ECUADOR TRAVEL GUIDE

Selected Resources

• City Guide

  • Babahoyo

  • Cuenca

  • Esmeraldas

  • Loja

  • Macas

  • Portoviejo

  • Puyo

  • Santa Domingo Colorados

  • Zamora

• Culture and Society

  • About Ecuador

  • Business and Economy

  • Cultural Dress

  • Español

  • Flag

  • Geography

  • History

  • Language

  • Maps and Guides

  • Newspapers and Periodicals

  • Proverbs

  • Tourism

  • Visas and Passports

Geographic Regions

• Costa
  

  • Bahia de Caraquez

  • Guayaquil

  • Manta

  • Salinas

• Galapagos Islands
  

  • Puerto Ayora

  • San Cristobal

• Oriente
  

  • Banos

  • Coca

  • Nueva Loja

  • Tena

• Andes
  

  • Ambato

  • Pujili

  • Quito

  • Tulcan

Things to Do and See

• Attractions
  

  • Art Galleries

  • Churches, Plazas and Sanctuaries

  • National Parks and Reserves

  • Museums

  • Performing Arts

• Activities
  

  • Adventure Travel

  • Bird Watching

  • Scuba Diving

  • Trekking

  • Volcano Tours

Discover Ecuador

Located in northwest South America, “Ecuador,” when translated to English, means “equator.” The equator passes through Ecuador as well as Colombia and Brazil in South America. Ecuador also includes the Galapagos Islands, an archipelago of 18 volcanic islands located the in the Pacific Ocean approximately 1,000 km or 612 miles) west of the country.

Geographic Diversity

The diverse geography in the country ranges from sea level at the Pacific Ocean and climbs to an elevation of over 6,300 meters or 20,000 feet in the Andes. In fact, Ecuador boasts some of the tallest mountains in South America, and is home to 2 World Heritage Sites, 11 National Parks, 9 ecological reserves, 4 biological reserves, 31 active and dormant volcanoes, and 26 pristine beaches.

Roughly the size of Colorado, Ecuador, which is the smallest country in South America, borders Colombia to the north and Peru to the south. The Andes Mountains forms the country’s spine. Cotopaxi, in the Andes, is the highest active volcano worldwide. Also part of Ecuador, the Galapagos Islands features unique species of birds, reptiles, and plants.

La Costa

In Ecuador, La Costa, which is the western coastal area, includes a broad coastal plain, rising to the foothills of the Andes on the east. Most of the world’s bananas are grown here.

The Sierra

The Sierra of Ecuador is a mountain region that spans about 27,500 square miles or takes up about one-fourth of the country. Despite being along the equator, the Sierra’s elevation gives the area a comfortable and temperate springtime climate. The capital of Quito is located here.

Oriente

Also called Amazonia, Oriente, in east Ecuador, is covers the east slope of the Andes as well as the lowland region of the rainforest inside the Amazon basin. This part of Ecuador is known for its rich reserves of oil.

Many people in the country grow only enough crops to feed their family, and therefore subsistence farming is widely practiced. For recreation, Ecuadorans play and watch soccer, the country’s national sport.

The Capital of Quito

Located in the Ecuadoran mountains, the capital of Quito shares the Ecuador culture and history, being home to local foods, nightlife, and a UNESCO world heritage site. As one of the largest cities in the world, Quito sits at 9,350 feet (2,850 meters) or 2 miles high, making it the highest constitutional city in the world. The city, founded in 1534, displays architecture from that time in its historic Old Town. A quick fast-forward to the present day, and visitors to the city will see that Quito is a mesmerizing mix of old-meets-new.

When you stroll through the capital, you will be greeted by baroque buildings set against a backdrop of steel skyscrapers and trendy restaurants. To describe Quito is to describe a landscape of contrasts – one that depicts a sprawling and busy metro area surrounded by Andean peaks and volcanoes.
Because the capital is home to Ecuador’s largest international airport, it is often used as a gateway to the other areas in the country. Many travelers visit Quito as a stopover to the Galapagos Islands. However, you can do plenty of things to keep you occupied in Quito itself, which gives you plenty of reason to stay more than 1 or 2 days.

The Plaza Grande

The Plaza Grande lies in the heart of Quito Old Town. It only takes 10 minutes to stroll the plaza and see the notable buildings and attractions in the historic center. One of the must-see sites in Old Town, the Presidential Palace, is where the Ecuadoran president lives and presides over the country. Old Town also features La Compania de Jesus, a seventeenth-century Jesuit church several blocks from Plaza Grande. Its gold-covered interior makes the church one of the sites to include on a Quito itinerary.

