Ecuador Experience

The Come To Galapagos tour was more than we knew to dream of.

Advantages: Personalized, customized attention to detail
Disadvantages: We had to return to our real lives afterward and think of the things we were missing.

...cras marketing. Fortunately we found Come To Galapagos. Our first contact e-mail was replied to within hours, a phone conversation followed shortly after that and several months later we were on our way. From the moment we landed in Quito we were confident we were in good hands and could relax. The hotels and guides on the continent were wonderful. I left my camera in the van on the day we toured Quito and Come to Galapagos had it waiting for me ...
...be able to have been welcomed into the community as we were and then shown the islands from the perspective of these wonderful people was an experience we didn't even know to dream of. The food was wonderful, locally grown and caught, the guides were delightful, knowledgeble and with excellent people skills, instinctively knowing when it was best to fade into the background for family time and step forward when there was something noteable to be ...

rickroley 10.08.2009 · Read full review
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Review of Come To Galapagos Tours

My Favourite Wildlife in The Galapagos

Advantages: Once in a lifetime photo opportunities of unique wildlife were the subjects actually stay still!
Disadvantages: Not a cheap trip

My Favourite Wildlife on the Galapagos Islands. I decided I would write about the wildlife on these Islands as the wildlife on these islands is like nothing else to be found in the world. Blue Footed Booby. We first encountered these birds at Punta Suarez on Espanola where there is quite a colony of them. The name Booby comes from the Spanish term “bobo” which means stupid fellow. They certainly look real silly when they dance during courtship ...
...some of the most amazing wildlife we saw. There were birds and other smaller creatures we saw but I cant mention them all. I hope that I haven’t bored you but I feel this wildlife is so unique that it was worthy of a review all to itself. Please note that I have now changed the photos from my review “A trip of a lifetime” to this review and put photos of the scenery on that review. Thank you for reading. If you would like to see this kind of wildlife ...

rosehall 30.05.2007 · Read full review
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Review of Wildlife Of The Galapagos

Haggling market wonders!!

Advantages: Come armed with dollars and haggling skills!
Disadvantages: You wont want to leave, until you are broke!

I went to Otavalo on a trip to Ecuador whilst at uni, and it was one of the best markets I have been to.It is rated one the premier markets in South America. As a keen shopper and bargain hunter, i had to go!! Otavalo is north of Quito city, and takes about 2 hours. I remember leaving Quito city at 4am in the dark to get there and start the market before it got too hot and to see the beginning of the animal market. The best day to go to the market ...
...are many other attractions in Otavalo which deserve recognition. After a spot of lunch, we very nearly had Guinea Pig, yes Guinea Pig- cuyes in Quechan, but our guide knew a better place to sample this Incan delicacy! Depending on who you are buying for, i would take no more than $100. Keep money in a body contact money belt and don't flash your cash. You'll leave yourself open to muggers and pickpockets. They do exist, one of my chums fell foul ...

armychick 18.07.2005 · Read full review
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Review of Otavalo

Amazing

Advantages: Cost of things, People, Scenery
Disadvantages: having to watch your bag counstanty

Stepping in to a south American country at high altitude i first expected to be short of breath and overwhelmed with hard working Locals trying to scrape by for money. Yet the capital of quito proved to be a very pleasant surprise. the locals were friendly welcoming and tried their best to make us feel welcome. Visiting the markets on a sunday were the highlight of my time in quito haggling with the marketers and bagging a pair of trousers for just ...
...the city. (by acident...i got on the wrong bus) but was well worth it. After visiting quito i went on to travel the rest of the country and first to a town called Tena. visiting a small village named puma rumi in order to help the community build a toilet block. After my week in the small village we went back in to tena for a class of white water rafting with a very well established local company 'River People' who had recenetly opened a very nice ...

lkpearson1 16.02.2009 · Read full review
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Review of General: Ecuador

Cotopaxi National Park

Advantages: superb scenery and breathtaking views
Disadvantages: poor road condition, cold air, high altitude

Cotopaxi National Park is 60 km south of Quito just off the Pan American highway and is probably Ecuador's finest national park. The area covers 85,000 acres and is dominated by the magnificent Cotopaxi Volcano. The volcano is steep, snow-capped and symmetrical - giving it a superb appearance that matches the classic volcano shape imagined by us all. At 5,897 metres, Cotopaxi is the second highest mountain in Ecuador and is the highest active volcano ...
...in Ecuador having erupted on several occasions during the 1700s and 1800s including the two occasions when it completely destroyed the town of Latacunga. The last major eruption was in 1903/04 with some relatively minor activity in 1942. The park has a visitor's centre located 6 km from the entrance with a small museum and toilet facilities. The road then rises between lava flows to a wide open plain and the Lago Limpiopungo. This is a small lake ...

stuartmelvin 23.03.2001 · Read full review
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Review of Avenue of Volcanoes