We are excited to announce that next month we’ll be heading to South America, yet again! We’re flying into Guayaquil, Ecuador and 19 days later, leaving out of Bogota, Colombia. And between that, I don’t have much of an idea exactly what we are doing.
Blue-footed Booby in the Galapagos | Flickr: Ndecam
The primary intent of our trip is to fulfill one of our shared dreams, to see the Galapagos Islands, the unique and diverse ecosystems that inspired Charles Darwin. We have points to use, so we aren’t paying much for the flight, but otherwise, the Galapagos is an expensive destination so we’re looking for ways to save money. We don’t often do organized tours, but at the Galapagos, it’s essential! You need to take boats between the island to visit the various environments, and tours are quite pricey.
One recommendation we’ve heard is to not book a tour of the islands in advance. Wait until you get to Ecuador and try to arrange something last-minute from the cities of Quito or Guayaquil. As the tour companies have spots to fill (especially in off-peak season) you can get some pretty substantial discounts. So, that’s what we are planning to do. It’s a little scary, leaving something like that to the last minute, but I’m confident something will work out!
Bogota, Colombia | Flickr: szeke
Everything else is up in the air, though I’ve heard the highland villages and the Amazon regions of Ecuador are worth visiting, and Cartagena, Colombia is beautiful. But I don’t know really. The more I travel, the less I plan in advance. If you have any tips for us, let us know in the comments!
So the other day, I realized that I haven’t left the US since July of last year. That troubled me so instead of spending Christmas in CA, I will be heading to Iceland. No plans for me either. I’ll probably book a few nights in a hostel and reach out to the CouchSurfing community. P.S. I’m jealous of your upcoming South America adventures.
It shouldn’t trouble you, you’ve been all over the computer doing interesting things! But I’m excited about your Iceland trip, I’ve always wanted to go there!
Blue shoes… Booby’s got blue shoes 🙂
Haha, nice! 🙂 They are such gorgeous birds! This is the best shot I took of them on that trip: https://everintransit.com/guide-to-galapagos-birds/