Kimkim Trip Reviews for Ecuador

Daniel helped us plan a tremendous trip to the Napo Wildlife Center and provided a great deal of expertise and advice. He set up a couple of guided tours in Quito for us that we enjoyed as well. He was easy to contact and always responded quickly with thoughtful and helpful information. We were highly impressed with Daniel’s service and would highly recommend him to anyone who is traveling to the area.

Our family trip was awesome we loved our planner and our guide Christian. They made our trip full of life time memories. Thank you kimkim

Hotel Reviews

Casa de Piedra

Mindo

The hotel was beaten had a great time there

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Very helpful and friendly

Cleanliness & Comfort

Termas de Papallacta

Papallacta

The food and service the is wonderful had such a great time

Authenticity & Character

It was a awesome

Location

The views are beautiful

Staff

The helpful and friendly

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very clean

La Floresta

Baños

They were very friendly and helpful to my family the kitchen staff were awesome they worked with my son and his culinary school assignment

Authenticity & Character

Location

The views

Staff

So helpful and friendly

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very clean the hot water did last long enough to fill our massive bathtub but the showers was hot enough

Ikala Quito Hotel

Quito

Wonderful hotel

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Very friendly and helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hacienda Pinsaqui

Otavalo

We had a great time there wonderful food and our room was beautiful

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Very friendly

Cleanliness & Comfort

Chilcabamba Lodge

Machachi

Wonderful and beautiful place

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Spa Casa Real

Riobamba

Very beautiful place

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Wyndham Guayaquil, Puerto Santa Ana

Guayaquil

Love this place the beds are so comfortable the staff is awesome and food is great

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Friendly and helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Boutique Carvallo

Cuenca

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Colón Salinas

Salinas

Very private the town was like a ghost town so it was different but love our room and food was good there

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Very friendly not many spoke my language there though

Cleanliness & Comfort

Selina Montañita

Manglaralto

This is a nice hotel but not really for family's it is the middle of a party town and it is loud a night

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

We didn't know to put sigh on door for cleaning so they didn't clean our room during stay

Wyndham Quito Airport

Quito

Beautiful hotel with great views most comfortable beds and awesome food

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Colonial Quito City Tour & Mitad del Mundo (Middle of the World) Monument

Quito

There were having a dancers there that day was awesome

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

We love our drivers and guide so much

Transport

The Woodcarves of Ecuador - Visiting San Antonio de Ibarra

Ecuador

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Otavalo Market – Cuicocha Lagoon – Mindo

Otavalo

Wonderful shopping

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Cloudforest of Mindo & Return to Quito

Mindo

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Quito - Cotopaxi National Park - Quilotoa Lagoon

Cotopaxi

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Cotopaxi National Park - Quilotoa Lagoon - Baños

Ecuador

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Journey through Nature's Grandeur: Exploring the Avenue of Waterfalls

Baños

I love this town and the surroundings

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Riobamba - Palmira - Cuenca

Riobamba

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Cuenca City Tour - Free afternoon

Cuenca

Awesome time in this town loved it all

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Ingapirca Ruins-Cuenca City

Ecuador

Very cool to experience

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visit Cajas National Park & Do a Cacao Tour on the Way to Guayaquil

Ecuador

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Guayaquil City Tour - Free afternoon

Guayaquil

Had great time here

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Montañita - Guayaquil - Flight to Quito

Montañita

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Antisana National Park - Hot springs of Papallacta

Papallacta

Great way to end a trip for sure

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Termas de Papallacta

Papallacta

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Papallacta hot springs

Papallacta

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Papallacta - Quito

Ecuador

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Matthias was our travel specialist for our 2-week trip to mainland Ecuador and Galapagos Islands. He planned an itinerary including the capital Quito, the Amazon jungle at the Cuyabeno Reserve, the highlands with the city of Banos and Cotopaxi and Quilotoa volcanoes and finally Galapagos Islands. It was a fantastic trip and everything worked out very smoothly. As the time of our trip approached, Matthias provided us with plenty of exciting alternatives as it looked liked the protests by the indigenous communities will severely affect our initial plan (we were very lucky and it did not affect us in the end) but it was very reassuring to have him backing us up. He also showed up on the night of our bus to Cuyabeno to make sure there were no issues and was always available and making sure everything was right for us.
The guides provided for the activities also made sure we were having the best of the experiences. We'd like to give an special mention to Jimmy in Cuyabeno and Ulf Torsten in Sta Cruz (Galapagos). Overall it's been a great experience and we're happily recommending it!

