| FREQUENTLY
ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT TRAVEL IN ECUADOR |
1) HOW
LONG DOES IT TAKE TO GET TO ECUADOR?
| To Quito on a non-stop flight: |
| From Miami |
From New York |
From Los Angeles |
| 4 1/2 hours |
6 1/2 hours |
9 hours |
2) HOW DO
I GET AROUND ECUADOR ONCE I'M THERE?
| Ecuador is the second
smallest country in South America and still air is required to most of the major
destinations. Only those immediately around Quito in the highlands are reached by overland
travel - Otavalo, Banos, Avenue of the Volcanos to mention several. To get to the Amazon
you generally fly as overland travel is arduous and expensive. To get to Cuenca you can
fly or take an organized combined motorcoach and train trip (4days-3nights). To get to the
Galapagos, you take flights into conjunction with the cruise ship you have booked. |
3) WHAT ARE
THE MOST IMPORTANT PLACES TO VISIT ONCE THERE?
| Quito is well worth 3 to 5 days, depending
upon your arrival and departure times and the number of day excursions you take. Quito is
often the base for overnight excursions north and south and so becomes your overnight hub. |
| After Quito and surrounding
area, the most import places to visit and the average stay are: |
4)
WHEN IS THE BEST TIME TO VISIT ECUADOR?
There really isn't a wrong time. Quito is
springlike all year due to being on the equator at 8,000 feet; the rainy season is May
through September. The Amazon is hot and humid all year and its rainy season paralells
Quito but rains have a cooling and cleansing effect on the otherwise heavy air. The
Galapagos has two seasons, one slightly cooler and less humid than the other but most
animals are there and active all year.
|
| For more specific weather information on
selected cities, click here. |
5)
IS IT SAFE TO TRAVEL IN ECUADOR?
| Yes, providing once again that you follow
normal precautions just as you would at home. And you should take special precautions for
crowded bustling Indian markets in major metropolitan areas. |
6)
WHAT ENTRY DOCUMENTS DO I NEED?
| U.S. citizens need a valid passport and an
entry form-tourist card which is provided by your air carrier either at the ticket counter
when checking in for your flight to Ecuador or once on-board. (NOTE: Other nationalities
should check with the nearest Ecuadorian Consulate to determine correct entry
requirements.) |
7)
WHAT OTHER COUNTRIES CAN I VISIT AT THE SAME TIME?
| Ecuador is generally visited one of three
ways: |
| A) As a single destination - going only to
Ecuador and visiting multiple places within the country |
| B) In conjunction with Peru, for a two
country Andes and Indian program |
| C) In conjunction with Peru and Bolivia for
an "Andes and Incas" program |