Galapagos & Ecuador: hauling a suitcase

[MagicChicken]

Hello fellow divers!

I'm planning a trip to Ecuador with my girlfriend:

** arrive in either Quito or Guayaquil
1- Scuba diving in the Galapagos Islands (1 week)
2- Back to the mainland, we will most likely visit Guayaquil
3- Bus ride to Quito, possibly 1 stop at Cuenca
4- Arrive in Quito
5- Quick circuits (e.g. Cotopaxi Natl Park..)
6- Jungle Lodge (4 days)
** depart from Quito


We have 24 days off. If I set aside 3 days for international transportation, we have 21 days to do the above. Seems reasonable to me.

Now, my main concern is my scuba diving gear. It's all packed in a dedicated suitcase ~15-20kg. The rest of our personnal effects will fit in my daypack (28L) with some extra clothing in a larger (70L) backpack. That's a lot of luggage by my standards.

The dive cruise package includes 2 nights in a upper class touristy hotel. Something big where I can safely leave the suitcase. I'm worried about the rest of the trip. I know jungle lodges have a very strict luggage limit.

I think I can leave the suitcase at the airport until we fly back. Is that right?

I don't know how to proceed to get the suitcase to the airport. It's large and heavy (up to 20kg). I don't know if they will allow it on the bus ride. I'm also worried it might get damaged or stolen. Scuba diving gear is expensive.

What do you suggest?


- Fred

 

[vincenoir]

the misses and me spent 5 weeks traverling around the galapagos with all our clothes and gear in two wheelie dive bags of about 31k each plus day bags
ok not easy but doable. taxis are cheap and having 7mm suits makes all the difference

 

[ChrisM]

We did 1 week Galapagos and 4 days jungle lodge a couple weeks ago. You have to transit back through Quito from Galapagos to the jungle. When we went to Galapagos we left some extra clothes at the Quito hotel, and when we went to the jungle left our scuba gear at the hotel. They are very strict on flights to the jungle for weight, I think 40 pounds, and they do weigh the luggage.

So, I'd say lug the stuff through Guayquil up to QUito, then leave it there. I am not aware of any airport luggage storage.

 

[ka7]

I spent 5 weeks travelling in Ecuador and Galapagos, returning earlier this month, without a seconds hesitation I would recommend staying in Amazon Inn Hostel for any nights in Quito.

I used it as my base, I was travelling alone and had a full set of dive gear, climbing gear, photography gear and clothes/personal bits and pieces which for 5 weeks travel added up to rather a lot of luggage. I obviously didnt want to carry my dive kit up a mountain, take my climbing kit on a liveaboard in the Galapagos or take any of it into the Jungle!

The Amazon Inn is only about 19 dollars a night for a single room if i remember correctly, included in that is airport pick up and drop off, plus I left whatever kit I didnt take with me at the hotel and it was perfectly safe, I left half of my SLR lenses when climbing plus all of my diving kit with them, plus my lap top, so added together there would have been a bit of value there. The people running the hotel are English speaking and they go out of their way to be helpful.

Be on your guard in Quito with valuables, I had no trouble at all, but I spoke to a few people during my travels who had had things stolen.

Not sure if you can leave a suitcase at Quito airport or not, but personally I wouldnt like to leave anything of value there.

 

[Doc]

If you are doing land based in the Glapagos, I would rent the gear. SCUBA Iguana has never disappointed me in the quality of their gear. I bring my own wetsuit as I am porky. I can't tell you about liveaboards, but as far as land based, that's the scoop.

I have four BC's in the basement plus one in Honduras. I have maybe six complete sets of regulators. When I do land based in the Galapagos, I rent. The airlines alone are a pain in the butt.

 

[MagicChicken]

Ka7 & ChrisM : wise words. I'll look up Amazon Inn Hostel. THANKS!

RoatanMan : I forgot to mention I booked a cruise to Wolf/Darwin Islands... my bad! I do have to bring my own gear and the wetsuit pieces are heavy (but warm even in canadian waters!).

I read about your land-based diving experience. If our itinerary isn't approved, I'll make sure to ask you about the dive charters

Are you familiar with land-based naturalist Galapagos tours?

My girlfriend (she doesn't dive anymore) would meet me after the cruise and we would like to visit the islands for up to 4 days. We would like to spend as little as possible. We do understand that the Galapagos Islands are expensive.

We sent emails to many Galapagos hotels. All of their websites mention circuit packages, but the price is not always shown. We didn't receive any reply so far.

Maybe I should post a new topic...