Best time to fly (Cost)

best suggestion is to fly before mid December.  Look for flights on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday both ways.  Be sure to look at luggage restrictions too.

Personally, I like LAN airlines, then AA, the worst has been Continental.

Also look at cheap flights to Miami, or into Newar NJ and use that as your hub to get to Ecuador, cheaper flights from those locations. 

And there are local flights from Quito and from Guayaquil to Cuenca as well as a van service from Guayaquil to Cuenca.

I'm on the coast near Salinas so don't have help for the renting but if you go onto FaceBook look for Ecuador Expats and join Gerard's group and put up a message -- he'll be able to help you out on that front.

And if you want to come to the coast (where it is not hot and humid, it's actually cool and the whales are here for the season!) I can reccomend lots of places to stay

In regards to the van service out of Guayaquil going to Cuenca, do you know if they allow pets on the van?  My husband and I are planning a move to Cuenca, but we will be bringing one large dog, 3 tiny dogs and a cat with us, and need to know the best way to get them all there.  Thanks!

The van service may insist on the animals being crated and having sheets, blankets or something to protect the seats from pet hair, but for the most part, there should be no problem.

One service I use has an email address:Transportes Touristicos ST rolpuga@hotmail.com so you may want to contact them and get all the information you need before you leave the states.

Susan
TheOceanHideaway.com

Thank you!

Hi from a dog lover anxious to move to Cuenca.  I have read several informational websites about bringing your pets into Ecuador.  I know one of them said something about bringing only 2 or 3 pets.  I also saw where there is a 2-3 day quarantine on them.  Is this true?  Those of you who have taken your pets to Ec what was required?  I understand the vaccination and health requirements, but not sure of all the rest I read.  What's the truth?  Thanks for your help.

If your animals can come in as baggage -- then there is no quarantine.

To be baggage on most flights the combined weight of the animal and their hard case must not exceed 100 lbs.

If this is a large dog in a large crate, they must fly by cargo which requires a quarantine of 2 to 3 days; however, there is the ability to pay a fee of $600 for the immediate release of your cargo pet and I believe a prtion of that is refunded after 3 days.

Most important to remember is that pet mortality in air travel most often occurs from heat and dehyration !  This is why animals with squished in faces (brachio cephalic breeds of cats and dogs: burmese cats, pug dogs and the like) should never travel when the ground temperature before take off is over 80 degrees F, for pointy nose breeds, 85 is the cut off.  Hydrate your dog well up to take off- some try to include a frozen water bowl to thaw during flight but this might be confiscated by security -- Have water available to them as long as possible but withhold food 8 hours before -- so they do not need to defecate durting flight.  Keep flights under 5 hours.

And do have your pet get comfortable with entering and exiting the crate wees before you show up at the airport -- the securoty personal will need to look over bothe the animal and the crate separatelyt before departure.

Helpful hints from Poochie the traveling boxer here at the Ocean Hideaway!

Susan
TheOceanHideaway.com