www.travelblog.org/Bloggers/222-Bats/That is true but it's also hard if you have limited time and/or is there in peak season. |
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Post by tucano on Jan 23, 2013 4:08:54 GMT -5
Thanks for the link Ruth Still thinking about it. |
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Post by tucano on Feb 27, 2013 16:12:37 GMT -5
Finally booked to go to Ecuador in June, as we found a great deal on a flight. Guatemala looked great too but June is the height of the rainy season so not the best time to visit.
Sophie, which lodge did you stay in on the Napo river?
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Post by sophie on Feb 27, 2013 21:19:51 GMT -5
Sacha lodge
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Post by tucano on May 18, 2013 3:42:18 GMT -5
Ria, we are planning a couple of days on the coast as we are flying into Guayaquil (cheaper than Quito even though it's the same plane). We have booked a day trip over to the 'poor man's Galapagos(Isla de la Plata) and there might even be whales which would be great to see!
Getting slightly worried about our jungle lodge booking - they asked us to transfer 200 dollars as a deposit which was fine. But we haven't heard from them since to confirm they are meeting us at the airport in remote jungle town...
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Post by tinaja on May 18, 2013 8:02:05 GMT -5
I was in Otavalo and Mindo in Ecuador. Otavalo was base for going to a school in the mountains for 2 weeks. They have a huge market there daily. Mindo, that was a trip. Crazy fiesta on Sat. night. The whitewater rafting--gaaa my life passed before my eyes. The butterflies were incredible. This was in May. I thought the temps were comfortable, but I like to be cooler vs. hotter.
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Post by tucano on May 18, 2013 10:40:08 GMT -5
We'll be in Otavalo for a couple of days, hoping to visit one of the crater lakes and the markets.
Would love to go whitewater rafting but J is not keen!
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Post by lillielangtry on May 18, 2013 10:45:12 GMT -5
All sounds great.
I'm still leaning towards booking Chile but it would great to go back to Ecuador as well. That was my first big trip away and it was truly life-changing.
When I win the lottery and never have to work again...
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