QUITO
Ecuadors capital city sits at 2850m in the Andean foothills. It has a good mixture of old and new with the historical centre being one of the best preserved in the whole country. Filled with churches, cathedrals, shops and cafes on the many squares. Whereas the new part of the city has high rise buildings, two huge malls, a sprawling park and lots of boutique cafes and stores. With Cotopaxi on your doorstep too, It caters for everyone.
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getting there
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From Latacunga | If you’ve just completed the Quilotoa Loop you can catch a bus from Latacunga which takes 2 hours and costs $3 (£2.50). Buses run regularly from the terminal and will get you to the southern terminal in Quito, Quitumbe. Once you’ve reached here you will need to get a taxi, Uber or bus to your accommodation. We took an Uber to the historical centre and it cost $6.50 (£5.30). The buses are much cheaper at $0.35 (£0.30).
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International | Quito has a large airport for International and domestic flights. There are no direct flights from the UK but it is still possible to fly here with a couple of stops. As normal flights within South America are not cheap but the easiest option.
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To Stay
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Most backpackers stay in either the Historical centre or La Mariscal (new town). It’s easy to get from one place to another so choose the location on where you prefer because there are so many options.
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Casa CarpeDM | We stayed at Casa CarpeDM, definitely not a social hostel and a 5/10 minute walk to the historical centre but the staff are incredibly friendly and the hostel incredibly clean. To be fair we were the only ones staying there for a few days. On site laundry, the cleanest hostel kitchen we have seen, and a lovely breakfast although that is $4 (£3.30) each extra. It includes tea/coffee, a croissant, butter, jam, scrambled egg or hard boiled, help yourself fruit bowl with yoghurt and granola and juice. Our private room with bathroom was £21 a night and we were so pleased.
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We headed to over the road to The Secret Garden for the World Cup Final. Their rooftop bar is a den of fairly lights, big screen and backpackers. There's a trampoline style bed for when the couches get full. It has a nice vibe but is expensive to stay, drink and eat and a little chaotic when busy.
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To do
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Ride the Teleferico | Ride the Teleferico up to a viewpoint of the surrounding volcanos. The entrance to the Teleferico is on Via Al Teleferico about a $6 (£4.90) Uber ride from San Blas. The entrance is quite steep at $9 (£7.30) which is a return ticket. At the top there’s a nice cafe with a good view and a cheaper snack shop, there’s a souvenir store and a swing at the viewpoint. If you have time and you enjoy hiking then take the 4km walk up to the volcano rim. It looks quite steep and it can get cold up there plus the altitude will affect you but it is doable. You can take a horse ride and you can also mountain bike down it, if you have a bike, and nerves of steel.
Take a Walking Tour | Free Walking Tour Quito was very good, it took 3 hours, we had drink tasters and a short chocolate tasting session at the end. There's daily tours at 10am meeting at the Community Hostel and you can book online there to join. The best way to check out a new city in our opinion.
Stroll in Parque La Carolina | Situated in the New Town, it’s easy to grab the number 23 or 113 bus which drop you a five minute walk away. Have a stroll through the park, take a picnic, or do some exercise at the many sports facilities there. Afterwards if you fancy some air con and retail therapy then head to Quincentro Mall and Mall Jardin.
Climb Cotapaxi | Take a Day trip to Cotopaxi. Lots of places around Quito will offer day trips to Cotopaxi. The Secret Garden Hostel has some good deals on and a shuttle. Prices start at $60 (£49) and includes, lunch, English and Spanish speaking guide, permits, transport and bikes to cycle down the volcano. You will arrive at the car park which is 4500m high after that you will reach a refuge at 4864m and then hike on to the glacier at 5000m. Once your back at the car park you will start your bike ride down. The volcano is still active and whilst we were in Quito on a couple of days the day trips were cancelled due to tremors so be aware these could be cancelled at short notice.
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Get Some Live Music at Bandido Brewing | If you want your music fix in Ecuador then head to Bandido Brewing for their live music nights, good food and great ales. It is an American style micro-brewery in the the historical centre of Quito with quirky chapel interior. They have live music on Wednesdays and Saturdays just check out their social media for up to date information. If you're planning on walking back to San Blas after hours, take a taxi.
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To Eat & Drink
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Eat Arepas at Cafe Romance | On the same road as Casa CarpeDM in San Blas there's an amazing little coffee shop called a Coffee Romance. Hands down the best Arepas we have eaten. The coffee and service are delicious and the Empanadas aren't bad either.
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NEXT STOP
Not in fact a loop, but a 25 mile hiking trail leading to Laguna Quilotoa. Starting in the town of Sigchos and climbing through Isinlivi and Chugchilan. People tend to take 3 days to complete it. You can go in either direction but we highly recommend leaving the summit Lagoon until the last day. It’s super cheap and a good way to get out into the countryside.