South America on a budget: maybe Ecuador?
Question by Scatman Crothers: South America on a budget: maybe Ecuador?
My husband and I are planning to take a trip next summer. As much as I’d love to see Machu Picchu, Peru, I don’t think that’s going to be possible for us with our budget. I really want to trek through the jungle and the amazon, but I’d also like to see some ruins. Ecuador seems to be a possibility. We have a budget of about 2500 dollars for 1-2 months not including airfare. Any tips?
Best answer:
Answer by El FuturoMJ”El maestro
save more money and come to peru
Know better? Leave your own answer in the comments!
Posted in South America. 7 comments
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there is no amazon in ecuador, there is amazon in colombia or peru, near the place you want, i have been in leticia, colombia, a city in the heart of the amazon, it is safe, doesnt matter if you are american or whatever, im european(with american bf) and we were totally fine. you can reach the jungle very easily, its by at the corner, its such a great experience, you can stay in the jungle if you want, there are good affordable hotels there.. there you can see and touch some exotic plants, animals, food, and natives, also se the largest and most plentiful river in the world… years ago they let taking a titi monkey with you (google it please if you dont know what it is) but not now, i actually had one as a pet when i was growing up, REALLY cute, but you can still touch them and have them if you hands, there are other native animals that you wont see anywhere esle, such as pink dolfins.. and several frons and weird things.
you can see ruins, in ¨sierra nevada de santa marta¨ wich is the only right-in-front-of-the-sea mountain with snow, and there in Santa Marta, you have also the beach, really nice, you can go to ¨parque tayrona¨ for ex, the ruins are in ¨ cuidad perdida¨ you can trek in the mountain and see the ruins, and go to the beach! so, it pretty, cool, cheap, good, its worth.
and you dont need visa to go to colombia!
tips? go here:
http://wikitravel.org/en/Colombia f
for all colombia
http://wikitravel.org/en/Leticia
for leticia
http://wikitravel.org/en/Santa_Marta
for santa marta
have a nice trip! just take the normal precautions and youll be fine
I think Colombia is a better option. Colombia is the most biodiverse country in the world per square mile, so you can pretty much find anything you want. The cities are modern with good transportation, nightlife, world class restaurants and hotels, but there are also mid prices hotels but still nice and delicious food for a very affordable price. Plus, in Ecuador they use US dollars, while in Colombia they use Colombian Peso, and you get 2000 pesos for every dollar, while in Ecuador, welll…. you get one dollar for one dollar ;D
Colombia is awesome!!! Here is a website with Colombia’s travel info
http://www.colombia.travel/en/
check it out it’s great!
Good luck and enjoy!!! best wishes!!
I would reccomend Argentina as being the cheapest option. And the most hospitibly.
It is basicaly a European city in Latin America. You could base yourself in Buenos Aires and takes trips to see whatever you desire in Argentina. The country has everything.
Ecuador would be a great option. It has everything you’ re looking for and your budget should be plenty. Of course the Inca ruins in Ecuador aren’t as amazing as Peru, but there are ruins (Ingapirca is the largest, near Cuenca). The jungle of Ecuador is great.
And Ecuador has great diversity. Andean cities such as Quito, Cuenca and Otavalo have great opportunities to see indigenous culture and also enjoy the beautiful surroundings. Plus there are nice beaches on the Pacific coast for surf and sun lovers. And from the jungle town of Tena you can book white water rafting trips or tours deep into the jungle.
Plus you can be flexible with your budget, since food and lodging tend to be very inexpensive (especially outside the big cities).
You shouldn’t miss Macchu Picchu if you go down there. It’s so well worth it. I’ll bet you can go for 3-6 weeks including Machu Picchu if you stay in hostels and use Lonely Planet guides. You should also look into booking a tour with http://www.gapadventures.com/. We met people from GAP along the way and they loved them. Great guides and great groups. Have fun! The key is to plan your budget and travel ahead of time. MP will be the most expensive part, it’s probably $300 round trip with the backpacker train from Cusco and the $50 per person admission to the grounds. Other than that it’s super cheap down there if you follow the travel tips and plan well.
Go to Peru (Machu Picchu)
I just got back from Ecuador about 3 weeks ago. I went and worked at a children camp called Campamento Unpes; it was in the jungle. There IS Amazon in Ecuador (somebody answered that there was not), filled with animals that you will never see anywhere else. I got to play with monkeys, hold a baby ocelot and see all different kinds of things. The tallest active volcano is in Ecuador (its safe so don’t worry), and it is absolutely beautiful. There is snow on one side, and a little lava coming out on the other side. It was an amazing sight. Everything is very cheap there, and you can bargain in most places. A 12oz bottle of Coke is like 40 cents. There are plenty of ruins also. It is a very poor, but absolutely amazing country. Nowhere else can you see such amazing mountains and volcanoes and then see the beautiful Amazon and jungle filled with awesome animals and plants and rivers. Defiantly a great place to go
If you have any other questions feel free to email me.