Tag: nature

Itinerary: 3 days in the Peruvian Amazon

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The Amazon is somewhere that I have always wanted to visit but it definitely pushed me outside of my comfort zone. I am terrified of spiders, hesitant with most bugs and I am definitely prefer a comfortable experience so you can see why the Amazon is probably not my ideal location to be in. As I did not want to miss out on the experience of a lifetime, I compromised with myself and booked a relatively luxury Amazon experience at Treehouse Lodge in Peru. It was a great balance of adventure and luxury.

GENERAL INFO

Getting there and away:

The problem with the Amazon is its very much in the middle of nowhere so its pretty complicated to get to. Treehouse Lodge will pick you up from Iquitos and take you there as part of the package but its still a pretty big journey after getting to Iquitos which is a bit of an adventure in itself.

We were travelling directly from the Galapagos Islands so it was a couple of long days of travel for us. If you are coming from anywhere overseas you will need to spend a night in Lima first as there are not many flights out to Iquitos and limited times that you can be picked up by the Lodge.

If you need to stay the night by the airport in Lima I recommend TUPAC Lima Airport Hostel as it has a nice roof terrace and is very secure. Also you can save some money staying here before you spend such a huge amount in the Amazon!

Our flight to Iquitos took 2 hours and landed at 12:10pm – then once we were collected by the lodge staff you spend another 3 hours almost travelling by a mix of car and boat. However, the boat trip is your first excursion on the Amazon river so its very exciting and doesn’t feel too long at all!

Again, leaving is a long trip so for our 1pm flight back to Lima we had to leave around 8am from the lodge. This is just worth keeping in mind when you think about how long you will be staying as a 3 days/2 nights trip is really only 1 full day. We stayed 3 nights and this was only JUST enough time – 4 would have been better.

Accommodation:

Accomodation here is a real drawcard – you will be staying in an actual treehouse built above ground and connected to the other treehouses and restaurant etc. by a series of rope bridges.

Our room was very comfortable and spacious and it was lovely to wake up in the treetops in the Amazon! However, I would say the place was pretty rundown for the price you are paying to stay here – there were gaps in the mosquito netting and we found a large spider in our room at one point.

Hopefully they have made some renovations and updated the condition of these rooms recently! Im sure the Amazon is an unforgivable place but that just means that frequent upkeep is necessary.

Food:

Treehouse Lodge is all-inclusive (apart from alcohol) and the food was plentiful and excellent! Galavanting around the Amazon makes you very hungry and the chefs here sure do deliver. As an extra special touch the chef cooked up the Piranhas that we caught when Piranha fishing so we could taste them!

Getting around:

Part of the all-inclusive fee here includes having a private tour guide and boat driver to take you on any of the activities that you would like to do. Both were fantastic and we felt very lucky to have such great guides with us – they could spot wildlife from a mile off! My only complaint was that they seemed pretty reluctant to head out in heavy rain and considering we were there in rainy season that limited our time to explore a little bit! They also had a more limited range of activities than we thought before we went (Although we did do a couple of off-book things) – many of the activities were combined into one trip although we could have happily done many of these things twice!

Top Tips:

  1. Make sure to keep the mosquito net around your bed always closed to make sure you have a sleep thats free of creepy crawlies.
  2. Don’t miss visiting the semi-domesticated sloths! A local family rescued a sloth and it has since mated and a whole family of sloths now lives in their house. One or two are so tame that you can hug them and you can watch others chill in the rafters and eat leaves.

ACTIVITIES DURING OUR STAY

The activities that we did didn’t quite match up exactly with the advertised activities. The guide tailors the activities for you somewhat but also in reality you just journey around the Amazon seeing what you can see and fitting in what you can as wildlife doesn’t appear to a schedule and the guides have their own ideas about what may be interesting.

Here are the things we got to do:

Insect Jungle Walk – terrifying!

Birdwatching – so many cool birds but a bit tricky unless you have super binoculars.

Sloth Cuddles – as mentioned above there were Sloth cuddles – they were the best!

