Review: Mount Chimborazo Mountain Biking Tour by Tom Shearman on 22nd May, 2025 Mount Chimborazo Mountain Biking Tour. It had been two decades since I’d done any downhill mountain biking. Fortunately, a comeback ride MTBing down Ecuador’s highest volcano would quickly bring back the joyous thrill of downhill mountain biking, the closest I’ll ever feel to a condor swooping through the skies. Mountain Biking Chimborazo …
Best Time to Visit Ecuador: Weather & Seasons by Kat Dougal on 11th March, 2025 Best time to visit Ecuador explained. When is the best time to visit Ecuador? Ecuador is a year-round travel destination thanks to its location on the equator. That said, its weather is best defined by region. Many of its Andean mountain ranges have their own micro-climates. The best time to visit Ecuador and its diverse …
A Review of Ecuador’s Best Cloud Forest Lodges by Kat Dougal on 7th March, 2025 Finding Ecuador’s best cloud forest lodges Ecuador’s cloud forest is a magnet for those searching for wildlife, bird watching and the elusive spectacled bear. Ecuador is blessed with many sustainable eco-lodges nestled in the misty cloud forests. These lodges are fantastic bases for exploring the cloud forest’s flora and fauna. Each lodge often has specific …
Trekking in Ecuador by Kathy Jarvis on 16th December, 2024 Hiking Ideas: The Best Trekking in Ecuador Kathy and her son, Lewis, trekked in Ecuador, where they explored some of the walks on our lodge-to-lodge Ecuador trekking trips. 4-day lodge-to-lodge hike Extended 13-day lodge-to-lodge hike Trekking in Ecuador Ecuador is a land of dramatic landscapes and extreme contrasts, and we think walkers often overlook …
Top 10 Things to do in Ecuador by Tom Shearman on 11th December, 2024 Top 10 Things To Do In Ecuador Our travel experts give their Top 10 things to do in Ecuador. The Top 10 things to do in Ecuador are as varied as the country itself. Ecuador offers a breathtaking variety of outdoor adventures, culture, and landscapes within its easily accessed attractions. Ecuador’s world-famous travel highlights are …
Travel Review of Mindo Cloud Forest Lodge, Ecuador by Tom Shearman on 29th November, 2024 Where is Mindo Cloud Forest? The town of Mindo lies in the cloud forest north of Quito. It is a small, relaxed place that boasts a range of cafes and restaurants. More importantly, it lies in one of Ecuador’s most beautiful cloud forest areas. Mindo Cloud Forest Adventure We asked Andean Trails’ Kat about …
The Best Snorkel Sites in the Galapagos Islands by Tom Shearman on 25th November, 2024 Galapagos Islands’ Best Snorkel Sites Want to know the best snorkelling sites in the Galapagos Islands? This guide will help identify the top spots, including those only available to guests on Galapagos cruises. Without a doubt, snorkelling around the Galapagos Islands is a true highlight of any Galapagos holiday. An abundance of curious and beautiful …
Guide to Tipping in Ecuador and Galapagos by Kat Dougal on 24th September, 2024 How Much to Tip in Ecuador and Galapagos Andean Trails’ Ecuador and Galapagos tipping guide. Want to know how much to tip in Ecuador and Galapagos? This guide helps you understand why people tip when visiting and how much to leave. Do I Need to Tip in Ecuador and Galapagos? Tipping may seem alien …
Galapagos Cruise Ship Categories: How to Choose by Tom Shearman on 30th August, 2024 The Galapagos Islands— and Galapagos cruise ships—offer visitors the chance to get close to incredible and tame wildlife, on land and in the sea, among a backdrop of dramatic volcanic landscapes. The islands are a living laboratory, marrying preservation and conservation to create life-changing holidays. This year-round destination’s ever-changing seasons ensure every visit is spectacular, …
Travelling To and Around the Galapagos Islands by Gill Christie on 7th July, 2024 Travelling to and around the Galapagos Islands You’ve booked your cruise or land-based trip to the amazing Galapagos Islands. But you still have a few questions about how to fly there and what you need to do at the airport before you check in for your Galapagos flight. This guide to travelling around the Galapagos …
