Ecuador = Equator
9 minutes ago
12 min read
Leaving California behind, we boarded an early morning flight bound for South America, buzzing with excitement for our next destination: Ecuador! It was time to kick off a brand new chapter of our travel journey!
Funny thing was, we hadn't really planned on going to Ecuador at all! When Jelley was hunting for an onward flight out of the US, she was reminded of the 'rule' which also led us to Colombia in 2022.. neighbouring countries like Mexico, Canada or even in the Caribbean don't actually count toward the US visa requirement of actually leaving the North American zone (go figure!). Searching for the cheapest qualifying destination, Quito popped up for an absolute cracker deal of just $160 USD one way each, an opportunity far too wild to pass up!
Tucked away on the northwestern coast of South America, Ecuador is home to roughly 18 million people and packs an incredible geographical diversity into a space roughly the size of Colorado, stretching from the Pacific coastline and the high Andean peaks down into the dense Amazon rainforest. Spanish for "Equator," the country takes its literal name from the invisible line running right through it, a geographic fact that Luke was particularly blown away by.
Our first stop was Quito, the bustling capital of Ecuador tucked high in the Andes. Sprawling across a mountain region at an elevation of 2,850 meters (9,350 feet), Quito is the second-highest official capital city in the world by elevation (behind La Paz in Bolivia at 3,500m). It sits right in a narrow valley surrounded by dramatic volcanic peaks, including the active 'Cotopaxi' volcano looming over the city. It reminded us a lot of Bogata in Colombia because, while we were right on the equator, it was still quite cold due to the elevation. Originally a major indigenous center before the Incas rebuilt it, Quito was formally founded by the Spanish in 1534. Today, its historic Old Town is widely recognized as one of the best-preserved and least-altered colonial centers in all of the Americas, so much so that it was designated as one of the very first UNESCO World Cultural Heritage sites back in 1978.
Quito is a sprawling metropolis, and like any major world city, it has its fair share of picturesque pockets alongside areas that require a bit more 'situational awareness'. For our stay, Jelley managed to hunt down a fantastic little guesthouse called "Colonial House" in the neighborhood of San Blas. It sat right on the fringe of a rougher part of town, but it was very affordable, safe, and conveniently placed to wander straight into the historic centre. It ended up being such a gem that over the course of our Ecuadorian travels, we kept returning to it again and again as our cozy, familiar home base to regroup, stash our gear, and prep for the next leg of the adventure.
Of course, no new city exploration is complete without a sightseeing walking tour, so that was first on our agenda. We headed over to a neighboring hostel where the tour started, eager to see some awesome spots and learn more about Ecuador. The route took us through a vibrant local food market where we got to try some unique tropical fruits and drinks, stopped at a cozy local coffee shop, and eventually led us to the grand Basilica and Convent of San Francisco.
Some fun facts from the tour:
Currency Shift: Ecuador officially adopted the US Dollar as its singular official currency in 2000 after its previous currency, the sucre, completely collapsed during a severe economic crisis. While they mint a few of their own unique coins for small change, the physical paper bills are printed at the US Mint and shipped down on sea containers a couple of times per year.
Ecuadorian Volleyball: Ecuador has its own version of volleyball called "Ecua-volley" which is 3 v 3 and has its own rules. You can hold the ball and the net looks slightly different. We saw a lot of people playing it during out time in Ecuador.
Curfew: There had been a period of unrest in Ecuador for a few weeks leading up to our visit, but luckily, authorities had just lifted the nightly curfew as we arrived.
Changing Dynamics: Historically, Ecuador had remained fairly unscathed by drug trafficking, which had mostly been concentrated in neighboring Colombia and Peru, but in recent years, shifting international trade routes have unfortunately turned parts of the country into a major transit hub (see curfew above). Over half of the provinces were in a state of emergency when we visited, but we would be avoiding those!
Agricultural Powerhouse: Despite its compact size, Ecuador is the world's largest exporter of bananas, while also being one of the top exporters of fine-flavored cacao beans and fresh cut flowers (especially roses).
After the tour wrapped up, we joined a fellow walking tour friend, Linda, for a quick $3 taxi ride up the hill to see the famous Virgin of the Panecillo (Virgen del Panecillo). Standing tall atop a a hill that looms over the city, this aluminium statue is one of Quito's most iconic landmarks. Commissioned in 1976 and assembled from over 7,000 individual aluminium plates, the 45-meter (148-foot) structure is actually the tallest aluminium statue in the world, depicting the Virgin Mary with distinct winged features. Standing right at her base rewarded us with panoramic views across the city valley below, making it an incredible spot to truly get our bearings and take in the sunset over Quito.
The next day, we wanted to go visit Parque Carolina and the neighbouring Botanic Gardens on the other side of the city. To get there, we opted to take the Quito Metro. Despite Quito being a massive, sprawling city, its subway network consists of just a single 22-kilometer (13.7-mile) underground line that only recently opened for full commercial service. Even with just one line stretching north to south along the narrow valley, it was remarkably modern, efficient, clean, and easy to navigate, cutting through what would otherwise be a nightmare of surface traffic. One detail we instantly loved was the metro's official mascot: a friendly, cartoonish rooster named "El Gallito del Metro." Having a playful mascot for a major public transit system brought back fond memories of our ten months living in Japan, where every city, government department, and train line seems to have its own adorable character to guide you around.
