 Quito
There’s one important thing you should know about Quito. We can have the four seasons in the course of a single day. The rule of thumb is: if it’s cloudy it’s cold, if it’s sunny it’s hot and at night it’s always chilly. Quito has a temperature that can reach up to around 30 ºC (86 ºF) and can drop to 8-10 ºC at night.
 Comfortable clothes for this kind of weather. Light t-shirts, jeans, shorts or any kind of pants. For the evenings, a warm light jacket and maybe a scarf. Be sure to bring at least one warm jacket for the really cold nights and days we sometimes have.
Comfortable shoes for walking, sandals may also be used in the warm days.
Depending where you want to eat or party, bring some fancy clothes. Not a wedding dress kind, but a nice shirt and jeans for guys does the trick, and well… girls have a million different options to wear right? There is not a single restaurant that we know of that has a dress code in Quito, but there are some clubs that do. Don’t know what to wear to a certain restaurant, bar or club? Talk to us!
Sunglasses.
Keep change abundant. One of the annoying things our city has is the lack of spare change. Don’t be surprised if you try to pay for a lollipop with a $5 and the store cashier demands a smaller bill. This is essentially important for two things, cabs and buses. When getting into a cab (check transportation) always ask if the driver has change for your bill, or you may end up in an uncomfortable discussion with him. Ecovia, Trole and Metrobus, have change booths to change your bills into quarters.
Umbrella, if you see it’s cloudy.
Sunscreen for warm days.
As for film and video devices and supplies they are widely available in pharmacies, supermarkets and film shops.
Water in Quito is potable, but at some extent. Don’t drink tap water if you’ve just arrived. It’s fine for cleaning and personal cleansing.
Bottled water for the tours, especially if they require extensive walks.
Women travellers: There’s almost everything available in this city. Although special care products should be brought along for tours.
People with disabilities: This is a huge deal in Quito. Access ramps are becoming a standard issue in modern buildings, but sometimes it seems they forgot that getting from the street to the sidewalk is a prerequisite. It is now possible, but really hard, to move around the city in a wheelchair unattended. Braille and other assistance is nonexistent, some stop lights make a sound when red.
People with children: Special food, powdered milk and other supplies are available in shopping malls and supermarkets. Diapers from every kind are also available. Some shopping malls and supermarkets have trolleys for rent or for free depending on where you are. You will not find safety seats in taxis or buses bring one along if you need one. Most respectable restaurants provide baby chairs for free.
Senior tourists: Consult with your physician about height sickness. Bring special medication along with you. Wheelchair rental is not common, but some supermarkets and shopping malls provide electrical shopping carts. | |
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