Ecuador requires a valid passport from all people entering the country and proof of return tickets to the traveler’s home country or another country after Ecuador. Your passport must be valid for 6 months beyond your departure from Ecuador.

If you haven’t already made flight reservations, consider making reservations as early as possible.  Flights around holiday dates may be limited and high price increases can be expected if booked last minute.  Check that your passport is valid for at least 6 months after your departure date or you will be denied entry into Ecuador.

Are you thinking about the Galapagos, visiting the Ecuadorian Jungle, or just need an extra night to get the best flight deal?  Stay extra nights at our beautiful hotel without having to change rooms by booking directly through STI.  Check out our prices and options page for details and to make your reservation.

Once you make your online reservation you will receive a final invoice from us confirming your reservation details. Our STI reservation specialists are available to review your reservation and recommend additional services. Depend on them for assistance with airfare, proper protection, pre and post tour services, etc. Contact us with your travel requests.

READ your invoice and the FAQ page very carefully and advise if any changes need to be made.

Next, say hello to your fellow travelers on the chat!

Your “Final Vacation Details & Meetup Information” including transportation and how to meet up with the group will be posted here 14 days prior to trip start date. Questions? Email us at service@singlestravelintl.com.

The tour begins in Quito on December 26, 2016, and ends the January 2, 2017. Therefore the tour is 7 nights/8 days.

A deposit is due at time of reservation. Refer to the Price and Options tab for the amount. Final payment is due in our office by September 26, 2017. A reminder will be emailed to you 7 days prior to due date and your card will automatically be charged. If you make a reservation after September 26, full payment will be automatically charged at time of reservation and penalties will apply.

Yes. All cancellations must be made in writing to Singles Travel International and are subject to per person penalties as follows:

After deposit, a minimum charge of $75.00 plus credit card charges if applicable.

Between September 26, 2017 and November 26, 2017 – a $300 penalty applies

After November 26, 2017 – any cancellations or “no-shows” – 100% penalty.

Our package includes airport transportation and a guide will meet you at the Quito Airport UIO. After exiting customs, you’ll find your guide holding a sign with your name and the initials MVI. Your guide will take you to the hotel, approximately 15 minutes away, where you will meet your fellow travelers.

As guests arrive through Day 1, feel free to explore the grounds and enjoy the onsite amenities. Everyone who arrives by 7:00pm will meet at the restaurant for a special welcome dinner. Meet your hosts and new friends while enjoying a fantastic traditional Ecuadorian dinner.

Please submit your flight schedule and photocopy of your passport to us no later than December 1, 2017. Make sure to include your airline and flight number so we can track flight changes or delays for your pickup. Email us at service@singlestravelintl.com.

Singles Travel International is a vacation event company that plans singles events and markets our events at our expense to create a “singles only” experience. We do not allow guests to join the group unless the reservation has been made by STI. Our policy is firm for tours and cruises, as well as pre and post trip hotel stays. Members and friends that “show up” will not be allowed to participate without paying an equivalent fee to the rest of the group that made the reservation with STI. Your credit card on file will automatically be charged.

Of course! Additional nights in Quito can also be purchased for before or after the tour. Each additional night is only $159 per person and will include airport transfers, lodging, breakfast, and the 24% Ecuadorian tax and service fees. To ensure your reservation is made with the group and airport transportation is arranged, additional nights must be paid for in advance with STI.

In order to accommodate singles from all over the world, our tours and cruises are priced as land/cruise only. Therefore, airfare is additional. Singles Travel International is a licensed ticketing agency and oftentimes has low negotiated fares.

Flights from major US cities will depart and arrive in Quito on the same day.  Schedule your flight to arrive by 5:00 PM to enjoy the onsite Hotel amenities and participate in the Welcome Dinner and Orientation.  Later arrivals will be contacted by the Hosts directly to ensure safe arrival and give details for meeting the group in the morning.

Return flights are also usually same day and Quito has many red-eye flights.  Guests will be able to take part in all scheduled excursions the final day if departure flights are booked after 11:00 PM, January 1st.  Hotel checkout time is 12:00 PM Noon, January 2nd. Later departures may request a late check-out at the hotel for a minimal cost paid onsite.

The tour does not include roundtrip airfare.
You are responsible for alcoholic beverages, personal purchases such as souvenirs and snacks, incidentals such as massages, laundry and gratuities to local guides and STI hosts ($10-15 per day).

Additional nights in Quito are available for $159 per person, per night and include airport transfers, lodging, breakfast, and the 24% Ecuadorian tax and service fees. In order to ensure your reservation is made with the group and airport transportation is arranged, additional nights must be paid for in advance with STI.

