Family: Places: Ecuador: Galapagos and Andes
Ecuador: Galapagos and Andes
From A.L., New Hampshire
Where I went: Ecuador, with time split between Andes and The Galapagos Islands.
Why I went: We wanted to take our children to The Galapagos before they became full fledged teenagers and didn’t want to go with us.
Who was on the trip: My husband and our three children and two other families.
When: April 2008.
Who organized it: We booked the trip with Thomson Family Adventures.
Where we stayed: Swissotel in Quito, Hacienda Cusin in the Andes, and aboard The Galapagos Explorer II in The Galapagos.
Who it’s right for/wrong for: Unless you book a customized trip with Thomson Family Adventures, which the company will happily arrange, you may end up with people whom you wouldn’t normally vacation with. The Thomson trips are limited to 12 people.
What I’d go back for: We plan to go back to spend more time in the Andes, specifically at Hacienda Zuleta, where we will arrange for several days of horseback riding. Hacienda Zuleta is spectacular. It hosts a Condor rehabilitation project, is owned by the family of an illustrious former Ecuadorean president, and operates dairy and horse breeding farms. Hacienda Zuleta is comprised of over 5000 glorious acres consisting of valleys and mountains. We will arrange this trip through Thomson again and probably tack on a trip to the Amazon in Ecuador.
What I wish I knew in advance: I wish I knew that it is virtually impossible to get exercise in The Galapagos!
What to skip: Nothing.
What not to miss: Going to the markets at Otavala in the Andes. The Otavalans are famous for their weaving, but the fruit, vegetable and livestock markets in Otavala are a sensory feast. And arrange for a hike around the crater Lake Cuicocha. The volcano under the lake is still active and you can watch the gases bubble up from the lake’s floor!
What we loved (highlight): Our favorite part of the trip was riding in the foothills of Volcano Imbabura with a view of Lake San Pueblo below.
To book: Thomson Family Adventures, 14 Mount Auburn Street, Watertown, MA 02472. (800) 262-6255. www.familyadventures.com.
Read another first-hand account of a Galapagos cruise (this one booked through Galapagos Traveller) and about Ecoventura, a company that leads carbon-neutral cruises into the Galapagos.