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active 7 hours ago

Maria Jose Jaramillo

From a young age, I dreamed of flying to every corner of the world, and my grandmother, recognizing my passion, took me on summer adventures to explore the hidden treasures of Ecuador. Those experiences fueled my love for travel and led me to pursue a degree in hospitality, allowing me to see each country as a unique destination ready to be shared. Today, I’m deeply passionate about creating personalized journeys that exceed expectations. My goal is to craft unforgettable experiences, showcasing Ecuador, Peru, and Colombia's rich culture, beauty, and warmth. I pour dedication and love into every detail, ensuring that each trip becomes a cherished memory for my clients.

What places and activities do you specialize in?

"We specialize in making your dream trip come true by creating unique experiences for special moments like birthdays or anniversaries. Imagine descending the Cotopaxi one day, snorkeling in the Galápagos the next, and exploring the Amazon rainforest by canoe, surrounded by monkeys and tropical birds. Ecuador, with its four regions (Coast, Highlands, Amazon, and Galápagos), offers incredible diversity in one place. I focus on adventure trips with an emphasis on culture, history, and wildlife, providing a complete experience without long distances."

How did you get involved in travel?

"From a young age, I dreamed of flying to every corner of the world, and my grandmother, recognizing my passion, took me on summer adventures to discover Ecuador’s hidden treasures. Those experiences fueled my love for travel and inspired me to pursue a degree in hospitality, allowing me to see each country as a unique destination ready to be shared."

Please share a unique travel experience you will never forget.

"One travel experience I’ll never forget was my last trip with my grandmother and mom. We traveled to Riobamba with my aunts and cousin. We explored the city, which felt like stepping back in time to the Spanish colonial era. Then we went to Alausí to ride the famous Devil's Nose train. The combination of the breathtaking mountains and the clear blue sky was unforgettable. Sharing those moments with my grandmother and mom, especially since my grandmother is no longer with me, made it one of the best days of my life. It was that trip that made me realize how much I wanted to share these kinds of experiences with others."

Maria Jose is part of the following groups: Galapagos Islands Travel Agents, Ecuador Travel Agents
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Favorite experiences

Peruvian Amazon Nature Tour

The southern Peruvian Amazon region is a veritable wonderland of natural attractions. The best way to experience as many of them as possible is on a series of short, guided adventure treks. The home base for this tour is a jungle lodge near the border with Bolivia, and the first mini-trek is...

Rainbow Mountain (Mount Vinicunca) Hike

It's a 3.5-hour drive from the city of Cusco to the trailhead leading up Vinicunca, known as the Rainbow Mountain. Also called the Montaña de los Siete Colors (Mountain of the Seven Colors), Vinicunca's colorful look is the result of ice melt over its surface a long time ago. The water mixed with...

Recent trip reviews for Maria Jose

Curated experiences do we could just relax and enjoy!
Galapagos Islands | Feb 15 - Feb 21, 2025

Debby
Debby S.
Newark, NJ | Reviewed on Feb 23, 2025
Majo was amazing! She helped us craft a number of experiences that met our budget, answered all of our question promptly and adjusted her recommendations to meet our needs. The team they work with in Galápagos was so great! From our arrival at Baltra airport, they had everything covered and through mostly different guides and drivers each day, we were always well taken care of. The experiences were mostly different so hard to pick the best. We spent most time on Santa Cruz and... Read more

Majo was amazing! She helped us craft a number of experiences that met our budget, answered all of our question promptly and adjusted her recommendations to meet our needs.

The team they work with in Galápagos was so great! From our arrival at Baltra airport, they had everything covered and through mostly different guides and drivers each day, we were always well taken care of.

The experiences were mostly different so hard to pick the best. We spent most time on Santa Cruz and enjoyed the El Chato tortoise preserve and lava tunnel experience. Kayaking on Tortuga Bay was fun and the guide even stayed with us when we chose to snorkel after (bring your own mask/towel). Bay tour was great as well.

For our trip to Isabela, they took us to the pier for the ferry (with all passes ready for us) and met our guide upon arrival. The Tintoreras tour had a little bit of duplication but still great experience.

Majo and the Galapagos lead Rita communicated with us daily via WhatsApp (we had Airalo eSIM that worked great everywhere). We were well cared for and so nice to be able to relax and just enjoy the amazing experiences they curated.

Hotel Review
Hotel Cally Galapagos
Puerto Villamil

Hotel Cally is not considered a hotel (considered a hostel-only 4 true hotels on the island) but was clean and comfortable with full bath, hot water and full delicious breakfast (7-8:30am). Check out is 10am but we were able to leave our luggage there to explore the island before our ferry back to Santa Cruz. We were only there one night but met our needs.

Authenticity & Character
It was a fine hotel. Nothing particularly stands out. We were on the fourth(top) floor so pack light!
Location
No place is a far walk so got everywhere within a 10-15 minute walk. Kimkim arranged a drive from pier to hotel and back the next day. All ways!
Staff
Didn’t interact much. Check in was quick and easy. Breakfast was great!
Cleanliness & Comfort
Bed was comfortable. Very quiet.
Local specialist: Maria Jose Jaramillo
Maria Jose
Maria Jose Jaramillo
Local specialist in Quito, Ecuador | Replied on Feb 24, 2025
Dear Debby, Thank you so much for taking the time to share your wonderful review! I’m so thrilled to hear that you had such a great experience. It truly warms my heart to know that everything met your expectations and that you enjoyed the activities and the team in Galápagos. It was a real pleasure working with you and helping create this adventure. I’ll be sure to pass along your kind words to Rita and the rest of the team, who will be just as excited to hear how much you enjoyed it. If... Read more

Dear Debby,

Thank you so much for taking the time to share your wonderful review! I’m so thrilled to hear that you had such a great experience. It truly warms my heart to know that everything met your expectations and that you enjoyed the activities and the team in Galápagos.

It was a real pleasure working with you and helping create this adventure. I’ll be sure to pass along your kind words to Rita and the rest of the team, who will be just as excited to hear how much you enjoyed it.

If you ever decide to plan another trip or need assistance in the future, please don’t hesitate to reach out. I’d be honored to help you with your next adventure!

Warmest regards,
Majo