Ecuador Otavalo N 00.21880° W 78.27666° The place we stayed tonight is called Rincon Del Viajero Camping, it is a few kilometers away from the center of town. The owners have a hotel similarly named but we never found it. We had a little trouble finding the place so I will give what I hope are useful directions. Its location is N00° 13.128' W78° 16.600' along the road to Laguana Mojanda. As you travel along the PanAm highway south bypassing the center of the town you will see a sign indicating Laguana Mojanda to the right (West) and then a little while later (a few hundred meters) a set of traffic lights at N 00° xx.xxx'. Turn right (west) at the lights and then take the left fork of the y-intersection that is almost immediate. Travel up this road. You should see a sign for the campground high up on a wall to the right just before the road forks again. The sign is at N00° XX.XXX W78° xx.xxx.
Ecuador Laguna de Cuicocha N 00.29326° W 78.35169° Lake Cuicocha provided a very spectacular camping site. From the PanAm traveling south take the sign posted right turn (West) to the village of Cotacachi. The village is also well provided with signs to Laguna De Cuicocha, just follow them. At the park entrance pay the $1 per person and then turn immediately right up the narrow cobbled road. The road is quite tight with a sharp left turn in the middle. At the top there is a building with a small amount of cobbled parking and great views of the lake.
Ecuador Laguna Mojanda N 00.11173° W 78.26454° We camped on top of a ridge line at 13,990 ft above Lake Mojanda and another smaller lake that we don't know the name of. We got there by following the cobbled road past Ricon Campground up to lake Mojanda, about 17kms. At the lake the road splits, the lower cobbled road goes a short distance to an old building on the lake. The upper road is dirt and follows the lake to an intersection. Take the right branch which leads to a smaller lake and another intersection, take the left branch and climb steeply to the ridge top. The road continues but we stayed on the ridge top for the views and altitude.
Ecuador Quito S 00.20015° W 78.48686° We camped in a Parqueadero on Diego de Almargo, between Orellano and Colon. Entry is from Colon as Almargo is one way at this point. Traveling up Almargo its on the right and is called XXXXXXX. To get to from the North follow the PanAm through the town of Calderon. After Calderon follow signs to Galo Plaza Lasso. Take care this is a bit confusing. Galo Plaza Lasso eventually passes the airport, on your right, and becomes Ave 10 de Agosto. Take a left turn onto Colon after the underpass/overpass at Orellano at GPS S00°11'53.30" W78°29'45.60". Turn left into Almargo a few streets down Colon.
Ecuador Laguna Quilotoa S 00.86677° W 78.90975° Tonight we stayed in the parking lot at Laguna Quilotoa. Cost $2 per person to get into the little village/settlement at the parking lot, and in addition we paid one of the hostals $2 for parking and use of their banos. The irony was that the hostal had no water so the banos was a bit of a challenge. A very windy night, the parking lot has no shelter from the elements.
Ecuador Gravel Pit East of Sigchos S 00.69190° W 78.80670° On the road between Sigchos and Taocaso the road crosses a small river, and beside the bridge is a small wooden shelter and the remains of a gravel heap. A relatively flat area well off the road, but liberally seasoned with cow pads.
Ecuador Banos S 01.39922° W 78.43783° We arrived in Baños and looked for a Hostel/Hotel with a parking lot large enough for the Tiger. After some suspect advice we picked Santa Cruz. Their parking lot had a tree that was too low so we squeezed into the "parking lot" next door. After scouting the place on the following day we found that the Hotel Royal seems to have a large parking lot. Also there is a very large parqueadero at the Eastern end of Martinez. We did not determine whether it had overnight parking. It also seemed like one could simply park in the street.
Ecuador Mount Chimorazo S 01.47400° W 78.85183° Tonight we camped near the lower refuge on the slopes of Mount Chimorazo at an altitude of 4800m, or 15,900 ft. We did not stay in the parking lot but drove onto one of a number of natural flat spots on the left as one approached the lower refuge. The GPS coordinates may be a bit out, we didn't take them until we had already started down.
Ecuador Alausi S 02.20522° W 78.84767° We arrived in Alausi with no idea as to where we would camp for the night. We tried the Europa Hotel but the Tiger would not fit under the top of their driveway arch - missed by about 6". They were going to charge us $1. Down the street, South, we found a restaurant with a small internal parking space, enough room for the Tiger, one truck and four cars over night. Had toilets and showers, The lady in charge originally asked $2 but when she saw the size of the Tiger the price went up to $3. There is a mechanics parking lot next door that stored buses overnight that would also have worked.
