Travel to EC

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Arranging Your Travel Within Ecuador

You can fly in to Quito or to Guayaquil. You might prefer the capital of Ecuador, Quito, rather than Guayaquil for some sightseeing before or after your stay in Guadalupe.
The new airport in Quito is almost 2 hours away from the city and the taxi ride costs about $ 30 which might be a reason for some to fly into Guayaquil.
If you have a short turn over from the international to the domestic flight, we suggest that you do not go into the city of Quito but stay close to the airport in the Tababela in the Hosteria San Carlos for example (more see here below)
As you are considering buying your flight ticket to Ecuador, please, take in consideration that you will need a domestic flight either from Quito to Loja or from Guayaquil to Loja. Important for you to know is that on Sundays there are no domestic flights from Guayaquil to Loja, whereas you will have domestic flights seven days a week from Quito to Loja.

Upon landing, proceed first to Immigration. You will be asked for your passport and the completed Immigration form, which you will have received in the airplane prior to landing.
Then proceed to baggage claim.
Your will be asked for the Customs form which you will also have received in the plane.
All your bags must be placed on the conveyor belt and passed through the x-ray machine.
Upon exiting the airport you will be asked to show the baggage claim tickets which are typically attached to your boarding pass when you checked in for your flight.
If you arrive in Quito at the new airport in Tababela, the taxi ride from the airport is about one hour and a half. The price for the taxi should be about 30 US-Dollars. You also can take a bus for $ 8 and will drop you off in the Quito at the site of the old airport. From there you can take a taxi to your hotel.

International flights arrive usually too late in the day to make a domestic flight connection. Therefore you will have to stay in most cases overnight in Quito or in Guayaquil. There are many hotels that can be booked online. If necessary, ask P. Jorge for suggestions. More...

From Quito (or Guayaquil) to Guadalupe it is still a long way to go. You have two choices:
- The bus takes 12-15 hours, approx. $30 one way
- 1 hour domestic flight, approx. $95 one way (with discount)
Most people take the plane.

By bus, take a taxi to the main bus terminal in the south of Quito and buy a ticket to either Loja or Zamora. Then you will have to switch buses and buy a second ticket to Guadalupe, which can be purchased at the terminal or on the bus.
By plane, TAME is the only airline. P. Jorge can book your flight about two months in advance, for a discounted price (approx. $95). He needs your name as it is in your passport, and your passport number. Or send a scanned copy.

The TAME online system does usually not allow non-ecuadorian debit cards. So, you are in most cases not able to book the flight online.
TAME uses the e-ticket system, so you will only need to show your passport at the airport. Print the flight itinerary that P. Jorge will email to you and have it with you, just in case.

Please reimburse P. Jorge for the ticket after arriving in Guadalupe. US dollars in cash is preferable.

The airport in Loja/Catamayo is the best option for volunteers to come to Guadalupe coming either from Quito or from Guayaquil.

From Loja/Catamayo airport, you have two options: taxi or public bus.
Taxi: this can be arranged by P. Jorge so that a taxi will pick you up at the airport in Loja/Catamayo and bring you directly to Guadalupe; cost: about $ 60.00.
Bus: first take a taxi from the airport in Loja/Catamayo to the bus terminal in Loja; cost: $ 20.00 but if you share the ride with others, then the price is split amongs all passengers. From the bus terminal in Loja you take public buses to Zamora and finally to Guadalupe.

P. Jorge can book your return flight to Quito for you after you arrive. Because of the possibility of canceled flights due to weather, plan to return the day before your international flight. You will therefore need to stay overnight in Quito again.
You might want to take advantage of an extra day to sightsee in Quito, or to visit the markets to the north in Otavalo, Cotacachi and San Antonio, close to Ibarra.
There are some nice, reasonably priced hotels and good restaurants in the La Mariscal tourist district of Quito. You can shop for gifts at the La Mariscal Craft Market, between Reina Victoria & Juan Leon Mera (closed on Sundays). The airport also has several tourist shops with local crafts, though prices are higher.

Friendly Hostels Community
Very recomendable is the website which shows excellent hostels to stay overnight. More...
Hostal Zentrum ($ 8 up to $30 include a good breakfast at any hour in the morning, the owner - foto on right - Gerd Jakobsen speaks German)
José Murillo E4-18 y 9 de Octubre, Quito
Website, , Phone: ++ 593 (0) 2 252 6263
Hostería San Carlos in Tababela
10 minutes away from the new airport in Quito. This might be a good place to stay if you arrive late in Quito and will have the connection flight the next morning.
Justo Cuello s/n y Pedro Vicente Maldonado
Website, , Phone: 0 994 258 261, 0 992 795 461
Cometa Travel
Jorge Juan N30-110 y Cuero Caicedo
Website, Telefax: ++593 (0) 2 256 3857, 02 290 5459
Hotel Sebastian (With breakfast about $75)
Calle Diego de Almagro 822 y Calle Cordero, Quito
Website, , Phone: ++ 593 (2) 222 2400
Hostal La Rábida (about $ 75)
La Rábida 227 y Sta. María
Website, , Phone: ++ 593 (0) 2 222 2169
Posada Tambuca
Luis Cordero E2-19 y Ulpiano Paez, Quito
Website, , Phone: ++593 (0)2 222 7367

Friendly Hostels Community
Very recomendable is the website which shows excellent hostels to stay overnight. More...
Airport Hotel ($ 69 in cluding taxes and breakfast)
Avenida de las Americas y Calle A (frente al Aeropuerto de Guayaquil)
Guayaquil – Ecuador
Website, Phone: ++ 593 (0) 4 371 0165 or 239 2966

In order to avoid unpleasant experiences, please, read and take serious the following recommendations.