I am planning a trip to Ecuador (non-Galapagos) in late April and early May starting in Quito and ending in Cuenca. We hope to take day trips into the national parks for birding and wildlife spotting. I am concerned about the weather which I understand will be rainy almost every day with fog. I am not so worried about the cities because we are lovers of churches and museums and can stay dry. But how slippery and muddy will it be in the parks? Will cameras, glasses and shoes get impossibly wet in the parks. Also I am assuming that we can pick up day trips to the parks in the cities when we get there. Is that correct? I will be looking for easy walks, I hesitate to call them hikes. We will go to Otalvo and Mindo. We are active, well-traveled seniors but not athletes. We will travel primarily by bus.
Planning for the Weather in Ecuador in April/May for Two Seniors
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Quito lies within 25km of the equator, surrounded by snow-capped peaks at 3,000m. It enjoys a spring-like climate year round - so don't worry to get wet in the capital. Concerning the National Park, the cloudforest is high and usually quite cool. Rains usually set in from mid-afternoon and February/March is wetter - so if you're traveling late April the weather should be ok.
You can easily find local tour operators once there if you're not willing to book before. Horse riding is a very nice way to discover the parks and enjoy the pretty landscapes of Ecuador. In Mindo head out early in the morning with a guide, to try to spot the Cock of the Rock, Golden-Headed Quetzal, Choco Toucan and Club-Winged Manakin!
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