Ecuador Tiny Ecuador, roughly the size of Colorado, is
the smallest country in the rugged Andean highlands. However, sitting
astride the Equator, it packs an indescribable wealth of natural and
Our guide Moi and Huaorani friends. (Amazon
Rainforest, Ecuador)
historical treasures into its relatively-small dimensions.
Ecuador ranks high as a rewarding travel destination, offering to the adventure
traveler the amazing riches of its vibrant indigenous cultures, its colonial
architecture and heritage, its impenetrable rainforests at the headwaters
of the Amazon and its amazing array of bird and wildlife species.
Ecuador's bustling capital of Quito is the hub of the
country's rapidly-developing tourism industry. In one direction, far out
in the South Pacific Ocean, are the Galápagos Islands, a far-flung
archipelago inhabited by some of the world's most unique plants and animals,
attracting ecologists, scientists and expeditioners alike. In the other
direction, deep into the heart of the Amazonian rainforests, are indigenous
hunter-and-gatherer cultures, such as the Huaorani, that to this day have
had little contact with the outside world. Ascents of still-smoking snow-capped
volcanoes, treks through the unknowable jungles around the headwaters
of the Amazon, visits to indigenous cultures that still live the way they
did before the conquistadors arrived so many centuries ago, shopping excursions
to venerated Indian artisanal markets, all of these splendors combine
to produce one irresistible travel destination, Ecuador.
Quito Quito, the oldest capital in South America, was
annexed by the Incas in the 1400's and captured by the Spanish conquistadors
in 1534. The city enjoys a spectacular setting in a narrow valley at the
foot of the Volcán Pichincha. Its high elevation, almost two miles
above sea level, assures a relatively temperate climate year-round despite
the city's location almost atop the Equator.
Cotopaxi Volcano. (Andes, Ecuador)
The old section of Quito, its streets laid out in
the traditional Spanish grid pattern, boasts many colonial treasures fronting
its expansive tree-lined plazas. Notable examples of Quito's Spanish baroque
architectural style are its seventeenth-century cathedral and the parish
churches of San Francisco, Santo Domingo and La Compañía.
Quito's gilded churches and monasteries are the repositories of a surprising
amount of priceless Spanish colonial paintings and sculptures. UNESCO declared
the old section of Quito a world cultural heritage site in 1978, and, since
then, modern building has been strictly controlled. The old town remains
today a warren of narrow streets, lined by colonial churches and white-washed
houses with red-tiled roofs.
The northern section of the city hosts much of its
modern development, where broad boulevards are lined with modern office
buildings, shopping centers and embassies. An enormous statue of the Virgin
watches over the city from her perch atop El Panecillo, the 'little bread
loaf.' At the foot of El Panecillo is an open-air mercado artesenal, when
fine handicrafts and gold and silver jewelry are sold. The area also hosts
a number of decent museums, colonial churches and broad plazas. Bustling
Avenida Amazonas, which bisects the heart of modern Quito, is lined with
sidewalk cafes where the cognoscenti sit and relax, watching the rest
of the world go by.
Petty street crime is a problem in certain parts
of the capital city. Visitors are cautioned to take reasonable safety
precautions at all times, but particularly when visiting such areas as
El Panecillo, El Tejar, Parroquia San Sebastian, Mariscal Sucre, Avenida
Cristobal Colón and Gonzalez Suarez.
Otavalo The small town of Otavalo, northeast of Quito
along the Pan-American Highway, is the site of a famous Indian market
that dates back to pre-Inca times. Colorful weavings line the walls of
the market's booths and stalls, the skillful handiwork of the Otavalo
Indians who have lived in the La Sierra region for centuries. The market
is a festive affair, hosted by the native Otavaleños clad in their
colorful traditional dress. Otavaleño men sport calf-length white
trousers, rope sandals and reversible ponchos, while the women wear colorfully-embroidered
blouses, long black shirts and shawls.
