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departures | dispatch ESSENTIALS


SELLING TIPS n Ecuador spans four very different worlds and the small size of the country makes it possible to experience them all in one trip. n The Galapagos and Machu Picchu, two of Latin America’s most iconic sights, can be combined in one itinerary. n The Galapagos is a photographers’ dream. The wildlife has no fear of humans so you can often get close to take photographs. n The tourism industry infrastructure is well-developed and includes Quito’s $700m Mariscal Sucre International Airport. n Ecuador is one of the most inexpensive destinations in South America, and it’s easy to budget for as the currency is the US dollar. n Unspoiled adventure tourism for active clients, including volcano hiking, mountain biking, horseback riding and jungle trekking. n The country’s geography has produced wide-ranging cuisine, including hornado — oven roasted pork served with crackling. n Colorful markets are a great place to pick up souvenirs such as ponchos and alpaca wool.


WHO FLIES THERE? American Airlines, Delta and United fly direct to Quito and Guayaquil from Atlanta, Houston, Miami and New York. Copa Airlines flies to Quito from Los Angeles and Miami with a stop in Panama City. There are domestic flights to the Galapagos from Ecuador’s two international airports and 13 regional airports.


SAMPLE Go Galapagos – KleinTours offers an all- inclusive Galapagos Cruise, together with visits to Quito and Otavalo, as well as a cultural exchange with the Karanki Magdalena Community, starting from $2,911 per person. Activities include snorkeling, hiking, mountain biking and horseback riding. The price includes transfers, breakfast, one lunch and one dinner. T: 1888 50 55346. gogalapagos.com


Plaza de San Francisco in Old Town Quito


CONVINCE ME Eyewitness: Quito rebirth


First impressions of Quito are breathtaking in more ways than one. Overlooked by a shining statue of the Virgin of Quito, the Spanish conquistadors who founded the city lavished so much attention on the cathedrals, monasteries and palaces, it’s been called the Florence of the Americas. At an altitude of nearly 10,000ft above sea


level, you need to take it easy on the first day to get acclimatized. A touch of breathlessness as you walk up and down the colonial streets isn’t unusual. An advantage is that it makes you pause to admire the beautiful buildings in this UNESCO- listed city, which has undergone an extensive regeneration program to restore its former glory. As I wander through the Old Town, buildings


AGENT CALCULATOR Based on two traveling with 10% commission on the above sample, agents can earn


$582 116 | ASTAnetwork | fall 2015


have been returned to their original pastel colors, open-air markets bulge with barrows piled high with fruit, and women in distinctive high-brimmed hats sell local crafts. Stallholders also offer an amazing array of freshly squeezed juices, such as mango, pineapple, papaya and melon, for under a dollar — a perfect excuse for a refreshment stop during a walking tour. Afterwards I take the cable car, known as the teleferico, to the top of the Pichincha volcano. It’s


the highest cable car in South America, reaching a height of more than 13,000ft. You can end up with your head in the clouds, but on a clear day like this, the view allows far-reaching photos of mountain peaks and volcanoes of the Andean Ecuadorian chain and the city of Quito below. Back in Quito, I can’t resist taking the


obligatory photo at the Equatorial Monument, standing at zero degrees latitude with one leg in the northern hemisphere and the other on the southern side. Another novel attraction is the Middle of the World Museum where I take part in experiments demonstrating the effects of being on the equator, such as balancing an egg on a nail. Next morning, I head to Cotopaxi National


Park and watch wild horses drink from a lake set against the backdrop of the park’s namesake volcano, its snow-covered peak glistening in the morning sunlight. After lunch, I take to the hills at the Tierra del Volcan ecotourism center, which offers guests the chance to explore on two legs, four legs or two wheels. Kitted out in chaps and ponchos, I opt for the horse-riding option before an evening swapping tales of the day’s adventure with companions in front of an open fire at my cozy hacienda for the night. n


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