Galapagos Islands Travel Update by Tom Shearman on 31st May, 2024 Galapagos Islands Travel Update, May 2024 The increasing popularity of the Galapagos Islands keeps it at the top of many people’s must-visit lists. The Galapagos Park Authorities is responding to the boom, particularly hotel-based trips, by doubling the park entry to $200 per person from 1 August 2024. The entry fees have increased for the first …
Finding Five Species of Toucans in Mindo Cloud Forest, Ecuador by Tom Shearman on 25th March, 2024 See the five Toucans in Mindo, Ecuador. “With luck, you’ll spot all five Toucans in Mindo’s cloud forest in the next 72 hours.” My guide’s optimism felt as fragile and light as the mosses wisping around a nearby lichenous Ocotea tree. Still, it was 05.30, and the morning light was bringing clarity to an increasingly …
Ecuador’s best lodge-to-lodge hiking tour by Gill Christie on 14th March, 2024 Our lodge-to-lodge hiking tour offers the best trekking in Ecuador in comfort. Ecuador is one of the best Andean countries for trekking and day walks. On this lodge-to-lodge hiking tour, you experience fabulous expansive mountain vistas and volcanoes wherever you look. Enjoy views over deeply carved valleys, vast plains and a picturesque patchwork of fields. …
Amazon Rainforest Know Before You Go Travel Guide by Kathy Jarvis on 28th September, 2023 Amazon rainforest know before you go travel guide: enjoy a life-enhancing adventure. Our Amazon rainforest travel guide takes the pressure out of planning your Amazon visit. You’ll find what you need to know before you go with these travel tips. We cover everything from the big questions like when to go to the details like …
What Do I Need To Know Before Going on a Galapagos Cruise? by Tom Shearman on 15th September, 2023 A Galapagos Cruise is a once-in-a-lifetime adventure. Follow Charles Darwin’s footsteps through a wildlife-rich and dramatic volcanic landscape. So take the pressure out of planning your Galapagos cruise with these travel tips. You’ll find everything you need to know before you go to this paradise. We’ll cover everything from the big questions like when to …
Cotopaxi Lodge to Lodge Trek: a Traveller’s Review by Kat Dougal on 1st June, 2023 Trekking in the foothills of Cotopaxi Return customers Patti McCarthy and her family recently travelled with Andean Trails around Ecuador and shared their experiences of trekking the Lodge to Lodge trek in Cotopaxi National Park with us. Up close to the mighty Cotopaxi Mountain weather is notoriously unsettled and unpredictable, but the volcano Cotopaxi is …
Meet Gill Christie, South America Travel Expert by Tom Shearman on 6th March, 2023 Meet Gill Christie… Gill is the latest travel expert to join the Andean Trails team. Find out more about Gill, her passion for travel, and seeing the bright side of early morning hoof soup. How did you catch the travel bug? I fell in love with travelling as a teenager, starting with Interrailing around …
Amazon Rainforest Travel Guide by Tom Shearman on 1st March, 2023 The Amazon rainforest is the world’s most famous wildlife habitat. This iconic forest covers 6.7 million square kilometres, making it twice the size of India, and spans eight countries. Some 10% of all species on planet earth live in the Amazon, and more than two million indigenous people call this rainforest their home. Join them, canoeing …
Galapagos Animals: Wildlife Spotting Tips and Checklist by Tom Shearman on 13th February, 2023 Galapagos animals help make the Galapagos Islands unique. Tame wildlife on land and sea makes it the perfect destination for nature enthusiasts, photographers, and families. Fascinating animals share their dramatic volcanic landscapes with visitors, often pulling photogenic poses while they check out their human guests. Every Galapagos island has flora and fauna distinct from their …
Galaxy Galapagos Cruise Review by Tom Shearman on 25th January, 2023 Choosing the right cruise for your Galapagos holiday is always tricky, so we do our best to see the boats we sell. Kat decided she was up for writing a Galaxy Galapagos cruise review. It was a sacrifice, but Kat was lucky enough to recently cruise the Galapagos Islands on the lovely Galaxy. Here’s her …
