Ecuador Peru Bolivia 2000

A few hints to a 3 week long trip through Ecuador and Peru

Journey

Quito - Tena - Baños - Quenca - Vilcabamba - Piura - Arequipa

Boarder Crossing

The trip from Vilcabamba to Piura can be done in a day (leave Vilcabamba at 7am and arrive in Piura at 7pm). There is a direct bus from Loja to Piura. The boarder crossing at Macará is hassle free. I'd rather say it is easy going. The customs officer of the peruvian side was having a siesta when I passed it.

Jungle

Tena is a brilliant place to do jungle trips. It is a bus ride from Quito away and you can do both kinds of jungle trips: the low land Amazon jungle and the cloud forest. I prefer the latter. Virgin jungle is still existing in the inaccessible mountains. You can see enormous trees. What you cannot see are big animals unless they are tame. If you meet any, then it is sheer luck.

Money

Everything is still cheap in Ecuador and slightly more expensive in Peru. The cheapest hotel room I stayed was 4 USD (Room with private bath including towels and it was clean and quiet)

Do not miss

• Panecillo (Viewpoint with virgin in Quito). Use taxi, do not walk due to crime.
• Visit of Cathedral in Quito (inside)
• Jungle Trip in Tena
• Bath in Baños and the visit of Tungurahua
• Relax in Vilcabamba
• Convent Sta Catalina in Arequipa
• Colca Canyon

Market in Otavalo

It's huge but it's just another market. Go to lake cuycocha instead...or do both if there is enough time.

Temperature

• Be prepared to amazingly cold nights in Colca Canyon / take a sleeping bag with you even if you stay in a real hotel
• Put your warmest cloth on when you travel from Arequipa to Puno at night

Crime

Don't be paranoid. Arequipa has a bad reputation. I felt like being in Davos.