Hotel Reviews

Vieja Cuba

Quito

Good overall hotel, good location, good breakfast, staff was attentive. As to improve, rooms felt slightly cold sometimes.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Jamu Lodge

Quito

Great place in the middle of the Amazon jungle. Staff made sure we had all the commodities. Shower water pressure and temperature had some problems but it was fixed considering the circumstances of the location

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Isla de Baños

Baños

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Lava House Galapagos

Puerto Ayora

Great place in Sta Cruz. It's a 10-15 minutes walk from the pier so it's quiet and the atmosphere is very nice.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Excursion to an uninhabited island

Ecuador

Unbelievable experience. We went to North Seymour and spotted lots of animals both in land and sea (turtles, rays, sea lions, iguanas, countless bird species...) The boat was very comfortable, food was good and all the staff were very helpful and kind. Our guide was very informative too.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Jungle Hike, Dolphin & Caiman Spotting

Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve

The pink dolphins were probably our favourite experience of the whole trip, a truly magic moment. Our guide was really good at looking for the animals (big and small) and tried restlessly for us to have the best spotting experience.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The trip was a gift for my son's 13th birthday who wanted a trip of a lifetime. It was amazingly organized by the local specialist Alvaro. First, he spend the enormous amount of time with us planning the trip and provided us various options to choose from trying to accommodate our needs and beyond. And we were not easy customers because we were trying to go to so many different places in a short period of time and we had 2 kids of different ages and multiple culinary restrictions. All of that was taking into consideration and finally we agreed on a schedule. We don't know what we would do without Alvaro because during the trip we had multiple situations where his involvement was required. It's South America after all and unpredictable things happen. For example our flights were changed or cancelled many time, and Alvaro went out of his way to adjust the schedule very quickly, making additional provisions for vans, hotels, boats etc.
First we went to Peru where we went to Palcoyo Mountain (substitution of Rainbow Mountain) and Machu Picchu. Machu Picchu was amazing, and we had an awesome local guide Andre who is from the local tribe and we learned a lot about the local tribe traditions and history. Even my 6 year old loved it. I would strongly recommend to skip the Palcoyo Mountain though because it took 4 hour drive one way (half of it on a gravel road) to get there. The kids were throwing up all the way. Then you arrive to 17500 ft and have to hike up for about an hour. We are from Colorado so the mountain was not that impressive to us. My little one was so tired that the local guide carried her up the mountain.
Then we flew to Ecuador. That's a completely different country, more civilized, they used American dollars as their currency. We spend several days in Quito that is really beautiful and has a lot to do. We had a great guide Christian there too that was picking us up every day in the hotel and driving to multiple destinations. We loved the city tour and the cooking class. It was a unique experience where the whole family was cooking a lunch that was served to us later in a beautiful courtyard.
After that we went to Ecuadorian jungle at Napo Cultural Center. Despite the usual belief that jungle is scar it was a very comfortable, safe and even luxury experience. The only negative thing was that they didn't have a conditioner in the cabins but they tried to accommodate us as much as possible by giving us a second fan. There was no mosquitos at all!!! They fed us 3 times a day with exquisite dishes, met us after each jungle trip with a cold towel and exotic juice, even tried to feed us with a local delicacy (some beetle's larvae, which we didn't eat). The local guide Juan was a true jewel who knew jungle up and down, took us to a day and night walks, canoe ride, showing multiple animals on a way. We saw different monkeys, sloth, giant otters, parrots, herons, opossum etc.
The last stop in our trip was Galapagos Islands. We visited 3 islands and had a boat tour to the fourth one. Since the flights between the island were cancelled, Alvaro had to book speedboats to transfer us and applied the money left to the dinners we had on the islands. The nature is amazing there. We saw giant turtles, penguins swimming around us, sea lions, marine iguanas, flamingos and others. The best island was Isabella, and I would recommend to stay there more because they had real beaches and the little one had a chance to swim (not just snorkel) even though the water was very cold.
Overall, we were very pleased with a trip. We travel a lot and usually plan everything ourselves. With this trip we benefited so much from working with KimKim and Alvaro because they helped us with unpredictable changes in itinerary that would be very difficult and stressful to organize without them.
Thank you Alvaro and KimKim!! We recommended you to many friends and relatives and will travel with you in the future!

