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Hostal Mama Hilda

Hostel Mama Hilda

Mama Hilda is a cosy countryside guesthouse suitable for walkers in the Ecuadorian Andes which offers a friendly welcome in a family atmosphere.

Hostal Situated in Chugchilan, which is the oldest settlement in the area and home to only 30 full time residents, Mama Hilda is a modest hostel where walkers and other visitors to this peaceful countryside will be met with an authentic and friendly welcome.

The rooms are basic in terms of décor and amenities but cosy, with some having an open fireplace.  Food is home-cooked and served in a communal dining room, with most dishes created on the premises: fresh pasta and desserts are provided by the Italian monastery just down the road.

A separate building on the property has been refurbished with locally crafted furnishings as a spacious bar/lounge with cable TV and a reading room with expansive views of the valley.  Part of the hostel’s charm is that it is family-run: only a little English is spoken but the service is warm.

Bartolome, Galápagos

What our clients say

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

    JK, Sheffield Feb 2015
  • 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…

    TP, Lima May 2013
  • Most memorable experiences: Galapagos snorkeling at Devils Crown and the inland lagoon; walk on Fernandina; mountain bikes and trek at Cotopaxi.

    JG, Sevenoaks Aug 2015
  • 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…

    DH, Portsmouth Jun 2015
  • 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…

    GE, Glasgow Oct 2026
  • Most Memorable Moment?: Very hard to say! Loved Hacienda Venecia, and Napo, and Bellavista, and the Avenue of the Volcanoes. 

    DL, London May 2017
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Our Expert's Opinion

Sallly
Sally Watkins - Travel Expert

A former Journey Latin America tour leader, Sally spent 7 years working, travelling and living throughout Latin America before returning to the UK to help people arrange their own adventures to this wonderful destination.

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Bartolome, Galápagos

Meet our team

Real Latin american experts

  • JLA
    Julia Golden - Travel Expert

    Julia’s passion for Latin America was sparked during an unforgettable year-long journey that began in Brazil and continued all the way to Mexico. Along the way, she experienced the continent in many different ways, from vibrant cities and remote villages to breathtaking landscapes and hidden natural wonders. Exploring such a diverse range of destinations gave her a deep appreciation for the region’s cultures, people and scenery, and inspired her love of creating memorable travel experiences for others.

  • Sophie
    Sophie Barber - Travel Expert

    Sophie lived in Chile before joining us and has travelled extensively across Latin America, from Mexico to the furthest tip of Patagonia and beyond to Antarctica.

  • Sallly
    Sally Watkins - Travel Expert

    A former Journey Latin America tour leader, Sally spent 7 years working, travelling and living throughout Latin America before returning to the UK to help people arrange their own adventures to this wonderful destination.

  • Heloise
    Heloise Buxton - Travel Expert

    Heloise started her Latin American journey as an exchange student in Santiago, Chile. With extended summer holidays this was the perfect opportunity to backpack through Bolivia, Peru, Argentina and Brazil.

  • Chris
    Chris Rendell-Dunn - Travel Expert

    Anglo-Peruvian Chris grew up in Lima and spent much of his adult life in between London and Cusco as a tour leader, before settling permanently in our London-based Tailor-made and Group Tours sales team.

  • Hannah
    Hannah Waterhouse - Travel Expert

    Hannah had an early introduction to Latin America when her family moved to Ecuador and she returned to study in Buenos Aires for a year before backpacking across the continent.

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