The botanic gardens were small but had a cute cafe for lunch, and we returned to the metro to check out the Basílica del Voto Nacional. Towering over the northern edge of Old Town, this massive neo-Gothic church is actually the largest of its kind in all of the Americas and looked completely out of place in Quito. Construction began back in 1887 and drew inspiration from the famous Bourges Cathedral in France. It was officially opened in 1988 and incorporates unique Ecuadorian touches like stone carvings of native animals like Galápagos tortoises, iguanas, armadillos, and condors guarding the outer walls.
Having visited our fair share of grand churches across the globe, we found the interior relatively impressive, but the real highlight of the Basílica is the climb up the spires. The route takes you across a narrow wooden catwalk inside the roof above the ceilings and up a series of tight spiral staircases. It started off as a fun adventure, but as we climbed higher and higher, the exposure really kicked in and things got pretty spooky. Facing the final, near-vertical set of open metal ladders leading to the highest point of the steeple, we decided we had enough and skipped that last terrifying ladder and instead treated ourselves to a cold drink at the church’s rooftop balcony bar, soaking in the gorgeous views.
It was a short visit to Quito, but we knew we'd be back soon (mostly because it is the 'hub' to visit the 'spokes' of the country which are not really connected otherwise). We were ready to head off on our very first real Ecuadorian adventure: a journey deep into the iconic Amazon rainforest! Jelley spent weeks researching all the different ways to experience the Amazon, and landed on the famous Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve a vast 600,000-hectare (1.48-million-acre) protected area tucked away in the northeastern corner of the country. Named after the Cuyabeno River, this incredible rainforest region is world-famous for its high concentration of flooded forests, blackwater lagoons, and extraordinary Amazonian biodiversity. People flock here from around the globe to spot pink river dolphins, anacondas, caimans, monkeys, and hundreds of rare bird species in their natural habitat.
While there are dozens of lodges scattered around Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve, Jelley managed to hunt down a truly unique operator called Waita Amazon Lodge. What sold us immediately was their location: they sit much further downriver than almost every other accommodation, offering a far quieter, more remote jungle experience away from the main tourist hubs. On top of that, Waita Lodge is operated as a local community cooperative, meaning our visit directly supported the local indigenous families who call this stretch of the rainforest home. Choosing a locally owned operator felt like a win-win, and we could not wait to trade the thin mountain air of the Andes for the sounds of the deep jungle!
We were boarding the night bus to kick off the marathon journey into the Amazon rainforest, trading the high-altitude chill of the Andes for the deep, humid wilderness. Never in our travels have we ever felt quite so old as we did waiting in the lobby of a backpackers hostel for our 11:00 PM bus pickup to Cuyabeno. It was officially time to accept our new status as the "older travelers" compared to the sea of twenty-somethings buzzing around us, and we were grateful we hadn't stayed there with the rave music blasting.
We boarded our bus for a five-hour night drive alongside a group of fellow travellers headed to various lodges across Cuyabeno. It was a bumpy ride, and neither of us managed to get much sleep. When we finally pulled up to a random town about four hours east of Quito for breakfast, we had a few half-awake conversations with the other travelers before realizing this was only the first of three legs on our journey. At the breakfast stop, the group split up as some travellers boarded a different bus, leaving just 3 of us behind. It was here that we met a friendly Japanese gentleman named Akira. We bonded over travel stories from our ten months living in Japan, quickly realizing we were all bound for Waita Lodge. Before long, our jeep driver arrived to take us on a four-hour trek down a rough gravel road leading to the edge of the reserve.
Reaching the riverbank, we unloaded our gear from the jeep and transferred into a traditional motorized canoe. Our guides were just as sleep-deprived as we were from the early start, so we had very little information on what to expect next. We ended up spending the next 3.5 hours navigating the twists and turns of the Cuyabeno River, venturing deeper and deeper into the rainforest. As the small wooden village houses along the riverbanks grew more and more sparse, it fully set in that we were well and truly in the heart of the Amazon jungle.
Arriving at the lodge was such a relief after the long, grueling trek. We were warmly welcomed by two local staff members, our chef and assistant, who were waiting for us with hot drinks. The lodge itself offered a comfortably rustic setup, featuring a central dining quarters surrounded by individual log huts with grass roofs scattered across the small forest complex. It was completely off-grid, with electricity running for only a few select hours each day. Rather than feeling inconvenient, the lack of constant power added to the magic, making the entire experience feel delightfully remote and unplugged.
Surrounded by hundreds of thousands of hectares of protected wilderness, the sense of isolation was absolute. Despite no other humans being around for miles, the deep jungle was bursting with life and was never truly quiet. It felt like we were amongst a living, breathing symphony of sound. Day and night, the forest hummed with the calls of exotic birds, the gentle movement of rivers, and the patter of tropical rain against the thatched roofs we slept under. Being enveloped by the raw jungle was an incredible and humbling reminder of just how vibrant and alive the Amazon really is.