We had amazing time, everything was arranged to our liking and went without any issues.

Our trip using KimKim and our local specialist Daniel, was nothing short of INCREDIBLE! Daniel was truly invaluable to us during the planning as well as the actual trip as during our time there the situation in Ecuador was changing. My husband and I are experienced independent travelers so using a service like KimKim was new for us and I was apprehensive - I thought I could put it together myself but I didn't have the time to work on the logistics and since the Galapagos is so unique we wanted some help. We had several what's app calls and exchanged lots of messages as we tweaked the itinerary a few times. He was so friendly with excellent communication skills and listened to questions and understood what we wanted to experience in out time in Ecuador as we only had a week and there was so much to see between the mainland and the Galapagos islands. As things changed on the ground in Quito upon our arrival, Daniel called right after we landed as he already had a Plan B (C, D and E) as well. We felt safe and calm and I knew I Daniel was available to us anytime and so responsive on WhatsApp. Beyond the changes we made last minute, the rest of what we planned was wonderful. It was so wonderful to have the transfers, day trips and everything planned. The hotels I selected knew our itinerary and times we would be picked up. The town of Puerto Aroya on Santa Cruz was so much fun. We were picked up at the airport by Alexandra who was so warm and welcoming and explained our day as we headed off Baltra island to the ranch where we saw the tortoises on the reserve. The lunch was excellent and we had such a nice peaceful time enjoying the green lush ground watching the tortoises in their environment. I think the trip was perfectly planned to provide balance between busy days and then having some free days. We especially enjoyed the hike and kayaking around Tortuga Bay; the afternoon boat tour and snorkeling with a sea turtle is something I will never forget. Daniel made sure that we worked the trip around a beautiful day cruise to the island of Bartolome - his profile pic. We had a day on luxurious boat served a delicious breakfast and lunch while we hiked and again snorkeled with the penguins - that is what I wanted to see most. Due to our last minute changes from the mainland, we were now fortunate enough to visit another island and Daniel selected Isabela for it's raw beauty and wildlife. The speedboat ride was an adventure in itself and the boat tour there to La Tintoreras we really special - more penguins,, boobies and a lava tunnel full of animals and the opportunity for more snorkeling. Daniel and I pretty much connected daily as I just loved reaching out to him to share pics, our experiences and he was always responsive immediately and so positive. We loved the local fish market in Puerto Aroya just as he said we would - stopping by daily to see the women cutting up the fresh catch and having an audience of pelicans, sea lions, frigate birds, herons and marine iguanas. All right on the street - such an amazing experience. I think our land based tour with day trips was wonderful - we only wish we had more time! I have not stopped telling friends and family about Daniel and his amazing planning - having an on the ground local resource accessible to us all the time was truly invaluable. We are thankful for his guidance and kindness! Surely many of my friends have already asked about this trip or it's already on their bucket list. We definitely plan to use KimKim again for our next adventure - it is truly a great resource for independent travelers and took our trip to the next level!

Activity Reviews

Welcome to Santa Cruz Island: Highlands & Charles Darwin Research Station

Puerto Ayora

Absolutely delicious lunch in such a peaceful environment. I could have spent all day walking amongst the giant tortoises. Our guide Alexandra was great and you could tell she loved being there and welcoming us.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Alexandra and Andres were a great team

Transport

Kayaking Adventure in Tortuga Bay & Afternoon Bay Tour of Santa Cruz Island

Puerto Ayora

We enjoyed the whole day! Our first guide Ramiro was so welcoming and pointed out so many things along the hike to the beach - he offered to take so many pictures and made us feel at easy on the kayaks and we found so much wildlife together in the water. He made sure we got to our hotel with enough time to rest and have lunch before we were picked up and taken to the waterfront for the afternoon bay tour. This was so nice as we saw so many bird from the boat, enjoyed the walk on an island when we got off and it was our first snorkel. The captain of the boat made us feel at ease in the water and had a gopro and took amazing videos of me swimming with a sea turtle. It was a long busy day but great experiences to get a feel for the island.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We honestly can't say enough how much our family appreciated all the effort that went into planning and orchestrating our trip. There was some unexpected civil unrest throughout the country when we visited, we even considered cancelling the trip all together but we're so glad that we didn't. Mathias and his team were amazing and were great at keeping up to date on the situation and changed our itinerary to help us avoid protests and demonstrations. Although it was a bit dissapointing that we weren't able to do everything we had originally planned on, the activities they replaced them with seemed just as good if not better and we still had a great time.

