Volcanoes, mountains and hills – that pretty much sums up the topography of my latest travel destination. I typically do some research prior to visiting a place so I was well aware that Quito has one of the highest elevations in the world. I also read that altitude sickness was something of concern but I had no plans for strenuous activity – I was planning leisurely walks around town, maybe a zip line excursion (very tentative) on day 3 or 4 and of course a tour to the Equator. I spent 4 full days in Quito, including a day trip to Otovalo and a half-day trip to the Middle of the World monument. Since it was a relatively short trip, I packed as much activity as I could in each day. Initially, I was planning Ecuador as a solo trip – luckily my travel buddy was able to go, so I ventured out for a few more experiences than I otherwise would. Here’s a detailed version of our trip:
Day 1 – Friday
Following an overnight plane trip from Chicago, we arrived in Quito at around 6 in the morning. The flight from Chicago to Quito is roughly 8 hours however we had a connection in Mexico City, Mexico. (Note: I didn’t purchase an international phone plan and the WiFi in Mexico City’s airport was spotty. I was able to connect long enough to send an “arrived” message but couldn’t connect long enough to download any new reading material or movies. Additionally, the airport seemed to be lacking air conditioning and had a very limited restaurant selection).
By the time we made it through immigration and baggage claim it was closer to 6:30 am. We had scheduled a car to take us to the hotel – Suites Metrópoli (this was booked directly through the hotel) and the driver was waiting once we exited the baggage claim area. The trip from the the airport to the hotel was an approximate 45 minute drive and the driver explained you could only drive into the city during certain times of day. Quito’s weather is interesting – although the weather forecast may only predict rain, Ecuadorians explain that you will probably experience multiple weather patterns/seasons in one day. For instance, when we walked out of the airport it was raining, by the time we had driven through the tunnel into the city it was sunny; and the temperature climbed from 48 degrees to 63 degrees.
Upon arrival at the hotel which appeared to be in a residential area, we had breakfast and went up to our suite to relax and freshen up. Suites Metrópoli is a family-owned/run establishment that feels like a bed and breakfast. Our suite was comprised of two rooms (each with a small balcony), a bathroom and master closet. It also came equipped with a small safe, mini-fridge, microwave, and dishes. Outside of the suite was a small sitting area to be shared with the occupants staying in the suite across the hall.
I scheduled a free walking tour through Community Adventures for 2:30 pm. The meeting point for the tour was in the “Old Town” area about a 20 minute drive from our hotel. Most of the travel sites I viewed prior to coming to Ecuador said that Uber was a great transportation option so we booked an Uber and departed for the meeting point. Note: Quito’s traffic can be nerve wrecking. Not only do they drive as if road lanes are optional, stopping at a stop sign on a hill in a manual transmission car is not conducive for a settled stomach. (I didn’t “lose my lunch” but did have to close my eyes a few times).
Upon arrival at the tour meeting point, we were invited to wait in the reception area on the 2nd floor of Community Hostel as well as check out the rooftop. Additionally, we looked through some of the other tour packages offered by Community Adventures and booked their evening Foodie Walking Tour.
The free Walking Tour was a guided tour of Old Town and included stops at the Central Market where we sampled fruit and learned about Ecuadorian exports, the Plaza de Independencia which includes the Presidential Palace, San Francisco Temple, La Ronda Street where we sampled chocolate, and Plaza Sucre and Santo Domingo Church. Walking around town is more strenuous than it sounds – picture cobblestone streets and steep hills. I wasn’t necessarily winded but did walk more slowly than usual especially when going uphill.
Random observation during the walking tour: there are a lot of dogs just wandering around – no leash, no identifiable owner. I love dogs however it is a little disconcerting to see a group of 6 or 7 various breeds roaming freely. The dogs for the most part ignored our tour group and seemed to be self regulating their own activity for the day.
The Foodie Walking Tour was another guided tour where we visited 6 different establishments sampling traditional Ecuadorian food and drink. Dishes included: Fritada (fried pork), Chicha (alcoholic drink made with corn), Fried corn, Mote (white corn), Madura con queso (plantains wrapped in cheese), Pinchos (skewers), Agua de Sabila ( a warm drink made with Aloe Vera), Boracado (fried plantains), Quimbolitos (corn, grapes, plantain leaves), Empanadas, Sweet mosillas (pig intestines, rice, vegetables) and Canelazo (narajija juice, cinnamon, sugar, and sugar cane liquor).
Total spent for day one: $89 USD
- Transport from airport: $25
- Breakfast at hotel: $5 per person (included for the rest of our stay)
- Uber to/from Community Hostel: $4
- Foodie Walking Tour: $25 per person
Day 2 – Saturday
Before leaving Community Adventures the evening before, we booked their Otavalo Market and Cultural Experiences Tour. This was a full-day group tour by bus with a guide that included a trip to Otavalo Market, several lookout points and lunch. The tour departed at 7am from a drop-off point closer to our hotel. Our first stop of the day was Cafe Equator where we got to sample and watch bizcochos being made. Bizcochos are basically a buttery, flaky cookie also called biscuits, and were served with dulce de leche (caramel) or cheese. If you were still hungry, you could also order additional food off the cafe’s menu. Unfortunately, day 2 is when I began to experience the effects of being in a high altitude city – I felt as if something was sitting on my chest, didn’t have much of an appetite, and was slightly tired. Nevertheless I persevered, sampling the bizcochos and napping on the bus as we journeyed from stop to stop.
