About AndesAdventure.net and
Columbus Travel Ltd

Columbus Travel started it's operation 1997 and has grown to become one of the major on-line travel agencies in Ecuador. We mostly sell trips to the Galapagos islands and the Amazon jungle, but we can offer any travel service you need.

We are affiliated with CETUR (Ecuadorian tourist board) and CAPTUR (the tourist board of the Pichincha province) and highly recommended by The South American Explorers club and Exito travel in The States.

Sustainable Tourism

Fundacion Sol y Vida
We help the foundation Sol y Vida in its fight against childhood cancer in Ecuador. Our support and donations actively help Sol y Vida to achieve its goal of saving as many children’s lives as possible. Sol y Vida is an European foundation that currently supports 78 children with cancerous tumours by financing chemo and radiotherapy.

Click on the image above to view our certification from "Sol y Vida"

Most of the children are less than 10 years old and come from families with monthly incomes of 150-350 USD. They have no health insurance, and therefore no access to affordable medical services. All members of Sol y Vida work as volunteers and administrative costs are very low. Therefore virtually all donations go directly to pay for the medical care of the children.

We are located close to the Mariscal area in Quito at Mariscal Foch 265 and 6 de Diciembre Avenue, Sonelsa Building 2nd and 3rd floors. Here is a short presentation of some of the staff:

Management

Kjetil Haugan

Kjetil Haugan is the owner of Columbus Travel. He is a Norwegian citizen who has lived in Ecuador since 1994. Kjetil has a Graduate degree in Organization Development from England and a undergraduate degree in Management from Norway. Kjetil worked as the director of the Olympic Villages during the Lillehammer (Norway) 1994 and the Atlanta (USA) 1996 Olympic Games. He speaks Spanish, English and the Scandinavian languages.

Luisa Cordova

Luisa has a degree in tourism and administration from UTE university in Quito. She is the Commercial Manager of Columbus Travel. She works for Columbus since 1997. Luisa speaks English and Spanish.

Jessica Meza de Haugan

Jessica holds a degree as Engineer in Tourist Business Administration and Management of Protected Areas, currently she is the President of Columbus Travel and she has created and manages Columbus Home Sales department. Jessica has worked in the tourism business since 1996 and in Columbus Travel since 2001, she is in charge of the Palmazul Artisan Designed Hotel & Spa which is also part of the Columbus Travel Group.

Operations Department

Rodrigo Hidrovo

Rodrigo holds a degree in business and administration from the Universidad Salesiana in Quito. Works in the operations department and also is the Logistics director of Columbus Travel.

Javier Proaño

Xavier will meet you at the airport when you arrive in Quito. Xavier is a dentist.

Soledad Salazar

Soledad graduated at the University Tecnologica Equinoccial (UTE) in Tourist Administration. She works in the operation department and does everything related to land and cruise operation in Columbus Travel.

Marketing Department

Jessica Cisneros

Jessica graduated from the Catholic University of Ecuador with a degree in Organizational Communication and speaks Spanish, English and currently she is studying French. She has been in tourism for over four years during which she has performed different roles. At Columbus Travel, she is encharge of web development and marketing.

Juan Carcelen

Juan is in charge of the corporate image, Web design and advertising of the company. He has a graduate degree in communication and advertising from Universidad de las Americas, and also has coursed studies in New Technologies of Communication at Universidad Andina in Quito. He speaks English and Spanish.

Sales Department

Elena Guachamin

Elena works with sales. She has a degree in business from the San Fransisco university in Quito and has been working 3 years with Metropolitan touring in Ecuador. She also knows all of Ecuador and has traveled several times to the Galapagos.

Christian Jácome

Christian used to be a Guide. He also has over 13 years experience in arranging and selling tours. He has a wealth of knowledge on the Galapagos as well as the tours on the Mainland. Whatever your interests, he is sure to be able to tailor a complete vacation experience to meet your needs. Christian speaks fluently English, Spanish and French.

Veronica Darquea

Vero studied Ecotourism, has a master in Environmental Management and is currently getting a degree in Psicology. She loves Ecuador, and has been working in tourism for around 10 years. Travelling is one of her passions and takes very well care of details.  Happy to be in the sales department, she’s working in Columbus Travel always ready to fulfill the most exigent travel needs from her costumers.

Ivonne Zumárraga

Ivonne holds a degree in tourism administration from the University of Tourist Specialties (UCT) in Quito. She is 26 years old; and has been working in tourism more than 6 years. Her professional training has given her the opportunity to visit the most outstanding places in Ecuador including Galapagos. She has been assigned for Galapagos and Ecuador sales at Columbus Travel.

Diego Andrade

Diego holds a degree in Marketing and Economics from Missouri Valley College in Marshall, Missouri. He is 27 five years old and has worked in the tourism industry for over a year. He joined Columbus Travel in February 2008 as a travel designer. He will create a program fitting your interests and desires based on his vast knowledge of Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands. He speaks English and Spanish, and understands German.

Sales Assistance

Augusta Granda

She graduated in Universidad Central del Ecuador. She’s been working for 4 years at Columbus Travel; she works in the Operation and Sales Department. She makes cruise and hotel reservations and she also assists Elena Guachamin.

Sonia Preciado

Sonia is a sales assistant in Columbus Travel. She has experience in sales and customer service. She's very efficient and always ready to give a hand when required.

Paola Cedeño

Paola is currently studying tourism at the Universidad de las Americas. She is 25 years old and works in Columbus Travel since last year,  she assists Ivonne and Christian.

Finance Department

Lucia Calderon

Lucia is the accounting manager of Columbus Travel. She has 12 years of experience in turism companies in Ecuador. She studied Accounting and Auditing at the Equinoccial Tecnological University of Quito.

Ximena Almeida

Ximena studied accounting and audit at Universidad Tecnologica Equinoccial (UTE). She's in charge of the income of all the companies.

Martha Lucia Orbe

Martha started in the company on December 2007 in the Financial Department. She holds a degree in Commerce and Administration. This is her first time working at a Travel Agency which she finds it very interesting.

Christian Constante

He is 28 years old, he is studying Accounting and Audit at the University. He works in the Accounting department of Columbus Travel, and in charge of paying and collecting our suppliers.

Edison Pilco

Edison studied economy at Universidad central del Ecuador. He works in the Accounting department of Columbus Travel.

Karina Campaña

She works in the Accounting department of Columbus Travel. She is studying at the Universidad Central del Ecuador. This is the first time she works in a travel agency.

Office Staff

Angelita

The person who mantains everything clean

Jose Flores

Jose works with Luis, he buys tickets and make sure that we receive all the documents for the passengers.

Luis Yepes

Luis is our "mensajero" , the person that buys tickets and make sure that we receive all the documents for the passangers. Luis is married and lives outside of Quito.