Overland Latin America has adventures to suit every budget, starting at only $55 USD a day.
Q. $55 a day per person ...minimum of 4 persons is that cheap?
A. Absolutely! Most tour companies charge anywhere from $55 to $175 per day per person depending on the tour. Of course, you can take the local bus for less if you enjoy missing all of the scenery, having your gear stolen, and spending all of your time getting there instead of experiencing Ecuador with a professional guide.
Q. What makes OLA Adventures different?
A. Most tour companies in Ecuador will only take you on fixed itineraries to tourist traps with guides who speak very little English and adhere to less than adequate safety standards. After many years of working for other tour companies, the founders of OLA realized the need for an adventure lifestyle company with uncompromising standards of safety, service, and flexibility with that all important personal touch.
Q. Is OLA Adventures a travel agency?
A. OLA is not a travel agency, we like to think of ourself as a lifestyle company. We have a passion for Ecuador and what we do, this is why we personally plan and lead all adventures - we love exploring Ecuador. Being we are not a travel agency we are not trying to sell you a tour just for a commission, unfortunately this is very common in Ecuador, the person behind the travel agent desk has very little idea of the tour you are booking. Infact many times hey have never taken the tour themselves they are just sales people. Please becareful when booking tours, contact the South American Explorers for non biased information.
Q. Are all inclusive adventures available?
A. Yes, all inclusive adventures can be arranged based upon your desired accommodation rating, day activities, and dining requirements. We can arrange everything from picking you up at the airport, to locally owned accommodation, adventure sports and Galapagos trips. Remember we live here in Ecuador and have a huge up to date contact data base, we do not rely on third hand out of date information. We have something to suit every budget and can cater for extreme sports to backpackers to families to older travelers. Just email (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.) to start planning a fully inclusive adventure.
Q.Can we arrange Galapagos adventures.
A.We can happily arrange you a Galapagos adventure. We have many trustworthy contacts in Ecuador that have some amazing last minute deals saving you money, why book from home and pay a huge amount more? Being completely independent and based in Ecuador means we can find the deal of the moment, giving you the flexibility to choose the Galapagos adventure that suits you rather than being sold a tour that an operator just wants to sell you!
Q.Can we arrange tours for older people, and families?
A.Absolutely, our clients are varied in age and abilities, from 3yr old´s to third age adventures we pride ourselves on being able to arrange adventures that are tailored just to your needs.
Q.Extremes Sports is my thing, can OLA help?
A.Ecuador is an extreme country, from the high Andes to the tropical Amazon jungle to the untouched Pacific coast line, it has it all! Extreme sports are close to the heart of OLA. The founders are all adventurer´s at heart, and we set this company up to take us on expeditions all over Ecuador. We organize and run extreme sports expeditions daily so contact us for an adventure of a life time.
Q. What''s included in my trip?
A. For $55 a day per person, you get ...
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The luxury of traveling in a modern well equipped 4x4. Not the normal broken down 4x4 you get in Ecuador!
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A bilingual mountain guide who has expert knowledge of Ecuador.
- FREE instruction in surf, rock climbing, downhill biking, or mountain trekking depending on the trip
Q. How can OLA only charge $75 a day per person and still deliver superb service?
A. At OLA, we love what we do. As a new company with years of industry experience, we are able to keep costs low by having low overheads, efficiently using Internet technology, and focusing on running adventure tours rather than managing a walk-in sales office.
Q. What are people saying about OLA?
A. Read our testimonials. Or search for us on the Lonely Planet Ecuador Thorn Tree forum.
Q.Are there any restrictions or added costs?
A. For most of our adventures we require a minimum of 4 people, the number depends on the adventure. We have a limited distance of 150km per day, after that we charge 57cents per extra km which is very good as tack the time to read the true cost of running a Toyota Landcruiser GXL.. We work out the distance of the entire trip, thus meaning if one day is 200km and the next only 100km there would be no extra charge. Seeing as Ecuador is a small country (about the same as the UK or Nevada) we very rarely have to charge an extra fee. We do offer discounts for less than 4 people so please contact us if this is the case and a service charge can be added, never more than 9%. At $55 it is not possible for us to include accommodation apart from our special offer. Accommodation in Ecuador is generally cheap, it starts as low as $5 per night for a dorm room and can go up to $200 a night, depending on where you choose to stay.
Q.Is a deposit required?
A. Yes, a 50% deposit is required to secure a booking. Cancellations seven days in advance will receive a full refund. Making a deposit is easy, we have a Paypal account where you can pay with a credit card or with a Paypal transfer (if you have an account but there is a 3% charge for this). We also have bank accounts in $, £ or € where you can make a direct transfer or deposit.
Q. When do I pay?
A. The balance of your trip (less the deposit) are due in cash on the first day of your trip.
Q.Where can I find out more info about Ecuador?
A. Researching your adventure can be a confusing business, everyone says they are best, prices vary wildly and you have no first hand experience ... We at OLA feel its best to give you as much independent help as possible, below is a list of web sites that could be very informative to the first time adventurer in Ecuador.
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Lonely Planet Thorn Tree - Question and answer forum for Ecuador and the Galapagos.
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South American Explorers - Nonprofit organization helping travelers and adventures in Latin America, well worth joining.
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Trip Advisor - Great forum for travelers
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Youtube clips, see before you come - OLA, Ecuador, Coast, Andes, Amazon & Galapagos
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Our Photos - always a good way to get a feel for a country we update every month!
Q. How do I book my adventure?
A. First contact us below with the dates and adventure type you''re interested in. We will then arrange to meet you at your hotel or the South American Explorers Club to discuss itinerary possibilities and finalize your adventure. Or we can organize everything via email and be ready for you at the airport. You choose!
For scheduled trips and availabilities, check out our calendar (a work in progress - but we are getting there) ... Tel: (00-593) 2 3818989 email: melThis email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.