Chucchilan

Riding (!) at an altitude of above 4000m a.s.l. along the ridge on a narrow path above Lake Quilotoa, an impressive defunct volcano, is a unique experience. It's my first time on horseback, though, and the beginning of my ride isn't very promising, as I'm rather overwhelmed and paralyzed by the whole thing at first. My guide, Bernardo, does a good job, however, and I start to relax after a while - but I still shudder at the memory of the narrow, uneven pathways we trod. The overwhelming beauty and the peace and quiet easily made up for that - and for the sores I felt after the 5-hour ride.
'Cloud Forest' Hostal is one of the more basic accommodations on this trip. Their breakfast, however, is delightfully rich and, also thanks to Vanessa, my bubbly and sociable teacher, we have some animated conversations with backpackers from all over - meeting so many different people is one of the beauties of this trip as a whole, I'm sure.Read more