Ecuador Road Trip | Starting from Quito

My original plan was to travel throughout Ecuador on my own, but several factors, including the weight of my suitcase and my limited Spanish, sent me on another path. After several emails back and forth with Dennis at Guanguiltagua Expeditions, I was all set with a 4-wheel drive vehicle and driver for a 25 day road trip. I happily settled on dry land at the Hotel de La Rábida in Quito upon my return from the Galapagos, and enjoyed two nights in a quiet little room next to the courtyard guarded by the bunny named Brownie.

Before leaving Quito we made a couple of stops to view the city. Even with poor visibility, the views were amazing.

View from the Teleferico cable car

Panecillo hill with the statue of the Virgin of Quito

One of the beautiful windows inside the statue of the Virgin

From there we visited the Real Equatorial Line at the Museo De Sitio Intinan, where I tried walking a straight line on the equator and saw other theories tested – such as water spinning in different ways south & north from the Equator. A little “touristy” for my taste, but fun to see anyway. It was kinda cool to get my passport stamped at latitude 0.

Balancing an egg on a nail at the equator

Enjoyed another restful night at Hotel de La Rábida where I said goodbye to Brownie and the other friends I met there (including a couple from Madison, Wisconsin – can you believe it?) David, my driver & tour guide, arrived with the vehicle and we headed north from Quito.

Cathy Fitzgerald

Cathy Fitzgerald is a certified life coach and business mentor who helps women create thriving studios, meaningful work, and lives they genuinely love. With decades of experience as a dance studio owner, yoga studio co-founder, photographer, and creative entrepreneur, she brings a blend of strategy, mindset, and soulful guidance to every coaching conversation.

Through Cathy Fitz Coaching, she supports yoga and dance studio owners in growing profitable, sustainable businesses — and she also works with women seeking clarity, confidence, and direction in their personal lives and next chapters. Her approach is warm, practical, and deeply rooted in helping women build a life that supports their well-being, purpose, and joy.

When she’s not coaching, Cathy is usually spending time with her husband Bill, taking a yoga class, hanging out with family and friends, or exploring and photographing the beauty of northern Michigan.

https://www.cathyfitz.com
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Ecuador Road Trip | Quito to Otavalo

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If You Could Talk To The Animals | Galapagos Ecuador