Introducing Ecuador
Nowhere else on earth will you find so much natural diversity – and all the fun that accompanies it – in so tiny a place. Ecuador is the second-smallest country in South America, but its range of offerings is no less than astounding. In one day’s drive you can journey from the Amazon Basin across glaciated Andean volcanoes, down through tropical cloud forest and into the sunset for a dinner of ceviche on the balmy Pacific coast. One day you’ll pick through hand-woven wool sweaters at a chilly indigenous market in Otavalo; the next day you’ll sweat all over your binoculars while spying on howler monkeys in the Amazon jungles of the Oriente. For nature lovers Ecuador is a dream, with exotic orchids and birds, bizarre jungle plants, strange insects, windswept páramo (Andean grasslands), dripping tropical forests and the fearless animals that hop, wobble and swim around the unique, unforgettable Galápagos Islands.
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For the adrenaline junky, the choices are outrageous. Mountaineering and trekking are world class (try the Quilatoa Loop); toss in some horseback riding and surfing and you’ll go home with a happily aching body. For the culture vulture, Ecuador's indigenous heritage of traditional costumes and highland markets will enchant you. As for colonial architecture, few cities top the beauty of Cuenca and Quito, both of which are Unesco World Heritage Sites. And you won't want to miss Baños, with its enticing mix of natural beauty and jumping nightlife.
So, no matter if you can’t decide exactly where to go – just go! The beauty of Ecuador is that you can change your surroundings as quickly as you change your mind.
Last updated: Mar 2, 2009
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Thorn Tree forum discussion
Recent posts
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INTINERARY QUESTIONS--HELP!!!!!
by littlelonghorn13 6 replies, last post 30 July 2010
I plan on traveling from Houston to Colombia, Ecuador, Argentina and maybe Peru starting in January 2011 for a max of four months. I was…
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Costs for 4 months in Brazil, Argentina, Bolivia & Peru
by TheSpade 3 replies, last post 29 July 2010
I'm planning a 4 month trip (or longer if money permits) this October. I was originally just going to go back to SE Asia (spent 4 months…
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A few questions
by Tudo_bem 8 replies, last post 31 July 2010
Am planning a trip to Ecuador for Sep. Will be my first visit to the country. I haven't yet decided on the trip's length, so I'm wondering…
Ecuador
Our Top Picks For Ecuador
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1 Quito’s Old Town
One of South America’s most spectacular and best preserved colonial centers
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2 Quilotoa Loop
One of the most spectacular road trips in all the Andes
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3 Volcán Chimborazo
The highest summit in Ecuador and the earth’s closest point to the sun
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4 Cuenca
One of Latin America’s prettiest colonial cities and an Unesco World Heritage Site
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5 Vilcabamba
A mellooow village in the famed Valley of Longevity with cheap massages and great hiking.
Fast Facts about Ecuador
- Foreign debt (2006)
$10.3 billion
- Origin of the panama hat
Ecuador
- Minimum wage
$148 per month
- Adult literacy rate
92.5%
- Inflation rate (2006)
2.3%
- Unemployment rate
11%
- Population
13.3 million
- Annual banana exports
4.5 million tons
- GDP per capita
$3700
- Number of presidents since 1997
nine
Related Groups
Our favourite Ecuador Blogs (beta)
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Four Cheap Street Food Desserts
Blog: Landlopers - 29 July 2010
One of my favorite travel experiences is to sample an area’s best street food. Some countries are more adept at this culinary treat than others; Southeast Asia for example has elevated street food to a science. I love street food because it provides an honest, unfiltered look into the soul of a region and it [...]
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My Heros – Seth and Parker Berling
Blog: The Road Chose Me - 50,000kms of ebb and flow - 25 July 2010
When I last saw The Pebble Pedalers, Seth & Parker we were in Baja California, Mexico, just starting the Latin American leg of our respective journeys. The night we shared food and water at our campsite on the side of the highway has remained at the front of my mind as one of my best [...]
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Being a Kiva Fellow – My week with 5 LO and 100 Kiva borrowers – Part 2
Blog: Kiva Stories from the Field - 24 July 2010
Have you ever wondered what Kiva Fellows really do on a daily basis? Second and last episode of my week On the menu of the end of this week: new profiles, client waiver, training. Working with loan officers and Kiva Coordinators.