Ecuador Cuenca S 02.90512° W 79.02822° We camped tonight at Cabanas Yanuncay at S02° 54.307' W79° 01.693', address Calle Canton Guataceo 21-49. We had a little trouble finding the place from the directions in the tortugas website as we did not get onto Ave De Las Americas when entering town from the north but instead got onto the Eastern by pass. Once we hit the junction with Ave De las Americas we turned north and took the second turn to the right north of the river at the Continental Tire sign. The name Cabanas Yabuncayis written above a gate on the left hand side of the road at a Y intersection. By accident this turned out to be a good route as there is no turning at the Continental Tire sign for south bound traffic. On arrival we noticed with some disappointment that the gate has a clearance of only 2.47m - too low for our vehicle. BUT - there is a second entrance with no high restriction. The place has good hot showers, water, electricity both 110v and 220v (we had to use the owners long cord), dumping, and parking on a grass area. Lots of animals. Its very convenient to town and shopping. We used this place on our return north and discovered that the owner Humberto is a wonderful resource for getting things fixed. One of the families living on the property complex actually managers the workshop next to the entrance.
Ecuador Cuenca S 02.90512° W 79.02822° We found the Tortugas Laundry today. Its close to Cabanas Yanuncay, on Diez de Agosto at the corner with Cuesta .
Ecuador Mendez S 02.71661° W 78.32263° We are in Mendez tonight. We asked the guys in the Police Station on the main square if we could park for the night and they directed us to a street just off the square. Earlier we tried a restaurant just East of town, and the lady was very friendly but wanted $10 per person just for us to park. Too much.
Ecuador Puyo S 01.48344° W 77.99739° We stayed at Hostal Real last night, its at the intersection of 4 de Enero and 27 Febrero. It was about 6:00 pm after the garden tour and we wanted somewhere before dark. This place was on the way back from the garden. Nice up market looking Hostal and restaurant. No other guests or dinners last night so it was relatively quiet. Charged us $10.00.
Ecuador Puyo S 01.50424° W 78.03677° Ecoparque Monte Selva just west of Puyo on the road to Banos. There were small billboard adds for this place at regular intervals along the Banos road so we decided to give it a try. A large slightly rough stone parking lot with toilets and cold showers, no security but not visible from the road. They did not charge us to park overnight, only for the facilities of the park that we used. In the end we paid $15, had a tour of their jungle walk, used the swimming pool and gave a few tips.
Ecuador Misahualli S 01.03522° W 77.66848° Parking lot of the CRE Misahualli Hospedaje. It is on he left a few hundred yards before the town square.
Ecuador Papallacta S 00.36192° W 78.14973° The parking lot of the Termales Papallacta, $6.00 per person. Pay at the foundation office.
Ecuador Quito S 00.20833° W 78.48551° The parqueadero on Diego De Almagro again.
Ecuador South of Riobamba S 01.75248° W 78.83240° Our camping spot was not very salubrious tonight as it was only a gravel pit beside the road from Riobmaba to Bucay. The altitude was 12,600 ft but the view the next morning of Chimborazo was spectacular. Why a gravel pit? Because it's hard to stop along side Ecuadorian roads through the mountains as they have such huge concrete drains..
Ecuador Huizho S 03.32695° W 79.74062° On the road from Marchala to Cuence not far north/east from Pasaje the road passes through a small hamlet named Huizho at the bottom of a steep river valley. There is a balnerio and hospedaje just after the bridge. It's a nice looking place with a large flat parking lot. They allowed us to park for $3.
Ecuador Alausi S 02.22787° W 78.84942° We found a narrow track leaving the highway and followed it up onto a flat spot among some corn plants. It was an ok place for the night.
Ecuador Baños S 01.39853° W 78.41774° We splurged and stayed at the Sangay hotel. It's a short walk from the main square, has secure parking, and rooms ranging from $50 (+22% tax) for a double.
Ecuador Narupa S 00.71254° W 77.79428° After not being able to access the hotel we had intended to stay at we simple continued down the road to Quito and Papallacta until we found a patch of accessible flat ground on the side of the road. It was being used by a road construction gang to store one of their heavy machines. But as it was Saturday we did not expect anyone to come and move it.
Ecuador Tulcan N 00.77630° W 77.74173° At the southern entrance to the town of Tulcan where the road forks the right fork going to the border and the left into the center of Tulcan is a gas station. We parked there for the night. Note - the next morning they would not sell us fuel. I never did entirely understand but I think it had something to do with the fact that we were headed for the border and were tourists. Be warned, don't arrive here traveling north expecting to get fuel.