KAT'S Guide to Ecuadorwhile living in SA, i took a 2 week trip through ecuador with one of my besties. we visited quito, of course, and wanted to explore a little bit of the jungle as well as the famous highlands. here is what we got up to! baños was definitely not my favorite in comparison to quito and the highlands. Authorskatherinebeard
DestinationsEcuadorItinerary

Quito

The Secret Garden Quito
A great hostel in downtown Quito with beautiful rooftop views and
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Viajero Hostel Quito
a super clean and modern hostel in the heart of quito with walking access to the colonial district. the rooms are each a little pod with your bed and lights. they offer coffee classes and other fun group activities onsite, as well as a restuarant.
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TeleferiQo
ride the cable cars up to admire the massive city of quito! truly amazing to see the scale from above amidst the surrounding mountains.
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Quito Historic Center
a must visit to feel the vibes of the city, walk around to shop, and try local street food.
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Somos Ecuador Restaurante
a delicious, upscale ecuadorian restaurant with amazing craft cocktails as well.
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La Mariscal Artisan Market
the perfect place to find souvenirs from all sorts of artisans.
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Basílica del Voto Nacional
definitely visit the the largest neo-gothic basilica in the americas when you are in quito. you can spot its spires from almost anywhere!
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Mindo

Mindo Chocolate Makers
take a chocolate tour and learn how famed ecuadorian beans are then turned into bars!
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Hostería Mariposas de Mindo
these are some of the largest butterflies i've seen in my life. the sanctuary has some great educational opportunities as well.
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Ecuadorian Highlands

The Secret Garden Cotopaxi
the best stay when visiting the highlands. the food is included in the price as well as a guided hiking excursion! any added excursions are more $$$, but the trip to cotopaxi is definitely worth it. the unlimted banana bread and tea is a game changer.
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Cotopaxi
an active volcano, that is absolutely stunning, in the highlands of ecuador. take a trip to nearly 16,000 ft. the views are incredible!
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Cascada Escondida (Secret Garden)
our first day hike we explored the cascading waterfalls here. dip into the falls if you dare! (they're definitely quite cold, but refreshing)
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Pasochoa
just shy of 14,000 ft. a long, but worth-it hike to this mountaintop rewards you with views over the entire valley. this is an excursion to take when at secret garden cotopaxi.
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Baños

Mama Tungu Hostel
my favorite hostel that we stayed in, nestled outside of downtown baños at the foot of waterfalls, complete with a pool, amazing common area, and restaurant inside.
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La Casa del Arbol
a dream come true swinging at the end of the world!
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Trip Highlight
baños is known for being the capital of adventure and activity in ecuador. we went rock climbing through mama tunga, our hostel, and it was totally fun, unique, and beautiful!
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