Plaza San Francisco, another Quito plaza features St. Francis, the capital’s oldest church, as well as cafes, religious art, a museum and street vendors. Another important landmark is San Agustin, a convent built in 1617. Ecuador’s Independence Act was signed in the building, which displays seventeenth-century paintings by the artist Miguel de Santiago. You can take an hour-long tour of the halls and courtyard for only $2.00. If you want to get learn more about Quito, visit the City Museum. Chronological exhibits make up the displays in the former hospital.

Indeed, Quito enables you to explore and escape. Even if your interest is casual, it is easy to stroll hours over the cobblestones of the city’s historic center.

The City of Cuenca

Another destination of note is Cuenca, a beautiful city located in southern Ecuador – one, like Quito, that is fun and interesting to discover on foot. The designated UNESCO World Heritage site brims with architectural landmarks covering a span 400 years, all which showcase Indian and Spanish elements.

One of Cuenca’s main attractions, the Old Cathedral of Cuenca, was built in 1567. The church was constructed from stones taken from Inca buildings nearby. The Old Cathedral features an organ, built in 1739, a Museum for Religious Art, and a tower clock that dates back to 1751. A newer Cathedral of Cuenca, built in the 1960s, highlights 3 splendid, blue-tiled domes. One other church of note, the Church of San Sebastian, mixes Neoclassical and Gothic elements in its architectural design.

Breaking away to the Great Outdoors is easy to do from Quito and Cuenca, as Ecuador features Cotopaxi National Park (near Quito) and Cajas National Park (near Cuenco). Of the 2 parks, Cotopaxi, which lies about 50 kilometers or 30 miles south of the capital, is better known, as it features the active Cotopaxi volcano. Smaller volcanos also dominate the landscape. The Ruminawi and Sincholagua volcanoes represent two extinct volcanoes in the area.

The Cajas National Park, about 30 kilometers or 19 miles from Cuenca offers the ideal venue for biking or hiking. Other park activities include kayaking or canoeing, both of which are made possible by 270 lagoons and glacier-fed lakes inside the park.

Ecuador is a small country with a lot to offer anyone seeking an escape or adventure. Add life to your travels by planning an Ecuadoran holiday.

Country Profile

Ecuador is the 9th largest country in South America and comprises about 2% of its total land area of the continents land area. It shares its northern border with Columbia, eastern and southern border with Peru and with the Pacific Ocean on the west, and shares the Amazon river with Peru, Brazil and Columbia.  The country has 2,239km (1,453 mi) of coastline and over 2,000 rivers and streams.  From north to south (vertical measurement), the country measures about 450 km (280 mi) in length and between 40 km (25mi) and 241 km (150 mi) in width.

The head of the Ecuadoran Government is the President, and the government is divided into the Executive, Legislative and Judicial branches.  Ecuador is divided into 32 limited, self-governing council areas (administrative subdivisions) and comprised of 7 regions with administrative cities in Ibarra, Tena, Riobamba, Ciudad Alfaro, Milagro, Cuenca, and Loja).  Ecuador is a member of the United Nations, Organization of American States (OAS), and World Trade Organization (WTO).  In 2008, Ecuador was the first country to recognize Rights of Nature or “ecosystem rights”.

Below is our country profile containing facts and information to familiarize you with Ecuador.

• Country Name: Ecuador
• Official Name: Republic of Ecuador, Republica del Ecuador (Spanish)
• Government: Democratic Republic
• Formation: Recognized by Spain in 1840, and its current Constitution enacted in 2008
• Historical Nicknames: none
• Country Motto: “Dios, patria y libertad” (Spanish); “God, homeland and Liberty” (English)

• Government: Unitary Presidential Constitutional Republic
• Capital: Quito
• Largest City: Guayaquil
• Select Cities: Cuenca, Santo Domingo, Manta, Machala, Portoviejo
• Points of Interest: Galapagos, Cotopaxi, Basilica of the National Vow, El Panecillo, Cajas National Park
• Nationality: Ecuadorian

• Major Religions: Roman Catholic and Evangelical Protestants
• Population: 17,300,000 (2018)
• Life Expectancy: 73.9 years for males and 79.8 years for females
• Largest Ethnic Groups: Mestizo, Afro Ecuadorian, Amerindian, White, Montubio,
• Languages: