In January 2014, I traveled to Ecuador with Adventure Life, the same company that had taken me to the Falkland Islands two months earlier. The tour was 8 days long and focused on the Andes highlands. Sights included in my trip were The Bellavista Cloud Forest, Otavalo, San Antonio de Ibarra, the Mitad del Mundo area, Quito, Cotopaxi National Park, Quilotoa Crater, and Banos. As part of the tour, I also saw several Andean rainforests and waterfalls. There was also a lot of magnificent countryside. Ecuador is an outstandingly beautiful country, as I hope the pictures below make clear. As part of my lodging arrangements, I stayed in two wonderful haciendas - one near Otavalo, and another one near Cotopaxi. Starting from a parking lot at a somewhat lower elevation, I climbed up to the 16000' elevation level on Cotopaxi; this was a thrilling (if slightly breathless) mountain trek. I also saw the early stages of an eruption of Volcan Tungarahua, an active volcano just outside of Banos.
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This is me standing on the main plaza for Cotocachi, a
pleasant town near Otavalo where there is said to be a retirement
community. |
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This is a view of Cotopaxi, Ecuador's second highest
mountain, and which is one of the highest active volcanoes in the world
(though it has been fairly quiet in recent years). Usually the summit
was shrouded in clouds during my trip; this was a rare glimpse at the
summit. | |
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Burros were a common sight in the Andean highlands, including on Cotopaxi where I saw this one. | |
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This is me in front of the Hacienda Porvenir, a wonderful place to stay which is located in the highlands near Cotopaxi National Park, at about 12000' elevation. The appearance and architecture of the place is highly interesting.
This is the early stages of an eruption of Tungarahua, a 16000' active volcano overlooking Banos. Seeing this was absolutely spectacular, and I was incredibly lucky to just be standing there looking at the mountain, camera in hand, when the ash and smoke started billowing forth. Three full-fledged eruptions followed two days later, which made the world news.
Beautiful rugged countryside of the Andean highlands on the way to Quilotoa Crater from Latacunga.
Quilotoa Crater, a volcanic crater lake 70km west of Latacunga. This was a spectacular sight reminiscent I suppose of Crater Lake in Oregon, United States. At 12000' elevation, though, it was chilly and windy on this overlook.
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| This is Zumbahua, a town spectacularly situated in the Andes highlands a few miles from Quilotoa Crater. There is a strong Native American population there, and many arts-and-crafts handiworks to buy at various places in the vicinity. | | |
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This is me at the 16000' level of Volcan Cotopaxi. The snow line started not too far above this in elevation. The sign beside me designates a refuge which was under remodeling construction at the time of my visit. It was about a 1000' elevational hike from the parking lot to this area. Absolutely beautiful views, even though high-altitude clouds swirled around me and occasionally obscured the view, and even dropped a few ice pellets.
Along with burros, llamas were a common sight in the highlands.
This is me on the porch of the Cafe del Cielo, a restaurant that is part of the Luna Runtun hotel in the mountains just to south of Banos, overlooking the resort city. Banos can be seen off in the distance. The view is spectacular. The hotel overlooks the city by an elevation of about 1000 feet.
This is the swirling, thundering base of the spectacular Patron del Diablo waterfall located between Banos and Puyo, in Tungarahua province
This is a cascada (waterfall) that I saw in the Bellavista Cloud Rainforest.
This is one of many beautiful, richly colored hummingbirds that I saw in the Bellavista Cloud Rainforest. The variety and abundance of birds were amazing, providing a rich opportunity for birdwatchers.
This sign is Spanish for Ecuador in the Middle of the World. The red line is the supposed location of the Equator (0 degrees latitude), and this is located in the Mitad del Mundo museum complex. Staff at the museum will show you oddities and tricks that are supposedly due to the geographical landmark, for example that water in a sink will swirl down the drain one way on one side of the line, and the other way on the other side of the line.
This is the front facade of the beautiful Hacienda Pinsaqui outside of Otavalo, where I stayed for a couple of nights as part of the tour. This hacienda has beautiful landscaped grounds, and an approximately 300-year history.
In a few places, the deeply green, patchwork-quilt appearance of the Ecuadorean countryside reminded me of England or Ireland.
Typical Ecuadorean road directional and mileage signs near Otavalo.
