Samari Spa Resort

Great holiday in Ecuador

Ecuador was a fantastic adventure: welcoming friendly people, beautiful landscapes and amazing wildlife. To fit in two cities, the Andes, the Amazon, the cloud forest and the Galapagos Islands into a 16 day trip on a seamless itinerary was a fantastic solution provided by Sophie at JLA and we enjoyed every aspect.

GE, Glasgow

Excellent service

From the moment we were picked up, (on time) from our hotel in Quito, to the moment we were left at the departure lounge in the airport in Baltra, the organisation and punctuality of everything was impeccable. As residents in South America this was a very pleasant surprise!

TP, Lima

Hard to pick one highlight when there were so many superlatives. The scenery in Ecuador was spectacular. The Devil's Nose train ride was great fun. Snorkelling with sea turtles, penguins, sea lions and marine iguanas in the Galapagos was simply a-m-a-z-i-n-g !

JB, Newcastle

Highlight?: Galapagos Islands

RN, London

Quito is a fabulous city with residents that seem to be pleased to see you, really helpful if you make just a little effort to address them in Spanish. Ecuador is a wonderful country with much to see and do so often overlooked by those seeking to visit South America and that I now know is a big mistake.

DW, Lingfield

Most Memorable Moment?: Very hard to say! Loved Hacienda Venecia, and Napo, and Bellavista, and the Avenue of the Volcanoes. 

DL, London

Ecuador is perhaps a most underrated country for a great visitor experience. The people are great and helpful and, for anyone with an interest in the natural world, there is so much variety to see and enjoy. 

IB

Surpassed expectations

We had a wonderful time… we thought the guides we had were among the best we have known anywhere; we went for the Galápagos and would admit to mainland Ecuador being a bit of an “add on”, but we thought it was fabulous and would return - Quito was so much better than we expected.

PW, Lambeth

Most memorable experiences: Galapagos snorkeling at Devils Crown and the inland lagoon; walk on Fernandina; mountain bikes and trek at Cotopaxi.

JG, Sevenoaks

It was all brilliant, we expected the Galapagos to be the highlight, but all the other trips were as good in different ways. All the Ecuadorians encountered at hotels, restaurants, shops, etc could not do enough to help, and they did it with a smile. 

AH, Eastleigh

Briliant

It was all brilliant, we expected the Galapagos to be the highlight, but all the other trips were as good in different ways. All the Ecuadorians encountered at hotels, restaurants, shops, etc could not do enough to help, and they did it with a smile.

AH, Eastleigh

Two parts: Seeing cotopaxi and the surrounding area for the first time, and stepping off the boat onto floreana and having to avoid sea lions and iguana, magical.

HT, Conwy

Highlight?: The trek up the Chimborazo with mountaineering legend will live with us forever!!

TT, Bolton

Highlight?: The Napo Lodge experience.   It exceeded our expectations and we were very lucky to have dry weather.

HB, Todmorden

Avenue of the Volcanoes was superb plus swimming with sea lions and penguins.

JK, Sheffield

Ecuador is a wonderful country with much to see and do so often overlooked by those seeking to visit South America and that I now know is a big mistake. 

DW, Lingfield

Most memorable experiences: Snorkelling with huge sea turtles and iguanas whilst they were feeding with sea lions, penguins and flightless cormorants also coming to join in the party.

LA, London

It was all amazing to use an overworked word, but (i) the Cotopaxi days (train plus condors plus steaming volcano) was extraordinary, and (ii) encountering the Galapagos Islands and their unique wildlife were memorable - but so was the whole trip!

JL, Winchester

Waking up at Hacienda Porvenir and being able to see the sun rising near Cotopaxi. Being in the Galapagos once again and seeing all the wildlife - such a unique experience.

JB, Edinburgh

We had a wonderful holiday to Quito and Galapagos with Journey Latin America. We just wish it had been longer!

HS, W4

Most Memorable Moment?: Drving up Mt. Cotopaxi and watching a Gaucho chase a cow riding a horse at the gallop whilst trying to lassoe it on a cobbled road,...some rider!  The Papallacto hot baths.The basket ride across the canyion south of Banos.

NBH, Watchet

The Galapagos was as expected beautiful and interesting but we were pleasantly surprised by the visits to the rose plantation and panama hat factory which turned out far more interesting than we had expected. also the scenery in mainland Ecuador was breath-taking at times.

MW, London

Loved it

Ecuador is perhaps a most underrated country for a great visitor experience. The people are great and helpful and, for anyone with an interest in the natural world, there is so much variety to see and enjoy.

IB, Kendal

We had a wonderful time…we thought the guides we had were among the best we have known anywhere; we went for the Galapagos and would admit to mainland Ecuador being a bit of an “add on”, but we thought it was fabulous and would return-Quito was so much better than we expected

PW, Lambeth

Highlights:- “Quito celebrating their anniversary of independence. All the Haciendas we visited were full of history and interesting in different ways .Las Cajas and getting up into the high Andes was great”

GW, Truro

Most memorable experience: "Where to start? Huge evening skies on the Napo river, pulling out of Chimbacalle station on the Tren Crucero in a cacophony of whistling and hooting; the Devil's nose, swimming with penguins, sharks and sea lions. The moment on the Tren Crucero when our guide wanted to reassure us, You may have heard that Cotopaxi has been erupting recently, don't worry, it's all under control. The library in the Hacienda Zuleta; Firefly larvae in the dark on Limoncocha; smoking a cigar in the garden of Hacienda La Cienega - its's hard to keep a cigar alight in the thin Andean air, but you can pretend to be Alaxander von Humbolt."

DH, Portsmouth

Probably the Tren Crucero (was the top experience) but too many highlights to mention.

SB, Cambourne

Ecuador Highlights: Seeing hummingbirds & humpback whales, summiting the Pasochoa peak with Kristian, Quilotoa Volcano Lake, Quito cable car ride, the Las Cajas Park walks with Wilson. 

PJR

Everyone was very concious of preserving water and not littering - it seems part of everyday life in Ecuador

KK, Belfast

Ecuador was a fantastic adventure: welcoming friendly people, beautiful landscapes and amazing wildlife. To fit in two cities, the Andes, the Amazon, the cloud forest and the Galapagos islands into a 16 day trip on a seamless itinerary was a fantastic solution provided by Sophie at JLA and we enjoyed every aspect.

GE, Glasgow