Ecuador

The capital city, Quito , is a beautiful old city with many cultural attractions such as museums, old mansions, palaces and churches. Located at an altitude of over 9,000’ is has a good climate and is known as the administrative capital of Ecuador . It has maintained much of its colonial heritage with Spanish-style architecture, squares, palaces and cathedrals. It has a good array of shops and restaurants and is a good place to pick up souvenirs of native arts and crafts from the Indian markets. Other significant cities are Guayaquil , and Cuenca .

From Ecuador there are flights to take you to the remote and volcanic Galapagos Islands where you will see species of animals not found anywhere else in the world. These islands were made world famous by explorer Charles Darwin when he visited in the 1830s. Only two of the twelve significant islands, Isabela and San Cristobal , are inhabited. The islands have a very good climate for visiting at any time of the year. Here is found some of the best scuba diving in the world with many species of colourful fish and corals. The best known inhabitants of the Galapagos Islands are the enormous tortoises, and some species of lizards.

High in the mountains of the Andes there are many Indian villages where you can see people dressed in the native colourful clothing. There are the lovely beaches of Salinas and Montañita located just over an hour’s drive from the popular port destination of Guayaquil southwest of Ecuador . Here all manner of water sports are available. Ecuador is a haven for nature lovers with the rainforest areas, birdwatching (including the blue-footed booby), and unique flora and fauna of the Galapagos Islands . It is also a great location for scuba diving, snorkeling, whalewatching, river rafting, kayaking, mountain biking and mountaineering, to name a few. For those wanting a more relaxing holiday, there are plenty of opportunities to unwind in a leisurely fashion, such as visiting the spas, or exploring the native markets and Incan ruins.

Climate / Weather
Ecuador ’s climate is diverse with several micro-climates and influenced by the Andes mountains, the Amazon jungle and the Pacific Ocean , being mostly tropical in the coastal areas, cooler in the mountains and tropical in the jungle areas. The coastal areas have a wet season from Dec-May with average temp between 24-27C. In the mountainous areas it is mainly a colder and rainier climate from Nov-April, but drier from May-Oct with average temp. 24-35C. The climate in the Galapagos is milder with temperatures ranging from 20-30C.

Disclaimer: While we have tried to ensure this information is correct we do not accept responsibility for any inaccuracy.

* Inclusion on this guide does not guarantee travel insurance is available in this country at any given time. Travel Insurance is not available in countries for which the F.C.O. advise against travel to.

** At the time of writing, the F.C.O. advised against travel to countries, or areas thereof, marked thus at the time of writing. Travel Insurance is not available in areas where the F.C.O. advise against travel to.

You are strongly advised to visit the F.C.O. web site for up to date information and general travel advice before you travel.