44
edits
Changes
Jump to navigation
Jump to search
[[Buses]] in In general beside some tourist areas, Most of Ecuador are quite cheap (usually $1/hr)is not used to see foregniers. And might find it hard to understand what's your situation, and will usually stop anywherewhy are you hitchhiking. On some roads, though, there Many might assume that you are no buses at all, in which case hitchhiking can be a good alternative, and very poor if you will be most likely picked up quickly as well, though it takes more time have to find a free ride on small roads. Very often hitchhike and not take the very first car that passes will pick you upbus.
Strangely, hitching Therefore Hitching in groups almost works better than solo or in pairs. Anything that might indicate to the locals that you are actually travelling and not a poor person in need might shorter your waiting time.Don Nadie once left [[Quito]] in a group of eight, all drunk, at 3am and no problems catching a ride. Incredible. The best country for hitching in the Western Hemisphere. [[Buses]] in Ecuador are quite cheap (usually $2.5/hr), and will usually stop anywhere. Now days there is buses or shuttles on even really small roads and they are quite frequent.There is usually two workers on every bus, a driver and a guy that helps with putting bags in the trunk, boarding the bus and collecting the money.Many busses expect you to run and board as fast as possible while the bus is still moving. Many times while I hitchhikied busses stopped thinking I am waiting for them, and when I said: "no tengo dinero" they told me to board the bus anyway. Many people also stop and try to give you money for the bus. == How locals hitchhike ==In Ecuador the locals hitchhike by doing the clasical fist with a thumb pointing out but they point the thumb towards the road and move their hand back and forth when cars pass to show they want to go to the direction their thumb is pointing.you can also hitchikie the classical way, but many will not be sure what you mean. I found out that cars stop much faster if you are hitchhiking like the locals, but also most of them will go if you are not willing to pay for the ride. == Regions ==Ecuador is roughly divided into 3 regions.La Sierra in the middle. Which is mainly high mountains. and it can rain here quite a lot. La costa to the west. Which includes the coast line but also all the land and forest after you come down from the mountains but still very far from the coast. here it's very humid and hot most the year. and El Oriente to the east. which is a big lands of changing forest.it's climate is something between La Costa and La Sierra. In El Oriente and in La Sierra in general hitchhikng is good. Getting rides is usually easier the further you are from big cities. But sometimes, on spesific days or hours very few cars pass by. In La Costa hitchiking is a little bit harder. In the last years many refugees from neighbouring countries are coming to Ecuador especially to La Costa.Many refugees tend to walk around with big backpacks.And because of that, many locals will mistake backpacker as refugees, even if you look like you are from totally different part of the world.Which might cause people to try to help you with giving you money and such,But also might make people be more hesitant to give you a lift.Many truck drivers which are used to refugees hitchhiking stop and mark you to go in the cargo bed if you wish. many times if you come to the window and speak with them a word or two, they invite you to the front. == Camping ==If you wish opening a tent for the night it's kind of common to do so in Gas stations or at the fireman station. Just go and ask. Mostly they'll say yes. You might get free access for bathroom and shower a roof and maybe even a meal.plus there is always people working there guarding so it's relateviley very safe. == Safety ==It should be said that Ecuador is not the safest country in the world.In some places it's better to walk only if you are with locals.If you don't pay attention to your stuff you might end up loosing them. There is also a higher chance in some areas for getting mugged.It's better not to go to very isolated parts far from the big roads, or wonder around at nights if you are new to the region. Many part of the country are very safe and you can totally relax.But other parts are a little bit more tense.So it's always good to talk with the locals and ask for advice.Most of the times you can feel the atmosphere from they're responses about the area that you are in. Police in general are very helpful, especially if they understand you are from a different country. They might offer you to camp next to them and such for protection. or help to find a bus and sometimes rides.
Adding information and updating some info that might have changed along the years.
|hitch = <rating country='ec' />
}}
'''Ecuador''' is a country in [[South America]]. It borders [[Colombia]] and [[Peru]]. It is great for [[hitchhiking]], just be careful in some places, especially at the coast. Many pick-up trucks are there. Drivers might ask Many locals ,especially far from cities, hitchhike their way to school, work and such. But! In Ecuador it's kind of common to pay for rides. After a month of hitchhiking some ride asked me for money, and I realized that many of the people who gave me a ride this last month were actually expecting money, but I left the car and they were too shy to ask. it's good to say before you go on the ride, "No tengo Dinero, esta bien?" or "Sin plata, esta bien?" If the say yes than you are good. if you can explain your situation don't ask before you will get away with itmight be asked a specific amount that is too large for you in the end of the ride. Many Ecuadorians are happy to pick up a foreigner. It's not the safest country to hitchhike though.
Along the [[Panamericana]] there are several [[toll booths]] ("peaje"). Take an overland bus in direction of your destination and get out at the first toll booth (normally $0.25 - $0.50). You have a couple of seconds to ask the other drivers until you get kicked out by the [[police]], but that's normally enough time to find a ride. If you are able to explain your situation in Spanish, you might be able to stay longer. If you want to avoid this kind of "trouble" you can as well try to stop cars along the Panamericana. Along this road normally you won't get asked for money.
== Cities ==
'''Puente Internacional Macará''' from Macará in Ecuador on the E35 to Suyo in Perú on the 1NL. It seems to be the "real" Panamerican Highway border crossing between the two countries. The immigration offices are about 500 meters apart. Please add info if you hitched this!
'''Rio Canchis/La Balza''' from Zumba, Ecuador on the E682, to Namballe, Perú on the 5N. Immigration offices are 400 meters apart over a bridge. Let us know SonOfaHitch crossed this border on March 2022. The Immigration points are on both sides of the River Canchis and crossing is possible only between 6:00 A.M to 6:00 P.M. Hitchhiking to the border from Loja was the nicest and easiest exprience I had in all of Ecuador. never waited more than 10 minutes.There are many small towns on the way and the view is beutiful. very relaxed country side. The locals were very friendly and many times will try to help me or offer me where to stay for the night even if I didn't ask. There aren't many cars, but usually the first one will take you hitched . The end of this road is not paved until the border!crossing. After the small village of pucabamba there are really few cars or motorcycles coming by. Eventually got offered a bus ride for free with the shuttle that goes to the border.On the peruvian side althought there is a road there isn't much going on until the town Namballe. Got offered a ride eventually with a Motocar while I was walking on the road. Both sides asked me for my Covid Vaccination papers, but didn't looked at them so well because they were in a foreign language.
'''Río Santiago''' perhaps there is a river boat from Jempekat/Soldado Monge in Ecuador via the Rio Santiago and the Rio Marañon to Saramiriza in Perú. There seems to be both a Peruvian and an Ecuadorian settlement at the border, which is perhaps a military base or an immigration office. Let us know if you crossed the border here!
'''Puerto Asís''' isn't a real border, but it is a town located at the Putumayo river that forms part of the border with Ecuador. It is likely possible that there are river boats from here to Puerto El Carmen de Putumayo in Ecuador, the tri-border with Perú called Güeppi, and far away places in Colombia like Tarapaca (near [[Leticia]]). Eventually, the Putumayo river will become part of the Amazon river in Brazil and end in the Atlantic Ocean, if you're looking at the big picture. Please add any information you have if you have taken a river boat border crossing in this area!
== Covid ==
In March 2022 you can still see people a little bit affraid because of the covid. Some places will totally expect you to put on a mask, even in the street. And some will totally not mind. Especially close to the capital, Quito, people tend to be more nervous becuase of the Covid-19, and might be more hesitant to aprroach or stop for giving you a ride.
Some people claim that to stop for hitchhikers is ilegal because of the pandemic, but many policeman confirmed that hitchhiking is ok.
Proof of Vaccination is required at the entrance.
== Resources ==
