Where’s Best to Go Scuba Diving + Snorkeling in Ecuador??

scuba diving ecuador
A view of the wildlife swimming just off shore on Isabela Island, Galapagos… Amazing!

By far the best place for snorkeling and scuba in Ecuador is in the Galapagos where the water is transparent and the animals are a plenty.

It’s not uncommon to see gigantic Manta Rays, sharks, sea turtles, sea lions and more in a matter or minutes when scuba diving in the Galapagos.

I highly recommend Scuba off of Floreana Island, Galapagos.

The mainland has darker, murkier water not great for seeing wildlife but the best place to scuba is in Ayangue, on the southern coast.

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Where to go Mountain Biking in Ecuador?

biking chimborazo

That’s me biking Chimborazo.

 

For mountain biking in Ecuador its hard to beat the all-day-long descents offered by Cotopaxi, Chimborazo or Banos.

Guides out of Quito offer the day trips to Cotopaxi and Chimborazo, the Banos trip can be done independently renting a bike from one of the many shops in town.

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Where to go Mountain Climbing or Mountaineering in Ecuador?

mountain climbing ecuador
Me at the base of Cotopaxi.

For those who like scaling mountains in one day I’d try the Volcan Imbababura (4609m) in the northern highlands.

For more experienced climbers the next best are Cotopaxi and Chimborazo(6310m).

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For horseback riding, I’d try the beach of Olon on weekends, or one of the several agencies offering guided rides in the Banos area.

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Where’s best to horseback ride in Ecuador?

Near Olon beach in Ecuador.
Near Olon Beach in Ecuador.

For horseback riding, I’d try the beach of Olon on weekends, or one of the several agencies offering guided rides in the Banos area.

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Where’s best to go hiking in Ecuador?

hiking in Ecuador
A view from the trial of Quicocha Lake

Ecuador’s an awesome country if hiking is your thing.

For me, the coolest hikes in Ecuador is the hike down to the crater of Quilotoa Volcano, the hike with the natives around the dry coastal rain-forest in the Machalilla National Park, and the hike around the Quicocha Lake near Cotacachi. Unlike conventional trail hiking, a lot more education and gear for comfort, safety and utility is demanded by mountain hiking. It can be rather challenging since your breathing passage will become coarse as you start hiking to the top, you will not be able to breathe easily, and no one will be able to get to you to rescue you. So, all the gear that you will have to act as your life-support system and will be necessary to keep you safe. If you are going on a mountain hiking trip. If you are going on a mountain hiking trip, all by yourself, then make sure you have carabiners. Carabiners are small metal clips that are usually made of aluminum. You will need carabiners while hiking so you can clip yourself onto the mountainous surface, or you can even clip your gear onto them. For the survival while camping you need some camping gear, here you will get all about te camping gear.  You can use carabiners for a variety of purposes depending on their shapes and styles. You can even use larger locking carabiners for belaying and for securing the rope to the surface of a mountain. You can use non-locking carabiners for holding other gear and for nonessential clips. The rope is a very important mountain hiking gear and for it, you will be using a specialized rope. If you are lead hiking, then you will tie the rope to your harness, this way you will carry the rope with you as you ascend the mountain. You can place bolts and carabiners into the surface on the mountain in order to tack the rope onto it. This way, if you are using a belay device and there is a hiker hiking below you, will be able to catch your hiking partner in case of a fall. A classic hiking boot is a must for all hikers. It helps protect the feet from getting blisters and sores. Depending upon our excursion, we can either choose a trail-walking boot or a heavy hiking boot. Clothing forms an important part of hiking gear too. Synthetic blend materials are always preferred over other materials, as they keep dry by evaporating perspiration. Brands like PowerDry, Coolmax Apparel, and Airtek make good-quality shirts. But the truth is that investing in hiking gear can really add up and add up quickly. Especially brand new gear that’s just been released and you happen to be shopping during peak hiking season. So how can you save some money but still get great gear? Check out these tips for having top notch gear and pay less for them, nothing could be sweeter than that. An amazing collection of outerwear, such as waterproof jackets, can be found at Patagonia. Similarly, Bent Gear also supplies fleece jackets and other hiking gear like tents, sleeping bags, water treatment, and many more. Clothing, navigation tools, backpacks and bags, footwear, first-aid, kitchen and camp items, and other things are available at Northern Mountain Supply. Clothing and waterproof gear. Take at least one pair of complete clothing depending on the number of days you are hiking for. Your clothes should be resistant to absorbing water (i.e not jeans) and it is better to take a number of thin jumpers than a thick jumper. Also please remember 80% of heat is lost through your head – so a hat is a must. In addition most importantly buy some good quality waterproof gear. A good raincoat (not thin) and waterproof leggings is essential to keeping dry and safe on a hike. This hiking gear is very important for a hike.

All amazing!

Give ’em a try.

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