Why Ecuador
Get ready for a fascinating adventure!.you are just about to discover the country which bears the name of the imaginary line which divides our planet in two hemispheres. Here, in a surface equivalent to that of the U.K, a magic blend of landscapes, climates, ecosystems, ethnic groups and cultures, ancient and modern, coexist within the country's Four Worlds: the Pacific Coast, the Andes, the Amazon rainforest and the unique Galapagos Islands.
Welcome to a kaleidoscopic vision of all the possible varieties of green, combined with golden and orange colored fields and valleys, flanked everywhere by the imposing and awe-inspiring volcanoes, covered with bluish glaciers and perpetual snows, towering well over 4, 5 and 6 thousand meters of elevation above sea level. The Andes traverse Ecuador from north to south, just like a two-lane avenue with these colossal mountains orderly lined up in two chains, eastern and western, leaving in between a continuous series of verdant valleys and river gorges, occasionally crossed by smaller mountain ranges.
Everywhere, samples of the rich and varied culture are to be found: imaginative handicrafts, full of creativity and color, a rich and varied gastronomy based on local products such as corn (maize) in its many varieties, potatoes, delicacies prepared with pork meat, poultry, beef, lamb and exotic fruits and juices.
A great way to visit the Andes is traveling through its scenes and sights by train, which features as its most famous highlight, the remarkable Devil's Nose, a dramatic descent of 300 meters down a rocky cliff by means of a sequence of backwards and forwards switchbacks, a truly exciting adventure.
This is the home of majestic rivers, mighty tributaries of the Amazon, as well as dozens of smaller rivers, creeks and fascinating lagoons of all sizes, hosting amazing natural surprises everywhere. Around a hidden corner on some of these waterways you may be stunned by the almost mighty presence of the pink river dolphins. Here you will marvel at the flight of dazzling bright blue morpho butterflies, colorful and noisy parakeets and macaws or laugh at the antics performed high in the canopy by dozens of species of monkeys.
Numerous eco-lodges, many of them comfortable and well appointed, provide lodging for the adventure-eager visitor and offer a variety of guided tours, walks and forest adventures for all interests and budgets. The majority feature spacious rooms with private bathroom and shower facilities, hot water, cooling fans and good quality food and service. Others cater for the most adventurous with more rustic camps for a more direct and intimate contact with the rainforest and its fascinating and mysterious world.
For centuries, Quito was the capital of prosperous empires and the Seat of Government for the Pre Incan Quitu. Empire; then it became the northern capital of the Inca Empire and later, the capital of the Royal Audience of Quito, under the Spanish 4-century rule. Since 1830, Quito is the capital of the independent Republic of Ecuador.
Nestled along a 60 kilometer long, winding and narrow valley and surrounded by high mountains and volcanoes, Quito is one of the most spectacular cities in the world due to its natural setting. On a clear day, you can see from any vantage point in the city at least 8 snow-covered volcanoes, including the imposing Mt. Cotopaxi, just 45 kilometers south of the city.
The Inca rule lasted only for a few decades, just before the Spanish conquistadors arrived. Upon the ashes of the burned Inca city, the Spanish city of San Francisco de Quito was founded in 1535 and became a major center of architectonic development and religious art. Quito is frequently called the "Andean Shangri-la" or the "Florence of America". With the largest and best preserved colonial quarters in Latin America, UNESCO declared the city, in 1978, the first World Cultural Heritage Site in the World. Old Quito hosts superb museums and collections of the School of Art.
Quito is now a modern city with high-rise buildings, modern shopping malls, top class international hotels, restaurants, bars, cultural venues and fun-filled night entertainment. Its renovated international airport provides comfortable arrival and departure facilities and is served by many international airlines and domestic carriers.
The Gal¡pagos Archipelago, a province and part of the territory of the Republic of Ecuador, lies 600 nautical miles (1000 kilometers) west of the continental coast of Ecuador, in the Pacific Ocean. The islands are world-famous as a "living laboratory of nature" which has evolved in a unique way due to its oceanic isolation. Unique fauna and flora, most of which can only be found on these islands, can be seen and admired in their natural habitats. Most of the animals, being wild, show no fear at all for human beings and can be observed at very close range.
The Archipelago is made of 13 major islands, 6 smaller ones and over 60 islets and rocks, covering a land surface of 8.000 square kilometers, surrounded by a Marine Reserve of over 150.000 square kilometers, which is the second largest in the World, after the Great Barrier Reef Marine Reserve in Australia.
