Getting Around

Getting Around

You will rarely need a car in Cotacachi. Local transportation by taxi or bus is cheap, and readily available. The nearby city of Ibarra (population 132,000) is reachable within 15 to 20 minutes. Two American-style shopping malls are located there; with major grocery stores that stock imported foods. There are a variety of familiar stores such as Payless Shoes, Hallmark, Wrangler Jeans, as well as fast food, such as Kentucky Fried Chicken.

Seniors receive a discount throughout the country, whether by air, rail or bus. Local taxis are generally about $1.50 within the city.

Ecuador’s new International Airport is located east of Quito, and approximately one and a half hours from Cotacachi, depending upon traffic. Most major airlines fly to Quito. The most recent new airline is JetBlue, with flights from Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. Please remember that your visitor’s visa is good for a total of 90 days when entering Ecuador, but the time can be used over a year.