Top Things to Do When Visiting the Diverse Country of Ecuador

On April 28, 2022April 28, 2022 By Living The Q Life Travel AdventuresIn South America4 Comments

Ecuador is such a wonderful country in South America with so many different places to see and explore. It is a country made up of three distinct ecosystems from the coast, the peaks of the Andes Mountains, and the dense Amazon Rainforest. Quito, the capital of Ecuador, is centrally located, making it the perfect location to start any adventure. Ideally, any visit to Ecuador would last for at least two weeks, but if you don’t have that much time, you’re going to have make some difficult decisions. During our trip, we made sure to make the most of our time there, but we had to decide whether we wanted to go to the Galapagos Islands or spend time in the Amazon Rainforest as we didn’t have time to do both. For an ideal trip to Ecuador, here are the top places to see during your time there.

Inside San Francisco Church and Monastery

Quito – The city of Quito has a wonderful, old-world feel that will almost make you feel as if you are in Europe. There is the Basilica del Voto Nacional, San Francisco Church and Monastery, and an old town area that is very walkable. Even if you are heading the coast or the rainforest to see the wildlife, you should certainly allocate several days to spend in Quito.

View from the Top of the Lodge Deck in Ecuador

Napo Wildlife Center – For an experience in the Amazon Rainforest that you will never forget, staying at the eco-lodges of the Napo Wildlife Center cannot be beat. From giant river otters, hundreds of birds, monkeys, sloths, caiman, and more, there is so much to see during time in the jungle. Also, visiting an indigenous village as well as seeing hundreds of parrots at the parrot clay licks is extremely impressive. You will need to spend at least four to five days in order to really make the most of your time in the Amazon.

The Equator – Going to the middle of the earth is a fascinating experience and the Intiñan Museum at the true equator has a variety of interesting science experiments. It is fun for adults and children alike. There is also a very interesting museum, La Mitad del Mundo, that is at the location previously thought to be the equator and it can be seen during the same trip to the real equator.

View of the Quilotoa Caldera and Lagoon in Ecuador

Laguna Quilotoa – Visiting this lake in the crater of a dormant volcano is one of the most spectacular sights within Ecuador. It is certainly worth taking the time to hike down to the lake itself or you can ride a donkey down and back up if you want as it is quite steep. You can also kayak out onto the sulfur lake, but you can’t go swimming.

IMGP2502 — Amazing Peaks as We Hiked Above the Teleferico

The Teleferico – Located on the outskirts of Quito, the Teleferico is a cable car that will take you up the side of the Pichincha Volcano with amazing views of the city. There also several hiking trails after the cable car drops you off at the viewing station. It is at a very high elevation, so it is wise to pace yourself if you do decide to go hiking. It is certainly worth the effort as the views are absolutely amazing.

Walking the Nature Trails Below the Volcano

Cotopaxi Volcano – Hiking on an active volcano may not be on everyone’s bucket list, but is certainly a very interesting experience. At this time, you can only climb to the mid-station on the side of the volcano due to the fact that it is an active volcano and the risk for an eruption remains high. There is also a park with nature trails located at the base of the volcano that is certainly worth taking the time to hike as well.

shutterstock_117351736 — Sea Lion – Provided by Happy Gringo Tours

shutterstock_45950731 — Hammerhead Sharks – Provided by Happy Gringo Tours

The Galapagos Islands – Unfortunately we had to choose between spending time in the Amazon or going to the Galapagos Islands, so we’ll have to return at a later time to see the amazing wildlife that is there. The tour company that we used provided us an interesting article on the animals of the Galapagos that certainly has us wanting to return.

When we first decided to go to Ecuador, we were surprised at how little we actually had seen or read about this fascinating country. There is certainly an abundance of things to see in Ecuador and we used Quito as our home base for our time there. From an abundance of wildlife and dramatic scenery to the historic city of Quito, Ecuador definitely has something for everyone and is a gem of South America.

The Joy of a Strenuous Hike in the Colorado High Country

On February 16, 2022February 16, 2022 By Living The Q Life Travel AdventuresIn Colorado4 Comments

When you go hiking in the mountains of Colorado, you expect the hikes to be fairly strenuous. Unless you’re going on a relatively short hike, there is most likely going to be a significant change in elevation. After all, you’re in the mountains and if you’re going to go hiking, it isn’t going to be flat. With that said, some hikes are harder than others. We’ve hiked to top of Pikes Peak, which is a 12 mile (19 kilometer) hike one-way to the summit and an elevation gain of over 8,000 feet (or 2,500 meters) as well as hiked on trails with ledges that were only as wide as our feet. We’re definitely not rock climbers, but from time to time you have to do some boulder scrambling in order to reach some of the more remote locations when hiking.

The hike that we took during one of our trips to Breckenridge, Colorado, was one of those hikes. The interesting thing about hiking when you have to scale some rocks or go on the edge of some steep cliffs is that it is usually more unnerving going down than it is going up. When you’re going up the mountain, your focus is on the trail ahead of you and the reaching the top of whatever you’re scaling. When you’re heading down, you tend to see how steep things really are and that makes it a little bit more scary.

We almost turned around a couple of times during the hike, but the payoff at the end was worth the effort. As is often the case when you hike in Colorado, the views at the peak or the end of a trail are absolutely spectacular. This particular hike brought us to a gorgeous pond where we sat and ate a brief lunch while we watched the mountain goats relax on the boulders above us. It was just the two of us and nature, and it was one of the most tranquil and relaxing experiences that we’ve had hiking. Perhaps it was due to the lack of oxygen and exhaustion, but the beauty around us was almost euphoric.

Unfortunately all hikes must end and eventually you have to work your way back down and back to reality and to civilization. On our way back down, when we reached the spot where we had climbed up several boulders along a very steep cliff, we scooted ourselves down as opposed to walking, not wanting to tumble down into the ravine. Hearts pounding, once we were down from the boulders, it was back to a normal hike and we were able to once again enjoy that beauty that surrounded us. There truly isn’t anything like hiking in the mountains and totally immersing oneself in nature.

Going on Leisurely Hikes During the Autumn Season

On September 16, 2021September 16, 2021 By Living The Q Life Travel AdventuresIn Colorado4 Comments

We love hiking year-round, but it can be especially rewarding during autumn when the leaves are changing to their vibrant colors. We are heading to Park City, Utah this coming weekend and we are expecting to see at least pockets of Aspen tree groves turning to their golden color. Throughout the years, we have made sure to get into the mountains during September to see the beautiful leaves and although each year is very similar, each year is also unique. Depending on how much rain the mountains have gotten or whether there has been frost or snow already can certainly change how dramatic the autumn colors are when we go hiking. Generally speaking, when we go hiking during autumn, it is more about the beautiful scenery and less about going on a strenuous hike, so these hikes are some of the most enjoyable.

The great thing about hiking in the high country is that you get a mix of seeing the changing colors up close as well as the tapestry of colors across the skyline. The park that we usually hike in September is located on the backside of Pikes Peak and the scenery is always amazing regardless of the time of year. The colors are mostly the golds and yellows of the aspen groves surrounded by the deep greens of the pine trees, which is different than the reds and oranges that you find in most other places. If you get a chance to visit Colorado in autumn, we’d highly recommend that you get into the mountains, even if just by car.