Make sure to go see the towering volcanoes above Ibarra

Those volunteering in Ecuador for an extended period of time should find plenty of opportunities to explore the country. Whether your preference lies on or off the beaten path, Ecuador has something for everyone, no matter your physical shape, time or budget. Here are some recommendations of things to do in this beautiful, diverse country:

1. Visit the hot springs of Papallacta: Just a couple of hours away from Quito, Termas de Papallacta makes for a relaxing day trip from the city. For $7, you can soak in the thermal baths here, while watching hummingbirds buzz around in the surrounding vegetation. For those with a bit more cash, an overnight stay is recommended.
2. Whale-watching on the Pacific Coast: During the months of June to September, humpback whales can be spotted along the coast off Ecuador. Puerto López is a sleepy coastal town from which tours can be arranged to see these majestic animals breaching the water.
3. Quilotoa Loop: For an exciting three-day trip from Quito, visit the remote Quilotoa Loop. Challenging to reach by public transport, the area boasts outstanding natural beauty, a spectacular crater lake, excellent hiking and horseback riding, and a chance to peek into the lives of the colorful local indigenous communities.
4. Maquipucuna: Animal lovers will especially enjoy this eco-lodge, set amid pristine cloud forest and surrounded by spectacular wildlife. In the summer months, the rare spectacled bear can even be spotted! 
5. Iñaquito Market: Typifying traditional local life in the capital city, the bustling Iñaquito market in the north of Quito is a true cultural experience. Come here to buy your local groceries, sample some regional food, or just walk around and take in its sights and sounds.
6. Baños: If you love outdoor activities or nightlife, Baños is the spot for you. During the day, indulge in biking, rafting, rappelling or hiking. At night, hit up the town’s buzzing local night spots. If you’re lucky, you may even get a glimpse of the highly active Tungarahua volcano.
7. Catch the Symphonic Orchestra in Quito: For an evening of fine classical music and the chance to see the best musical talent Ecuador has to offer for only $5-10, head to Casa de la Música. Some events are even free. Check out upcoming events here.


Looking for gifts to bring home from Ecuador? Check out the Otavalo market north of Quito!

8. Climb the mighty Cotopaxi Volcano: Not for the fainthearted, a climb up one of the highest active volcanoes on Earth, Cotopaxi, starts at midnight and takes approximately five to seven hours to summit. It should be undertaken with a licensed guide. Biking downhill from the refuge is also an option.
9. Otavalo Market: Shop until you drop at one of the largest artisan markets in South America. On early Saturday mornings, head slightly out of town to the animal market for some great photographic opportunities. The indigenous market in the center of town (Plaza de Ponchos) is there every day, but Saturday is the busiest day of the week and has the most variety. For those that cannot get to Otavalo, the Mercado Artesanal on Jorge Washington in Quito has a similar range of products.
10. Explore the Jumandy Caves : Close to the jungle towns of Archidona and Tena, the Jumandy Caves can be visited daily. Tours include swimming by flashlight through the dark caverns and plunging into deep pools.

This experience got me thinking about all the counsel and support I’ve given and received since I started my volunteer experience and travels in South America.  As my trip is winding down, I wanted to share with La Vida Idealist how great people can be.

• Before I left New York, friends and family helped me support my trip as I had to pay my own way.  I threw a successful fundraiser at my house and received an amazing amount of support, both psychological and monetary.
• Neighbors have taken care of my kitties when my husband came to visit me.


Celebrating San Antonio de Abad in Caquiaviri with my new Bolivian friend and her family

• New Peruvian and Bolivian friends have invited me to their hometown festivals and homes for dinner.  In turn, I have invited travelers to stay at my house in New York.
• I’ve been a tour guide and resource to a constant stream of visitors in Peru and Bolivia and could probably run a tour agency by now.
• I’ve introduced some of my Bolivian and Peruvian friends to places they have never been before (of course not as many as they have introduced to me, but I have contributed my share!)
• People have crashed on my couch and generous CouchSurfers and friends have let me stay on theirs when I’m in their cities.
• I have translated the comments of Spanish-speaking guides for family, friends and random other travelers.  In turn, my Peruvian and Bolivian friends have helped me when I didn’t understand.
• I have lent money to travelers who could have otherwise been stranded and they have always repaid.  My friend’s parents bought me lunch after my ATM card got eaten by a bank in Cusco and I couldn’t afford to pay the bill.
• Friends and family have brought bring items from the U.S. for fellow travelers (a credit card, climbing gear, tea) and myself.
• A really nice Bolivian guy took me to see Cristo Blanco (a large statue of Jesus Christ above the city of Cochabamba) when people advised me that it wasn’t safe to walk alone.  He also helped me buy bus tickets on the way back.
• A travel agency with nothing to gain (since I couldn’t buy what they were offering) still offered me a ton of tips and in the end, a much cheaper journey.

Volunteering and living abroad has been an amazing  treasure trove of cultures, points of view, resources and new friends.  I’ve had so many amazing people experiences in the last six months and I’m so grateful for that.  I hope you have these experiences too.

Moral of the story: Travel with good karma!

Do you have any good travel karma stories?  Please share in the comments!

One of the strangest (and sometimes dangerous) things that happens to me when I travel is that, as soon as I overcome the fear of releasing the comforts of home and board the plane, I magically lose all inhibitions.   On my first volunteer trip, to East Africa in 2007, I was newly engaged to be married and about to go to Uganda and Tanzania – alone – for nearly three months.  It was not easy at all, and trust me, I’m no tougher than the next girl.  In fact, I still remember very vividly saying goodbye to my now-husband Matt, at LAX, in tears as an unimaginable aura of anxiety consumed the both of us.  If you had told me in that moment that four weeks later, I would step foot in the most volatile and war-torn part of the D.R. Congo, a region called North Kivu, to go see the endangered mountain gorillas at Virungas National Park, I would have frozen with disbelief.  But being so far removed, living in southwestern Uganda, it didn’t seem like a big deal at the time.  A week after my quick trip in and out of the DRC, the BBC ran a cover story on several gorillas that were killed by rebels in that very same national park.  The killings had taken place the day after I left.

To get to Ayacucho, Peru, in the Central Andes, is a nine-hour nauseating bus ride from Lima that is absolutely not for the faint of heart.  It can be done overnight, which is what most people do.  I myself have made the trip six times now.  But if you told me I had to get on a nine-hour windy bus from San Diego six times in two months, I would be on Expedia searching for flight alternatives faster than you could say ‘let go of comfort.’

These two stories illustrate what I treasure the most about living abroad.  Something happens to my mind where I just let go of any premonitions or habits I was in, and roll with it.  I think that’s when you see personal transformations start to happen.  You really don’t have to go sky-diving or eat guinea pig.  If you break your norms in any way, you are transforming the way in which you see things, sometimes without even being aware of it.  And it’s an addiction to that learning which keeps me stepping on planes, pushing myself further, even as I’m scared senseless about taking the leap and letting go of home.