QUICK FACTS
Approximate daily budget? Ecuador is relatively cheap – cheaper than South Africa. We spent less than R1 400 per day. Fuel is subsidised: During our visit, diesel sold for less than R9/ℓ.
Currency? Ecuador gave up its local currency, the Sucre, for the US dollar in 2000. Ecuadorians told us this brought financial stability to the country, although not without pain. The switch caused many families to lose all their life savings and many banks went bust during the turmoil. Ecuador, Panama and El Salvador use the dollar as currency and Argentina has recently vowed to follow suit.
Getting around? Flights to Quito are cumbersome from South Africa as you first have to transfer through São Paulo, Europe or the USA. Within Ecuador, there are lots of buses and airlines to choose from.
Camping? Camping as we know it in South Africa hardly exists. We use the iOverland app ( ioverlander.com) and we almost always found somewhere to park our car and enjoy a safe night. Camping in protected areas is free, but that mostly means that the rangers allow you to park your camper in the parking area.
Safety? We were welcomed with open arms and we never experienced any safety threats despite our concerns about cartel activity. Note that at the time of going to print, Ecuador was under a state of emergency due to an internal war between the cartels and the army. Overland travel is currently not feasible.
Handy resources? Information is hard to come by. We mainly used the Thomas Cook Travellers guide Ecuador & the Galápagos Islands and asked advice from other overlanders and the locals.
Visas? South African passport holders can get a free 90-day tourist visa at the border.
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