Where to fly into?

[oceancat]

Hi.

Chris M--you inspired me--we are going to do a jungle trip before we do our dive trip--thank you for sharing your advice and wonderful pictures.

NOW--I am wondering if it would be better to get over to Guyaquil (sp?) and fly to the galapagos from there or if we will be ok flying out of Quito (that was our original plan). Any thoughts from those who have been there before? We will be in Ecuador for a week prior to our dive trip. I don't care if I get stuck in Quito afterwards, I just don't want to miss the boat! Thanks!

 

[Scared Silly]

I would fly into Quito. It is more interesting of a city. From there you can go up to Otavalo to the north or head south down the highway and see the volcanos. It will also be easier to get into the Upper Amazon - we fly to Lago Agrio and went out of there.

 

[suzbo]

Yes, Quito is a much more interesting place than Guayaquil, so if you're talking about spending some time there, that would be a better place.

But if you fly from Quito to the Galapagos, you WILL stop in Guayaquil anyway... that's just the way they do it. So don't knock yourself out to get back to Quito, just for your flight to the Galapagos, if it's more convenient for you to get to Guayaquil from wherever you've been.

- Edit - wait! That said, I'm not sure you can get a Quito-Guayaquil flight early enough in the day to make the Galapagos flight! Be sure to check this out as soon as you can. Most divers overnight in Guayaquil before jumping off to Galapagos, and I think this is why.

 

[ChrisM]

I am glad you are going to the jungle.

I haven't stayed in Guayaquil, but I would say stay in Quito. Both times I've gone, our AeroGal flight stopped in Guayaquil both going and coming back to Quito, we got off and got back on tehsame plane, so it's all the same. But you're flying to the jungle from Quito, might as well stay there. Can also get a day trip to Cotopaxi, the equator (tell them to take you to the REAL one ), etc. Not sure what there is to do in Guayaquil.

Where are you staying?

 

[oceancat]

Hi.

To answer Chris M--we are planning to fly into Quito and then the next day, make our way to Napo Wildlife Center for 3 nights (provided there isn't a war with Colombia between now and June--I am getting nervous). We are then going back to Quito and hooking up with a guide to make our way south to do some horseback riding and trekking around Cotopaxi--we will stay at Hacienda El Porvenir for 2 nights. We will go back to Quito for a night and then fly out to the Galapagos for the dive trip. To stay in Quito logistically is the easiest for us, but if the majority thought it better to start in Guayaquil, we can fly there the night before we fly to Galapagos. I would prefer to just go to the Galapagos from Quito however.

As for lodging in Quito, the tour operator we booked with--Andean Discovery-has a B&B that is near the big park there (I forget the name of the park) so we are going to stay there--the price is good and keeps things simple.

 

[ChrisM]

I think you'll e fine, you're still a logn ways from the Colombian border. Napo is right near where La Selva is. Ecuador's oil industry is there, it's well protected.

Driving through Coca to get to the river is a trip.

Quito makes the most sense since it is central to all those areas, and close to Cotopaxi. As said before, the flight stops in Guayaquil anyway, so it doesn't matter. Although, I have to say Guayaquil's aiport has been upgraded and is nicer than Quito's.

We were also near the big park at our hotel.

 

[occrider]

Is there some place to store your dive gear in Quito so you won't have to carry all your gear with you?

 

[oceancat]

To answer the previous poster--we have no intention of lugging our dive stuff on the first part of our trip. The proprietor of the B&B that we will be using as our Quito base said we can store our extra stuff with them.

I am so relieved that all of the tensions now seem under control.
I wish someone would post a trip report soon so I can get a new Galapagos fix