After visiting the Amazon we flew to Lima where we stayed the night before flying on to Quito, Ecuador. The next day we headed to Latacunga, a small town a couple of hours south which we used as the launching point for exploring the Quilotoa Loop - a series of traditional highland villages set amongst spectacular scenery (around Laguna Quilotoa) which are connected by winding dirt roads and poorly marked walking trails. Transport around the Quilotoa Loop is notoriously difficult with buses usually running only once daily and usually at very unsociable hours (ie. 3am) so we decided to hike where we could.
We set out from Latacunga the next morning carrying only day packs (we left the rest of our luggage in Latacunga to lighten the load for our hike) and joined by 3 English girls we'd met at our hostel the night before who were also doing the hike. To get to the town of Quilotoa we had to endure a very bumpy and slow 2hr bus ride along narrow dirt roads and around huge cliffs with the bus driver honking his horn at every corner to warn any vehicles/people/animals coming the other way!
Arriving in Quilotoa we were met with strong, bitterly cold winds and were somewhat unenthused at the prospect of the long trek ahead of us. We spent time admiring Laguna Quilotoa (a gorgeous green lake inside a volcanic crater) then, having heard this part of the trail was very difficult to navigate, we set about trying to find a "guide" (read: a local who would show us the way for a fee). We quickly found a friendly local who agreed to take us. He ducked into his house for a few minutes to change into overalls and gumboots, waved goodbye to his wife, and then we were off!
Fortunately the cold wind disappeared as we began walking, and soon we'd removed our thermals, jackets, scarves and beanies as the temperature rose! We were grateful we'd hired a guide as there was no way we would've found our way by ourselves - the trail had been washed away in some places and in others it seemed we were definitely off the beaten path. We spent the next few hours descending into the valley, scrambling and sliding down rock faces and squeezing between high earth walls. After a steep ascent out of the valley we arrived at tiny Chugchilan where we stayed the night in a small family run hostel.
The following morning we said goodbye to our English friends who were heading on to another town, and armed with only a very basic hand drawn map and accompanying instructions from our hostel we set out for Isinlivi. We descended down into the valley, through a tiny village where local school kids waved hello to us, crossed the main river on a tree trunk, and then waded through part of the river barefoot before heading up out of the valley. Despite the basic map and instructions we only made a couple of minor wrong turns and arrived in Isinlivi hot and sweaty after 6hrs walking. We enjoyed a lazy afternoon of reading and drinking tea by the fire in our quaint little hostel before having a wonderful home cooked dinner. The only other people staying at our hostel were a friendly Dutch couple who offered to give us a ride to another village the next morning in their rental car - an offer which we gladly accepted as our only other option was to hitch a ride on the back of the milk truck!
So the following morning the 4 of us crammed into their tiny 2 door 4WD and set off on the windy, bumpy road out of town. The road took us up a mountain which gave stunning views of the landscape below. We were dropped off in the town of Saquisili where we spent a couple of hours exploring the colourful Thursday market where everything from animals to vegetables to rip-off 80's designer fashion was on sale. We then caught a bus back to Latacunga for a much needed hot shower and an early night.
This was definitely the highlight of our time in Ecuador!
We set out from Latacunga the next morning carrying only day packs (we left the rest of our luggage in Latacunga to lighten the load for our hike) and joined by 3 English girls we'd met at our hostel the night before who were also doing the hike. To get to the town of Quilotoa we had to endure a very bumpy and slow 2hr bus ride along narrow dirt roads and around huge cliffs with the bus driver honking his horn at every corner to warn any vehicles/people/animals coming the other way!
Arriving in Quilotoa we were met with strong, bitterly cold winds and were somewhat unenthused at the prospect of the long trek ahead of us. We spent time admiring Laguna Quilotoa (a gorgeous green lake inside a volcanic crater) then, having heard this part of the trail was very difficult to navigate, we set about trying to find a "guide" (read: a local who would show us the way for a fee). We quickly found a friendly local who agreed to take us. He ducked into his house for a few minutes to change into overalls and gumboots, waved goodbye to his wife, and then we were off!
Fortunately the cold wind disappeared as we began walking, and soon we'd removed our thermals, jackets, scarves and beanies as the temperature rose! We were grateful we'd hired a guide as there was no way we would've found our way by ourselves - the trail had been washed away in some places and in others it seemed we were definitely off the beaten path. We spent the next few hours descending into the valley, scrambling and sliding down rock faces and squeezing between high earth walls. After a steep ascent out of the valley we arrived at tiny Chugchilan where we stayed the night in a small family run hostel.
The following morning we said goodbye to our English friends who were heading on to another town, and armed with only a very basic hand drawn map and accompanying instructions from our hostel we set out for Isinlivi. We descended down into the valley, through a tiny village where local school kids waved hello to us, crossed the main river on a tree trunk, and then waded through part of the river barefoot before heading up out of the valley. Despite the basic map and instructions we only made a couple of minor wrong turns and arrived in Isinlivi hot and sweaty after 6hrs walking. We enjoyed a lazy afternoon of reading and drinking tea by the fire in our quaint little hostel before having a wonderful home cooked dinner. The only other people staying at our hostel were a friendly Dutch couple who offered to give us a ride to another village the next morning in their rental car - an offer which we gladly accepted as our only other option was to hitch a ride on the back of the milk truck!
So the following morning the 4 of us crammed into their tiny 2 door 4WD and set off on the windy, bumpy road out of town. The road took us up a mountain which gave stunning views of the landscape below. We were dropped off in the town of Saquisili where we spent a couple of hours exploring the colourful Thursday market where everything from animals to vegetables to rip-off 80's designer fashion was on sale. We then caught a bus back to Latacunga for a much needed hot shower and an early night.
This was definitely the highlight of our time in Ecuador!
Windswept Laguna Quilotoa:
On the hike to Chugchilan:
Our map for the hike on day two:
A tiny local School we passed:
Navigating the river crossing:
Our charming hostel Lulu Llama in Isinlivi:
Isinlivi town:
Day Three and more spectacular scenery:
Saquisili market day:
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