The Yumba and Cara people, who live in the hills surrounding
the town, spin their wool and twist it into skeins before weaving their
colorful cloths, blankets and tapestries on traditional back strap looms.
Their work is in such high demand, particularly in Spain, that much of
it is sold directly to exclusive galleries in Europe and North America.
A visit to Otavalo provides the opportunity to meet the artisans who create
these internationally-favored artworks and a chance to buy some of their
exquisite textiles at the source.
Amazon Rainforest The Amazon is the world's largest remaining tropical
rainforest, covering more than two million
Moi Enomenga, our Huaorani Guide Quehueri'ono.
(Amazon Rainforest, Ecuador)
square miles of territory. More than one-tenth of
all species still living on the earth today can be found in its impenetrable
depths. About 2% of this natural phenomenon lies within Ecuadorian territory,
in the foothills of the Andes. Despite the small size of Ecuador's slice
of the rainforest, its portion contains roughly one-third of its overall
diversity.
Much of the region's biodiversity can be found in the
territories of the Huaorani, Quichua and Achuar indigenous cultures. Their
territories form part of a Pleistocene refuge, an area in which the process
of evolution continued throughout the last Ice Age while life in the surrounding
region ground to a halt. Consequently, the present-day locations of these
territories are hot spots of biological diversity.
Andes High above the Amazon and the coastal jungles
lies the world's second-highest mountain range. Due to the changing altitude,
a wider variety of life zones can be found on the slopes of the Andes
than exist anywhere else on earth. In these varied ecosystems, ranging
from cloud forests to paramo, live abundant and diverse bird populations,
diverse vegetation and exotic wildlife such as spectacled bears and vicunas,
the relatives of llamas. At 19,300 feet (5,890 meters) and topped with
a glacier, Cotopaxi is one of the world's most famous climbs. Tungurahua
and Carihuarairazo are easier options, but all three mountains are accessible
to inexperienced climbers in good physical condition. The people of the
Andes are as unique as its ecosystem, enjoying a rich culture that predates
both the Spanish and the Incas.
Galápagos
Islands To visit the Galápagos Islands is a fascinating
and unique experience. Located 600 miles off the Ecuadorian coastline
in the South Pacific Ocean, the islands cover an area of approximately
3,200 square miles (8,000 square kilometers). The remote archipelago was
officially discovered by the
Eagle Rays. (Galapagos, Ecuador - Photo by
Andy Drumm)
Spanish Bishop of Panamá, Fray Tomás
de Berlanga, on March 10, 1535. He immediately reported his phenomenal findings
to King Charles V of Spain, complete with descriptions of the islands' incredible
tamed wildlife, huge tortoises and unusual iguanas.
But the world's attention was first directed to the
Galápagos upon Charles Darwin's exploration of the islands in 1835,
while he served as a naturalist narrator on the British ship, the HMS
Beagle. The subsequent publication, in 1859, of his "On The Origin
of Species by Natural Selection," insured that the islands would
live forever in the world's imagination. The Beagle spent just five weeks
in the Archipelago, but her itinerary took her to most of the principal
islands. The specimen collections gathered by Darwin during his short
stay on the islands, and the notes and impressions that he carried home
with him, inspired him for the rest of his life. The samples contained
seeds that later produced a revolution in human scientific thought, the
reverberations of which are still being felt.
The thirteen major islands and the dozens of smaller
islets and rocks surrounding them - all the result of volcanic activity
- are almost otherworldly in their conception. The islands are an unpredictable
wilderness, hosting an extraordinary population of animal species found
nowhere else in the world. These species developed for thousands of years,
in complete isolation from outside influences. Today, scientists, researchers
and oglers alike are able to observe blue-footed boobies, flightless cormorants,
land and marine iguanas and Galápagos tortoises roaming freely,
much as they did centuries ago.
The archipelago was declared
a national park in 1959, when the last of the islands' penal colonies
was abandoned. Ecuador's National Park Administration and the Charles
Darwin Research Station, founded in 1964, manage the islands and insure
their protection and preservation. Their charge is to guarantee the safety
of native mammals, reptiles, birds and underwater ecosystems.
