Ecuador/Galapagos Pre and Post Days

[sjlsk8r]

We are booked on the Chirstmas 2011 Ecuador/Galapagos trip with ABD. (Who is coming with us?!!) We are also planning on one pre night and two post nights and trying to plan what we want to do on those days. We are staying at the ABD hotel in Quito for all three nights. For the pre night, we were planning on doing some local exploring (perhaps the teleferico - depending on the weather from what I heard). On our post nights we were looking into biking at Cotopaxi Volcano and white water rafting. Has anyone done either of these as day trips on your own? If so, what tour companies did you use? We were looking at Aries Bike Company (for biking) and Barefoot Expeditions (for rafting). Also, did you make arrangements prior to leaving home or wait until you were there? Any info would be great or other suggestions of day trips we might not have considered.
Thanks!!

 

[tatafernow]

We are arriving 1 day early and staying 2 days later (though I think we leave at midnite that 2nd nite), we were not as ambitious in thinking as to pursue biking and rafting and didnt even know it was a close option, but we want to ride the gondola and explore Old Town, so we were planning to stay close in the city.

 

[familygoboston]

Thanks for the advance research
We are also staying 1 pre and 2 post. Our plans for the first day are to relax, maybe take in a little local action in Quito. But the other two days we were thinking volcano, maybe a long trip to the rainforest? I think this trip no longer includes the Otavalo Market, so maybe that's an option? Is your trip this Xmas? After my Dec cruise, I plan to do some research too, I'll share here.
Hopefully someone will see this and respond
Oh I see it's this year...please share what you come up with!

 

[sjlsk8r]

I contacted the companies listed in my earlier post today (by e-mail). If you are interested, I will pass along any info I get. I'm not sure when your trip is, but at least by January I can tell you guys what we did!!

 

[familygoboston]

Thanks, that would be great! BTW I did a little Trip Advisor research ( is that allowed here ?) and discovered the Bellavista Cloud Forest. They have a day trip from Quito. Will pick you up and drive you to their lodge at 6:30 AM (about an hour and 45 away). You get breakfast, lunch and two naturalist guided hikes at the cloud forest, as well as transport for about $100 each. It sounds pretty good to us, lots of good reviews on TA...I think we might do this. We did the cloud forest in Costa Rica, but my parents have never experienced that ecosystem. They also offer overnights, but I'm already booked with ABD, and just think with my older parents another night on the road in another hotel might be too much.
Check it out!
http://www.bellavistacloudforest.com/english/day_trips.php

 

[sjlsk8r]

That sounds like fun! I will definitely check it out. I got quick responses back from both tour companies. They will also provide transportation and lunch on their trips. The rafting is about $80 per person with a minimum of four people. If you have fewer you may still book the trip if you pay for four. The biking is $50 per person plus the entrance fee to the park (I think $2 per person). I like the e-mails that I received and will feel comfortable booking with both for day trips on our own.

 

[familygoboston]

That sounds like fun! I will definitely check it out. I got quick responses back from both tour companies. They will also provide transportation and lunch on their trips. The rafting is about $80 per person with a minimum of four people. If you have fewer you may still book the trip if you pay for four. The biking is $50 per person plus the entrance fee to the park (I think $2 per person). I like the e-mails that I received and will feel comfortable booking with both for day trips on our own.

Is the biking all mountain biking? Like down a steep hill! Or do you think it's more like trail riding? My husband and I love to ride wherever we go, but I know my folks will not do that! The rafting sounds like fun too...so many choices!
I'm sure there are plenty of reputable companies in the area. One thing you could do is call a couple of the big hotels in Quito and ask if their guests have used these companies. Also, TA might have reviews. In the end it comes down to trusting and I suppose in this case it's not a huge sum of money ( compared to the rest of the trip)

 

[sjlsk8r]

The biking is mountain biking. They take you to the top of the volcano in jeep and you have some time to hike around. Then, the bike ride is back down to the base of the volcano. I think it is about 25mi with a break for lunch. I am not an experienced biker, but Arie (the owner of the company) said that the trip is not technical and that I shouldn't have any problems handling it. I did do some internet research and found very favorable reviews for both companies that we are using. The rafting offered several choices of trips that varied in the class of rapids and the length. We decided to go with the second most difficult rapids because it was warm water (no wetsuits needed) instead of cold!!

 

[tatafernow]

Which raft trip did you decide on, and which day are you going, we may be getting more adventurous! Thinking that's something we can do on the 30th, and do some in city touring after the group leaves on the 29 and before we fly out on the 31.
Mary

 

[sjlsk8r]

We decided on the Toachi-Blanco rafting trip with Barefoot Expeditions. The rapids looked fun without requiring previous experience. But, the deciding factor was that the water is warm enough not to require wet suits. We are going on Dec 29. Let me know if you have any other questions about our plans. My e-mail is below if you perfer.

lab.stephanie@yahoo.com

 

[czycropper]

Have a great time. You'll absolutely love the Galapagos!!!!

