ECUADOR and its Galapagos Islands
Is the ideal destination to plan a one country tour program or in combination with Peru. While Ecuador continues to be identified as a gateway to its Galapagos Islands; the country itself has so much to offer in its three other regions:
ANDEAN REGION:
Colonial cities full of history, rich in culture and folklore such as Quito and Cuenca; colorful native markets such as Otavalo; the Avenue of the Volcanoes through which you can admire the beauty and might of the Chimborazo, Cotopaxi, Tungurahua, etc.
AMAZON REGION:
The lodges and programs we have selected offer the unique opportunity to visit pristine areas of the Amazon wilderness. Each lodge is located in a different ecosystem. Our programs are designed to show the visitor as much of the rainforest’s biodiversity as can be comfortably fitted into each day. These lodges are located in the most pristine areas of the Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve and Yasuni National Park & Waorani Ethnic Reserve.
PACIFIC COAST:
This region offers a fascinating amalgam of cities, great beaches especially for surfing, natural reserves and parks.
Guayaquil’s vibe is Caribbean. Its new ravishing waterfront is right next to Santa Ana Hill, its oldest neighborhood, and iguanas roam freely at Bolivar Park in the heart of downtown. Guayaquil is Ecuador’s natural port, and its largest city with a population of two million plus. It is also the country’s financial and commercial center. Founded in 1547, this tropical city lies on the banks of the Guayas River, twelve miles inland from the Gulf of Guayaquil.
MACHALILLA NATIONAL PARK – An excellent option to the Galapagos Islands!!
Machalilla National Park, located along Ecuador’s central coast between Manta and Salinas, contains one of the largest tropical dry forests remaining in the world. Its unique vegetation gradually changes, as the park descends in elevation and cloud forest species begin to emerge. Finally, you will discover a tropical rain forest. Such great diversity within a small area is due to the park’s location at the juncture of the cold Humboldt current flowing north and the warm El Niño current flowing south. Included in Machalilla National Park is Isla de la Plata, a sanctuary for marine birds such as red footed, blue-footed and masked boobies, who share the steep cliffs with frigate birds, albatrosses, red-billed tropic birds and other seagoing birds. Humpback whales migrating north along the Channel of La Plata can be easily observed from the end of June until October.
GALAPAGOS ISLANDS – Ageless Wilderness!!
Ecuador’s Galapagos Archipelago is located in the Pacific Ocean some 612 nautical miles west off the coast of Ecuador. This amazing group of relatively young volcanic islands includes 13 large islands, and some 48 smaller ones, where the isolation from the mainland and the isolation between each island, have produced over time unique wildlife. Many of the animals on the Galapagos Islands have developed into different species and because they have never experienced man as a predator, they show no fear of humans today. Visitors are taken to shore in small groups with a bilingual naturalist/guide, who will explain the fascinating geology and history of an eco-world that takes you back millions of years. There is ample time for walking, swimming, snorkeling, photography, and to observe the abundant variety of wildlife on each island. You can swim with sea lions, walk among black marine iguanas basking in the sun and observe the elaborate mating rituals of boobies, albatrosses, or male frigate birds displaying their red pouches. Itineraries with different number of cruise program days offer a variety of options for trekkers and swimmers, writers and readers, painters and photographers, bird watchers and stargazers, visionaries and dreamers…and children!!
EXPLORE OUR GREAT DEALS FOR 2015 SECTION FOR SPECIALLY PRICED TOURS TO ECUADOR AND ITS GALAPAGOS ISLANDS