Giant tortoise, Cerro Azul Isabela. (Galapagos,
Ecuador - Photo by Andy Drumm)
Today, the Galápagos Islands remain a living
laboratory of evolution where birds and other animals have no fear of man,
and where volcanoes and haunting landscapes complement an unforgettable
experience.
The Galápagos, a UNESCO World Heritage site,
has also been identified as one of the 'Seven Wonders of the Underwater
World' by the Ocean Explorers Organization, CEDAM International. The Galápagos,
from the underwater side, is every bit as fascinating as the Galápagos
above. The wealth of diverse ocean fish, birds, mammals and reptiles sets
the Galápagos apart from other marine environments. Divers share
the water with penguins, sea lions, marine iguanas, sea turtles, giant
mantas, sperm whales, humpbacks and schools of hammerheads.
The islands presently receive 60,000 visitors per year,
each of whom must pay an entrance fee of US$100 payable in cash upon arrival.
The following are brief descriptions of the various islands of the Galápagos
archipelago:
Santa Cruz (Indefatigable) Santa Cruz is the second largest island in the
Galápagos. The small town of Puerto Ayora is the economic center
of the archipelago. It's population of 8,000 is the largest of any of
the communities strewn across the archipelago's four inhabited islands.
Tourism, fishing, boat-building and commerce are the major productive
activities on the island. Santa Cruz is the only island where six different
zones of vegetation can be observed: Coastal, Arid, Transition, Scalesia,
Miconia and Pampa Zones.
The Charles Darwin Research Station and the Galápagos
National Park offices are based on Santa Cruz. Its international staff
of scientists performs biological research and conservation projects.
The tortoise reserve in the island's highlands is open to visitors. The
newest visitor site on the island is Dragon Hill, located on its northwestern
shore. Santa Cruz's main attractions include a brackish water lagoon,
whose residents include greater flamingos, common stilts, pintail ducks,
and a variety of shallow water birds. In the islands interior is a colony
of land iguanas. The top of the tuff-stone affords an excellent view of
the western reaches of the archipelago.
Genovesa (Tower) Genovesa Island is the above-water remnant of
a large crater that is now mostly submerged. Genovesa is known as "the
bird island," and it certainly lives up to its name. Darwin Bay Beach
is
Galapagos sea lions. (Galapagos, Ecuador -
Photo by Andy Drumm)
filled with frigate birds, red-footed boobies, noddy
terns, tropic-birds, lava gulls, doves and thousands of storm petrels.
Fernandina (Narborough) Fernandina is the youngest and westernmost island
in the Galápagos chain. Its black volcanic rocks are infested with
hundreds of marine iguanas, and sea lions dash in and out of its inlets.
Flightless cormorants walk tipsily among the pelicans and penguins that
line its beaches. Punta Espinosa, rimmed with a mangrove forest and surfaced
with black lava, is the traditional landing point on the island. The trail
from Punta Espinosa leads inland, where two different types of lava flows
can be contrasted and compared. An aa lava flow and a pahoehoe lava flow
lie in close proximity to one another.
Isabela (Albermarle) Isabela is the largest island in the archipelago,
almost five times the size of Santa Cruz, the second largest. The result
of six shield volcanoes that have merged into a single land mass, Isabela
boasts the highest point in all of the islands, the 5,600-foot tall Volcan
Wolf. Tagus Cove is a protected natural harbor where, in centuries past,
pirates and whalers safely sheltered, leaving their ship's names and other
graffiti painted on the rocks. Galápagos penguins, flightless cormorants,
pelicans and marine invertebrates can be observed on a panga ride through
the cove's waters. In the island's interior are five active volcanoes,
sloping mountains and Darwin's saltwater crater lake. Smaller yachts anchoring
in the island's coves offer visitors a chance to climb the Alcedo Volcano
and to see the tortoise nesting grounds.
