Visiting local businesses and hearing their stories especially the traditional ways. Weaving, musical instruments and bischochas.

I took private tours to Cotopaxi and Otavalo with guide Luis Hounday. Luis was s very accommodating and knowledgeable guide, who speaks pretty good English. Luis has close relationships with the indigenous people and served as a great ambassador. I would highly recommend him, especially to travelers without a strong command of Spanish.

We did three day tours with Angela and Jamie, they were very knowledgeable and helpful tailoring the tours to our wants and needs. They have a great selection of activities and we definitely would recommend them for all your tours. They will pick you up at any time or place making the tour’s easily accessible and enjoyable. Angela is from Ecuador and Jamie is her husband from Canada making communication easy and comfortable, their company was great.

Angela and Jamie were very knowledgeable about the whole thing and gave us excellent advices on places to eat and tips about buying stuff.

Jamie and Angela were warm and friendly guides who took us a full-day tour of the Mindo cloud forest to see the amazing hummingbirds, a butterfly sanctuary, a cable car ride and hike to a waterfall and lunch at the Mindo Chocolate factory/farm. The artisan (small batch) chocolate factory had 12 varieties for us to taste.They were prompt and very knowledgeable. The SUV we rode in was like new and very comfortable. I was referred to them by friends who raved about them and they were terrific. I highly recommend them. Wear sturdy shoes for the hike. My emails were answered quickly and they offered good suggestions.

The tour was customized to our family's interests and needs. Our main goals were to bring our (adult) girls to the Otavalo Saturday market and the nearby Condor Park. My husband and I had been to Otavalo, Cotacachi, and Cuicocha before and knew that they'd especially like the Condor Park. (Yes, Cuicocha Lake is very beautiful and my husband liked the leather belt he had bought in Cotacachi, but birds are higher on our girls' priority lists!) I was looking for a small, unique gift for a friend in Otavalo. Angela knew just where to find one. On the way to Otavalo, we stopped for biscochos and a tour of Quitsato, a sundial that is exactly on the equator and less touristy than the Mitad del Mundo sites typically visited by tours from Quito. It was an unexpected surprise that we all enjoyed. We were picked up from our vacation rental in Quito and returned to a hotel by the airport, so we had a lot of luggage. So, instead of their usual van, Angela and Jaime took us in a small bus. We appreciated the personalized attention and would definitely recommend Let's Go to Ecuador. (We went with family, but no young children or teens. TripAdvisor doesn't give that option for "Who was with you?")

We spent two full days with Jamie and Angela- we are in love with their beautiful country and especially with THEM! The first day in Quito we took their Panoramic Quito tour (check their site directly - there are many more options than listed here and it was easier to contact them directly). It gave us a great overview of the city and hit all the sights on our must see list. Our departure day, Jamie and Angela picked us up (with luggage in tow) and we spent the day on the Otavalo tour. What a fabulous day- there was so much more to see than just the market (though Angela did a great job making certain we navigated/negotiated well there, too). At the end of the day, they were happy to drop us directly at the airport. One of our friends pulled her back and Angela help explain things to the pharmacist - we never could have managed on our own. Angela and Jamie were flawless in the details, a joy to communicate with and a totally wonderful guides to their country. My only tip is to contact them directly.

Let's Go to Ecuador with Jaime and Angela! Quito is waiting for you! Our Quito day tour from our cruise was canceled due to the "surge" in Covid but Jamie and Angela came to our rescue with a private half day tour of Quito's old town. It was a fabulous tour in a safe environment - 90% of the tour was outdoors and Old Town was NOT crowded. We felt safe as can be - both in terms of personal safety and from catching COVID. Post Galapagos cruise, we had a full day trip already scheduled with Jaime and Angela to the middle of the world, Otovalo, Cotacachi, Cuicocha, Peguche . We were totally delighted with the services we received - clean car, safe driving and definitely knowledgeable information from both Jaime and Angela! It was sad to see how COVID has really affected Quito's economy but there is no reason why you should not visit Ecuador. We were pleasantly surprised at how clean and safe Quito was! Highlights included seeing the 3 volcanoes from Quito (usually shrouded with clouds but we were lucky), visiting the boscocho cafe, the chocolate making business, middle of the world, the crater lake (and just by chance seeing it again from the airplane going back to the US), and the falls. Just by chance and coincidence, my friend's brother in law lives in Quito and had also recommended Jaime and Angela's services! Two recommendations is always a good sign. You won't be disappointed!

