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
Tips & articles
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10 classic sailing adventures
1 September 2010
Pack your sea legs for this whip around the world’s sunniest sailing spots. In this excerpt from Lonely Planet’s 1000...
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Classic Train trips
1 June 2010
Hand the porter your luggage, climb aboard and relive the golden days of railroading on these spectacular journeys.Old Patagonia Express,...
Thorn Tree forum discussion
Recent posts
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Typhoid and Malaria question - -Please help
by kyleand 2 replies, last post 02 September 2010
Hello. I will be traveling to Ecuador shortly (In September) and have two questions regarding the risk of malaria and typhoid. Basically…
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Coastal trip itinerary advice
by aoifi 5 replies, last post 02 September 2010
Hi all, I’m planning a trip along the Peruvian coast at the end of the year / start of the new year. The main goal is relaxation, good…
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Lima to Guayaquil by Bus??
by vagabond25 4 replies, last post 02 September 2010
I'm thinking of travelling North along the coast from Lima to Guayaquil by bus in December, stopping at various coastal towns along the…
Hotels & Hostels in Ecuador
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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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Food Month at Kiva: Humitas from Ecuador
Blog: Kiva Stories from the Field - 31 August 2010
Since today is the last day of ¨Food Month¨ at Kiva, I´d like to share a recipe for humitas, corn-cheese tamales that are common throughout the highlands of Ecuador. Humitas are often made during the months of the corn harvest (August and September) when corn is abundant. They are often enjoyed in the evenings as a light snack accompanied by a hot cup of coffee. By Kelsey Quam, KF12 Ecuador
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Lenders Push Kiva Connections
Blog: Kiva Stories from the Field - 25 August 2010
By Kelsey Quam, KF12 Ecuador Kiva is about connections. In a rural Ecuadorian community, I tested a new way to strengthen the dialogue between lenders and borrowers.
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Loans for Gold and Fierce Competition
Blog: Kiva Stories from the Field - 24 August 2010
Tara Capsuto, KF12 Ecuador Gold was not one of the topics I would have guessed I´d be immersed in as a Kiva Fellow. But last week I found myself in a tiny backroom at Fundacion Espoir in Cuenca, Ecuador learning the details of what is perhaps their most innovative product: loans for gold.