The other standout was just how well everything was coordinated. Between our tour guides, bus drivers, and hotel staff, it seemed like everyone knew our itinerary better than we did, and were so great about keeping us updated with the time table and what to expect. This was especially nice since we were travelling with small kids and helped us focus on the experience and not the logistics.

We would highly recommend Kimkim to anyone and of course Matias, Liz, Milton, and all the other great people we interacted with during our trip.

I loved our trip to Quito! Our guide, Dario, and our driver, Ivan, were excellent and took good care of us. Jacqueline went above and beyond to help us have a safe and memorable trip.

Our trip to Ecuador was amazing! Jackie in Ecuador was just incredible to work with.

We faced serious challenges in our trip when a general strike was called throughout Ecuador by CONAIE, an association of indigenious people. This involved roadblocks and protests throughout the country.

Jackie and the guide she hired, Dario, did an absolutely incredible job of working around these conditions to ensure a wonderful experience, even though this meant rearranging our itinerary and schedule completely.

When our Ecuadorian Ballet Folklorico performance was cancelled, she arranged a private performance in a beautiful hotel.

When the city of Banos was blocked off, Jackie and Dario suggested Mindo insteady - a gorgeous nature destination with hummingbirds, ziplines and river rafting.

It was a hit and we were safe and well cared for throughout the trip.

In my last day relaxing in the thermal baths at Papallacta, I couldn't recommend KimKim enough to the travelers around me. Thank you!

Activity Reviews

Project at School in Otavalo

Otavalo

Quito - Cotopaxi National Park

Ecuador

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Linda planned an amazing trip for us. We enjoyed the hotels, tour guides, and excursions.

Mathias understood right away our needs and wants and developed a great trip that left out nothing. Since we have family in Ecuador, he was able to weave in our requirement to do some things with family.
Sebastian, our guide, was equal to the task of integrating everything we were to do. Tip: go over the next day's schedule with him the night before so that he knows your expectations. He is great at anticipating needs and wants and fulfilling them before you can even ask.
All in all, a fantastic trip of a lifetime. This is the way to travel.

Hotel Reviews

Casa de las Peñas Siglo XXI

Guayaquil

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Boutique Santa Lucía

Cuenca

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hosteria La Andaluza

Riobamba

One of the best hotels we have ever stayed in.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Samari Spa Hotel

Baños

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Fantastic massages!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hacienda El Porvenir

Machachi

Spectacular location, hard to get to.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Vista del Angel Hotel Boutique

Quito

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hacienda Pinsaqui

Otavalo

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Sacha Lodge Yasuní

Quito

ONly place with air conditioning. A truly amazing experience.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Stay here. It's the best of the best.

Activity Reviews

Expedition to the Churute Ecological Reserve

Ecuador

Quality of Experience

Food

A wonderful lunch and even better tour guide.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Cuenca - Ingapirca - Riobamba

Ecuador

Cuenca is wonderful as is Ingapirca. I would skip Riobamba

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Horseback Riding at Cotopaxi National Park

Ecuador

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

I and my daughter had a great vacation with lots of fun adventures. Linda was wonderful and helped with the planning of the trip. Liz was our contact in the Galapagos and was a great source of information and helpful with some of the last minute changes and requests! Sebastian was our guide in Quito and Cotopaxi - - very reliable, personable, and lots of local information!

