AndesTransit

GUAYAQUIL-HUAQUILLAS

So, maybe you've had enough of the big city in Guayaquil and are looking for a nice escape without going too far. If so, this route will do the trick, and you can do as much or all of it as you wish.

Just "around the corner" from Guayaquil on the road to Machala is the Reserva Ecologica Manglares-Churute, a national park protecting the fragile mangrove ecosystem and its habitat, including a wide variety of water fowl, reptiles, and even dolphins. You can get off the bus to trailheads at various points near the communities of La Flora and El Mango, but it's best to ask the bus driver to let you off at the Centro de Informacion Churute. There is a trail that takes you through dry forest and also to the large duck nesting lake Laguna Canción (Song Lake). Read More...

BOGOTA-YOPAL

With Colombia's internal conflicts diminishing, travelers are rediscovering much more of the country that was previously off-limits. A great example is the fabulous Colombia Llano (the plains), which is the home to terrific rodeos, beautiful wide open spaces, and experiences of unique cuisine. This route is actually a loop, so you can choose to go clockwise or counter-clockwise, with Yopal being the halfway point. Going counter-clockwise, you head east from Bogota through lush green river valleys down the mountains until you empty out into Villavicencio, the gateway to the Llano, famous for its horsemen and ranching. The most popular attraction in the area is Caño Cristales, a geological wonder comprised of rainbow-colored waterfalls and pools caused by naturally occurring mineral formations. On the east side of the city is also the Bioparque Los Ocarros... Read More...

CUENCA-SALINAS

From alpine lakes to Incan ruins to the pulse of the big city, Cuenca - Salinas has something for everyone.

Take a note on this, guys. There are actually two routes west from Cuenca, but the one you want for more scenic beauty is through Las Cajas, a park of alpine trails amid stunning lagoons and lakes. Continue further west and you come to Molleturo, a small community with some quiet and lonely Inca ruins, including vestiges of a pyramid, two complexes, temple grounds, and a plaza.

Duran, just on the other side of the bridge from Guayaquil, is the place where you want to catch the train to Yaguachi, which is a feast for the eyes for bird lovers. Yaguachi is also an important local shrine for pilgrimages.

Ecuador's largest city, Guayaquil, holds much in store, but the best bets are the Riverfront (Malecón Simón Bolívar), the playful and colorful Barrio Las Peñas district, and the sprawling Parque Histórico de Guayaquil which is a world of its own urban and forest reserves. A second boardwalk (Malecon del Salado) is less touristed and popular with the university crowd. Hang out with iguanas at a park in front of the Cathedral. Read More...

PUCON - PUYEHUE

This is one of many routes you can take through Chile's enchanting woodlands and alpine forests that intentionally transport you to scenes straight out Bavaria and Switzerland, because those are the very persons who have immigrated here and their cultural icons with them to blend in with Chilean culture.

Pucon is a great place to start, and you may never leave. It is hugely popular, and beause of that, makes sure to provide an endless amount of entertainment, adventures, hikes Read More...

SANTA CRUZ-TRINIDAD

Too often I hear of travelers not even thinking there is a Bolivia east of La Paz, or a Bolivia that has a jungle. Bolivia is a HUGE country with many different climates and histories and cultures, and this route will treat you to some rich and exotic experiences that are very different from the routes of the high Andes.

This route I'm recommending is also a bit unusual in that it's neither the most straight or efficient way to get from A to B, and there are many different ways to get to Trinidad. Read More...

Featured Routes

GUAYAQUIL-HUAQUILLAS

BOGOTA-YOPAL

CUENCA-SALINAS

PUCON - PUYEHUE

SANTA CRUZ-TRINIDAD

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