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Ecuador

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'''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 for money, but if you can explain your situation you will get away with it. 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.
Strangely, hitching in groups almost works better than solo or in pairs. 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.
 
== Cities ==
__TOC__
* [[Aloag]]
* [[Ambato]]
* [[Baños de Agua Santa]]
* [[Cuenca]]
* [[El Coca]]
* [[Guayaquil]]
* [[Ibarra]]
* [[Latacunga]]
* [[Manta]]
* [[Montañita]]
* [[Otavalo]]
* [[Puerto Lopez]]
* [[Puyo]]
* [[Quilotoa]]
* [[Quito]]
* [[Riobamba]]
* [[Santa Elena]]
* [[Tena]]
* [[Tulcán]]
== License plates ==
*If the key letter is W, the background color is white-silver and the vehicle is property of the [[police]].
The rest of letters are for private, or ''particular'', vehicles. Their background color is white-silver.
 
== Accomodation and sleep ==
 
The '''bomberos''' (firemen) are more hospitable in Ecuador than in other countries. Drop by the firehouse and ask if they have a space for you to lay your blankets and pitch your tent. Usually they will let you use their bathrooms and kitchen too.
 
As a last resort, there are [[police]] in '''bus terminals''' all night, if you don't mind sleeping under the florescent lights.
 
== Internet ==
 
In addition to the internet cafes, you may also find '''Infocentros''' in small towns around the country. These are government-funded facilities with free computers with internet access. You just need to show your ID to use a computer (a foreign driver's license worked fine). Look out for signs that say "Infocentro <Town name>" along the highway. There is also a map of Infocentros on their [http://www.infocentros.gob.ec/index.php/ website] (in spanish).
 
== Healthcare ==
 
'''Centros de Salud''', found in most cities and towns, give out free condoms, and probably healthcare too.
== Personal Experiences ==
:''Loved Ecuador, I hitchhiked from the Colombia border to Quito, over to Pernables, down to Montanita, over to Guayaquil and onwards to Peru. Never waited long, could easily sleep in the country in my hammock and got given money for lunch once, bought lunch once and given a place to stay twice. The coast is a little trickier but very doable, just aim for the pickup trucks, some might ask for money (one did) but just say you have none and it's all cool. The water in Quito is drinkable too and there is a lively couchsurfing scene, just be careful because its not as cheap as Peru or Colombia. Managed to hitchhike urban buses twice, I recommend always walking with your bag on your bag and turning around when a car approaches, especially on the coast, this type of hitchhiking works better than petrol stations and signs because Ecuadorian will pity you fast and want to help out'' - [[User:HoboSpirit|HoboSpirit]]
 
== Cities ==
* [[Aloag]]
* [[Ambato]]
* [[Baños de Agua Santa]]
* [[Cuenca]]
* [[El Coca]]
* [[Guayaquil]]
* [[Ibarra]]
* [[Latacunga]]
* [[Manta]]
* [[Montañita]]
* [[Otavalo]]
* [[Puerto Lopez]]
* [[Puyo]]
* [[Quilotoa]]
* [[Quito]]
* [[Riobamba]]
* [[Santa Elena]]
* [[Tena]]
* [[Tulcán]]
== Border Crossings ==
'''Río Pastaza''' perhaps there is a river boat from between [[Puyo]] and Macas in Ecuador down the Río Pastaza (border town named Andoas), to San Lorenzo/Yurimaguas in Perú. Let us know if you're aware this route exists!
'''Río Napo''' between Nuevo Rocafuerte/[[El Coca]] in Ecuador and Cabo Pantoja/[[Iquitos]] in Perú. [[User:MOAH|Mind of a Hitchhiker]] crossed this border in May 2017 in opposite direction and wrote extensively about this trip and made a video [https://mindofahitchhiker.com/iquitos-peru-coca-ecuador-river-boat/ here]! Immigration offices are in Nuevo Rocafuerte and Cabo Pantoja.IMPORTANT: when trying to leave Ecuador to Colombia via Tulcán border crossing, it turned out [[User:MOAH|Mind of a Hitchhiker]]'s entry stamp from Nuevo Rocafuerte was not entered in the electronic system - guess what, the connection in the jungle isn't that great! She was turned away to make copies of her passport (three of the main page, three of the entry stamp page) and return. The lady who copies your passport is in a little booth 40 meters from the immigration office. The six pages will cost you $0.60 and then the officer is happy. Realize when crossing the Nuevo Rocafuerte border, you'll need to take a little more time to exit Ecuador because of your silly (but great) stamp!
'''Güeppi''' is the (northernmost) Peruvian town on the tri-border with Ecuador and Colombia on the banks of the river Putumayo. There is a Peruvian military base here. To enter via Ecuador, enter the Putumayo river from the town Puerto El Carmen de Putumayo, or another village at the river connected by road. Getting here via any of the Ecuadorian or Colombian rivers would be both an incredible adventure and a hassle. One can follow the Río Putumayo downstream until Tarapaca in Colombia on the border with Brazil. Eventually, the river will enter the majestic Amazon river. Let us know if you did it!
'''Mataje''' roughtly from San Lorenzo in Ecuador on the E10 to Espriella/Tumaco in Colombia on the ruta 10. WARNING! This border crossing is rather new, and at the time of research (June 2017) it wasn't clear yet if the border crossing had been opened yet. It was announced in 2014 and the project would take two years to finish, so ideally it should be done already. It crosses the Río Mataje. Let us know if this fresh border crossing has been opened to international travelers already and how it was to hitchhike it!
 
'''Tufiño - Chiles''' from Tufiño in Ecuador on the E182, to Chiles in Colombia. There is a bridge across the Carchi river, which forms the border. It is unknown if and where the immigration offices are located and if it's possible to cross on a foreign passport. Let us know if you hitched this border!
 
'''Puente Internacional Rumichaca''' between Tulcán in Ecuador and Ipiales in Colombia. This is the "official" Panamerican Highway border crossing between the two countries, and the one most certainly accepting foreign passports. The distance between immigration offices is 400 meters. There's a bridge crossing the Carchi river. Please add information if you hitched this!
 
'''Urbina''' a few kilometers from the Rumichaca border crossing is the smaller border crossing in the Ecuadorian town of Urbina at the river of the same name. The nearest town on the Colombian side is again Ipiales. It is unknown where the Colombian stamp-in immigration office is at. Let us know if you hitched this!
 
'''Puente Internacional San Miguel''' between Nueva Loja (also known as Lago Agrio) in Ecuador on the E45, and La Hormiga in Colombia on the Ruta 45. The immigration offices are at the San Miguel river bridge and are 200 meters apart. Please add information if you hitched this border!
 
'''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!
 
== Resources ==
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