At the end of the day my wife said, "this is like being on vacation with friends!" Can't speak highly enough about Jamie and Angela! Delightful couple who work very hard to make the day special. Spanish and English languages covered perfectly. Jamie does the driving that - believe me - you would not want to tackle on your own. Angela's knowledge of all things Ecuadoran is encyclopedic. Our particular trip was: 1. Quitado, the more scientific of the Middle of the World sites. 2. A small baker of the local bizcocho biscuits. 3. The Otavalo market. Jamie and Angela will show you the best outdoor stalls and adjacent indoor shops. If you are a serious shopper, having Angela guide you through local bartering alone will save you much of the price of your tour!. Market was great to see, but the day is so much more than only the market. 4. Wonderful private time with one of the very few remaining master weavers of the pre-Spanish backstrap loom. Great demonstration of every step of the process from sheep to use of the loom itself. (including a surprising demonstration of the source of the cochineal red dye). 5. The "leather town" of Cotacachi. 6. Peguche. A charming indigenous village blessed with an adjacent lovely peaceful park centered around a waterfall. This is one of three days we spent with Jamie and Angela, and I would recommend them enthusiastically to anyone. Contacting them on their website was simple, and they respond promptly at the end of their day tours.

Fantastic place to get authentic items at a fraction of the price . We purchased sweaters for the family along with Panama hats . Our guides Jamie and Angela from Let's Go to Ecuador were wonderful : very knowledgeable of local goods and prices. We were first given an introduction to the market and learned about the customs and how the people supported themselves. Bananas and many other local foods were very abundant and cheap . We were given ample time to explore on our own and we thoroughly enjoyed the market along with the purchases we made.The visit to the market made special by our guides Jamie and Angela when at the end of our free shopping time, they escorted us to specific stalls that sold the special souvenirs and Panama hats that we needed assistance with. They helped to negotiate the prices in Spanish. They picked us up the hotel in the morning and dropped us off at 6:00 pm. At lunch we ate at their favorite local place in Cotacachi where Angela helped buy a well made, beautiful and unique leather purse. We also made a stop at a beautiful forest and waterfall area and also had some fun photos taken with two Llamas. The day at Otavalo (and vicinity) can be custom made for your needs as Jamie and Angela are so easy to work with when planning your schedule. We highly recommend them!

We were fortunate to book this tour. Communication was highly commendable as I was booking at the last minute from a place with little cell service. Angela patiently responded to my half-sent texts. Our family of 4 booked the Otavalo tour. It was a wonderful day from start to finish. Our van was extremely comfortable. Our pleasant driver was very professional. The tour itself was perfect: fun informative and pressure-free. We were delighted by Quitsato. The tour was enlightening and we loved getting a picture at the equator. We stopped to see bizcochos being made (with samples!) We shopped in Otavalo. Jamie and Angela picked the perfect restaurant for lunch. We toured Cotacachi. Jamie and Angela were extremely patient here, as I found myself in purse heaven and ended up doing much some serious shopping. We visited a shop where we were able to see the traditional art of back-stop weaving. This was amazing to watch. We had a well-timed snack of ice cream and visited Peguche waterfalls, a pretty area that is a weekend retreat for residents. Jamie and Angela are kind people who are extremely knowledgeable about Ecuador. They provided us with extensive information about the sites we visited as well as Ecuador in general. They answered all of our questions which ranged from history to food to real estate in Ecuador. They were accommodating throughout. Even if there were no tour, I would have enjoyed just hanging out with them for the day. I highly recommend Lets Go To Ecuador.

Jamie and Angela were amazing! This was my second summer visiting Quito. I knew I wanted another day with them. My friend was traveling with me this year so I asked for the same tour as I had last year. We started with a visit to the Middle of the World. We were fortunate to stumble upon a local market. It was my chance to eat cuy! Angela helps communicate and gets the best bargains! We visited a local weaver and an instrument maker. The visit to Peguche Falls is always the right amount of time. A little hike, a few pictures, and history all tied together. My favorite part of the day is shopping in Cotacachi! This year we ate at a new restaurant in town called Incanto. The owner makes bread, sandwiches, salads, fresh cones and delicious gelato. I highly recommend a visit to this restaurant withJaime and Angela. I bought more leather goods this year since my visit was at the end of a 16-day vacation! Here are a few pictures from our time together. If you are going to be in Quito I highly recommend using Jaime and Angela for your tour. Book early as they fill up their calendar quickly! I look forward to visiting them on my future trips to Quito!

Had prearranged everything with Jamie & Angela well in advance. They even arranged to have us picked up at the airport when we arrived. Spent 2 wonderful days with them and got to see so much of Ecuador, including places that you would only be able to visit with private guides. They are so knowledgeable about everything Ecuador - from places to stay, restaurants to eat at, places to buy things, etc etc. If you can do it, this is the only way to travel. Highly recommend them - wish we could have spent more time in Ecuador!

