YOU WONT BELIEVE: The ultimate solo guide to ecuador - You Need To See This

Having backpacked much of South America in my 20s, Ecuador was always skipped over for one simple reason: affordability. Of course, budget travellers can absolutely visit the biodiverse country (there are hostels and well-trodden backpacking routes galore) but I always knew that I wanted to experience Ecuador more luxuriously, and spend time visiting the bucket-list islands that make up the Galapagos. And for those, a boat, as well as a bit more than a £19 a day budget, is needed.

There’s also the conundrum of safety, since in recent years, Ecuador has gained a bit of a bad reputation. You only have to check out Gov.UK’s travel advice (which is overzealous at the best of times) to see a long list of no-go zones and warnings. Thankfully, many of the areas likely to be visited by tourists are unaffected, and local tour agencies, like Metropolitan Touring (the one I enlisted to help with logistics and safe transfers), are on hand to provide a truly memorable experience for solo travellers wishing to see this enigmatic part of the world.