-A valid passport is required to travel to Ecuador. Most visitors are allowed to stay up to 90 days. Visas may be renewed for an additional 90 days.

-On your flight to Ecuador you must fill out a T3 Tourist Information Card. This card must be handed over, together with your passport, to the immigration officer upon arrival.

-Have your flight tickets ready if they ask for them. If asked about the purposes of your trip, inform the officials that you are on vacation

-A copy of the T3 form will be returned to you along with your passport. Please hold on to your T3 form since you will be required to turn it in when you leave the country!

-You will then proceed to the luggage area and claim your checked luggage and clear customs.

-Your bags will usually be inspected. After leaving customs, you will be met by our travel-agent/escort for transfer to your hotel.

-It is recommended that you make two photocopies of your passport ID-page, airline-ticket, tour-documents, traveler-check ID-numbers and your airline itinerary.

-Leave one copy of each at home with friends or relatives and take the other copy with you. Keep your copies separate from the originals.

-It is compulsory in Ecuador to carry your passport with you and you could be asked for it at any time. You will also be required to show your passport when making payments with traveler’s checks or credit cards.

-We would advise you to always be alert while sightseeing on the mainland of Ecuador – watch your belongings, never put your camera down somewhere, never leave your gear unguarded and always remain attentive and wary of pickpockets.

We always recommend vaccinations for yellow fever and Malaria medications, it is not a requirement to enter to Ecuador , but it is better to use these vaccinations specially if you travel to the rainforest.

-The local currency is US dollars.

-Credit cards are accepted in only some places of Ecuador, there is a 8% service charge on all credit card payments within Ecuador.

-Bank hours in Quito are Monday to Friday 9h00am – 16h00pm.

- We recommend you to bring with you traveler checks.

-American Household electricity of 110V AC (60 cycles). Europe i.e. uses a 50 cycle system. If you are European, we recommend you to bring some power-plug adapters that go from "round-to-flat".

-Communication on the mainland is not easy if you do not know some Spanish,few people speak English. All of our guides speak English and hotel desk staff at most hotels also speak some English.

-Please be careful in consuming uncooked food like salads or unpeeled fruits!

-The safest is to drink purified water or boiled water. -Most restaurants use "purified" or bottled water, implementing sound sanitation procedures.

-All food and beverages that we provide are perfectly safe and comply with all sanitary requirements and International standards.

-It is extremely important to re-confirm your international flights. Our ground agent, Ecuador Nature Expeditions, will reconfirm your flights for you.

-Please notify us with time if you want to modify your flights.

-Quito is at an altitude of 2,870 meters (9567 feet). Quito’s Mariscal Sucre Airport is located 10 km north of the main hotel-strip and shopping area.

-Try to "take it easy" upon arrival. "Zoroche" is a very unpleasant altitude sickness may linger for days. Avoid alcohol for 24-hours.

-The days in Quito are usually warm with temperatures around 12 to 21 degrees Celsius. If you will be outdoors all day, beware of the high-altitude solar radiation. Use sunscreen.

The nights in Quito are mostly cool or plain cold, with temperatures quickly dropping to 10 degrees. Intermittent rain-showers may be expected mostly, in the later afternoon.

-The main Tourist/shopping avenue is called "avenida Amazonas", which starts at the "El Ejido"-park and runs north all the way to the airport.

-For the best shopping, stay between Avenue "Amazonas" and "Juan Leon Mera" (About 30 blocks) where there are plenty of art shops, jewelry stores, handicraft, clothes and leather goods.

-You will also find quiet an array of fine restaurants in this area as well.

-In the highlands (Quito), it is spring-like most of the year, although cold and rainy in the "winter" months from December to April.

-The "dry" months are from May through October when the temperatures are around 70 F (10-15 C) during the evening.

-On the Cloud Forest, the average temperature is 25 C, during the day is warm and humid and at night is cold and cloudy

-In the Jungle the climate is humid, warm and quite rainy most of the year.

-For Quito and other highland cities, wear comfortable springtime clothing during the day and a sweater or coat during the evening. There are chances of rain-showers, thus a rain parka and a jacket or sweater will always be needed.
-For the highlands and moorlands (paramos): warm, winter-like clothing is essential! This is the case of Antisana and Cotopaxi

-For the Cloud Forest:

• Camera & rolls
• Rain coat
• Knee-high rubber boots (available free of charge at Maquipucuna, Napo, and other jungle lodges)
• Hiking boots
• Light cotton-clothing
• Quick-drying pants (light cotton, not jeans)
• Extra clothing such as socks, T-shirts and others
• Sandals
• Long-sleeve shirts
• Light jacket-fleece
• Hat/cap with visor
• Swimming attire
• Insect repellent
• Water bottle
• Personal belongings
• Sunscreen
• First Aid kit
• Plastic bags

*Luggage

-One large backpack or one duffel bag.

-One small daypack.

*Clothing

-3 lightweight -cotton or other fast drying material- long pants. Avoid blue jeans.

-4 or 5 cotton T-shirts.

-1 pair of knee-high cotton socks for each day in the rainforest

-Underwear (avoid synthetics)

- brim hat.

-1 water-proof poncho (available at the lodge) or a water-proof parka

-Bathing suit

-A sweater for the months of June and July (On that months, the temperature is lower (15c or 59f) than the rest of the year)

*Footgear

-1 pair of comfortable walking shoes

-1 pair of thongs or Tevas

-1 pair of rubber boots (available at the lodge)

*Equipment

-Sunglasses with a strap

-Extra eye glasses / contact lenses

-Plastic water bottle

-Sun block lotion (at least protection 8)

-An excellent insect repellent (pressurized cans may not be permitted by the air company due to safety regulations)

-Toilet kit

-Personal first aid kit

-Tampons or sanitary napkins

-Flashlight (head lamp models recommended)

-Self-sealing plastic bags

-Swiss Army knife

-Small note-book and pencil

-Sewing kit

-Camera and binoculars

- Lots of films

Remember you are traveling to the Tropical Rain Forest. Please wrap fragile items in a plastic bag. It is also a good idea to place your clothes in plastic bags before packing.

- If you are satisfied with the service and attention, at the end of the trip of a program in case of the rainforest, it is customary to gratify (or "tip"). The naturalist Guide and staff are tipped separately.

-There is a US$ 41 departure tax on all international flights.

-Children under six are accepted only under special previsions.

-Children under sixteen must be escorted by a parent or responsible adult.