Another key destination in our upcoming adventure is Quito, the capital city of Ecuador, which is one of the first two World Cultural Heritage Sites declared by UNESCO in 1978. Quito is the highest capital city in the world at an altitude of 9,350 feet and is the closest capital city to the equator, with the outskirts of the city less than a kilometer away from zero latitude. The city is built on a plateau alongside the Pichincha Volcano, which last erupted in 1999, and is ringed by a series of snow-capped volcanoes – including Cotopaxi and Cayambe to the East. The Tungurahua Volcano, is the most active in Ecuador. The photo below shows the most recent eruption, as seen from Quito, on March 4, 2016. (This has been a very active seismological year, with the major earthquake that soon afterward caused major destruction in Guayaquil and the surrounding area.) During our stay, we plan to be riding on horseback to Cayambe Volcano.
We will be making two visits to Quito, both before and after our Galapagos cruise. Our first visit, in late September, will be at the end of the four months that are considered “summer”, and our second visit, in early October, will be at the beginning of the eight months that are considered “winter.” When the sun is shining, due to the high elevation, the UV index can be as high as 24 (just when you thought that the scale ends at 10!), so we will be packing (and using) plenty of sunblock. Other than our initial flight into Guayaquil and our subsequent drive to Quito, we will be flying in and out of the new international airport that was opened in 2013.
Our first visit to Quito will be at the end of an adventurous drive from Guayaquil, on the Pacific coast, which will take us along the ocean and through national parks, with stays in cloud forest reserves near Mindo and Cayambe. (More on those in future posts.) We will be guests at the Carlota Boutique Hotel, located in the historic old city, during our first stay in Quito. This will serve as a convenient access point to explore the city’s many historical, architectural and culinary wonders. Upon our return from the Galapagos Islands, we will be staying at the El Crater Hotel, perched high above the city at the edge of the Pululahua volcanic crater. The views from El Crater are said to be spectacular, with the hotel’s restaurant drawing in guests from far and wide.