Wildlife Spotting in the Canopy – Lots of monkeys in particular!

Searching for the Amazon River Dolphins – these guys are a bit shy so this wasn’t super successful and we spent a LOT of time waiting for them to pop their heads up.

Visit to a local community – they had a large python in a shed out the back of somebody’s house. What a crazy place. I couldn’t lift it it was too heavy!

Weird and Wacky Plants – There were lots of weird and wonderful plants to look at – namely the giant lily pads of Oxbow Lagoon!

Nighttime Cayman Spotting

Fishing for Piranha

Releasing Baby Turtles into the wild – This was only an option due to the specific time of year – the lodge raises baby turtles until they are old enough to possibly survive in the wild and then they are released into the river.

I hope this post has given you some Amazon inspo!

Erika xx

Must See Spots in Ecuador

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Ecuador is one of the somewhat underrated countries in South America. Its too peaceful to be notorious like Colombia and Venezuela and its not a tourist hotspot like Peru, Brazil, Argentina and Chile. The Galapagos Islands are famous of course – but they are so out-of-this-world that they feel like a country in their own right and therefore sometimes left out of references to Ecuador as a tourist spot. Also, the Galapagos aren’t huge on the backpacker trail which is often how South America is explored as they are just so damn expensive to visit.

I hope to show you in this post why you just have to get to Ecuador right now as it is such a chill place with a great vibe! Oh and make the Galapagos Islands a must do even if you have to sell a kidney (JJ but not really).

Otavalo

Otavalo is an easy breezy mountain town. There’s not a lot to do here but relax! You may just pass through on your way to/from Colombia but Otavalo also has an amazing indigenous market which is the largest in South America and a gorgeous and easy hike around Lake Cuicocha nearby. Definitely worth a stop. See my post here for more info about visiting Otavalo.



Quito

Quito seems like any other big South American city from the outset (although I feel they all have something special and unique about them) but its actually quite charming. Relatively safe, quaint and relaxed. There are also some cool spots to visit around Quito such as the Equator (cheesy I know!). See my post here for things to do in Quito.



Baños

Baños is unexpectedly cool – don’t come here and expect to chill out in the mountains. It’s Ecuador’s home of adventure! Also, you need to be fit to manage all the hiking and biking and holding onto swings as you fly out over the valleys. As I said…adventure. Who’s up for it? Find out what I’m doing in the picture below here.

The Galapagos Islands

The jewel in Ecuador’s crown is the Galapagos Islands. It’s one of those places you visit and can’t believe its real. I really don’t need to go into detail about why you need to visit the Galapagos – just look at any photo and you’ll see. You can see all the beautiful things I spotted in the Galapagos in my photo essay here – I hope it inspires you to visit!.

What are you waiting for? Find a place to stay in Ecuador and get going!

Booking.com

Erika xx

The Galapagos Islands: A Photo Essay

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For practical tips on visiting the Galapagos Islands, please see my post here. If you just want to look at all the pretty pictures or are hoping for inspiration on where to take your next trip, please continue!

Everything about the Galapagos is gorgeous – you can’t stop taking photographs.

I hope these photographs have given you some insight into this magical place.

Erika xx

Itinerary: 12 days in the Galapagos Islands

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The Galapagos is one of those places you can’t believe still exists in this world. It feels like you are on another planet. It is a must-see destination for any nature lover or even anyone vaguely interested in nature. Unfortunately, the actions of a few people are slowly destroying this incredible ecosystem so please be a responsible traveller when you visit and help discourage those who take advantage of this magical place.

GENERAL INFO

Getting there and away:

Guayaquil is the gateway to the Galapagos in Ecuador and all flights leave from here – from Guayaquil you can travel to/from many places in Ecuador and beyond. The Guayaquil bus station is right next to the airport (15 minutes walk) but you can also taxi for a few dollars in daytime and it is advised to taxi at night due to safety concerns.

You have the option of flying into either Seymour Airport on Baltra Island (just off Santa Cruz Island) or the San Cristobal Island Airport. If you follow my itinerary below you will fly into the Galapagos via one airport and out via the other. If you want to follow the below itinerary but get return flights from the same airport you will need at least an extra day (possibly two) to make your way between islands. The Flight from Guayaquil is 2 hours.

Despite flights to the Galapagos technically being domestic, you are advised to arrive at the airport 3 hours ahead of time in case of delays. Once at the airport you will need to queue for a migration card (at the Consejo de Gobierno Counter); then have your luggage bio-checked. After you have completed both of these tasks you can then check in. You will need to pay approximately $120 USD per person in fees at the airport including for the migration card. 

Accommodation:

There are lots of basic accomodation options in the Galapagos Islands which cost about as much as a nice hotel on the mainland. However, in general the accomodation is clean and tidy and very conveniently located. You can compare options and prices on Booking.com.

Food:

Food is expensive in the Galapagos so be prepared to use up some dollar dollar bills going to any restaurant or bar. However, you can still eat well on a bit of a budget:

  1. Take advantage of happy hour – all the beachfront bars have happy hour where you can get 2 for 1 beers or cocktails.
  2. Buy your own beer from the local convenience store – they sell big bottles that you can return to the store for a partial refund.
  3. Bring plenty of packaged snacks from the mainland. Make sure not to bring any fresh goods as these are a biosecurity hazard.
  4. On Santa Cruz Island you can visit Fish Fry Road. This is a collection of street food stalls selling and cooking fresh seafood. It’s pretty touristy but still more affordable than eating at a restaurant (and the seafood is amazing!).
  5. Each island has a market where you can purchase fresh food and a convenience store or two. You can purchase simple ingredients and make some food for yourself if your accomodation has a kitchen.

Getting around:

The only way to get to and from the different populated islands in the Galapagos (unless you are on a cruise) is by ferry. When I say ferry I don’t mean a large public service boat but instead a small privately owned speedboat that will make the trip there and back in a day so the staff can be back home with their families overnight.

The trip is approximately 3 hours so its a bit of a journey. You can also only travel between Santa Cruz and San Cristobal or Santa Cruz and Isabela so if you need. to get from San Cristobal to Isabela your journey will take the whole day (no thanks!). You can see how I structure the itinerary below so you don’t need to do this.

The ferries will also cost you about $35-45 USD each one way (NOTHING is cheap here!)

You can have a great time though! If your ferry has one try to get the seat right up the top by the captain of the boat. You will have great views and if you make friends with the captain he may even let you drive the boat like my husband got to!

Top Tips:

  1. Get out some money beforehand if you need to pay for cruises or tours in cash (as there is a $600 USD a day limit in the Galapagos).
  2. Make sure you take every opportunity you get to experience what the Galapagos has to offer. I’m not a super fit person and I don’t particularly like snorkelling but you bet I took every opportunity to get in the water and experience the incredible sea life here. Sometimes I didn’t feel like it and I was EXHAUSTED after 12 days but I always enjoyed myself once I started and there was always an incredible experience I would have been really upset to have missed out on.

DAY 1

Fly into San Cristobal Airport in the morning; settle into your accomodation; and have a wander through town. After lunch, walk to Las Tijeretas. There is a lookout here with great views out to sea and also a calm cove that is great for snorkelling. On your way back, stop at Punta Carola – a sandy beach close to town where you will often find sea lions.

DAY 2

Take a full day tour to Kicker Rock today. This tour starts early and when we were here the tour company Nature Galapagos were happy to organise a slightly earlier return time so we could catch the 3pm ferry to Santa Cruz – you will need to jump on the ferry straight from the kicker rock tour so bring your bags!

In Puerto Ayora (Santa Cruz) head down to the main waterfront after dark – If you are patient you will see nocturnal marine animals attracted to the lights shining in the water. 