There are three equatorial sites you can visit from Quito, and the equator line is visibly identifiable at each location – it’s painted red at the Museo de Sitio Intiñan, yellow at the Mitad del Mundo Monument, and outlined in rocks at the Quitsato location. Our second stop after the Cafe was the Quitsato Mitad del Mundo Monument where we got to straddle our first equator line as well as learned about how the map should be oriented and had more views of volcanoes.
Stop number three was the lookout point at Mira Lago. We got additional views of the mountains and volcanoes as well as up close pictures with a llama and alpaca. Following Mira lago we arrived at Otavalo Market where we spent two hours, exploring, bargaining, and purchasing wares. Otavalo Market is a huge artisan market where you can find some of everything including livestock during the weekend.
Following the Market we had a short hike to the lookout at Cotacachi Cayapapas. The trip itinerary sheet did not mention hiking -only a visit to a lagoon and to wear comfortable shoes. I now know that comfortable shoes at least regarding Community Adventures tours means hiking is likely involved. We left the lagoon at Cotacachi Cayapapas and departed for lunch in the Cotacachi region which was included in the tour price. Following lunch we had 30 minutes to explore the leather shops in the area before returning to the drop-off point in Quito.
On a more random note, Bob Marley is really big in Ecuador – you’ll see his likeness on t-shirts and other souvenirs as well as hear his music while walking around town. While exploring the area near the restaurant we stumbled upon a statue of Bob Marley. When I asked about it at our hotel we were told they just really like his music.
After we were dropped off back in Quito, we spent some time chatting with a fellow traveler at Honey Coffee & Tea in Plaza Foch.
Total Spent for Day 2: $125 USD + cost of any souvenirs purchased
- Otavalo Tour: $50 per person
- Uber to/from tour drop off point: $4
- Entrance fee to Quitsato: $4 per person
- Coffee and Sweets: $10
Day 3: Sunday
By Sunday morning, I was mostly acclimated with the altitude – lots of water and rest must’ve helped. I still felt a little chest tightness but nothing like how I felt on Saturday. Sometime during our Saturday activities however, my travel buddy ate something that didn’t agree with him. This cut Sunday’s itinerary short although we did visit the Virgen del Panecillo and the Basilica del Voto Nacional. Following those two sites, we had lunch in Plaza Foch and returned to the hotel to rest.
Both the Virgen and Basilica involve climbing to get great viewpoints of Quito. The Basilica has two sets of towers that you can climb, one with a staircase on the outside of the tower, the other with a narrow spiral staircase and small hatch inside the tower. We opted to climb the more enclosed staircase but did traverse the wooden walkway between both sets of towers.
Total Spent for Day 3: $60 USD
- Transportation (private car for 4 hours): $30
- Entrance fee for Virgen del Panecillo: $2 per person
- Entrance fee for towers at the Basilica: $2 per person
- Lunch (includes both of our meals): $22
Day 4: Monday
Following breakfast at the hotel we decided to check out the Artisan Market in Quito. This was another opportunity to hone my bargaining skills. After purchasing various souvenirs including hats, blankets, and t-shirts, we attempted to walk to Plaza Foch for lunch – it was supposedly a 9 minute trek. The walk took longer than expected and required stops at two different hotels to ask for directions. (Travel tip: if you’re in a location where you’re not fluent in the language and are slightly lost – stop in a hotel if nearby. Usually the concierge or someone at reception speaks English (my language of fluency) and will be able to direct you). We had lunch at Mama Clorinda Restaurant and returned to the hotel to drop off our purchases. Our main scheduled activity for the day was the Middle of the World Tour and Sunset at Telefériqo that we booked through Community Adventures.
The first stop on the Middle of the World Tour was the Intiñan Museum where we again straddled the equator, learned about Andean culture and shrunken heads, had a crash course in chocolate making and participated in fun equator activities like trying to walk a straight line and balancing an egg on the head of a nail. From there we went to the Mitad del Mundo Monument and Park – our last equatorial site.
The tour ended with being dropped of at the entrance to Teleférico – the cable car ride that goes up the side of a volcano. Initially, I thought the ride would be a short trip – no more daunting than the one I took to reach the Great Wall of China or at the zoo in Sydney, Australia. No matter what the travel blogs and reviews say Telefériqo is high (steep incline and you feel like you’re at least as high as cruising altitude in a plane) and that 15 minute ride to the top seems like it takes forever, especially if you have a love-hate relationship with heights. Additionally, the cable car rocks as you past each post that hold the cables for the ride. Nevertheless, the views are worth it. Although we arrived slightly after sunset, seeing Quito at night from the top was worth the trip. Following a 15 minute trip back down to the base of the cable car we took a free bus down the mountain where we could get a taxi back to our hotel. Luckily, the bus driver spoke some English and helped to arrange the cab ride which ended up being $4 USD.
Total Spent for Day 4: $107 USD + cost of souvenirs
- Ubers for the day: $6
- Lunch at Mama Clorinda: $28 (includes both of our meals)
- Middle of the World Tour: $10 per person
- Entrance fee – Museo de Sitio Intiñan: $4 per person
- Entrance Fee – Middle of the World Monument: $5 per person
- Ticket for Telefériqo: $8.50 per person
- Taxi to the hotel: $4
- Dinner at hotel (delivery): $14 (includes both of our meals)
So that’s how one spends 4 days in Quito. On my next trip to Ecuador, I would like to check out some other places including Baños, Cuenca, the Cloud Forest and eventually the Galápagos Islands.
A Memory and a Conversation 
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