In May 2021, we took a family trip to mainland Ecuador. In this post, we provide an overview of that trip along with tips for visiting Ecuador and traveling during Covid-19. (Author: J).
About The Trip
This trip replaced a long-planned trip to Borneo that was originally scheduled for 2020, then rescheduled for 2021, and is now set for 2022. Once it was clear that Malaysia would not be admitting foreigners this spring, I started researching which destinations were admitting US tourists without a quarantine and also had wild monkeys. The choices were fairly limited and Ecuador ultimately won out over Colombia because it had fancy lodges in its Amazon region. Once it was clear that D and I would be vaccinated by May, we booked the trip. Unfortunately, Ecuador experienced a spike in Covid cases in April and imposed various new restrictions that remained in place for most of our trip.
Itinerary
Because we needed to be in Quito for flights and transfers to the destinations we planned to visit, I designed the trip using Quito as our hub. We started and ended there and returned to Quito in between visiting other destinations. Our 13-night itinerary was:
4 nights in Quito with day trips to sights in the Andes. We stayed at the Swissotel in the La Floresta neighborhood.
4 nights at Napo Wildlife Center in Yasuni National Park in the Amazon region.
1 night old town Quito at Casa Gangotena.
3 nights at in the cloud forest outside Quito. We stayed at Mashpi Lodge.
1 night in Quito. We returned to Swissotel.
Covid Information
Entry to Ecuador: D and I both received 2 doses of the Moderna vaccine before travelling to Ecuador and we had no issue using our vaccine cards to gain entry. Be aware that the cards will be checked both in the US and upon arrival in Ecuador. P, who was 8 at the time of the trip, was not eligible for vaccination. I took him for a rapid antigen test two days before flying to Quito. The test results were also checked in both the US and Ecuador. The officials in Ecuador kept a copy of the test results, but returned our vaccine cards. (Be sure to bring paper copies of all travel documents, with an electronic copy for backup).
Return to US: In order to return to the US, we were required to obtain Covid tests in Ecuador. We used the Medical VIP location at Mariscal Sucre airport (across the street from the airport on the 2nd floor). We arrived 5 hours before our flight to be sure we were able to check in 3 hours before our flight time. The testing process at Medical VIP took about 40 minutes from start to finish and cost $40 per person. They accepted credit cards. American Airlines checked our test results and had us fill in an affidavit before they would issue our boarding passes. (This meant that we could not check in online, something I was unaware of before the trip).
Covid Restrictions: Shortly before our trip, Ecuador announced new Covid restrictions including curfews in certain provinces. We were nervous about how this would impact our trip, but the overall impact turned out to be minimal. We were fortunate to arrive in Quito late on Sunday night, so we missed the weekend curfew. The evening curfew wound up being a nonissue for us because we were so tired after touring that we were always back at our hotel long before 8 pm. The only night where I felt any impact at all was at Mashpi lodge. We did a night hike one evening and had dinner after; since it was after 8 pm, I could not order a glass of wine. (The fact that I even asked about wine at that hour shows how little the restrictions crossed my mind throughout the trip).
Ecuadorians seemed to do a much better job of following mask and social distance rules than what we have experienced here in the U.S. The only time I felt nervous about Covid was in the airport in Fort Lauderdale during our layover on the way to Ecuador. The airport was crowded and there were many people disregarding the mask rules with no apparent consequences.
Health and Safety
Crime: Before travelling, we read a number of alarming reports of crime in Quito. Statistics show that there is a much higher rate of property crime (like theft and mugging) in Ecuador than in the U.S., but a much lower rate of violent crime (like random shootings). For that reason, we did not carry bags when walking around Quito and kept our money in an inconspicuous location (inside raincoat pocket).
Stomach Bugs: Before our trip, I read in various travel guides that the water is safe to drink in Quito. However, our hotels advised against doing so because the mineral content can cause stomach upset. We were not careful about avoiding drinks mixed with water or drinks with ice and that did eventually cause us some issues. I would advise avoiding drinking anything made with water in Quito unless you are sure the water is filtered.
Altitude: Quito is one of the highest capital cities in the world, sitting at around 9,000 feet above sea level. It makes for some beautiful views, but also creates the risk of altitude sickness. We all did feel the altitude. D and P, who ignored advice to keep hydrated, had a more difficult time than I did.
Overall Rating for Ecuador
We absolutely loved Ecuador. I will honestly admit that we would not have visited but for the pandemic. It is not a destination that was even on our travel radar and the mainland seems to be somewhat underrated as a travel destination. (People within Ecuador seemed very surprised that we were not visiting the Galapagos — almost like it was unheard of to only visit the mainland). But everywhere we went we found beautiful landscapes, friendly people, and great food. Plus the tour providers and hotels went out of their way to make sure P was included and having a good time, down to details like making sure he had his own robe and slippers in every hotel room and recruiting an extra guide to help him locate frogs at Mashpi.
Travel Monkeys 