Guanguiltagua Expeditions

My husband and I just returned from a trip in Ecuador (end of Aug/beg of Sept) where we utilized Guanguiltagua Expeditions. To say this was an incredible vacation would be an understatement. I had done some internet research to get pricing on tours.  Some of the companies were very vague with details and one wanted a deposit prior to even putting an itinerary together.  With Guanguiltagua Expeditions, Dennis was able to put an itinerary together that met my budget needs and included all of the towns and activities I wanted included.  Dennis listened to what I wanted and was EXTREMELY responsive to my requests. I would get a response within a day or sooner.

I had never used a company for an entire vacation and it was just my husband and I along with Eva, our tour guide and our driver. We were immediately put at ease and were very comfortable with Eva and Dennis (who we spent time with the first and last nights of the trip). Eva is from Holland but is fluent in English and Spanish and is very enthusiastic about Ecuador and extremely knowledgeable. She was able to answer any questions I had about the culture, people, history, etc.

Our itinerary was pretty packed but Eva was able to take us to places off the beaten path and I still found it relaxing. In addition, my husband and I were able to spend time along walking in the towns ourselves, having some meals to ourselves, shopping etc. I have no complaints about the accommodations as they were always clean, safe and cozy. The food was excellent and I never had a bad meal. Eva was very attentive to our needs and if we wanted to stay a little longer in a town, it was great because we could stay a couple of hours longer and didn't have to worry about being on a tight schedule or other couples on the tour since it was just us. If we had a request, Eva always found a way to make sure we had what we needed - even if it was looking for us to get a picture of the huge roasted pigs in Ecuador (yes, we had to).

Ecuador is just a beautiful country and is fascinating to tour. The hi-lites of our trip included our stay at Delfin's jungle lodge where we toured the jungle, climbed waterfalls, learned about medicinal plants, and practiced blow darts! You would want Delfin on your team if you were stuck on a deserted island. An amazing man! He and his family were very welcoming. Other hi-lites included our partial climb of Cotopaxi Volcano, the trips through the various markets, the old churches in Quito and the beautiful landscapes. Other points of interest included Otavalo, Cuichoca crater lake, Banos, the train ride to Alausi village, the views of the various volcanoes, etc.

I would highly recommend Guanguiltagua Expeditions. My husband and I definitely plan to visit Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands again and we will not hesitate to use Dennis and Eva's service again.

Cotopaxi and Cuyabeno trips

Guanguiltagua Expeditions, great choice.

Just returned from Ecuador for a sailing regatta in Salinas with our son. While there, we had arranged for a 5 day tour with Dennis Yepes of Guanguiltaqua Expeditions. It was definitely a great choice. Dennis arranged for our transportation from Salinas to Quito to begin the tour and everything went exactly as planned. We couldn't have been happier. Dennis speaks excellent English and we would not have received the personalized service with a large group. We drove about 1500km in 5 days, seeing among other things, volcanoes, hot baths, UNESCO cities, Incan ruins,markets, numerous waterfalls, and hiked in cloud forests. We saw more in 5 days than most probably see in 2 weeks! We stayed at a different hacienda/hotel every night and ate wonderful foods. It is unbelievable the knowledge Dennis displayed. Never once did he require a map (and believe me, that is no small feat in the backroads of Ecuador). If it sounds like alot of praise, it is intended to. Dennis is passionate about his country and takes his job seriously. We have traveled alot of places but never have we received such personalized service. When our tour was over we said goodbye to a new friend!!

Terry Short, Texas, US

Guanguiltagua Expeditions: good value!

Dennis took our group of three around Ecuador for five days. Eva and Dennis put together a very varied program including Old Town Quito, Otavalo, Cotacachi, Antisana, Banos, Ingapirca, Cuenca and Guiyaquil. Dennis is indeed very knowledgeable about his country, including history, flora, fauna etc. We drove about 1500 km, during which he could always entertain us with good stories, explanations, good music, not to forget his views of the political situation in the country.