At night there were thousands of beautiful stars - and interestingly, Ecuador is one of only a handful of places where you can see both the the Big Dipper (northern hemisphere constellation) and the Southern Cross (southern hemisphere constellation) constellations at the same time! We had noticed this one night and thought we were seeing things incorrectly but we looked it up later and it makes sense being exactly on the equator!
It was just the three of us when we first arrived (us and our new Japanese friend), but we later learned that more travellers would be joining us over the next few days. In total, we spent five days and four nights at Waita Lodge, packed with non-stop wildlife spotting alongside our trusted conservationist and guide, Diego (yes, just like in Dora the Explorer!).
Our very first excursion was a quick night hike through the forest surrounding the lodge. After pulling on a pair of Gum Boots (rubber boots) to trudge through the squelchy mud, we barely had to walk a few steps before encountering an amazing array of nocturnal creatures. Diego pointed out everything from giant spiders to camouflaged tree frogs hidden right along the trail. It was pretty spooky at first to be walking around in complete darkness with only our head torches to see, but Diego kept reassuring us, "no worries, that won't kill you" (Luke wasn't so sure haha).
Our daily routine quickly fell into an exciting, rhythm-filled structure. We woke up at dawn around 6:00 AM, fueled up on a delicious meal prepared by our local chef, and headed straight out for a sunrise wildlife session. After a morning on the water, we returned to the lodge for an hour or two of downtime before enjoying a homecooked lunch, followed by an afternoon outing, afternoon "break time", then, dinner, and another spooky night session in the dark.
Most of the wildlife spotting took place from our motorized canoe with the occasional day/night hike. Our boat driver navigated up and down the river while Diego scanned the dense rainforest, calling out various species of monkeys, toucans, macaws, caimans, and even elusive pink river dolphins. We even spotted a couple of Sloths way off in the distance so it was good that we brought our binoculars! Having done this work for over 15 years, Diego's skill was mind-blowing. He could spot tiny insects blending into tree bark or pinpoint mammals hidden high up in the dense distant foliage that we never would have noticed on our own! It was very peaceful and relaxing to just observe the hum of the rainforest in its natural ecosystem.
During our "free time" in the afternoon, we were able to take some of the smaller, unmotorized canoes out by ourselves for a little romantic paddle around the slow-flowing rivers, which was absolutely delightful. The sheer remoteness and calmness of it all was so wonderful to soak in. Diego did mention that we were more than welcome to jump in for a quick swim to cool off during the heat of the afternoon, but once we saw a few pairs of glowing caiman (small crocodile) eyes poking up above the water's surface, there was absolutely zero chance of us getting in!
We were eventually joined by a few groups of travelers who arrived in waves at the lodge: a Swiss couple, a Spanish family, and a Singaporean couple. Remarkably, nearly all of us were around the same age, making for a fun, like-minded crew to share in some amazing wildlife-spotting moments together. A few members of the group came exceptionally well-prepared, sporting massive telephoto camera lenses that made our setup look delightfully amateur!
On our final day of the jungle experience, we embarked on a deep forest trek to learn about the incredible array of medicinal plants and flora native to the Amazon. The walk culminated at a colossal, ancient tree that Diego estimated to be well over 500 years old. Standing beneath its massive root system, Diego decided to test our sense of direction, asking each of us to point toward the lodge. Everyone in the group confidently pointed in entirely different directions, a gentle yet striking reminder of how fortunate we were to have a trusted guide navigating such a seamless, easily disorienting wilderness! To drive the point home, he shared a sobering story of a traveller who had been distracted by a butterfly and wandered off from their group, then spent a week lost in the jungle before being rescued (found naked and scratching their skin covered in bites), making it painfully clear how quickly the forest can swallow you up.
To wrap up our Amazon adventure, we climbed up a somewhat terrifying, rickety wooden observation tower perched high above the canopy. Swaying slightly in the evening breeze, it offered a grand, breathtaking vantage point to watch our final jungle sunset over the endless green horizon. It was the ultimate, memorable conclusion to our unforgettable deep-jungle retreat.
Some of the amazing animals we encountered included pink river dolphins, 3-toed sloth, 8 species of monkeys, scorpion, tarantula, scarlet and blue macaws (who always travelled in pairs), toucans, camouflaged bats, green and ringed kingfisher, and many types of birds and spiders. It was challenging to capture good photos of the elusive animals - the pink river dolphin was impossible!
It was a strange, surreal adjustment making our way out of the isolated jungle environment and back toward civilization. As we navigated the long journey back, retracing our steps along the Cuyabeno River, transferring to the jeep, and finally hopping on the bus, signs of human life gradually began to reappear. Watching wooden huts turn into small towns and eventual highways made it set in fast: our raw, magical jungle time was officially over, and we were back in the bustling high-altitude metropolis of Quito.
After a well-earned shower, a long sleep, and a quick regroup at our Colonial House base camp, it was time to prepare for our next big Ecuadorian adventure. We packed our bags and pointed our compass south toward one of the country's most iconic natural wonders: the mighty, snow-capped volcano of Cotopaxi!
Until Then,
- A Kiwi and A Cali
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