Travel Highlights Ecuador

Amazon forest
Ecuador's rainforest is located in the heart of the World's largest tropical rainforest, the Amazon Basin, a unique ecosystem. A short flight or a descent by road on the flanks of the Andes leads modern explorers and adventurers along the same routes that the first Spanish Conquerors ventured through in their search of the land of Gold and Cinnamon... and found the mighty Amazon River.

Cuenca
Ecuador's most beautiful city, Saint Anne of the Four Rivers of Cuenca, is located in the valley of Guapondelig (plain as wide as the sky). At an altitude of 2,550 meters (7,650 feet) above sea level, Cuenca enjoys a mild climate and a fabulous geographic position. Surrounding the city of Cuenca are hills like Cullca to the north and Turi to the south, which are great lookout points. Cuenca has the placid atmosphere of a small city, both deeply religious and artistic, which fascinates the visitor. The beauty of its landscape combined with the harmony between old and modern architecture, has prompted, UNESCO to name Ecuador's third largest city, Cuenca, a World Cultural Heritage Site.

Galapagos Islands
The Galapagos Islands are a natural paradise that inspired Charles Darwin's Theory of the Evolution of the Species. Galapagos is a unique place in the world, a pristine environment where species do not show any fear of humans. Ecuadorian Tours is a pioneer of tourism in Galápagos. Our reputation is based on environmentally responsible tourism. Because of our international commitment to preserve a special place like the Galapagos, we assure our guests that all voyages are planned to minimize any disturbance to wildlife or fragile habitats.

Guayaquil
Guayaquil, the largest city in Ecuador, is a vibrant metropolis on the Guayas River delta, 30 miles (48 kilometers) from the Pacific Ocean. A busy port of imposing commercial buildings, baronial mansions, Guayaquil has rich museums, great sports centers, and daily musical events along its new waterfront. You must see the old section of Las Peñas to enjoy the grace and tranquility of the city's past.

Highlands of the Andes
Beginning in Quito and going south, is the Avenue of the Volcanoes with unparalleled views of the Andes. Mount Cotopaxi dominates the landscape of a National Park of the same name, where llamas graze and high-elevation bird species fly, including the Andean Condor. Our exclusive Hacienda programs provide an in-depth experience of Andean flavor, with stays at marvelous properties, as guests of the owners. For the more adventurous, the Andes are the perfect setting for trekking, hiking, mountain biking, bird watching and many more outdoor adventures. Spectacular train rides, on exclusive coaches of the Expreso Ecuadorian Tours, run from the Andean highlands to the Pacific shores, with the thrill of zigzagging the sharp angles of the Devil's Nose. Private tours offer exclusive arrangements with multilingual guides for both FIT´s or groups. Semiprivate tours are operated on vans with a maximum of nine guests; while our sharing bus tours have a capacity of up to forty guests. Both semiprivate and sharing bus tours are guided with English/Spanish speaking guide only.

Otavalo
Home to the Otavalo Indians, the Province of Imbabura is a pinturesque land of lakes, majestic landscapes and fertile farmlands. To the north of Quito, the province of Imbabura is one of the most popular destinations in Ecuador: a magical land of lakes, snow-covered mountains and terraced farmlands.

Pacific Coast
From north to south, the coast of Ecuador is dotted with wide and lovely beaches, some pristine like Los Frailes, others with fishermen villages, fashionable resorts like Salinas or Bahia de Caraquez, modern cities and even archaeological sites. This region also has archaeological remains of the oldest cultures ever found in the Pacific Coast of South America: Chorrera, Salango, Valdivia and Manteño. Its natural history is also unique, especially the protected coastal tropical dry forests, in Machalilla National Park. A 44-kilometer (28 miles) cruise to Isla de la Plata, rewards the traveler with some of the bird life found on the Galapagos Islands. And if your visit takes place between July and November, you will even see great humpback whales, migrating from Antarctica.

Quito
Enjoy scenic, Colonial and artistic Quito. Visit museums, monasteries and the golden altars of its many churches. Then, stand with a foot on each hemisphere on the Middle of the World. The capital of Ecuador has a setting that few cities can match. During the 13th century it was the prosperous center of the Kingdom of Quitus. It later became the northern capital of the Inca Empire. In the 16th and 17th centuries, Colonial architects built formidable temples, monasteries and mansions, creating an urban jewel designated by UNESCO as a World Cultural Heritage Site. Quito's artistic creativity awaits the visitor in cosmopolitan galleries and boutiques filled with contemporary paintings, sculptures and exquisite traditional crafts.