Santa Cruz is the most populated and second largest of the Galapagos islands. It has a very different vibe to the islands of San Cristóbal and Isabela. It is more built up with lots of restaurants that cater from the basic to the more luxurious needs. We didn’t see much […]
Baños de Agua Santa or Baños for short is known as the Gateway to the Amazon as it is the last biggish city before the jungle. It also has the reputation for being Ecuador’s adventure capital. Situated about 4 hours from Quito and on the base of Tungurahua volcano, there […]
The Quilotoa Loop is a group of trails through the Andes that either start or end at the Laguna Quilotoa. The trails encompass various different landscapes and altitudes and are a tough test for even experienced hikers. That said it is also one of the most rewarding hikes we have […]
Cotopaxi is the second highest volcano in Ecuador at 5897m. It is a pretty active volcano with the last eruption occurring in August 2015 but lasting until January 2016. If you are lucky you may see it’s snow capped peak which is often the inspiration for many Ecuadorian artists. A […]
Mindo is situated in the heart of the Mindo-Nambillo cloud forest, about two hours bus journey from Quito. It is a small town surrounding by lush vegetation making it the perfect escape from the busting city and into nature. With over 500 different bird species, it is a great spot […]
Quito the capital of Ecuador is a narrow but long city nestled in between the Andean mountains. The length of the city can make transversing it slightly difficult and some times uncomfortable but its doable. There are enough things to do in Quito to keep you entertained for at least […]
Otavalo is an Andean town surrounded by volcanoes and located in the north of Ecuador. Famous in the guidebooks for it’s traditional market, we soon found that there is so much more to do there. It was our first stop in Ecuador, and after a couple of tough days crossing […]
A quick Google search for information regarding crossing the border from Colombia to Ecuador throws up alot of information and blogs talking about the relative ease in which people have crossed it. One even described it as “the easiest border to navigate in South America”. The thing is it’s changed. […]
San Agustin, a small town located in the department of Huila, was one of our last stops in Colombia. It is surrounded by rolling hills and mountains. The land is covered with patchwork farms growing coffee, maize, plantain and a multiple of other vegetables. There seems to be even more […]
The Tatacoa Desert is an arid region located in the Huila region of Colombia. Despite it’s name the Tatacoa Desert isn’t actually a desert, locals will tell you that it’s a dry tropical forest. Images of sand dunes should be banished, Tatacoa more resembles areas like Utah or New Mexico […]
Popayán, also known as La Ciudad Blanca or the white city, is a pretty colonial city painted, you guessed it, white. It is also one of the UNESCO creative cities of Gastronomy so what’s not to like!? Our first introduction to Popayán was a quick scramble around the white streets looking […]
Cali (short for Santiago de Cali) is the capital of the Valle de Cauca region in Southwestern Colombia. A city of 3 million people it is best known for being the world capital of Salsa and also for infamous Cali Cartel. How we got to Cali We arrived in Cali […]
San Cipriano is a tiny village located in the Choco region of Colombia, not far from the city of Buenaventura. It is best to visit San Cipriano from Cali, either as a day trip or spend 1 night. The reason San Cipriano has appeared on the “Gringo Trail” is the […]
Filandia is located in the Quindío department and is approximately an hour away from the cities of Pereria and Armenia. It is surrounded by lush green hills and beautiful landscapes with thanks to the views of the Cordillera Central of the Andes mountain in the distance. This, along with the […]