Friendly Planet (tel. 800/555-5765; www.friendlyplanet.com) generally puts together well-priced packages that have tons of added value: meals, tours, admission to sites and attractions, and then some. This one is for late 2011-early 2012 travel to Ecuador from $1,299 per person. The package price reflects a savings of $300 per person if you book before the deadline.
The trip includes all kinds of great things, such as visits to Quito, a UNESCO World Heritage site where you'll see the old colonial quarterÂ?along with an excursion to the Otavalo Market. The native Otavaleño Indians have not given up their traditional ways and the market is one of the best of its kind in Latin America. You'll get some time in nature to the volcanoes in Cotopaxi National Park and the natural springs in Baños -- and a whole day in the Amazon. How's that for adventure?
In terms of the weather, Quito is a few miles south of the equator and although it's technically summer in the Southern Hemisphere, the temperatures in January will range from the low 50s to the mid 70s. Its high altitude means you're likely in for some cool nights, but generally the weather will be comfortable.
Why is this trip a deal? Well, it includes most of your meals, nearly all of your transportation costs, and all of your accommodations. According to a Kayak search, the airfare from Miami to Quito in January runs between $540-$589 for flights with at least one layover on one leg of the trip. Most of the hotels included in this package do not publish their rates online (you need to inquire), but for those who do, we found rates ranging from $135-$180 per night. So if you booked separately, you'd have to make a number of assumptions. Let's assume the least expensive airfare ($540) and that all of the hotels are in that price range. If you add the airfare and consider the range of lodging ($405-$540 per person), you'd undeniably spend less than the package ($945-$1,080 per person).
All of the inclusions in this trip are a great value, but the fact that this is escorted really sets it apartÂ?you are getting the insights, experience, connections, and assistance of someone who knows the terrain. And when you are in a place that's brand new to you and so different, perhaps, from regular North American life, you want someone who knows his or her stuff. So while we can't tell you in a really specific dollar amount why this is a deal, we think you'll agree that it is.
Trip type: Air-inclusive, fully escorted
What the advertised price gets you: Roundtrip airfare from Miami to Quito; airline fuel surcharges, all ground transportation and transfers, seven nights of accommodations in superior and deluxe hotels with private bathrooms; 19 meals; comprehensive guided sightseeing tours including entrance fees; professional English-speaking tour directors and guides.
What else you will have to pay: Government taxes and fees of $155 per person.
Book by: October 12 to get the special advertised rate of $300 off per person
When: January 23
Single supplement: $275
Other details: Dozens of other airports are available, too, such as Los Angeles from $300; Chicago from $350; and New York-JFK from $360. Other departure dates are also possible from a range of price points: October 31 and November 28 from $1,329; Feb 20, March 26, April 30, and May 28, 2012 from $1,399 and other departure dates near the holidays from $1,429 and $1,529.
