Ecuador | Independent travels
Independent travels
Ecuador is a great country to travel independently in, on a holiday designed especially for you and to the dates that suit you best. There is lots to see, distances are reasonable, it is relatively easy to get around and there is usually a good choice of places to stay.
Our Independent Travel service builds on our knowledge of Ecuador's regions, hotels and lodges to offer a completely flexible tailor-made service to suit a wide range of preferences and budgets.
We design touring, wildlife, active & adventure, self-drive, and specialist birdwatching trips in Ecuador and the Galápagos, and we can extend your trip to include Peru, Venezuela or Bonaire - which all connect well.
How our travel service works
When we are tailor-making your holiday we talk through your ideas and make further suggestions to fit your tastes and budget. We send you one or more no-obligation proposals in the form of full written itineraries. These can be further refined until you are sure that the holiday will suit you well.
When you have settled on an itinerary and sent us your booking form, we make the hotel reservations required, book flights, arrange airport transfers, hire cars, etc, and, if you would like a guide, we will select a trained and experienced English-speaking guide appropriate to your interests. Meals can be included or left for you to decide during your holiday.
How expert are we about Ecuador? The short answer is "very". We have travelled the length and breadth of the country and stayed in or visited almost all the hotels, lodges and things to see that are described on this website, as well as many others. (No, we haven't yet climbed Cotopaxi ourselves, but we intend to soon!) Having been designing travel in Latin America since 1993 we understand Ecuador from the point of view of our customers.
Conde Nast Traveler magazine expressed it well when they included Geodyssey in their Special Agent list:
"This list represents those who have impressed me the most with their knowledge of specific destinations and types of travel. They also possess a certain degree of frankness, friendliness, taste, the willingness to work with a range of customers and budgets, and an understanding of the types of experiences that Conde Nast Traveler readers want."
At all times you will have access to local 24 hour support, and back-up from the UK well beyond normal office hours. You are also financially protected.
Conditions in Latin America are less predictable than in Europe. A certain degree of flexibility is a great help to the enjoyment of travelling. If any problems you experience during your holiday remain unresolved we report these back to Ecuador and push for appropriate improvements.
Planning your trip
The following suggested itineraries show what's possible. Use them unchanged if they suit you, or take them as a basis for your own ideal trip. They can be shortened or lengthened, or adapted to suit you.
Touring and wildlife
Avenue of the Volcanoes and the Devil's Nose Train
Active and adventure
Horse riding and life on the farm
Selfdrive
›
Special destinations
Andean haciendas and other fine hotels
Add-ons
If you just want to go to one or two places (and there are some excellent choices available), then it's simply a question of choosing the hotels you like. We will make reservations and arrange flights and road transport as appropriate.