Urvina (Urbina) Bay Urvina Bay, on Isabela Island, is noteworthy because
it didn't exist before the eruption of the Alcedo Volcano in the 1950's.
At the time of the eruption, a section of coastline was elevated more
than 13 feet (4 meters). Visitors now walk on what was once a sea bed,
amid the public display of dried coral and the remains of a variety of
mollusks and other sea organisms that were stranded by the sudden uplift.
In the midst of this bizarre setting where the sea became land, massive
marine iguanas wander amidst drowsy flightless cormorants and, in the
wet season, giant tortoises.
Elizabeth Bay Elizabeth Bay is one of the most distant points
reached on a customary Galápagos cruise. On the shores of two islets
called the Marielas, penguins, flightless cormorants, herons, and blue-footed
boobies are seen. The islands host a sheltered cove, which supports a
marvelous mangrove
Galapagos shark up close. (Galapagos, Ecuador)
ecosystem that is a refuge for sea turtles, rays,
and sharks. The quietness and solitude of Elizabeth Bay invites her visitors
to reflect on the simple perfection of nature.
Santiago (James) On the northwestern side of Santiago Island is
South James Bay, also known as Puerto Egas. The landing is on black beach
with eroded rock formations in the background. The trail from Puerto Egas
crosses the island's dry interior, where the remains of a salt-mining
enterprise can still be seen. The trail then continues along the coast,
where trekkers can walk among inter-tidal pools that are home to a wide
variety of invertebrate organisms. Land iguanas skitter around, feeding
on the exposed algae. Oyster catchers pursue sally light foot crabs. The
trail then leads to a series of grottoes, one of the few places in the
archipelago where fur seals can be seen. Puerto Egas is a photographer's
dream come true. The slant of the light is perfect, the lava and black
sand seem to catch fire, and the animals inhabiting these exquisite locales
acquire an almost surrealistic quality.
Bartolomé (Bartholomew) Jutting out above Bartolomé's Sullivan
Bay, majestic Pinnacle Rock draws visitors to its 359-foot summit for
a splendid panoramic view. The old crater in the island's interior makes
interesting hiking, and there are lovely sand beaches for swimming and
snorkeling. The island has a small resident penguin and sea lion population.
A beach on the southern side of the island, across an isthmus, is home
to nesting sea turtles. In season, they can be observed wading in the
shallow water near the shore or resting in the sand, exhausted after the
long swim to these beaches to lay their eggs. White-tipped reef sharks
patrol the waters just offshore.
Española (Hood) Española is the southernmost island of
the archipelago and, due to its splendid isolation, the home of an incredible
wealth of endemic fauna. On the beach at Gardner Bay, extroverted mockingbirds
alight on the hats of wary visitors as they investigate their guests'
belongings.
Punta Suárez is one
of the most popular and attractive locales in all of the Galápagos
Islands. The quantity and variety of wildlife at Punta Suárez is
nothing short of remarkable. A trail leads through colonies of yard-long
marine iguanas, black with red spots. Española is the only island
where the waved albatross can be observed nesting and performing its vigorous
mating dance. In fact,
Marine iguana. (Galapagos, Ecuador - Photo by
Andy Drumm).
Española's 10,000-12,000 nesting pairs are
the only examples of this species remaining on the planet. Blue-footed and
masked boobies, as well as colonies of sea lions, also make their home on
Española.
The cracks in the island's rocks are home to attractive
swallow-tailed gulls and red-billed tropic-birds. A powerful blowhole,
a fissure in the lava where water spurts high in the air like a geyser,
adds an extra dimension to the island's natural wonders.
Santa Fe (Barrington) Santa Fe boasts one of the most beautiful coves
in the Galápagos archipelago. A turquoise lagoon protected by a
peninsula that extends from the shore, and then by a row of off-shore
rocks and a small island aligned with them, the cove is an area of unmatched
beauty. Santa Fe was formed by an uplift that resulted from tectonic activity,
rather than from a volcanic eruption. It accordingly lacks the characteristic
cone shape of many of the other islands. While sea lions cavort noisily
on the rocks and frolic in the water, land iguanas and lava lizards keep
silent company on the shore. Vegetation on the island includes the noble
"palosanto," as well as statuesque stands of prickly pear cactus.
