What I have found to be a great benefit of the Backpacker Pass is the attention given to the establishments where the discounts are offered. It´s designed for a traveller that wants to explore and enjoy Quito and could be easily used for a few days worth of adventure in Quito.

Starting the day at the South American Explorers Club, one can get info on local attractions and sign up for dinners, pub quizzes, and trips with other members of SAE. The club offers thirty percent off on guide books and maps with the pass. The Staff are all travellers themselves and can point people in the right direction as far as where to go and what to do in Quito.

Once acclimated and dialed in as far as the ins and outs of Quito, one can rent a bike from Yellow Bike situated in the heart of the tourist district. Sundays are perfect for exploring Quito by bicycle as streets are closed to cars and water and repair stops are set up in the Historic part of town. Rates range from five to fifteen dollars depending on the length of time the bikes are used. The Backpacker Pass gives a second day free rental after one day is paid for. Going out for a Sunday will give a traveller a sense of what different areas there are to explore and the second day makes it easy to pedal around these historic areas of Quito.

After a big day of exploring there is no place quite like Uncle Ho´s to go and have authentic Asian food. Set in a small, funky space decorated with huge portraits painted on the walls, Uncle Ho´s offers really good food that combines lemon grass, seafood, beef, chicken, and veggies prepared skillfully and cooked to perfection. The pass gets a hungry traveller a free desert or appetizer with purchase of an entree.

Next stop is Finn McCool´s a few blocks away from Uncle Ho´s. This travellers bar is the place to meet locals, find other travellers, and enjoy a familiar setting while enjoying the music and beverages. Every Tuesday Finn´s has a pub quiz that draws students, travellers, and trivia enthusiasts. The pass offers one free cocktail to start off the evening.

After a big day and a good nights rest, the first stop in the morning is Coffee and Toffee. This twenty four hours establishment has fresh coffee everyday and food at all hours. The pass gets you a free cup of coffee to start the day or ten percent off of the total of your bill.

A new attraction to the Mariscal is a state of the art gym called the lift. The Lift has a variety of free weights, Natalus machines, and classes designed for the active traveller who wants to keep in shape. The staff are helpful and the physical building is impressive. The upstairs has saunas to complete a workout and the pass offers forty percent off a day pass to the gym.

Other discounts that the Backpacker Pass offers are to Internet cafes, laundry facilities, and gear stores. The people who created the pass also run hostels ion the Mariscal and are long term residents of Ecuador who know the terrain and want to share their knowledge with other travellers. Considering the work they put into the Backpacker Pass it´s well worth checking out both the places they offer discounts to and their hostel.

Rating: 9