Why Ecuador

If you're looking for culture, adventure and many more – Ecuador right in the middle of the world has everything to offer! From breathtaking landscapes, warm people, delicious cuisine to Bird watching, River rafting, hiking, horseback riding, mountain biking, surfing, one of the best mountain trekking and many more all available to travelers! And for tourists with special interests; They are welcome to the unique experience of the Galapagos islands or the biggest Indian market in South America (Otavalo), plus the opportunity to discover the colonial city of Quito also knows as “The Florence of the Americas”.

ECUADOR A COUNTRY TO ENJOY !
Ecuador with its with colonial cities, breathtaking scenarios and diverse flora & fauna receives many visitors (approximately 700,000 a year) Ecuador is easily combined with a visit to the country's more traditional destinations: the Galápagos Islands, colorful indigenous markets, Amazon jungle lodges, or Pacific coast beaches. With altitudes ranging from sea level to more than 6000 meters (20,000 feet), there are tropical rainforests, cloud forests, high moorlands known as páramos, and rocky ridges right up to the snowline. The Andes provide the perfect backdrop—with magnificent scenery and an incomparable top-of-the-world feeling. Trekkers often find themselves literally above the clouds!

Think extremes; Ecuador in its Andes region has the “Cotopaxi” which is highest active volcano in South America along with more than 10 volcanoes string along the needle of land like a bellowing charm bracelet, this is a hiker’s delight, a rafter’s goal and a climber’s mecca. Ecuador's special appeal to trekkers, day-trippers, and nature lovers can be summed up in one word: accessibility. The country's unique combination of small size, exceptional geographic and biological diversity, and good transportation infrastructure places an outstanding variety of splendid natural experiences within easy reach of the adventurous visitor.

Ecuador is a country blessed by an endless array of natural beauties, Ecuador is a fun and easy country to explore. For those willing to go the extra mile a cruise to Galapagos Islands is a must!! This beautiful archipelago and its complex ecosystem holds an important place in world history, this was the place where scientist Charles Darwin in 1835, developed the theory of natural selection.

Ecuador boasts more than forty-five protected natural areas, including national parks and private reserves, almost all of which offer trekking and day-hiking possibilities. There are also innumerable opportunities for excellent day trips close to cities and towns. Many longer treks span several natural regions, from the highlands down toward the Amazon jungle or coastal plain.

RICH FOLKLORE
Ecuador's diversity, its people and cultures are reflected in a rich tradition of festivals, dance and music. In the Andes, the plaintive wail of the flute and beat of the drum accompany songs depicting indigenous life while dancers masked as devils and spirits are a marriage of pagan and Christian beliefs. In the jungle, ceremonial music and dance is a window into tribal life. And along the coast, a blend of elegant Spanish sounds and vibrant African rhythms (Marimba) reflect the Conquest and later slave labor of the New World.

Although Ecuador has wet and dry seasons, they are not the same in all parts of the country and may even vary from one valley to the next. Hence, conditions are suitable for trekking somewhere in Ecuador throughout the year.

GOURMET DELIGHTS
If you like fine dining, Ecuador has a great cuisine. A blend of Spanish, African and Indian flavors seasoned with local flair. Andean trout and an infinite variety of corn and potatoes in the highlands, great seafood and the typical “encebollado” (delicious fish and yucca soup) delicate hearts of palm in the Amazon and exotic fruits and rich desserts throughout the country.

FINE SHOPPING
Ecuador is a great place to go shopping. In outdoor markets or indoor malls, look for cotton clothing, alpaca sweaters and rugs, silver and gold jewelry, religious and indigenous artifacts, traditional weavings and fine ceramics. All are beautifully made and surprisingly inexpensive.

GOOD VALUE
From airfare, to fabulous hotels, to great cuisine, sights, souvenirs and adventures, Ecuador is still one of the most reasonable vacations anywhere.