The itinerary is established in advance and may vary due to unforeseen circumstances. However, if you opt to do something that is different than or in addition to what is planned for the group, you are at your own expense. Please contact hosts Sarah and Robert at info@ecuadormvi.com as soon as possible to confirm cost and make reservations.

Please contact your preferred carrier directly to make your reservation. If Singles Travel International issues a promotional economy fare, granting of frequent flyer credit is entirely at the airline`s discretion. If the flights are eligible, to ensure you earn frequent flyer credit from the airline, give your frequent flyer account number when you check in for your flights. In addition, save your boarding passes and the passenger receipt from your airline ticket. You may need to submit these to the airline (not to Singles Travel International) to claim any credit allowed.

The lodging for this tour is at the beautiful Garden Hotel San Jose, a restored colonial hacienda with newly updated rooms, each with a private bathroom and free Wi-Fi. The grounds are exquisite with acres of gardens and walking trails, two pools, a Jacuzzi, workout room and spa. It is centrally located between our various excursions, an easy commute to the airport, and in a tranquil valley outside the traffic of the city.

Breakfast is served every morning from 6:30-9:30am and consists of a full service American style breakfast buffett including freshly prepared juices, cereal, yogurt, eggs and more. Lunches and Dinners will be served either on location or at the hotel depending on the day’s excursion.

Of course not. You will be pleased to find out that nearly 90% of our guests on every trip sign up and have never met anyone before joining the group. In 18 years, we have perfected the singles vacation experience. It is paramount that our guests meet each other right away and have opportunities to mingle every day. From the moment you join our tour , our STI Travel Director is waiting to meet you (in this case, Robert & Sarah from MVI). Our first day begins with an orientation and the camaraderie builds as we go along. The nature of the trip is trying something new, challenging yourself and motivating those around you. The bonds that develop on our adventure tours are by far the strongest and longest lasting.

Our Ecuador Adventure is perfectly suited to physically active members in the 35-60 age range, who are fit and practice a regular routine of exercise. We generally have a ratio of 60/40, women to men. As a travel club, matchmaking is not our focus. Ages listed on our page are not restricted. They are simply used as a guideline. We offer an opportunity for single travelers to see the world in the company of other singles and do not guarantee the ages or ratios.

Be sure and take advantage of our community features including the viewing of profiles of those already signed up to go. Send messages and meet your fellow travelers even before you take off!

Weather in Tumbaco is similar year-round, with warm sunny days giving way to cool nights. Our resort enjoys the perfect weather with 60’s in the early morning and nighttime, but reaches temperatures of 75-80 during the daytime, all year round.

Our excursions will take the group on sunny canyon walks, into the misty cloud rain forest, and to a windy 14,000ft. So be prepared to experience a range of temperatures and climates with comfortable layered clothing.

Currently, most airlines will allow you to check two bags, weighing 50 pounds each, for a fee. In addition you may carry-on one bag plus a personal item such as a purse or briefcase. Please check with your air carrier for up-to-the minute regulations and fees for checked baggage.

Ecuador is at a higher altitude than most travelers’ home city. Be prepared for cool evenings and a much hotter sun. Not only are we higher, we are only approximately 15 miles from the Equator. Bring along spring/summer clothing and we recommend that you mix and match using 1-3 colors, such as khaki, brown and white that you can layer if necessary. Comfortable hiking shoes are a must. Bring a fleece sweatshirt for those chilly evenings.

**Packing Tips:** Take only what you need; don’t over pack. Save room for souvenirs and purchases. Pack flat and full to avoid wrinkling. Bring wardrobe basics; mix and match around one or two colors. Don`t pack anything valuable, fragile or perishable. Label your luggage with an outside tag, and place an identification card inside each suitcase.
**Essential Items: We highly recommend that you bring the following items.**
– A good, comfortable pair of broken-in hiking shoes for easy to medium terrain
– A pair of shoes for restaurants (loafers, sandals, etc.)
– Water shoes or secure sandals for snorkeling and walking along beaches
– Clothing for walking/light hiking, and casual evening attire for restaurants
– Bathing Suit
– Lightweight raingear, poncho
– Sunglasses, sun block (30 or higher for face), sun hat, baseball cap or visor
– Toiletries: all your daily essentials
– Prescription medications: sufficient supply for the entire trip plus legible written prescription in case of loss. Keep medications in their original, labeled container. Always pack your medications in your carry-on bag!
– Eyeglasses, contacts, contact lens solution. You may want to bring along a written prescription for your eyewear in case of loss.
– Over the counter medications: cold remedy, aspirin/pain reliever, antacid/stomach upset remedy, Band-Aids, anti-bacterial medication, Dramamine (if prone to motion sickness), neosporin, anti-itch cream.
– Mosquito repellant
– Photography Equipment: Water Protection, extra memory cards and batteries recommended
– Ziplock baggies to carry wet clothing
– Binoculars

Old clothing to donate to local churches & schools

Ecuador requires a valid passport from all people entering the country and proof of return tickets to the traveler’s home country or another country after Ecuador. Your passport must be valid for 6 months beyond your departure from Ecuador. We recommend keeping your passport safely at the resort, and carry a copy with you at all times while in Ecuador.

Upon entering it is mandatory for visitors to complete an international embarkation/disembarkation card; it is then stamped with your passport. Do keep this card in your passport; losing it can make problems when exiting the country along with spot checks on buses, clubs, restaurants or in the streets.

110 Volts, 60 cycles which is the same as the US.

Ecuador does not practice daylight savings time in comparison with the US.  Quito is at UTC -5:00. During our tour, Ecuador will be in CST.

The currency used in Ecuador is the US dollar.

Many locations do not accept major credit cards and ATM machines availability may be limited. We recommend you bring US dollars in small denominations, $1, $5, $10 and $20 bills that are not too old, worn or ripped for personal purchases, souvenirs, New Year’s Eve beverages, incidentals and tipping.

Although no inoculations are required, pre-departure health checkups are essential for any major Latin American trip so do check in with your doctor for vaccinations in plenty of time before journeying or even a Latin American specialist if your doctor is not qualified sufficient to help. Today immunizations against smallpox and Cholera are not necessary or recognized even by the World Health Organization.

The major vaccinations recommended for Latin America travel to combat diseases are as follows: Typhoid, Yellow Fever, Malaria, Tetanus, Poliomyelitis, Infectious Hepatitis, & Rabies in the jungle areas or other epidemics that may have recently sprung up such as Meningitis.

Two excellent websites outlining the major precautions are: www.cdc.gov and www.who.int which are the official sites for the centers of disease control prevention and the World health organization respectively.

**Take Precautions:** Never eat from street vendor stalls due to contamination of the handlers or street pollution from passing vehicles or drink the local water unless you have purification tablets, preferably iodine based.

Use bottled water when possible as the iodine taste can be overpowering. Also, always wash and clean fruits thoroughly before eating as well as your washing and drying your hands on clean hand towels or paper tissues. Brush teeth with bottled water and avoid eating uncooked foods unless you are familiar with the source.

Our Hotel is located in a beautiful valley outside Quito, at a height of about 8,000 feet. The excursions on this tour will be at varying altitudes from 6,000 feet to nearly 14,000 feet. Altitude sickness is rare and very few guests have had problems due to the altitude. Sickness is usually avoided by acclimatizing during the first 1-2 days of the trip, not ascending over 9,000 feet in a single day, drinking lots of fluids and avoiding cigarettes and heaving drinking until adjusted to the change. Please note that if you have a history of altitude sickness, diabetes, hypertension, or any medical problems that affect breathing, you should check with your doctor before traveling to Quito.

It is very important to dress in layers including warm jackets and sweaters to adjust for temperature changes through the day.

With the high altitude, you will be at higher risk for sunburn. Always use a high S.P.F. sun block, minimum 15 for body and 30-50 for face and shoulders. Sun block should be used daily and reapplied as needed. Light weight long sleeves and pants, hats and visors are also recommended.

Travel Insurance is available through Travel Guard and in addition to direct access immediately upon completing your purchase, you will receive a quote from Travel Guard regarding travel insurance after reserving your vacation.  If you have any questions, Travel Guard professional, expert agents are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  Call us, if you have not received your quote within 3 days.

Your Final Vacation Details & Meetup Info document, available here on the FAQ tab 14 days prior to departure, will include a phone contact number for the Mountain Views Inn. Instructions on international dialing codes will be provided. We suggest you leave a copy of this with your family.

**United States:** Our office is open Monday-Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time. In an emergency after hours, please contact Tammy Weiler at 815-715-6998.

All countries you will visit have laws against the purchase and export of certain items, including antiquities, national cultural property and certain animal products, especially endangered species (ivory, rhino horn, tortoise shell, coral, feathers, etc.). Additionally, the United States has laws prohibiting the import of certain items, which include many of the same things. You face having your purchase confiscated and/or heavy fines for exporting or importing prohibited items.

On return to the U.S., your baggage is subject to search by U.S. Customs. Currently, you are permitted to bring back $800 of goods duty free. Persons aged 21 or over may also bring in one liter of liquor and one carton of cigarettes. If you plan to purchase a lot of souvenirs or expensive items, it is important to retain all purchase receipts. However, please note that U.S. Customs may not accept a receipt as true cost if it seems unusually low for the estimated value of the item. You may access the regulations and restrictions governing US Customs on their official website, click here to learn more.