We saw more of the country than I am sure others will see in a much longer period. Dennis' and Eva's personalized service resulted in building up a friendship and I have no reservation in recommending Guanguiltagua to my friends.

Sipke Schuurmans, Holland

Guanguiltagua Expeditions: good value!

We went on a 1 week trip trough Quito, the Andes and the amazon basin plus Baños on a tour group of 15. The company did a great job showing us around that part of Ecuador. We highly recommend it!

Amazing tour guide, extremely knowledgeable, friendly and accommodating

Dennis was a great tour guide and friend. We only had the pleasure of traveling with him for two days, but we learned so much about Ecuador in that time. Not only was he an excellent tour guide in the areas we were sightseeing, but he also provided information about the history and culture of Ecuador and the towns/sights we passed on the way. We visited Cotopaxi National Park and Banos, and both tours were amazing. He was more than accommodating, allowing us to see and do the activities we were interested in, even though we had a limited amount of time. He was kind enough to rush us to the airport. Then, when we missed our flight (because of our scheduling mistake, NOT HIS) he invited us into his home and helped us find another flight, sacrificing his personal time, space and sleep! Dennis is not only a wonderful tour guide, but an amazing, caring person who will do all he can to make sure you have an enjoyable experience. Thank you, Dennis!

Great way to see Ecuador!

Our tour with Dennis was a wonderful way to see, experience, and learn about the highlands of Ecuador. He was extremely knowledgeable about the country, and every place we visited. We felt like we had a personal friend showing us around, which made the trip more comfortable and fun. He was also flexible to accommodate our interests. We would definitely recommend it!

Memorable Ecuador...

Guanguiltagua offered us exactly what we wanted, definetely I suggest people to use them in case they go to Ecuador. The guide had very wide knowledge of all the sites. We learn a lot about plants, animals and the geography of this wonderful country. The price was very affordable. We recommend this company with no doubts!

Organized Wedding

Eva Smeets, Dennis Yepez & Dennis Yepez's dad organized a wonderful wedding ceremony experience for us on a Peak in Quito. This was a joyous, touching experience we will treasure all of our lives. The ceremony was intimate and special. If you want to run away and elope, we highly recommend their skills, especially Eva's ability to negotiate & coordinate needs plus activities.

Fantastic Time

Dennis is not only a very knowledgeable guide who has contacts up and down the countryside, a flexible can-do attitude, and a knack for finding great places to eat and stay, but also is a genuinely likeable and interesting traveling companion. So not only did we see and do a lot, but had a lot of fun doing it. I highly recommend Dennis and his tour company. Cheers!

Very good 12-day tour by Dennis of Ecuador highlands

Overall a wonderful experience. Most Liked: * the countryside is amazing -- snow-capped mountains and deep, green pastured valleys * wonderful cross-section of highlands life and culture * Dennis helped in designing a great mix of exercise (2-day, 40+km, 1600m vertical trek; biking down Cotopaxi) and relaxation (visits to Baños and Papallacta hot springs) * Dennis was thorough, very friendly, always on time, and extremely knowledgeable about Ecuador * lodging and food was very good, especially at La Ciénega, Cuenca (la Casona) and Papallacta * Dennis adapted well to our specific travel requests. Could be improved: * we had requested a Spanish-speaking only experience, but found that English too often crept into play

Guanguiltagua: AWESOME!

Ecuador is a fantastic Country! we'll be coming back next year with Guanguiltagua, because we didn't imagine this country had so much to offer...

The Company gave us an excellent service and it just cover more than we expected. His owner it's an excellent guy and he did a great job taking us around and showing some bits of this spectacular country. I highly recommend Guanguiltagua Expeditions

Great guide and wonderful country

We went on a short 3-day tour through the Andes, from Quito to Cuenca, with Dennis, and not only we were amazed at the beauty of the country but also very happy about Dennis' professionalism and friendliness. More than two years after this tour, we're still in contact by email! Highly recommended. Gonçalo (Portugal) and Peter (Denmark)