DAY 3, 4, 5 and 6

Take a cruise! Many of the cruises in the Galapagos are 4 days long and they allow you to travel to the uninhabited islands. This is a more expensive option but worth it even if you take a very basic cruise like I did – It’s all about the cruise itinerary anyway.

Most cruises begin from the airport on Baltra Island (closest to Santa Cruz) so you will need to make your way there to begin the cruise if you are already on the Islands.

DAY 7

If you took a 4 day cruise it will finish today. There is usually an early activity in the morning before the passengers are ferried to the airport – we chose a cruise that had its final activity in Puerto Ayora so that we wouldn’t need to make the trip to the airport and back again.

Once settled in Puerto Ayora head to Las Grietas which is a calm, deep inland lagoon where you can swim in the cool water and see some fish.

When you return from Las Grietas (around 4pm is the best time) head towards the Puerto Ayora Fish Market to watch the fishermen bringing in their catch and the animals this attracts. The market gets swamped by birds, pelicans and sea lions. From late afternoon a little barbecue stand will cook any of the fresh fish for you.

DAY 8

Get up early today and do the short hike to Playa Tortuga where you can see marine iguanas and swim at the beach. In the afternoon take the ferry to Isabela Island.

DAY 9

Early in the morning,  visit Concha Perla to do some snorkelling then take the Cabo Rosa Los Tuneles Tour with Rosadelco.

DAY 10

Take the Sierra Negra Tour with Rosadelco. This is a 5 hour hike so will be a long, hot day of hiking and therefore you likely want to spend the rest of the day just relaxing – you could visit the lovely beach right in front of the town called Playa Grande.

DAY 11

Hire some bikes for the day to bike to Muro de las Lagrimas to see a wall that prisoners built and visit a beautiful lookout point. On the way back there are lots of stops to take along the bike trail: Cerro Radar, Cerro Orchilla, Tunnel de Estero, Playa de Amor, Pozas Verdes, and La Playita. A slight detour just before returning into town is Pozas de las Diablas and the Isabela Tortoise breeding centre. Take the afternoon ferry back to Santa Cruz.

Tunnel De Estero

DAY 12

If you have some time before your flight, take a short walk to Laguna de las Ninfas – a quiet lagoon surrounded by 3 different types of mangroves and many birds. Fly out from Seymour Airport on Baltra Island.

I hope this Itinerary has given you an idea of how best to spend your time in the Galapagos Islands. If you need to restructure this due to cruise dates, cruise stops or flight availability please see my post on How to: Plan your Itinerary to the Galapagos for how to restructure or plan your visit differently.

Erika xx

How to: Plan your Itinerary to the Galapagos

The Galapagos is a dream destination for many people but because of the logistical challenges involved in planning a trip; the isolated location and the cost of visiting – it is often overlooked for more accessible holiday destinations.

So here are the important considerations for planning travel to the Galapagos.

Step 1: Figure out your budget

Although having a budget is important for any form of travel, having a budget for your Galapagos trip is KEY. The Galapagos Islands can be SO EXPENSIVE particularly if you have been travelling through mainland Ecuador before this.

Your budget will determine if you can afford to take a cruise or not, what sort of accomodation and activities you can pay for and how long that you can stay in the Galapagos as that cost just keeps on rising for every day that you are there (but is also exponentially better value).

To give you an idea of what you will need, our 12 day very strictly budgeted backpacker trip to the Galapagos cost approximately $6,000 USD for two people.

Step 2:

Decide what you are looking to get out of your holiday – do you want a relaxing vacation, and adventure or are you nature-mad and desperate to see everything the Galapagos has to offer?

If you are just after a nice holiday I would argue that the Galapagos is not the place for you BUT each to their own. You can laze around the pool and enjoy some of the finer things on some of the more luxurious Galapagos cruises BUT it comes at a huge cost so you will need to factor this in. You can get a luxurious cruise for a lot less elsewhere. If you want to pack in as many activities as possible and go to the places that you are going to encounter the most wildlife then this will come at a cost too – either through lots of day trips or a cruise that goes for longer or further into the unpopulated areas of the islands.

