Good to know before you go to Ecuador

Ecuador is a developing country and many regions still live in poverty. Although the tourism infrastructure is reasonably good and improving each year it can still be difficult at times to travel. You will often need a little patience as things tend to run on “Latino time” Buses often depart late, people often arrive late to meetings, and things generally happen more slowly and with less urgency than in other countries. The best way to deal with these differences is to look on the bright side and take each challenge as part of your travel experience. Relax and enjoy these sides of Latin culture.

Passports, Visas, and Vaccinations

Good to know before you go to Ecuador to check your passport and visas. Most countries want you to have your passport valid for at least six months covering your holiday. Also, don’t forget the name on your ticket must match the name on your passport.

Sort out your visas if you need one for the country you are visiting. It can take several days and weeks – for the embassy to issue one, so don’t leave it to the last minute and sort it out in time.

Also, be sure to check if you need vaccinations and arrange them with your doctor a few weeks before your departure date as they can take a while to take effect.

Check you have the essential documents for your holiday

No matter whether this is entry visas or your driving license, your boarding pass, or hotel confirmation, get organized and put them all together in a plastic folder so that you can find them easily when you need them.

Also, it’s helpful to make a list of useful telephone numbers, for example, emergency contact details if your mobile phone or debit or credit card is lost or stolen. Making a note of your passport number is also important in case you suddenly find yourself without it (let’s hope not). For a seamless holiday please read the information in this section of good to know before you go to Ecuador.

Ensure you know your luggage allowances:

Make sure to know your luggage allowance as over-packing and being stuck at the check-in desk at the airport i.e. something you cannot afford to start your holiday.

Make your home secure

Nothing will snap you out of finding someone who has broken into your home. So please double and triple-check doors and windows and make sure you cancel any milk or grocery deliveries. In addition, ask a family member or a trusted neighbor to regularly check on the home and remove any posts from behind your front door. You may also consider investing in light timers or CCTV cameras.

Remember that if you were to have a home break-in while you were on holiday and you had not secured your house properly, your home insurance could be deemed invalid – thus taking the good time to do this is of utmost importance.

Ensure you have valid travel insurance to cover your holiday:

Making sure you have in-date travel insurance is equally important. To get the best possible deal on travel insurance, compare policies on a comparison site to find the best one to suit your needs.

Lumle Holidays has partnered with some of the travel insurance service providers. If you check our “Holiday Essentials” section to get a quote. However, any further dealings with travel insurance are between customers and the insurance company.

Adequate and valid travel insurance that covers cancellation and curtailment due to various reasons including but not limited to government travel warnings and incidents related to force majeure (such as a war, strike, terrorism, riot, crime, hurricane, flood, earthquake, volcanic eruption and others) is compulsory for all Lumle Holidays Ltd travelers and it is a condition of Lumle Holidays Ltd accepting your booking that you have obtained adequate and valid travel insurance for your booking at the time of booking. It is your (customer’s) liability to make sure the adequate insurance above is in place as a lot of the holidays can be non-refundable once booked. Your travel insurance must also cover accidents, loss of luggage, personal effects, injury, illness, and death medical expenses, including any related to pre-existing medical conditions, emergency repatriation (including helicopter rescue and air ambulance where applicable), and personal liability. Lumle Holidays Ltd. will not refund or will not compensate you if your booking/holiday is affected by this. Liabilities of Lumle in these cases are outlined in our Terms & Conditions). Appropriate insurance is important so please read the information in this section of good to know before you go to Ecuador.

Do not forget to sort out your travel money:

Not organizing your travel money until the last minute is another mistake that could cost you a lot when you end up buying currency at an expensive conversion rate. If you are planning on taking currency, the cheapest rates will be found online, and you can either arrange for a delivery or pick up. You may check with your bank also.

If you are planning to use your credit card while on holiday, be sure to double-check with the credit card Company about overseas usage charges. Some banks do not charge for their debit/credit used abroad. To get the best value for money please read the information in this section of good to know before you go to Ecuador.

