Ecuador Travel Guide
Ecuador Essentials
Language: Spanish
Currency: Egyptian Pound (EGP)
Rate:
Time Zone: GMT -5
Capital City: Quito
Population: 14.8 million
Layout: See Map
Travel to Ecuador
Sandwiched between Peru and Colombia, Ecuador is the smallest of the Andean nations. Despite this, it has a huge variety of landscape, ranging from the snow-capped volcanic peaks of the Andes to rainforest, golden beaches and the Galapagos Islands. With such a range of habitats, there is an abundance of wildlife, including 20 per cent of the world's bird species (more than in all of North America) and over 3,500 species of orchid. Ecuador also has an array of vibrant indigenous cultures and well-preserved colonial architecture.
Geographically, Ecuador's mainland divides into three distinct regions. Two parallel chains of mountains run down its centre, forming a 325-kilometre long 'Avenue of Volcanoes'. These are joined by a series of high plateaus, the Sierra, which form the agricultural and indigenous heartland of the country. West of this is the fertile coastal plain which borders the Pacific in a string of beaches, mangrove swamps, shrimp farms and ports. East of the Sierra is the sparsely populated Amazonian jungle region of Oriente.
At the northern end of the Sierra, nestling at the base of Pichincha volcano, is the capital, Quito. Resting at 2,850m, it is the second-highest capital in the world. It boasts a balmy climate and a wealth of fine, Spanish colonial architecture. The old city centre houses many of the countrys museums, as well as markets and plenty of colonial churches and plazas.
Guayaquil, a port at the mouth of the Guayas River, has a history of trading dating back thousands of years. Its markets are still a big attraction; people come from all over Ecuador to hawk their goods here, and bargains abound. Additionally, Ecuador has several Inca and other Amerindian ruins. These include: Real Alto, San Isidro and Santa Elena, northwest of Guayaquil, as well as Rumicucho near Quito.
The Oriente is one of the most accessible rainforest regions in the world. Massive flows of water from the Andes collect in the Napo and Aguarico river basins, creating the foundation for the Orientes teeming biodiversity, which includes 10 per cent of the world's tree species and one-third of all the Amazon's bird species. Sloths, caymans, jaguars, monkeys, tapirs and pink dolphins can all be seen. Cotopaxi and Chimborazo national parks, by contrast, are in the snowy mountain peaks and include Mount Cotopaxi - which, at 5,897m, is the world's second-highest active volcano.
The Galapagos Islands, a group of islands and islets 1,000kms off the coast of Ecuador, are famous for their unique fauna and flora, which include species not found elsewhere. This is where Charles Darwin made most of his observations that led to his theories on evolution and the origin of species.
