Although Ecuador is a relatively small country (the size of Ireland or Colorado) it surprisingly has four very distinct destinations: the archipelago of Galápagos Islands, the jungle of the Amazon basin, the highlands of the Andean sierra, and the tropical Pacific coast…and in fact, it’s much more. Quito gives you the opportunity to visit both the colonial gems and modern
pleasures in a compact urban environment. Cuenca is another colonial treasure, with the
Inca ruins of Ingapirca nearby and the Cajas National Park with hundreds of lagoons. You can visit the rainforests of the Amazon basin and also the cloud forests of Mindo and Bellavista, or even the dry forests of the central Pacific coast, and the high-altitude wild lands of the Central highlands. Around those Central highlands one can find many colonial-era haciendas that have been converted into lovely and cozy hotels and hostelries. Active travelers can do horse-back riding or trekking on the Andean plains, or even mountain biking and climbing the amazing active volcanoes like Cotopaxi or Chimborazo. For whitewater lovers, and spectacular range of rivers are available…always surrounded by deep tropical forest. For bird-watchers, 1,600 species are waiting to get added to their list. With so much active and cultural variety, there are plenty of thrilling experiences and adventures for any type of traveler.
