Day 16 & 17 (1/16/20 ) (1/17/20):
Today is my last day in Ecuador and before we headed to the airport we made one last stop at Cotopaxi. As we drove up the volcano we were briefly on a flat span of land where people camp. Although it’s a mountain, this land was made flat years ago from an eruption and lava flow. We stopped in this flat region to visit the lake and observe Cotopaxi’s glacier. Unfortunately today it was typical winter conditions and our view was obstructed by clouds. Since we were visiting a national park a local guide accompanied us. On the bumpy drive up the mountain she advised us to look out for white tailed deer (just like the ones from NJ where I live) and condors. She mentioned that pumas and the spectacled bear may also be found in this region. On August 11th, 1975 the Cotopaxi national park was established, it is located within 3 different provinces. Some people try to scale Cotopaxi and they will start in the middle of the night to get to the top and see the views before the snow starts to melt. It’s 6-7 hours up and back. Besides hiking in the park, horseback riding, biking, camping are all popular activities.The wildlife in the national park is protected. However, some people still try and hunt on the outskirts of the park. If they are caught they face up to seven years in jail. Cotopaxi is predicted to erupt in the next 5-10 years based on its seismic activity history.
When we visited Cotopaxi it was hard to get a good view due to how cloudy it was. Luckily, the day before we had driven past the volcano around dusk and got an amazing view of the mountain from afar.
After visiting Cotopaxi, we headed back to the airport to conclude our trip. We are scheduled to arrive in New Jersey on the 17th at 5am.
I had an amazing two weeks in Ecuador. I feel that not only do I have a deeper understanding of the environment and the culture but I have a newfound appreciation as well. Prior to this trip I had little exposure to nature in the way I experienced nature on the trip. Hiking up mountains through mist and being surrounded by the lush green Amazon is something I will never be able to forget. I will never be able to forget how remarkable the wildlife I saw is. Experiencing the unique environments of the Amazon, Andes, Cloud Forest, and Galapagos Islands was indescribable. I was really excited to see the Galapagos and I was surprised that I ended up loving that destination just as much as mainland Ecuador! This trip really has ignited my passion to continue learning about our world and to make an increased effort to protect the environment.
When we visited Cotopaxi it was hard to get a good view due to how cloudy it was. Luckily, the day before we had driven past the volcano around dusk and got an amazing view of the mountain from afar.
After visiting Cotopaxi, we headed back to the airport to conclude our trip. We are scheduled to arrive in New Jersey on the 17th at 5am.
I had an amazing two weeks in Ecuador. I feel that not only do I have a deeper understanding of the environment and the culture but I have a newfound appreciation as well. Prior to this trip I had little exposure to nature in the way I experienced nature on the trip. Hiking up mountains through mist and being surrounded by the lush green Amazon is something I will never be able to forget. I will never be able to forget how remarkable the wildlife I saw is. Experiencing the unique environments of the Amazon, Andes, Cloud Forest, and Galapagos Islands was indescribable. I was really excited to see the Galapagos and I was surprised that I ended up loving that destination just as much as mainland Ecuador! This trip really has ignited my passion to continue learning about our world and to make an increased effort to protect the environment.