My next long-haul destination will be Ecuador scheduled for the first 15 days of November 2021. A distant date you might say? And yes, by force of circumstances and I would even say by the fault of this damn Covid 19, I prefer to schedule a date which eliminates the risk of cancellation or quarantine.

But with the immense desire to travel that I feel today, I embarked on the preparation of this project with enthusiasm and excitement. I have already been able to define the objectives of this trip, its main stages and the type of circuit sought. And, of course, this blog is the ideal medium to share the organization of this project step by step.

Just like for my other trips, here are the questions I asked myself in order to build and organize this tour in Ecuador. They may be able to help you or inspire you if you are faced with the same questions in your turn ...

Why Ecuador for a 15-day tour?

After my travels in Peru, Panama and Colombia, I discovered that I have a particular attraction for Latin America (varied, grandiose and contrasting landscapes) but especially for the South American populations!

However, with Ecuador, I will be able to discover multiple landscapes ranging from the Andes, to the Amazon rainforest via majestic volcanoes but also to meet people ... Ecuador has caught my attention also for its cultural richness which mixes its Inca origins with colonial vestiges inherited from the Spaniards.

Finally, the last reason that led me to choose Ecuador is that it's a very small country that can easily be visited in just two weeks and is accessible to those on a budget (provided you skip the Galapagos Islands). In addition, a simple passport is all you need to travel there (no visa or other formalities required), making it ideal for a short 15-day trip.

What type of trip to choose in Ecuador?

After the wonderful exchanges and strong emotions I experienced during my encounters with Colombians (especially in Cienaga Grande de Magdalena ), with the Kuna community in San Blas , and with the traditional Katou people in southern Laos , I really want a trip to Ecuador that will allow me to meet the locals!

On the other hand, without really knowing how yet, I would like to bring a little more to the meetings, I would like the locals not to consider me only as a tourist (see my bad experience at Lake Titicaca) but that they can also appreciate 'interact with me as a person.

I know that it is fashionable, that solidarity travel is fashionable, but far from any influence, I really feel the desire, for this circuit in Ecuador, to travel differently, to travel emotionally.

Circuit in Ecuador - With agency or not?

As I have already tested the organized trips, I can assure you that I much prefer to go on my own, organize everything according to my tastes (even if it is work and a lot of time) to be totally free to travel as I do. wish.

On the other hand, experience has shown me that it is extremely difficult when there is no local contact to be able to meet and exchange with the local population and even more difficult with ethnic groups or communities a little isolated from society.

That's why, for this 15-day tour in Ecuador , I decided to trust the responsible travel agency Double Sens . Indeed, it's a recognized and certified agency whose values ​​and actions confirm its commitment to responsible tourism.

Discover what responsible tourism really means according to Double Sens!

Moreover, for my 15-day tour in Ecuador , she offers a small group trip (maximum 10 people) in "immersion" to prioritize encounters and not distort local life.

Ecuador Tour - Fair Travel

Solidarity travel, ethical travel, sharing travel… marketing arguments used by too many travel agencies to attract customers but very often without really meaning or effect.

No, in concrete terms, for my 15-day tour in Ecuador , I will bring a real little extra which will translate into economic benefits for the host communities because the agency makes them benefit from 45% of the price of the trip which goes directly to the local economy.

Thus, by sleeping with the locals, by sharing meals with them, by meeting Indian families in the Andes, by visiting traditional villages outside the tourist circuits, my circuit in Ecuador will be able to benefit both locals and my desire for authenticity.

Ecuador in 15 days - My essentials

By selecting the main tourist sites that I absolutely want to visit, I was able to verify that my itinerary corresponded to the program of their 15-day circuit in Ecuador:

• Quito for its historic center, the best preserved in Latin America, and its market with the stands of the Otavalo Indians;
• Tena to access the Amazon forest, the rio napo, the Nantar nature reserve to discover a wild nature but especially the culture of the Amerindian people the Shuar ;
• Cuenca for its historic center is a UNESCO World Heritage Site;
• Saraguro to meet the indigenous community of Saraguro;
• Vilcabamba to enjoy nature, beautiful hikes, national parks and Cerro Mandango ;
• Guayaquil coastal town nicknamed the Pearl of the Pacific.

Of course I hesitated when choosing these few must-see sites because I was tempted to add all the classic tourist circuits in Ecuador (Baños, the Cotopaxi Volcano, the ruins of Ingapirca, the Chimborazo Volcano, Riobamba or the magnificent Galapagos Islands…).

But, I prefer a circuit with few stages but stages which allow you to soak up the place, the atmosphere, the culture and which will remain engraved in my memory rather than a circuit with a maximum of stages which will be flown over and therefore of no interest.

Ecuador in 15 days - Itinerary map

Even if Ecuador is the smallest country in South America, the distances are long between the most beautiful natural sites and the essential cities of my tourist circuit. But for a 2 week trip, the routes of this route are quite suitable. Here is the simplified layout:

So, that was the first part of the preparation for this 15-day tour in Ecuador , which I will complete over time with other articles explaining the progress of my project.