Ecuador

Ecuador is in the north west of South America, between Columbia and Peru. The name comes from its location on the equator. Ecuador has overwhelmingly diverse geographical terrain. The "Costa" offers tranquil beaches and coastal forests teeming with wildlife. The "Sierra", the Andes highlands, amazes visitors with heights of over 6000 m., its rich native cultures and the luxuriant vegetation of the Amazon basin. The Galapagos Islands in the Pacific are famous for their unique animal population, and attract thousands of tourists. The many facets of this wonderful country are sure to delight every visitor.

National Parks

In Ecuador there are many different National Parks, some are located in the highlands "Sierra", the others are in the lowlands including the jungle and the coast. Nature lovers can find birds, playful sea lions, exotic plant life, volcanoes, haunting land, seascape and truly deserted beaches.

Highlands and snow-capped volcanoes

The Ecuadorian highlands offer a variety of tours for mountain lovers. Impressive active and dormant volcanoes offer endless possibilities for trekking, hiking or just walking and sightseeing around the foothills of some of the highest mountains on earth.

Indian Communities

The major activity of Indian communities since ancestral times has been the Indian markets that are part of everyday life. They were, and continue to be the gathering place for trade and social life. Depending on the region these markets offer their very individual crafts and art with a fantastic mixture of agricultural products of the region. The best way to see them is to choose to stay in one of the old haciendas.

Galápagos: World heritage site

Galapagos is a National Park, located 600 miles off the coast of Ecuador in the Pacific Ocean. The group of 13 major islands and dozens of smaller islets and rocks all the result of volcanic activity appear to be out of this world. These islands are, in fact, an unpredictable wilderness, filled with an extraordinary population of unique species that have developed apart from humans and their dominating influence. In an effort to preserve the islands just as they were centuries ago, the Galapagos have been declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. The National Park Administration and the Charles Darwin Research Station, founded in 1964, look after the preservation of the islands and their endemic mammals, reptiles and birds.

Today, the Galapagos Islands remain a living laboratory of evolution where birds and other animals have no fear of man. These incredible islands harbor the rarest species known.