South America – Page 5 – the wandering spot

December 28, 2008December 26, 2022

Ecuador

21-day trip to Ecuador and ☞ Galapagos Islands. We hiked 10-km Quilotoa rim loop and to 5000 masl at the edge of Cotopaxi glacier after grueling acclimatization walk in Chugchilan. We enjoyed watching ☞ hummingbirds and relaxing visit to ☞ Quito Botanic Garden.

Itinerary

Chicago ➜ Quito-Hostal Casapaxi-Parque la Alameda-Iglesia de San Francisco ➜ ☞ Galapagos ➜ Quito ➜ Yanacocha ➜ Bellavista Cloud Forest Reserve ➜ ☞ Alambi Cloud Forest ➜ Quito ➜ Machachi-Toacazo-Sigchos-Chugchilan ➜ Laguna Quilotoa (rim trail) ➜ San Jose de Poalo/Latacunga ➜ Hostel Valhalla/Machachi ➜ Laguna de Limpiopungo ➜ Cotopaxi Refugio and glacier ➜ Quito-Jardin Botanico/Orchid House-Passo la Muerte/Volcano Pichincha ➜ Lago Agrio-Tierras Orientales-Rio Aguarico ➜ Rio Cuyabeno/Rio Aguas Negras-Dracaena (lizard) Lodge ➜ Quito ➜ Otavalo-Lago de San Pablo-Parque Condor ➜ Quito ➜ Chicago

Quilotoa rim loop

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To Cotopaxi glacier

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Nature – 56 photos

Laguna Quilotoa

Entrance to Hostel Casapaxi, our base in Quito, and we are off to arrange tours and visit Old Town

Visited tourist agencies on the way to Parque la Alameda…Basilica del Voto Nacional…

…plaza in front of Iglesia de San Francisco, Iglesia de La Merced…

After returning from Galapagos, road to Yanacocha follows Inca trail to the lowlands

Volcano Pichincha, above the cloud forest

Tough donkey life in the high mountains…

… inhabited by hummingbird species adapted to high altitude of Yanacocha

Bellavista cloud forest, no kidding, clouds all around

…found only at lower altitude of Bellavista

Walking cloud forest trails, wet from all sides

Machachi, on the way from Quito to Quilotoa

Hostal Cloud Forest in Chugchilan located on slopes perfect for acclimatization hikes

Steep hills often used for farming and deep ravines cut by water in volcanic ash deposited long time ago

Warming-up for fiesta in Chugchilan, party, music and dancing all night

Laguna Quilotoa, 3500 masl, highest rim point 3914 masl, last eruption in 1280

Hiking ccw on 10 km rim trail, the starting point is already across the caldera

View towards Volcano Illiniza Sur and a bit later…

…good view of Cotopaxi, 5897 masl, last eruption 2015/2016

Returning to Valhalla Lodge located in the valley on NW edge of Cotopaxi National Park after late local hike, next day we are heading back up to the Park

Cotopaxi cone above the high plains, view from Laguna de Limpiopungo

Laguna de Limpiopungo at the base of Cerro Ruminahui

Refugio Cotopaxi, summit visible between clouds from time to time as we walk up the mountain…

…to 5000 masl marker at the edge of one of very few equatorial glaciers

Trail in one of the ravines on Cotopaxi slopes

Back in Quito, relaxing at Jardin Botanico Orchid House…

…and outdoor gardens of South American plants

In the afternoon, went up 1000m by Quito Teleferico…

…to hike towards Cerro Guagua Pichincha, passing by Ermita de la Dolorosa…

…only to the base of Passo la Muerte rocks at 4300 masl, just behing the green hill

Rio Aguarico, waiting for our boat 75 km from Lago Agrio to take us 100 kms to Rio Cuyabeno

…arriving at Dracaena Lodge just after sunset

Got up early in the morning with oropendolas nesting next to our hut…

…and by canoe to sneak on caimans after dark

We visited local community, their houses, small school, watched kids play socer, left after dark for a short ride back to Dracaena

Fishing piranhas for dinner near the river bank, to swim we jumped from the boat in the middle of the river, trying not to reverse the roles, pink dolphins were swimming nearby. Pan fried piranhas are very good, plus we got Christmas cake (see Food in Ecuador)

The speed boat will take us up Rio Aguarico to Lago Agrio for an afternoon flight to Quito

Day-trip to Otavalo famous for its market, Lago de San Pablo at the base of Cerro Imbabura

Otavalo market, yes we bought another rug, see Food in Ecuador for more photos from the market

Iglesia el Jordan, last stop before returning to Quito and heading back to Chicago

December 20, 2008April 23, 2024

Galapagos

9-island Galapagos 8D/7N cruise, part of ☞ Ecuador 2008 trip. We had a wonderful cruise on 14-person Samba (steel-hulled motor yacht, converted fishing boat) with multiple landings and snorkeling stops, and naturalist guide Juan Manuel Salcedo (now with ☞ Cheesemans Ecology Safaris).

Itinerary

Quito ➜ Baltra-Airport-Samba Motor boat ➜ Plaza Sur Santa Cruz-Charles Darwin Research Station-Puerto Ayora-Giant Tortoise Reserve-Los Gemelos ➜ Espaniola-Gardner Bay-Punta Suarez ➜ Floreana-Punta Cormorant-Post Office Bay ➜ Isabela-Punta Moreno-Elizabeth Bay-Urbina Bay ➜ Fernandina-Punta Espinoza ➜ San Salvador -Puerto Egas ➜ Bartolome ➜ Santa Cruz-Black Turtle Cove ➜ Baltra ➜ Quito

Map of Galapagos Islands on Wikimedia

Credit: ☞ Galapagos Islands topographic map
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Video clips

Wildlife – 126 photos

Baltra, waiting room, our boat Samba ready for boarding

Plaza Sur, Opuntia and Sesuvium already red in dry season

Lonesome George (died in 2012 at age 102)

Darwin Station, tortoises arriving for breakfast

Looking for perfect snorkeling spot off the beach and rocks

Floreana, Punta Cormorant, beach with sea turtles, manta rays

Punta Moreno, where lava meets the Ocean

Lagoon in lava field looks “dead” but it is connected underground to the sea

Isabela, Elizabeth Bay full of sea turtles, penguins and pelicans

Paddling in brackish waters along mangroves

Rocky coast is home to blue footed boobies

Isabela, Urbina Bay turtle nesting site (accessible only off season)

Samba anchored at Urbina Bay, Fernandina on the horizon

Whale watching near North tip of Isabela

Sunset on the Equator, preparing to meet Poseidon at midnight

Life on the boat, wetsuits drying on front deck…

November 21, 2004December 26, 2022

La Paz – Lake Titicaca – Salar de Uyuni

During this trip we crossed 5500 masl for the first time on short trail to Chacaltaya summit.

Itinerary

☞ Cochabamba ➜ La Paz ➜ Copacabana ➜ Isla del Sol-Isla de la Luna/Lake Titicaca ➜ La Paz ➜ Tinawaku ➜ La Paz ➜ Chaclataya ➜ La Paz-Valle de la Luna ➜ Uyuni ➜ Isla del Pescado ➜ Salt Hotel ➜ Las Maravillas de Cepita ➜ Rock tree ➜ Laguna Colorada ➜ Sol de la Mañana Geyser ➜ Termas de Polques ➜ Laguna Verde-Laguna Blanca ➜ Villamar Mallcu ➜ San Cristobal ➜ Uyuni ➜ ☞ Cochabamba

To Chacaltaya summit

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Isla del Sol, Inca steps, Jardin del Inka

La Paz, Iglesia de San Francisco Sagarnaga

San Cristobal, packing and returning to Uyuni

November 20, 2004December 13, 2021

Cochabamba – Villa Tunari

Itinerary: Chicago ➜ Cochabamba ➜ Villa Tunari ➜ Parque Carrasco-Parque Machi ➜ Cochabamba ➜ ☞ La Paz-Lake Titicaca-Tinawaku -Salar de Uyuni ➜ Cochabamba ➜ Quillacollo – Tarata – Tiquipaya ➜ Cochabamba ➜ Chicago