Step 3:

Figure out how much time you can spend here and add some more. This seems straightforward but if there is any way you can squeeze in a little extra time in the Galapagos then you should do it. We cut out a bunch of other things we wanted to do in South America so we could get 12 days here and it was such a great idea. Every day was packed full of exciting things to do and we wish we had had more time. Plus a lot of costs such as the flights etc. are one off’s and there are heaps of free activities if you can spend an extra few days so the longer you stay the cheaper each day is.

Step 4:

Make a decision as to whether you will do a Cruise in the Galapagos – this is a big decision as cruises are PRICEY. There are some day boats to some of the closer islands but mostly the uninhabited (and therefore more remote, wild and full of wildlife) areas are only accessible via cruise as the boats will travel overnight. Also this saves you time as on a day trip you need to travel there and back eating up a big chunk of your day. Each tour provider is limited in the frequency that they can visit each location so you will find that the tour operators have a variety of itineraries leaving on different dates. If you comment below that you would like to make use of it I am happy to share the comparison chart I used to choose a cruise.

Even if you choose do do a cruise, then you will need to decide for how long and if you will stay any extra days on the inhabited areas of the islands. I do recommend this also as you get a whole different experience of the place and there are lots of free things to do and areas with wildlife right next to these pockets of civilisation.

Step 5:

If you decide to spend some independent time on the islands and not just do a cruise then you will need to figure how how to be most efficient and cost effective with your time. Firstly, I would plan to fly into one airport and out from another so that you can visit 2 islands but save on a one way ferry (which takes up 3 hours and costs a lot). Secondly, don’t backtrack too much: Plan your cruise to start when you arrive at the airport or to be at the end of your journey so they will take you to the airport at the end. OR choose a cruise that will drop you in Puerto Ayora or on San Cristobal at the end.

Also, pick a few of your ‘must-see’ excursions or tours and make sure you mix these in with some self-guided exploring.

Let me know what your plan is for the Galapagos and if these tips were helpful in making your decision!

Erika xx

Itinerary: 24 Hours in Otavalo

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Otavalo is an easy breezy mountain town. There’s not a lot to do here but relax! You can choose to stay a while and rest from your tough adventures but you should definitely visit for at least an overnight to enjoy what Otavalo has to offer.

GENERAL INFO

Getting there and away:

The bus station in Otavalo is right in the centre of town which takes away all of the hassles of getting to your accomodation – you can just walk.

Buses leave regularly in both directions – the trip to Tulcan (to cross the border into Colombia) takes 3 hours but can often get stopped by police so allow extra time. The bus to Quito takes 2 hours. Both ways have amazing views so best to travel during the day!

Accommodation:

We recommend Hostal La Rosa which you can book through Booking.com. It is very centrally located and comfortable.

Top Tip:

If you have some extra time Otavalo is a great town to just wander around. It’s safe, small and quaint plus its surrounded by some gorgeous scenery.

SUGGESTED ACTIVITIES

  1. The indigenous market in Otavalo is the largest of its kind in South America and is definitely the largest in Ecuador. It’s very centrally located in Otavalo and so theres no need to travel to see it – just walk right out of your hotel and you will be there. Best to go to this market early. Also, its more of a photo/sightseeing opportunity than the best place to purchase souvenirs: there are a few unique items but its best not to try to buy Alpaca products here as many are fake (unless this is the only market you are visiting in South America then you will have to take the chance!).
    Early in the AM is the best time to visit and the market closes up around 4pm.

2. Hiking around Cuicocha Lake is a wonderful activity in Otavalo. This is an easy hike that helps you to get used to the higher South American altitudes around an unbelievably picturesque lake. You can probably fit this in in an afternoon after the market if you are fit – if not I would allow a day so that you don’t feel too rushed. See my post on Hiking Lake Cuicocha here for more practical info.