What an epic adventure. Daniel made our trip one of the best we have ever experienced! He planned everything and made any adjustments where we wanted. He created such a beautiful experience tailored specifically to us. Not having to think about scheduling anything on our own, or getting taxis when we needed, or worrying about keeping track of flight tickets or time frames made this trip feel so luxurious. We started in Quito and had the best day ever riding around with Danny! Danny took us to the equator, a private cooking class, the statue of Mary, and walked us through multiple places in the historic district. He also stopped alongside the road to buy us yucca bread just because he loved it so much and wanted to share it with us. We then flew to Coca and took a motorized canoe down the Napo to the Napo Cultural Center. Mari, the general manager was so lovely and helpful. She explained how the eco lodge works and answered any questions we had. Venancio was beyond perfect as our guide while we were there. He loves sharing the culture and knowledge he has about his people, the birds, and teaching the native language to us. He was incredibly flexible and would take us anywhere we wanted to go, see anything we wanted to see, and spend as much time as we wanted enjoying the rainforest and giving us his time. He is so selfless and has a heart of gold. We got to see spider monkeys, golden tamarinds, and the howler monkeys put on a show right in front of our eyes while on the canoe trip. The birds are so beautiful and diverse. It was so special to see them and learn about them from Venancio. He makes sure to get you the best photos through his telescope. Living amongst the Kachiwa people was an experience I will never forget. The chefs were incredible! Feeding us gourmet meals three times a day! The fresh juices and cold towels made for a super refreshing end to any adventure we had for the day. Our bartender Lenin was great as well! He was so happy to share his knowledge of local beverages and culture as well. He helped teach us some phrases in the native language also. The housekeeping staff and our boat drivers were the best! I will definitely be back to Napo and Quito in the future. Daniel made sure that this trip was perfect, and he created such a special place in our hearts for Ecuador. 10/10 would recommend!!!

Hotel Reviews

Ikala Quito Hotel

Quito

I love the Ikala Hotel! It is super clean, the rooms are so diverse and comfortable, the staff is super helpful and friendly, it’s quiet, and I would love to stay again!

Tips for future travelers

Definitely book your stay here. You will be happy to have the wonderful places to walk to and the staff are always willing to get you a quick taxi to anywhere you want to explore!

Authenticity & Character

The style and decor

Location

Being close to Mercando El Camino, Tres Gatos, and Abysma.

Staff

Clean rooms and shared spaces with great character and light

Cleanliness & Comfort

Firm beds, great water pressure, cleanliness, and balcony

Napo Cultural Center

Quito

The Napo Cultural Center is breathtakingly beautiful. The staff are the very best. We were so comfortable in our room and everywhere we went! I loved being able to live amongst the Kachiwa people and learn about the culture! I also loved stepping outside and viewing wildlife.

Tips for future travelers

Drink water! Use bug spray! Be thankful and appreciate all of the people and wildlife. You won’t regret this trip. It’s one in a million.

Authenticity & Character

You’re staying in a village. You’re surrounded by culture, history, and wisdom.

Location

The culture, the wildlife, the beauty of it all, how remote it is

Staff

They were are so great

Cleanliness & Comfort

Everything was comfortable and clean

Activity Reviews

Quito - Coca - Napo Cultural Center

Ecuador

Venancio was the best guide! I loved exploring the rainforest and seeing all the wildlife!

Quality of Experience

The culture, the wildlife, and the beauty of the environment

Food

Gourmet meals and drinks!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Everything! They are perfect!

Transport

Timely, skilled, and friendly

Colonial City Tour, Cooking Class & the Middle of the World Monument

Quito

Karen was amazing. We cooked with her in a treehouse amongst a beautiful garden of local ingredients. The food was incredible and we learned so much!

Quality of Experience

Local ingredients

Food

Empanadas, local fruit, and chocolate!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Karen and Danny were wonderful!

Transport

I want to thank Linda and the whole local team for their help in organizing a family trip to Ecuador! We planned this trip as a wedding celebration instead of the traditional reception, to share our love of travel with those closest to us- our families! We had the most spectacular adventure-packed trip, and truly were able to see all the highlights of the Galapagos Islands in our week visiting. We particularly loved that we were able to customize our trip to be as active as we are. Every day was a new adventure, our families had such a great time, and we will never forget all the beautiful wildlife we were so fortunate to experience together.

We were taken care of every step of the way, with every transfer, guide and excursion meticulously thought out. Linda and the team even assisted with making dinner reservations for our large group for a few nights. Lisa, our local coordinator in Puerto Ayora, helped us with any last minute changes that we would otherwise have to figure out for ourselves. My husband and I are looking forward to coming back soon to continue to explore all that these islands have to offer. Thank you for the most wonderful memorable trip!