We went to the Galapagos last year but not through ABD but Lindblad.

Some advice please remember that you'll be doing some early days and late afternoon excursions - you may want to relax at the end of the trip! We did 10 days in the Galapagos and when we got to the mainland all we wanted to do was relax, even my then 10 and 12 year old DD just wanted to relax in the pool

You'll have a fantastic time! We are still talking about it and are still in touch with some of the families we met during our adventure!

 

[sjlsk8r]

Thanks for the advice!

Our countdown is into the hours. . .24hrs. . . Can't wait to start our next adventure, but off to finish packing first!

 

[sayhello]

Thanks for the advice!

Our countdown is into the hours. . .24hrs. . . Can't wait to start our next adventure, but off to finish packing first!

Have a wonderful trip!!!! Looking forward to hearing all about it when you get back!

Sayhello

 

[sjlsk8r]

Thanks!!

 

[familygoboston]

Have a super trip!! Can't wait to hear all about it and any advice you have for us when you return!

 

[tatafernow]

It was a trip of a lifetime,you are in for such a great adventure, the girls were so sad it was over they wanted to rewind the time and do it again.
I wouldn't recommend resting when you get back to Quito, you have plenty of time to do that on the airplane and at home. Make good use of all the time you have there. We went on the raft trip with Barefoot Expeditions it was great. Wild enough but not unsafe, the guides knew the river well and watched the rookies well to keep everybody safe,I even fell in and he had me back in the raft in 30 seconds,even though I outweighed him.The only thing is where they bring the rafts out and have the lunch, had a lot of sandfleas and they bite! So take a good repellent. I never get bit by mosquitoes so i never use it, and I got caught unaware and itched for 2 weeks.
The Disney trip was so well run, the least little thing that we needed was taken care of. And the guides both Disney,local and on the Islands were the best.I know Disney has a longer Galapagos trip now but we felt like we had lots of time and variety on the islands. And the Ecuador portion was a life changing experience,for us and the girls, its beautiful.And we are all having fruit and juice withdrawal we miss it, you wont think as much of grocery store produce after!
I hope to get some pictures organized and posted soon. Give you a little taste of the beauty.

 

[sjlsk8r]

I will second all of the above comments. . .yes, we were on the same trip

 

[kristilew]

Welcome back! So excited to read your thoughts and experiences!

We are doing this trip over Christmas this year, and are already counting the days! Any tips you have would be much appreciated, and would love to hear if there was anything special done for the holiday?

Thanks!

 

[familygoboston]

It was a trip of a lifetime,you are in for such a great adventure, the girls were so sad it was over they wanted to rewind the time and do it again.
I wouldn't recommend resting when you get back to Quito, you have plenty of time to do that on the airplane and at home. Make good use of all the time you have there. We went on the raft trip with Barefoot Expeditions it was great. Wild enough but not unsafe, the guides knew the river well and watched the rookies well to keep everybody safe,I even fell in and he had me back in the raft in 30 seconds,even though I outweighed him.The only thing is where they bring the rafts out and have the lunch, had a lot of sandfleas and they bite! So take a good repellent. I never get bit by mosquitoes so i never use it, and I got caught unaware and itched for 2 weeks.
The Disney trip was so well run, the least little thing that we needed was taken care of. And the guides both Disney,local and on the Islands were the best.I know Disney has a longer Galapagos trip now but we felt like we had lots of time and variety on the islands. And the Ecuador portion was a life changing experience,for us and the girls, its beautiful.And we are all having fruit and juice withdrawal we miss it, you wont think as much of grocery store produce after!
I hope to get some pictures organized and posted soon. Give you a little taste of the beauty.

Thanks for your report! I do hope you can post a few photos! I just did a photo review for a recent cruise and it was easier than I thought it would be! Im glad your girls enjoyed it! Do you mind a question?

I recall you telling me your girls are older teens (college?), wondering if they were ok with the younger kids around, or felt " out of place". I have older teens going and they are torn about whether to do the Kids stuff (and end up feeling like a baby sitter- you know how the little ones just hang on them all day!!), or whether to just hang with us...any thoughts about how it was for your girls?

 

[czycropper]

Which islands did you go? Did you climb up to the top of Bartolome? Weren't the penguins adorable?

I'm still working on my 2010 Galapagos scrapbook and just finished the page on the climb to the top of Bartolome and how my DDs decided that it would be fun to race up the hill after climbing all the dang stairs!