My best friend was visiting for 10 days so we wanted to do something that would allow us to take part in Carnaval activities, and also make the most of her time to see Ecuador. We decided on the jungle because it provided the perfect opportunity for both. From Quito we caught a bus south to Tena, and from Tena we caught a taxi to the (normally) sleepy town of Misahuallí. Our lodge was about 25 minutes by taxi-truck from town (suchipakari.com, locally owned and operated). Upon arrival we grabbed a quick lunch before heading down to the river, conveniently named the Misahuallí River, a tributary to the Amazon. From this part of the jungle we could: take a canoe tour to visit local communities, visit an animal refuge, go rafting, take jungle hikes, or sample locally made chocolate!

I’ve been living in Ecuador now for six months, and since well before I got here I’d been hearing great things about the Quilotoa Loop in Cotopaxi Province. My boyfriend came to visit, so this past week I finally made the trip and was taken aback by the beauty of the area, valley after valley. The loop takes you into the backcountry, with surreal views, quaint villages and friendly locals. Cody and I agreed, it was the most scenic drive either of us have ever been on! The rumors I’d been hearing for months are true.

Best Market in South America: Otavalo. You’re thinking to yourself, “wow, that is a bold statement.” To be honest, I generally try and stay away from big statements, but in this case, I believe it, and so I’ll say it again, Otavalo is the best market in South America. First, the Otavalo market is full of artisanal goods, made locally by indigenous groups. Second, the market is located in shadow of the Imbabura Volcano (don’t worry, it hasn’t erupted in over 14,000 years), so the views are spectacular.