I would like to say thank you to Jacky, who has arranged my family trip to Ecuador from 13 - 25 Apr 2022. We have a fantastic trip and I am so thankful for all your arrangement. From Ittenary, Accomodation , and local guide. We particularly enjoy our trip in Cuya Beno, Amazon rain Forest, and Galapagos islands.
Jacky is very responsive if we asked something over the phone. She always stand by for response. Its make us worry - free during our trip. Once again , thanks Jacky for all your help. We definely will refer you to our friends back to our country.

Hotel Review

Mercure Alameda Quito

Quito

Staffs are friendly, and we made this hotel as our base. So that we can leave our luggages at the hotel, during our trip to Amazon rain forest and galapagos island.

Authenticity & Character

Staff

Activity Review

Adventure in the Amazon

Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve

Rom , the local guide is very knowledgeable.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

I spent 15 days in Ecuador touring areas around Quito, the Amazon, and the Galapagos islands. I traveled alone with a guide until he dropped me off to go to the Galapagos.
I used Quito as a home base and took a free day, explored the old town and middle of the world museum, Otavalo, and Cotopaxi. I also stayed in Mindo and Banos. They were worth visiting.
In the Amazon, I stayed at the Kuyana lodge and in the Galapagos used Santa Cruz as a home base.
I was pleased with the work Mathias did on my travel plan, his response time, and how he kept in touch nearly daily. He managed to incorporate my special requests of a visit to the rose farm, the Condor Parque, and a horse ride. I had a special interest in those things and thought they were worth the time, although the ride to the Condor Parque was long. The horse ride added a lot to the visit to Cotopaxi as I did not care to climb. The horse guy was terrific. It was my first time on a horse!
I can not say enough good things about Kuyana. The food was terrific and authentic. The grounds and rooms are beautiful. The activities are wonderful and individualized to the traveler.
It was relaxing too! It was the best!
The Galapagos lived up to their reputation. A special thank you to my guide, Julian, from Day 1, and the man who helped me complete the exit steps on the final day! Awesome job, guys!
Ecuador has a lot to see! GO!

Hotel Review

Sisakuna Lodge

Mindo

Authenticity & Character

beautiful grounds, basic furnishing

Location

Staff

They made pizza for me for dinner during Carnivale!

Cleanliness & Comfort

clean.

Activity Reviews

Middle of the World

Ecuador

Super cool outdoor setting with activities to highlight the effects of the equator! Loved it!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Horseback Riding at Cotopaxi National Park

Ecuador

Great experience! Took me 3 tries to get on the horse. The man was very patient. It was my first time. I really enjoyed it and the meal we had at the Park lodge.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transfer to Quito Airport, Arrival to Galapagos & Highlands of Santa Cruz

Ecuador

This is a great tour with lunch included. One of the most memorable photo ops with the amazing large tortoises! You can get very close. It was wonderful fun even in light drizzle. Bring a jacket, just in case! Mud boots are provided.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Excursion to an uninhabited island

Ecuador

This is a long day with a couple of boat transfers and a ride to the dock. It is worth it. The boat is relaxing if you can find the right spot to sit yourself down! It was hosted by a member of the awesome "white shirt Park staff" They are heroes of the Galapagos. I am a non-snorkeler so I was treated to a few minutes on a deserted beach. Heavenly. We also made the stop at Baltra island and took a long walk up to the lighthouse. I needed a little encouragement for the last little way! Thank you sir, that was great! The food on the boat was delicious. A breakfast, lunch, and snack were served. Don't forget the sunscreen! It is much needed on this trip.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visit to another uninhabited island

Ecuador

This is a little shorter trip out to Seymour island. I had previously gone to Bartolome' island. Another hero of the Galapagos "white shirted Park ranger" led the way to Seymour! It was similar to the other trip, on the same boat even. This time, I knew exactly where to sit! It was another enjoyable day with a trip to an islet and some snorkeling time. I saw some amazing birds nesting. I saw great frigate birds "Man of War" , Magnificent Frigate Birds, and blue-footed boobies. Equipment to snorkel was provided each time including life vests. The food was good. It was fish. They really can do fish well there! No breakfast due to the shorter day, but again a snack was provided. Well worth getting on the boat again! It is well spent time on the boat. Relax and enjoy! Don't forget the sunscreen, really!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Christian was an excellent driver and wonderful guide. He maximized our time in Ecuador to the fullest extent possible. He knew just where and when to take a break and found the most wonderful places for a meal or snack. He had a great knowledge of history and answered all our many questions about Ecuador from nature to economics to ecology and more. And he was a lot of fun to be around- game for anything and even pushed us to do a few things we weren’t sure about but greatly enjoyed!
Most memorable was the Quito teleferico, Quito cooking class, Mindo hummingbirds even though we aren’t birders, Banos waterfalls and hot springs, horseback riding in Cotopaxi and visiting the lovely Quilotoa crater. The hacienda stays were exceptional.
Main thing was that Alvaro pulled off planing our trip with a one week notice!! Awesome job!!