Beautiful church located in San Antonio de Ibarra, in the north of Ecuador.
More beautiful Andes highlands scenery. The scenery in this area reminded me of parts of New Zealand, Crete, Hawaii, and the American West, yet somehow managed to show its own unique beauty.
This is me trekking up Cotopaxi between 15000' amd 16000' elevation. The Jose Rivas Refugio Hut is visible in the far distance.
The famous Otavalo Market where seemingly every kind of arts-and-crafts handiwork is for sale. It is amazing. The true market is actually on Saturdays, but I was there on a weekdays when many of the same things are for sale but it is much less crowded.
Colorful rectangular rows of houses along a hillside in Quito, the capital of Ecuador, and its second-largest city.
La Cienega, a beautiful colonial style hotel in Cotopaxi province, where I did not stay but instead my tour guide brought me for a midday visit.
This is me in front of the Hacienda Porvenir, a wonderful place to stay which is located in the highlands near Cotopaxi National Park, at about 12000' elevation. The appearance and architecture of the place is highly interesting.
This is the early stages of an eruption of Tungarahua, a 16000' active volcano overlooking Banos. Seeing this was absolutely spectacular, and I was incredibly lucky to just be standing there looking at the mountain, camera in hand, when the ash and smoke started billowing forth. Three full-fledged eruptions followed two days later, which made the world news.
Beautiful rugged countryside of the Andean highlands on the way to Quilotoa Crater from Latacunga.
Quilotoa Crater, a volcanic crater lake 70km west of Latacunga. This was a spectacular sight reminiscent I suppose of Crater Lake in Oregon, United States. At 12000' elevation, though, it was chilly and windy on this overlook. 
This is me at the 16000' level of Volcan Cotopaxi. The snow line started not too far above this in elevation. The sign beside me designates a refuge which was under remodeling construction at the time of my visit. It was about a 1000' elevational hike from the parking lot to this area. Absolutely beautiful views, even though high-altitude clouds swirled around me and occasionally obscured the view, and even dropped a few ice pellets.
Along with burros, llamas were a common sight in the highlands.
This is me on the porch of the Cafe del Cielo, a restaurant that is part of the Luna Runtun hotel in the mountains just to south of Banos, overlooking the resort city. Banos can be seen off in the distance. The view is spectacular. The hotel overlooks the city by an elevation of about 1000 feet. 
This is the swirling, thundering base of the spectacular Patron del Diablo waterfall located between Banos and Puyo, in Tungarahua province
This is a cascada (waterfall) that I saw in the Bellavista Cloud Rainforest.
This is one of many beautiful, richly colored hummingbirds that I saw in the Bellavista Cloud Rainforest. The variety and abundance of birds were amazing, providing a rich opportunity for birdwatchers.
This sign is Spanish for Ecuador in the Middle of the World. The red line is the supposed location of the Equator (0 degrees latitude), and this is located in the Mitad del Mundo museum complex. Staff at the museum will show you oddities and tricks that are supposedly due to the geographical landmark, for example that water in a sink will swirl down the drain one way on one side of the line, and the other way on the other side of the line.
This is the front facade of the beautiful Hacienda Pinsaqui outside of Otavalo, where I stayed for a couple of nights as part of the tour. This hacienda has beautiful landscaped grounds, and an approximately 300-year history. 
In a few places, the deeply green, patchwork-quilt appearance of the Ecuadorean countryside reminded me of England or Ireland.
Typical Ecuadorean road directional and mileage signs near Otavalo.
Beautiful church located in San Antonio de Ibarra, in the north of Ecuador. 
More beautiful Andes highlands scenery. The scenery in this area reminded me of parts of New Zealand, Crete, Hawaii, and the American West, yet somehow managed to show its own unique beauty. 
This is me trekking up Cotopaxi between 15000' amd 16000' elevation. The Jose Rivas Refugio Hut is visible in the far distance. 
The famous Otavalo Market where seemingly every kind of arts-and-crafts handiwork is for sale. It is amazing. The true market is actually on Saturdays, but I was there on a weekdays when many of the same things are for sale but it is much less crowded.
Colorful rectangular rows of houses along a hillside in Quito, the capital of Ecuador, and its second-largest city. 
La Cienega, a beautiful colonial style hotel in Cotopaxi province, where I did not stay but instead my tour guide brought me for a midday visit. 