Weathered cliffs provide a haven for swallow-tailed gulls, red-billed
tropic-birds, shearwaters and petrels.
Floreana (Charles) Floreana is studded with small volcanic cones.
High-stepping pink flamingos, inhabiting a secluded lagoon, are the island's
star attractions. One of only four populated islands in the chain, Floreana
was first visited by 18th-century whalers who opened an unofficial post
office in a barrel. The post office has been in service ever since at
what has come to be called Post Office Bay. Clear water and fine coral
growth make northern Floreana ideal for snorkeling, and the reefs of Corona
del Diablo (the Devil's Crown) and the nearby Champion Islands are known
for their spectacular underwater scenery.
Rábida (Jervis) One of the special features of Rábida Island
is its remarkable red color, the result of an uncommonly high percentage
of oxidized iron in the composition of its lava floes. The island is frequented
by sea lions. Nine species of finches, a majority of the thirteen species
originally recorded by Darwin, have been sighted on the island. Flamingoes
and white-cheeked pintail ducks frequent a salt-water lagoon near the
beach. With any luck, visitors can witness the mating ritual of the shy
flamingoes, where all the individuals in the group participate by gathering
around and stretching their necks as high as possible.
Mosquera Mosquera, a tiny, white sand islet, is home to
a large colony of sea lions that love to laze in the sun. They can be
quite aggressive during mating season and after the birth of their pups.
Seymour Norte (North Seymour) Although flatter than many of the other islands
in the archipelago, Seymour Norte, like Santa Fe, was formed by underground
seismic activity rather than by volcanic eruption. Located north of Baltra,
Seymour Norte is one of the best sites for watching blue-footed boobies
and the magnificent frigate birds that display their brilliant red pouches
during their mating rituals. Colonies of blue-footed boobies and swallow-tailed
gulls line the shores of the small island. Sea lions, young and old, parade
along the coastline.
Plaza Sur (South Plaza) A tiny island packed to its steep-cliffed shoreline
with fascinating natural life, Plaza Sur hosts sea lions, land iguanas,
swallow-tailed gulls and yellow-tailed mullets. Its interior is draped
with brilliant vegetation that changes color with the seasons, including
the unusual opuntia cactuses and sesuvium plants. The sesuvium, a succulent
plant that stores water in its leaves, forms a reddish carpet that spreads
on top of the gray rocks. The opuntia trees grow tall to protect their
paddles and flowers from the land iguanas that feed on them.
San Cristóbal (Chatham) San Cristóbal is the easternmost island
in the Galápagos chain. On the island's southwestern shore is the
town of Puerto Baquerizo Moreno, the capital of the province of Galápagos.
In Puerto Baquerizo Moreno is an Interpretation Center recently established
by the governing authorities of the Galápagos National Park. The
center represents an extraordinary contribution to the information and
education of the island community and the adventure traveler. A short
distance outside of the town is Frigatebird Hill. From the hill, it is
possible to observe magnificent frigate birds grouped in outsized colonies.
El Junco Lagoon, a 45-minute bus ride from Puerto Baquerizo Moreno, is
one of the few permanent freshwater lakes to be found in the islands.
It is located at an elevation of 2,300 feet (700 meters). Isla Lobos is
located north of San Cristóbal , about one hour away across a small
channel. Isla Lobos means 'Sea-lion Island,' and visitors immediately
recognize the appropriateness of the name as they watch its namesake inhabitants
frolic, leap and create a general uproar. Isla Lobos is also a nesting
place for blue-footed boobies and a good place for snorkeling.
People More than half of Ecuador's population is mestizo.