Tell your bank before you go abroad on holiday:

You must notify your bank that you are going abroad and that you may want to use your debit or credit card while you are away.

This is because any sudden overseas transaction activity can cause banks to become suspicious and without warning your card could just be declined or stopped leaving you out of pocket whilst on holiday. Also be sure to take an emergency telephone phone number to contact them, just in case.

Health Advice

Please inform us in advance of any existing medical conditions (i.e. pregnancy, diabetes, etc). Yellow fever, Hepatitis B vaccination, and Malaria Medication are recommended when traveling to the tropics. We strongly recommend that routine immunizations such as tetanus and diphtheria are up to date and to consider Hepatitis A and Typhoid vaccinations if you are traveling to the Amazon Rainforest. We strongly suggest consulting your GP before embarking on your holiday, more information can be found at https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/ecuador/health

Currency

The official currency of Ecuador is the US dollar. It is important to have cash, especially low-value bills, some of the businesses do not accept credit cards.

 Tipping

Tipping is not mandatory but generally expected because most of the service providers appreciate it as an incentive for the quality of service delivered. In most cases, a tip of $10 US dollars is accepted for your guide in Mainland Ecuador and $ 5 for your driver; however, these rates can vary when talking about the Galápagos since life in the Islands is much more expensive. In this case, we recommend a range of $10 for your naturalistic guide and $15 for your trip leader. Kindly note that these ranges are per person per day. Tipping is also standard practice in most cafes and restaurants 10% is normal.

 Shopping & Bargaining

Ecuador has many colorful markets both for handicrafts and local products. Before buying you should always bargain in price as this is the custom and the locals often try to charge extra to the tourists. There is no general guideline as to how much you should pay for any individual item you should decide how much you are willing to pay, start your offers lower than that amount, and compromise little by little trying to get the seller’s price down to your ideal price. Bargaining is fun, and a great chance to improve your Spanish while interacting with the locals! When in regular shops/malls you should pay the quoted price as it is considered rude to bargain.

Cameras & Photography

Ecuador, with its majestic landscapes and varied cityscapes, is the dream of every photographer. However, you should respect the locals and follow these simple rules when photographing them: Always ask permission before taking someone´s picture. People in remote villages often don’t like being photographed.

Etiquette & Behavior

Ecuador is one of South America´s most hospitable nations. Even in the overburdened metropolis of Quito, people are happy to give directions, chat, and ask questions. You´ll often hear “De donde vienes?” (“Where are you from?”). Ecuadorians are extremely knowledgeable and proud of the history of their country. In the cities women who know each other often greet each other with a single kiss on the cheek, while men shake hands.

 Altitude Sickness While In Quito

Soroche (altitude sickness) affects some visitors in the Ecuadorian Andes. Headache, dizziness, and shortness of breath are common. To avoid such effects it is recommended to take it easy on your first day, drink plenty of water or coca tea, and eat chocolate. Always inform your guide or hotel staff if you feel any symptoms and they will help you out.

Hygiene

Hygiene standards are generally lower than those you are used to in North America or Europe. One very important difference is that the sewage system cannot cope with toilet paper being flushed into the toilet. There is usually a basket next to the toilet which should be used to deposit used toilet paper, and although unhygienic this method is more pleasant than the toilet overflowing that will occur if paper is flushed!

Food & Drink

Another health risk in Ecuador is traveller’s diarrhea caused by eating contaminated food or drinking contaminated water. It is therefore very important to watch what you eat do not eat anything from street vendors, avoid ice unless you are sure it is made from pureed water, avoid uncooked or under-cooked food and unpasteurized milk, and drink only bottled water, even when brushing your teeth. In the case of illness always inform your guide or hotel staff who will help you deal with it and ensure that you drink enough water to maintain hydration.

Safety And Security

Safety and security is an important issue as pick-pocketing and robbery of tourists can and does occur. It is important not to be paranoid when traveling as most Ecuadorians you meet will be very honest and friendly people, but there are some basic precautions that you should take: Unless necessary never carry anything valuable with you (i.e. expensive watches/jewelry) or large amounts of money.

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