Gal¡pagos is Ecuador's first and most important National Park. It became a National Park in 1959 and in 1978, the Archipelago was the first natural area in the planet to be declared by UNESCO a World Natural Heritage Site, and thus under strict protection and surveillance by the Ecuadorian Government and the International Community.
97% of the land surface is a National Park and only the remaining 3% is inhabited by around 20.000 people settled in 5 islands, consisting of a main seaside village and small farming settlements in the highlands of some of these five islands. One of the five, Baltra, a small flat island, is an Ecuadorian Military Air and Naval Base.
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The Andean Region
Andes Mountains |
Everywhere, samples of the rich and varied culture are to be found: imaginative handicrafts, full of creativity and color, a rich and varied gastronomy based on local products such as corn (maize) in its many varieties, potatoes, delicacies prepared with pork meat, poultry, beef, lamb and exotic fruits and juices.
A great way to visit the Andes is traveling through its scenes and sights by train, which features as its most famous highlight, the remarkable Devil's Nose, a dramatic descent of 300 meters down a rocky cliff by means of a sequence of backwards and forwards switchbacks, a truly exciting adventure.
The Amazon Rainforest
An immense green ocean, as seen from the air, marks Ecuador's Amazon rainforest, the most remote, pristine and bio diverse corner of the Amazon Basin, yet easily accessible by land and air from Quito and other Andean cities.This is the home of majestic rivers, mighty tributaries of the Amazon, as well as dozens of smaller rivers, creeks and fascinating lagoons of all sizes, hosting amazing natural surprises everywhere. Around a hidden corner on some of these waterways you may be stunned by the almost mighty presence of the pink river dolphins. Here you will marvel at the flight of dazzling bright blue morpho butterflies, colorful and noisy parakeets and macaws or laugh at the antics performed high in the canopy by dozens of species of monkeys.
Numerous eco-lodges, many of them comfortable and well appointed, provide lodging for the adventure-eager visitor and offer a variety of guided tours, walks and forest adventures for all interests and budgets. The majority feature spacious rooms with private bathroom and shower facilities, hot water, cooling fans and good quality food and service. Others cater for the most adventurous with more rustic camps for a more direct and intimate contact with the rainforest and its fascinating and mysterious world.
Quito - The Historic Captial
Streets of Quito |
Nestled along a 60 kilometer long, winding and narrow valley and surrounded by high mountains and volcanoes, Quito is one of the most spectacular cities in the world due to its natural setting. On a clear day, you can see from any vantage point in the city at least 8 snow-covered volcanoes, including the imposing Mt. Cotopaxi, just 45 kilometers south of the city.
The Inca rule lasted only for a few decades, just before the Spanish conquistadors arrived. Upon the ashes of the burned Inca city, the Spanish city of San Francisco de Quito was founded in 1535 and became a major center of architectonic development and religious art. Quito is frequently called the "Andean Shangri-la" or the "Florence of America". With the largest and best preserved colonial quarters in Latin America, UNESCO declared the city, in 1978, the first World Cultural Heritage Site in the World. Old Quito hosts superb museums and collections of the School of Art.
Quito is now a modern city with high-rise buildings, modern shopping malls, top class international hotels, restaurants, bars, cultural venues and fun-filled night entertainment. Its renovated international airport provides comfortable arrival and departure facilities and is served by many international airlines and domestic carriers.
The Galápagos Islands
Galapagos Wildlife |
The Archipelago is made of 13 major islands, 6 smaller ones and over 60 islets and rocks, covering a land surface of 8.000 square kilometers, surrounded by a Marine Reserve of over 150.000 square kilometers, which is the second largest in the World, after the Great Barrier Reef Marine Reserve in Australia.
Gal¡pagos is Ecuador's first and most important National Park. It became a National Park in 1959 and in 1978, the Archipelago was the first natural area in the planet to be declared by UNESCO a World Natural Heritage Site, and thus under strict protection and surveillance by the Ecuadorian Government and the International Community.
97% of the land surface is a National Park and only the remaining 3% is inhabited by around 20.000 people settled in 5 islands, consisting of a main seaside village and small farming settlements in the highlands of some of these five islands. One of the five, Baltra, a small flat island, is an Ecuadorian Military Air and Naval Base.