Jamie and Angela are excellent hosts. We toured two days, one focused on Quito and one to Otavalo. With their help, we saw many historical and scenic sites in both places. They are friendly, informative, and know their way around. We appreciated their help in navigating to places, finding good restaurants, knowing which shops had genuine goods, and just had a great time.

My mom and I had a great time with Jamie and Angela! We took their tour to Otavalo and also had their driver, Carlos, take us to Mindo for the day! Both trips were great - Jamie and Angela were super friendly and informative and we loved getting a personalized tour of life outside of Quito. Highly recommend!

We went on our one day Otavalo Tour with Angela and Jamie from "Let's go to Ecuador" in July, and we enjoyed every second of it. Both Jamie (Canadian born) and Angela (originally from Ecuador but lived in Canada for a few years) are fluent in English, which as you can imagine is very helpful for foreigners who visit Ecuador and don't speak Spanish. We visited many sites with the highlight being the famous Otavalo Market. The tour was organized in a very professional way with very personal care. Angela and Jamie also arranged us a private day tour to Cayambe Volcano the next day. Although they don't have such a tour in their agency, they contacted a mountain guide and a driver who took us on the tour. Both the guide and driver were very professional which was very important, since the tour to Cayambe Volcano is very Adventurous. Thank Angela and Jamie for a wonderful experience. We really appreciate it. Omer

Jamie and Angela were amazing! They took me everywhere on the list. I appreciated their insight to bargaining in the markets and the best stores for leather purchases. They were so easy to talk to that it felt like I was spending the day with friends! Jamie was an outstanding chauffeur! I was sad to see our day come to an end! I highly recommend Jamie and Angela for your Quito experience! I will definitely be booking another day with them when I return to Ecuador!

My sister who lives in Ecuador recommended Jaime and Angela to us. A Canadian and Ecuadorian team; what a perfect combination for us Canadians. By the end of a fabulous day, it felt like we were saying goodbye to our friends. We enjoyed every minute with them, from the time they picked us up at our hotel in Quito until they dropped us off 11 hours later. They were professional, very knowledgeable about the places we visited and so much fun to talk to. The first stop was the GPS authentic site of the Equator where we had a very interesting scientific presentation. The highlight here though was standing with one foot in the Southern hemisphere and the other in the north. Next we stopped at a bakery in a small town to see how they make traditional biscuits and also to taste some...yummy! Then we went to Otavalo market where we purchased some fine handmade articles crafted by the local artisans. We also enjoyed our lunch there with Jaime and Angela. After lunch, we went to Peguche waterfall and even saw a bride and groom in traditional wedding attire. Next we visited a musical instrument maker, which was a huge highlight for my husband who loves all things musical. We also visited amazingly beautiful Cuicocha Lake and the leather town of Cotacachi. I could have spent all day there as the leather items for sale were fabulous and well-priced! We highly recommend anyone to take this tour and we know Jaime and Angela would tailor it to your needs and interests. There is no way we could have seen half as much in a day by ourselves. Plus we were very comfortable in their roomy SUV and learned so much about so many things! Prior to our tour, Angela and Jamie were kind enough to send us suggestions for visiting other parts of Quito and their recommendations were invaluable. Thank you Jaime and Angela for such an awesome day! It was a great value and an all-round excellent tour. We will be sure to recommend you to everyone we know, who may be considering a trip to Ecuador.

We had such a great day with Angela & Jamie! They were extremely professional, very knowledgeable about the places we visited and Ecuador generally, and fun to talk to. They picked us up from our hotel in Quito promptly at 8:30 am in their very comfortable SUV. The first stop was the Cayamabe Equator Monument (which, unlike Mitad de Mundo, is actually located precisely on the equator), where we listened to a very interesting presentation. Next we stopped at a bakery in a small town to sample bizcochos and see how they are made. Then we explored Otavalo market and had lunch there. After lunch we took a short hike to Peguche waterfall, visited spectacular Cuicocha Lake, and walked down “leather street” in Cotacachi. Angela and Jaime even catered to our multiple coffee cravings, taking us to two excellent coffee shops in Otavalo and Cotacachi. I highly recommend taking this tour if you want to explore the areas around Quito - we simply couldn’t have seen half as much in a day by ourselves, not to mention we learned a ton and traveled in comfort. As an added bonus, Angela and Jamie were kind enough to send us their own Do-it-Yourself guides for the other stops on our itinerary, which were priceless! We followed their recommendations very closely and were never disappointed. Take this tour!!

Angela & Jamie collected us from our hotel for the well planned day tour of various attractions around north of Quito. They were knowledgeable, friendly hosts for the day and we thoroughly enjoyed the various locations we were taken to, from the wonderful market at Otavalo, to the magnificent waterfall at Peguche and the Cuicocha crater lake amongst other places. A great private tour with two lovely people.