Erika xx

Hiking Lake Cuicocha

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Lake Cuicocha is a picturesque lake in the northern mountains of Ecuador. There is a relatively easy, beautiful hike here that goes all the way around the lake. I highly recommend this even if you aren’t the greatest hiker or if you are training to do some hikes in the higher altitudes of South America. The Lake Cuicocha hike varies from 3100 to 3500 metres above sea level as you go around and takes 4-5 hours at a very slow pace.

Top Tip for Lake Cuicocha:

Take it easy! Theres no rush to get to where you are going here. Start early in the day if you are worried about your fitness levels and you will definitely make it around the lake before dark. The signs on site say the hike takes 4-5 hours but we easily did it in 3.5 hours with LOTS of picture stops and rest breaks. Chill out in the serene landscape.

Where to stay:

We stayed in Otavalo as we wanted to see the indigenous market here but you could also stay in Cotacachi which is closer to the lake. We recommend We recommend Hostal La Rosa in Otavalo which you can book through Booking.com. It is very centrally located and comfortable.

Getting there and away:

You can get to Lake Cuicocha by taking a bus from Otavalo bus station to Cotocachi which is nearer the lake. Once in Cotocachi you can take a taxi to the lake for approx. $7 USD one way. You can arrange for the taxi to come back when you have finished the hike but lots of taxi’s frequent the area so it shouldn’t be a problem if you don’t have one arranged to pick you up. The whole trip from Otavalo to the lake should only take an hour or so. Just do this in reverse to get back to Otavalo.

Getting around:

I suggest trekking clockwise around the lake as the trailhead starts about 2km up the road from the visitors centre where the taxi will drop you off and the last thing you want to do is walk along a road with no view at the end of your long hike. but either way is fine!

Food:

Take food with you – there is a restaurant at the trailhead but most likely you will want to picnic on your way and take in the incredible views. Plus its always key to take snacks and water with you in case you are hiking longer than expected.

What to expect:

A nice easy hike with great views of the lake and the mountains beyond – well worth an afternoon’s adventure. Enjoy!

Erika xx

Visiting Las Lajas Sanctuary

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Las Lajas is a stunning church surrounded by lush scenery on the Ecuador Colombia border. In any other country it would be top of the guide book but unfortunately due to its location its very under-appreciated. I hope to inspire more people to visit and stop here on an overland journey from Colombia to Ecuador or vice versa!

Top Tip for visiting Las Lajas Sanctuary:

My top tip is to not hang around in the area – visit the sanctuary and then leave! There isn’t really anything else to do here – its near the border with no places nearby. We stayed the night in Ipiales but only because we absolutely had to. I suggested spending as little time as is humanly possible there. The border crossing takes a while though so make sure to allow plenty of time for that in either direction. See my post here for information on how to cross the border into Ecuador.

Where to stay:

I don’t have any specific recommendations for places to stay in Ipiales (the closest town to get to Las Lajas Church. You should be able to find something good on Booking.com as they have a few passable options. I suggest spending a bit more to get a nicer hotel here as you won’t want to leave it while you are in Ipiales and also suggest booking something with a restaurant as there is nowhere nice to eat in Ipiales.

Getting there and away:

The best location to visit the Sanctuary from is Ipiales – this is a 12 hour bus journey from Cali (the closest city in Colombia of any interest to tourists) or an approx. 3 hour journey to Otavalo in Ecuador (not including time spent crossing the border). If you are visiting from further afield, San Luis Regional Airport is nearby.

Getting around:

From Ipiales – you can taxi to Las Lajas Sanctuary. No need to ask the taxi to wait as there are colectivos (shared taxi’s) waiting to ferry people back into town from the church.

Food:

There are a few restaurants and shops by the church – nothing spectacular. If you are game you can try the local delicacy spit-roasted guinea pig. Im serious. Keep an eye out for the disturbing pictures outside restaurants advertising that this is for sale.

What to expect:

Expect to be wowed by the beauty of this church! There is no fee to enter and you can wander the area as long as you like – allow 3 hours.

Always keep your wits about you in this part of Colombia but otherwise – have fun!

Erika xx