Native Americans comprise an additional quarter of the population, while
the descendants of European (mainly Spanish) and African settlers make
up the remaining quarter. Indigenous Native American groups from the coastal,
sierra and Amazon headwater regions tend not to assimilate into the modern
society, choosing to remain separate from the general population in remote
enclaves. Spanish is the official language, although Quechua, a constitutionally-recognized
Native American dialect, also has wide currency. Ecuadorian Spanish has
adapted and assimilated many Quechua interjections. The majority of the
population, particularly the mestizos and those descended from Spanish
settlers, identify with Roman Catholicism, making it the dominant religion.
Travel Tips A national state of emergency was declared in
January 2000, in the wake of a popular non-violent uprising inspired by
the Council of Indigenous Nations of Ecuador (CONAIE). President Jamil
Aerial view of the headwaters of the Amazon.
(Amazon Rainforest, Ecuador)
Mahaud resigned shortly thereafter, and the security
situation in Ecuador has subsequently deteriorated. Much of the present
unrest is inspired by opposition to the government's privatization plans,
the dollarization of the economy and other International Monetary Fund 'structural
adjustment' proposals. When combined, these proposals threaten to raise
the cost of essential goods and services, an additional burden that Ecuador's
impoverished minorities hesitate to bear.
Regions north and south of Quito, including Otavalo
and Latacunga, as well as Tena in the southeast, have witnessed incidents
of civil unrest, watched over by enthusiastic riot police. General strikes,
road blockades, building occupations and media outlet hijackings have
occurred in the capital city of Quito. The situation along Ecuador's northern
border is also deteriorating, as Colombian rebel groups (and contraband)
are increasingly crossing the San Miguel River due to the escalation of
a civil war on the other side of the river. Travelers to the country are
advised to note the warnings contained in the Quito write-up and to consult
the U.S. State Department's consular warning for the latest information
on security issues in Ecuador.
Temperature/Weather Travelers can visit Ecuador year-round. Certain areas
are better at certain times of the year, but there are no absolutes. El
Niño hits hard about once each decade, generally in the wintertime.
When it hits, it plays
Kapawi Eco-Lodge and Reserve, Achuar Territory.
(Amazon Rainforest, Ecuador).
havoc with road and rail connections and makes communications
in some outlying areas spotty.
The only thing predictable about Ecuador's weather is its unpredictability.
In fact, it's not uncommon to experience all four seasons in a single
day. Generally speaking, Ecuador has two seasons, wet and dry, but in
a country as geographically diverse as Ecuador, local weather patterns
vary greatly.
The mainland coastal areas and the Galápagos Islands are influenced
by ocean currents and are hot and rainy between January and April and
cool and dryer the rest of the year. Visitors to the Galápagos
will find the warm rainy season from January through April best for snorkeling.
At other times of the year, the water is cooler, typically in the 68°
F (20° C) range. The mainland coast has similar weather patterns,
and its beaches fill up from January through May, during the school holidays.
The period from June through August sees the arrival of most western vacationers,
although the weather has typically turned a bit chilly by then.
In the highlands, the dry season is between June and September and around
Christmas, but even the mountains' wet season isn't particularly wet and
the dry season sees its share of downpours. The central valley is generally
spring like year round, with mild temperatures around 24°C (66°F).
The Oriente (Amazon) experiences...you guessed it, rain, heat and more
rain and heat! The average daytime temperature is 30-32º C (85-90º
F), while nights can cool down to 20º C (68º F). The least rainy
period tends to be January to May. June, July, and August are the wettest
(still considered a prime time to visit the Amazon because of increased
animal activity), and September through December are completely unpredictable!
Our advice, expect rain and heat year round!
Reading List In order to make the most of your trip to Ecuador,
the following reading lists will help you gain a better understanding
of the landscape, culture and people. Here you can also purchase any books
you might need for your Global Adrenaline trip!
Global Adrenaline, Inc.
25 East Washington Street, Suite 1458
Chicago, Illinois 60602
USA
Tel: +1-866-884-5622 (toll free in USA)
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Fax: +1-312-873-4440
Email: info@GlobalAdrenaline.com
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