Are there friendly tour guides for hire in Ecuador?

Hi Traveliing Guy, Yes, some--but not all---of the tourist agencies in the Mariscal sector of Quito (i.e., tourist district) offer day and overnight trips accompanied by a guide who speaks a reasonable level of English, as well as Spanish. You'll have to check out each agency and see what there is, however. Use a travel guidebook or website for recommendations. The tours usually come with transportation. You could also try South American Explorers Quito office. Community Hostel in Quito also offers groups trips. There are also some bilingual guides on the coast for diving and whalewatching activities. Almost all Ecuadorians with a college degree (including tourist degrees)have to take a proficiency exam in English to graduate. But skill levels vary according to the aptitute of the student, and the proficiency only measures an intermediate level of English. Hope that helps.