Trekking in Ecuador Paperback – May 13, 2002

It is a great book but alot of the hikes are hard to get to and really difficult. Some actually said you needed a machete!!! So a great book if you are comfortable with your spanish and route finding, but not so great if you are just looking for some good days or easier backpacking trips

I have lived in Ecuador for over 25 years and this book continues to help me find, get to and explore some truly remarkable parts of the country. Some of the treks are quite challenging and far off the beaten path - a criticism for some reviewers, but exactly what some of us are looking for!The route descriptions have weathered the test of time quite well. It is a country where much has changed in the last nearly 20 years since the author's documented these routes, so it is worth double checking and supplementing with more recent information. But overall the descriptions are very clear and detailed, the times and distances as described reasonable, and the information very good. What makes it shine though is their choice of unconventional routes and places.There are other good guidebooks for general tourism, others for mountaineering and scaling the peaks, but this is the only one I've found that focuses on trekking and exploring the landscapes by foot for one or many days at a time. Ecuador is a small country, but it is remarkable how quickly one can get into the wild and off the map. The authors have done a great job of making it possible to do that.

We were very disappointed with this book. The trail descriptions were not detailed enough and the maps not clear enough to use it. We actually left it at home and found the information when we got to Ecuador! Unfortunately, I cannot say that I recommend this book at all.

Trekking is our passion. Between 2000 and 2002 we explored 30 new trekking routes to write "Trekking in Ecuador", the most up-to-date hiking guide for this country. It remains an unforgettable experience and taught us that, however well we might know Ecuador, there would always be more to discover here.We are graduates of the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS), in Wyoming, USA. We live in Ecuador and know the countryintimately, its places, people, strengths and weaknesses. In addition to our personal knowledge, we have developed an extensive network of contacts throughout Ecuador and its travel community. We can therefore constantly keep our fingers on the pulse of local developments. "Trekking in Ecuador" is regularly updated on-line.Ecuador's special appeal to trekkers, day-trippers, and nature lovers can be summed up in one word: accessibility. The country's unique combination of small size, exceptional geographic and biological diversity, and good transportation infrastructure places an outstanding variety of splendid natural experiences within easy reach of the adventurous visitor. Ecuador boasts more than forty-five protected natural areas, including national parks and private reserves, almost all of which offer trekking and day-hiking possibilities.Many longer treks span several natural regions, from the highlands down toward the Amazon jungle or coastal plain. Ecuadorreceives many visitors (approximately 500,000 a year), but as yet relatively few people come specifically to trek. Unlike well-known trekking venues such as Nepal, the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu in Peru, and Chile's Torres del Paine National Park, trails in Ecuador are never crowded and offer virtually unlimited scope for exploration. Trekking in Ecuador is easily combined with a visit to the country's more traditional destinations: the Galápagos Islands, colorful indigenous markets, Amazon jungle lodges or Pacific coast beaches.

I have been to Ecuador a number of times, but I didn't know what I was missing until I purchased "Trekking in Ecuador". Contained in this book is all of the information you need to plan a great trekking advanture to Ecuador. The treks are easy to follow and offer some of the greatest scenery in the world. Ecuador stole my heart on my very first visit, and with this book I was able to see even deeper into her soul.

Robert and Daisy have compiled an incredible book not only in its diversity of trekking options, but in the quality, accessibility and remoteness of each one. I used this book religiously during my time in ecuador and was constantly amazed with the detail each trek description provided from start to finish. This book took uncertainty out of the equation and made independent trekking very accessible and incredible. I will never forget the beauty i saw in ecuador, and i owe my experience in part to Robert and Daisy

This book is a must have for those interested in trekking in Ecuador. It provides numerous hikes that are broken down into ranges of difficulty. These treks will get you off the beaten path and into undiscovered Ecuador where you can see the real Ecuador and meet its enchanting people. We are Peace Corps volunteers in Ecuador and learned about this great book from other volunteers. It keeps getting passed down from one group to the next.

too late to use - but very good