Ecuador
From the Galápagos Islands to the Amazon Rainforest, Ecuador boasts unique and varied landscapes.
Part way along the street which encircles the bay in Puerto Ayora, on Santa Cruz Island, there is a small harbour, mainly for fi shing boats, and just above that is a tiny open air fi sh market.
I am walking towards it on this, my fi rst day in the largest town in the Galápagos Islands, when I notice or rather hear some sort of a commotion in the distance around the market.
It sounds like a frantic barking, mixed with birds squawking.
As I get nearer I can make it out a sealion, beside the fi sh counter. Just like a big dog, its head leans over the edge, desperate to get hold of the scraps being thrown to the birds; several pelicans stand beside the sea lion, waiting for their moment. It strikes me as a scene out of a cartoon, and also the only place on earth where a scene like this would be an everyday occurrence.
A few yards further on and a pair of marine iguanas lay sunbathing on the pavement I have to step round them as they have no intention of moving for me. And at the jetty, where I am catching the boat to the Finch Bay Hotel, a huge heron sits on the quayside, from where he watches me impassively.
I have never visited anywhere else in the world where animals are so indiff erent towards or less afraid of humans, and this is just my fi rst day in the Galápagos!
This year marks 60 years since the Galápagos Islands became a National Park and the establishment of the Charles Darwin Foundation.
The foundation, which is based in the capital Puerto Ayora and is one of the few places you can see the islands’ most iconic animal, the Galápagos Tortoise, will be commemorating the milestone with events throughout 2019, including the release of a fi lm in November.
The Finch Bay Galápagos Hotel will open a new spa this summer, complete with gym equipment and two treatment rooms on the ground fl oor and a yoga room on the second fl oor with views over the bay.
Mashpi Lodge, which lies in the heart of the Choco Andean Cloud Forest, three hours north of Quito, is creating a Scientifi c Station for guests to learn about this unique biosphere and the ongoing conservation eff orts in the region. In addition, work starts this year to double the size of the protected area in which the lodge is built, from 2,500 hectares to 5,000 ha.
Why not experience the country by train? While train travel is not a common form of exploration and travel in Latin America, Ecuador has a luxury train called Tren Crucero, which is an ideal way to see the stunning scenery in style and comfort. Latin Routes off ers this as part of its Ecuador tours.
Ecuador is like South America in miniature you can visit the Amazon, the coasts, colonial cities and the Andes mountains, all in one country.
“Ecuador is best visited during our spring and summer months, when days in the Andes are warm, sunny and dry”.
The Amazon off ers a unique insight into the region, its people, and its wildlife. Fly to Coca, just 25 minutes from Quito, and venture into the rainforest. Most stays in Ecuador are lodge based and will be a fully inclusive, incorporating guided walks, canopy walks, night treks, canoe trips, visits to local communities and piranha fi shing.
Animals that can be spotted include various species of monkeys, pink dolphins, jaguars and capybaras, as well as plenty of birdlife.
“The Cloud Forest is just a two and a half hour drive from Quito, the capital, and is home to more than 1,500 species of birds as well as jaguar, sloth, howler monkey, puma and spectacled bear”.
Around 200 miles south of Quito, you’ll fi nd the ‘Avenue of the Volcanoes’, a breathtaking landscape of seven peaks rising to more than 17,000 feet. One of the best ways to see the Andes is by train, as Alexandra Waterhouse, Travel Consultant, Journey Latin America,
Explains: “Ecuador’s newly restored rail network now allows you to discover the verdant beauty of rural Ecuador and its tiny traditional hamlets. However, if your clients is short on time or the dates don’t fi t, fans of rail travel and spectacular scenery should at least do the worldfamous Devil’s Nose section of railway that zig zags its way impossibly down a near vertical Andean mountainside.”
Ecuador borders the Pacifi c and has more than 1,000 miles of coastline, where you’ll fi nd the country’s biggest city, Guayquil (see below). The coast is largely unspoilt and is popular with backpackers and surfers, many of whom are drawn to the party town of Montanita. The coast varies in terms of geography and climate: lush and wet in the Esmereldas province in the north, to more arid and humid in the southern part.
There are not many places in the world that can truly be described as unique, but the Galápagos is such a place. Lying a two and a half drive from Guayquil, the Galápagos Islands are top of many people’s bucket list and a mustvisit for anyone touring Ecuador. This pristine natural wilderness is one of the few places in the world where animals are genuinely unafraid of humans. They are either indiff erent to your presence or, in the case of the sealions, will naturally interacting with you.
Tourism is strictly monitored and controlled and the only way to see the islands is by boat. There are a large number of operators off ering diff erent tours and routes, the longestestablished is Metropolitan Touring (metropolitantouring.com), which also owns the Finch Bay Hotel. It operates the Isabela 2, Santa Cruz 2 and La Pinta ships.
Quito is the capital of Ecuador and famously lies right on the equator, allowing you to step from one hemisphere to another. It’s chilly up here, lying some 9,350 feet above sea level and has a year round temperature of just 16C. It’s small, too, with just 1.4m inhabitants, but has an abundance of architectural heritage and is, in fact, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It takes a day or two to get acclimatised to the altitude so be careful not to walk too far or too fast when you fi rst arrive.
Guayquil is the biggest city in Ecuador, with around 2.5m inhabitants. Founded in 1538, the city played a key part in the history of the region: it was here that Simon Bolivar and Jose de San Martin met to map out the future of an independent South America. It is the nation’s most important port, but it’s not really a tourist spot despite attempts to spruce it up. For most visitors it’s the jumping off spot for a trip to the Galápagos or to the party town of Montanita in the north.
In the south of the country you’ll fi nd the beautiful whitewashed university city of Cuenca. Sitting at a lofty 8,400 feet above sea level, the city centre has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site due to its colonial heritage and many historic buildings.