Hotel Review

Hacienda Pinsaqui

Otavalo

Outstanding service and beautiful rooms. Lovely surroundings. Very quiet and comfortable. Excellent food.

Authenticity & Character

The interior

Location

Quiet but near town and national park

Staff

Personal and prompt service

Cleanliness & Comfort

Fireplace in bedroom

Activity Review

Otavalo - Cloud forest of Mindo

Otavalo

Hummingbirds we’re amazing

Quality of Experience

Food

Outdoor dining

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

This was an absolutely amazing trip, Mathias and his team were excellent. We were planning a trip for spring break with our 12 and eight-year-olds and looking for adventure that would also be appropriate for this age range. He worked with us on several different itineraries to give us options, listened to our requests for Accommodations, and provided us with the most amazing driver Sebastian who was so knowledgeable about the country, and very patient with our children! He went above and beyond to make sure everything was organized and we had everything needed. It was the little details, like buying fruit in the market for our family, and following up with pictures from our adventures that we really appreciate. My children could stop hugging him at the end of the trip! Mathis met us at our hotel at the beginning of our adventure and checked in with us throughout the way to make sure our expectations were met. He works with top notch Accommodations and vendors. We would not change a think about this trip, other than we wished we stayed longer! We can’t wait to go back and would 100 percent book with Mathis!

Hotel Review

Isla de Baños

Baños

Activity Review

Quito - Cotopaxi National Park - Baños

Ecuador

Our local specialist, Daniel, went above and beyond to ensure that our time in Ecuador was fun, safe, and packed with adventure. All of the guides we interacted with were knowledgeable about the area and were very friendly and fun to be around. Danny was our guide for the first two days of our time in Quito. We felt like he was our friend showing us around the city.
We really enjoyed our day trip and hike at Quilato Crater. This is a definite must for people making plans. I would also recommend going to the Mindo cloud forest.
And of course our time in the Galapagos was epic. I would like to have had more time to spend there. I'm sure someday we'll go back.

Hotel Review

Hotel Casa Sakiwa

Machachi

This hotel is modern, clean, and very comfortable.

Authenticity & Character

Very beautiful design/architecture

Location

Close to mountain adventures

Staff

Friendly

Cleanliness & Comfort

Extremely clean

Activity Reviews

Experience the Pristine Beauty of Galápagos Islands: Discovering an Uninhabited Island

Puerto Ayora

You start the day early with a dingy ride to the sailboat you will be spending the next three hours on to get to the destination. It's worth it! The snorkeling was fantastic. We saw many white tipped sharks and so much other wildlife.

Quality of Experience

Food

Couldn't believe the cook could make such unbelievable dishes in such a small kitchen!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The boat crew were on top of it!

Transport

The boat could use a bit more shade and comfortable seating for such a long trip

Biking from Cotopaxi to Quilotoa Day 1

Ecuador

This is a perfect way to get up close and personal with Cotopaxi volcano. But be ready for very high altitude hiking. The guides help keep the pace slow.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our trip to the Amazon was amazing! Our guides, Rom and Jefferson made our experience unforgettable. Daniel was in constant contact with us every step of the way. The Nicky lodge chef, Freddie made exceptional food and also sings and plays the guitar along with the other guides.

Hotel Review

Nicky Amazon Lodge

Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve

The Nicky lodge is cozy and clean. All the staff make you feel right at home. It's a big happy family and everyone loves nature and wants to share their knowledge with the guest.

Tips for future travelers

Make sure you bring products for mosquito and sun fly bites

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

They couldn't do enough for us. Friendly, sincere.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Colonial City Tour, Cooking Class & the Middle of the World Monument

Quito

Quality of Experience

Food

I was impressed with the quality of the food at the lodge. The soups were amazing!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The transportation is great. The bus trip from Quito to Amazon is very long so be prepared for that.