I would suggest skipping Venezuela due to the time constraint and the political instability they are going through right now. It wasn't the safest country before the election, and now with the clash of political parties it is not a safe place for residents, and especially not foreigners.
One and a half months would be plenty of time to see and do all in Colombia and Ecuador. I would suggest starting in Cartagena, Ecuador and making your way south through Ecuador. Cartagena offers the cheapest flights and is a great starting point. I have lived in Quito, Ecuador for the past four months and have loved every minute of it. There is so much to see and do here! If you like outdoor activites such as mountian climbing, biking, bird watching, nature hiking, white water rafting, fishing, bungee jumping, zip lining, and so on....you'll love it in Ecuador. I've also only heard great things about Colombia, so that should be an amazing trip in all.
Itinerary suggestions (based on my experience in Ecuador and what I've heard from friends that went to Colombia):
-Start in Cartagena, Col. and stay for a week to get a feel for the latino culture, while soaking in the Carribean sun. From there you can take day/weekend trips to Barranquilla and Santa Marta. There are other national parks that you can research and go to that are close by. Definitely worth the time and little bit of money.
-Head from Cartagena to Medellin. It's called the worlds most beautiful city for a reason...the majority of the people look like models and the fashion is something that is unheard of for the rest of the world.
-Bogota is a half day bus ride away, which can be done at night so you don't waste any daylight. Also a beautiful city up in the mountains. From there you can head off to Cali, which is the salsa capital of the world.
-I would suggest spending a week in each large city and making day/overnight trips from there. So Cartagena, Medellin, Bogota, Cali. That's a month of travelling right there.
-From Cali, you can take a bus into Ecuador and stay in Quito. Quito is a centrally located city up in the mountains with so many outdoor activites to do within a close distance. Here are a few must-sees in the Quito area and Ecuador:
Centro Historico of Quito- colonial buildings, native music, beautiful churches and musuems.
Cayambe National Park- beautiful mountain views, hiking, climbing, fishing, camping.
Cotopaxi- see above ^
Baños- bungee jumping, water water rafting (must do), amazon jungle tours, ziplining, waterfall viewing, fun nightlife.
Cuenca- similar to Quito but cleaner, safer, and more relaxing.
Beaches of Canoa, Montanita, Puerto Lopez, Salinas and more- soak in the sun, surf, fish, relax, crack open a $1.50 beer, and enjoy the sunsets.
-For Ecuador I would suggest staying for a week in Quito. And then taking 2-3 day trips to Banos and Cuenca. And do a week long trip along the coast, staying at a different beach town each night for a week. That should be a total of about 3 weeks, depending on how fast you travel or if you want to take it easy.
So the total trip, less than 7 weeks...or you could of course prolong it, depending on your time restraints. Nice hostals can be had from $10-30 a night in both countries...usually averaging around $15-20. I would budget at least $20 a day for food and $20 for entertainment. And of course you have to factor in all the collectibles and gifts you will buy.
-So $20 for lodging, $40 for food & entertainment, $10? for collectibles...that's $70/day.
-Then factor in bus travel, usually $1/hour. Not sure how much total that would be, but just to be safe...$150?
-So based on my estimates it would be $3580. I rounded up on the estimates because it's always better to have more than less. You could of course do the trip for a lot less if you are willing to take some cuts on food, entertainment, and lodging...but this is a once and a lifetime trip so you're going to want to do and see everything. The estimate isn't including flights of course. I would suggest flying in to Cartagena and leaving through Guayaquil. Both offer the cheapest options available in each country. If you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask...you will love it there, I promise! Good luck and enjoy your trip! =)
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