Views of Plaza Santo Domingo in the colonial center of Quito.

Northern Ecuador

For those who have a thirst for adventure, mainland Ecuador is the perfect playground. Once you land in Quito, Ecuador’s capital, you can explore the country before you head to the Galapagos Islands. Start with a Quito city tour and a visit to the fascinating Mitad del Mundo museum, where you’ll learn about the scientific discovery of the equatorial line, and then visit the lively Otavalo market, where you can stock up on souvenirs.

Next, get outdoors and take a hike around Cotopaxi Volcano, south of Quito. At 19,400 ft (5897 meters), it is one of the highest active volcanoes in the world. You’ll want to spend plenty of time romping around the Cotopaxi National Park, 84,000 acres of preserved land that is home to Andean condors, pumas, spectacled bears, llamas, and more. You can take day hikes around the park to visit traditional towns and explore gorgeous landscapes, or join a multiday mountaineering expedition to ascend the summit, where you can peer into the crystal waters of Lake Quilotoa.

Central Ecuador

Head south along the Avenue of Volcanoes, a strip of geological quirks, jagged peaks, and volcano-fed hot springs. This area has often been traveled via the Devil’s Nose train, popular because travelers can ride on the roof enjoying unobstructed views of the volcanoes. Keep in mind that the train is not always in service and can be uncomfortable, so it’s better to simply take a bus from place to place.

South of the Avenue of Volcanoes is the town of Baños, a backpacker’s destination with a bit of nightlife and endless opportunities for outdoor activities. Go mountain biking, river rafting, and hiking, before rinsing off with a refreshing dip in the natural hot springs. Baños is also a popular launching point for excursions into Ecuador’s eastern rainforest.

Southern Ecuador

Spend a day in Cuenca, a cobblestone walk back in time, and check out the Inca foundations on many of the buildings. Then spend a day or two exploring the Cajas National Park, hiking along the 70,534 acres past the 250 plus lakes and wetlands. The Cajas is a terrific place for birdwatching, and many of the endemic species are endangered.

The Cuenca flower market on a Friday morning.

Also in the Cuenca area are the Inca ruins of Ingapirca. It’s possible to do a 4 day trek along Inca roads to reach these impressive ruins. Although not as impressive as Machu Picchu, the Ingapirca ruins in Ecuador show the extent of the Inca’s empire, which spanned Ecuador, Peru, and parts of Bolivia and Chile.

The Ingapirca trail is an excellent alternative Inca Trail trek, as it is less crowded than the famous Inca Trail. It’s possible to hike the Ingapirca Trail without a guide, although there are numerous trekking companies that offer guides, equipment and provide transportation to and from Cuenca or Quito.

Continue south to the charming city of Loja, just four hours past Cuenca. This modern city has a very European feel, with its four universities and bright and cheery plazas. Just outside of Loja is the Podocarpus National Park. 361,465 acres of cloud forest and paramo forest make this stretch of land especially appealing to outdoor enthusiasts.

You can wander through this green oasis without meeting anyone! Spend a night – or a few – at the Madre Tierra Hotel & Spa in the quiet town of Vilcabamba, where you can kick off your boots and enjoy a drink with the friendly locals, or head for the backwoods on a horseback riding tour through breathtaking tranquil valleys.

This description of different Ecuador destinations was written by an Ecuador travel expert at Latin America For Less.

One of the many marine inhabitants at the Galapagos Islands, Ecuador.

While planning your Galapagos Islands vacation, bear in mind the following important considerations.

Types of Trips:

Over 900 kilometers west from the Ecuadorian coast, reaching the Galapagos Islands usually involves a 2.5 hour flight from Quito. There are two kinds of Galapagos Islands tours, a land-based tour based on one of the islands or a Galapagos Islands cruise. Both types of trips should be reserved in advance with a quality and recommended provider of vacation packages.

There are advantages and disadvantages to both types of tours. A Galapagos Islands cruise boasts the obvious allure of a sailing voyage, plus high standards of comfort and quality as well as the benefit of arriving each morning at a new destination within the islands. You’ll also enjoy fine on-board cuisine as well as a guide joining you for the whole journey.

On the other hand, a land-based trip will be less expensive, but you’ll spend much less time on the islands and longer making the journey from your hotel to each excursion.

Environmental Considerations:

Given the Galapagos Islands’ extreme vulnerability, they are among the most environmentally conserved places on Earth with the authorities trying hard to protect the delicate environment and preserve it from the constant stream of visitors. To support this work, tourists are required to contribute a $100 fee to enter the national park, which can be included in your vacation price by your operator.

During your visit you will be asked to comply with a number of environmental regulations including not interfering, handling or feeding the animals, damaging the native flora species or leaving any trash behind. Smoking is also forbidden in a number of protected areas. These restrictions are closely enforced in order to preserve the Galapagos Islands’ environment as well as the future of the islands’ many inhabitants.

Exotic bird life on the Galapagos Islands, Ecuador.

When to Visit:

The Galapagos Islands undergo significant seasonal changes in the weather, with a warm summer running from December until May and a cooler winter beginning in June to November. The weather is much milder during the winter, but with a higher chance of rain and fog, while the summer can get very hot.

What to Take:

Bring clothes suitable for hiking and exploring the islands and some good quality walking boots or shoes that will survive the volcanic landscapes. It will get cold at night, even in the summer, so bring some warm clothes and a raincoat just in case.

The seas around the islands can get rough, so sea sickness medication is advisable, especially for youngsters. Also, you’ll be very close to the equator and the sun shines very strongly, even if the weather is cloudy. You’ll need lots of sun protection, a hat and long-sleeves during the strongest, midday hours.

Last but not least, you’re visiting one of the biggest and most spectacular natural environments in the world, so don’t forget your camera with lots of spare film and memory cards!

Cruises arriving at the Galapagos Islands, Ecuador.

This is a place where sea lions show off their swimming skills and blue-footed boobies perform their elegant two-step mating dance as if oblivious to your presence. The islands’ absolute isolation and lack of human contact mean the inquisitive animals have never learned to fear people and will approach their visitors, happily posing for photographs.

Like most visitors enjoying Galapagos Islands vacations, I flew to the Islands from Quito, a 2.5 hour flight out over the Pacific Ocean. The islands’ natural richness presents itself immediately, with iguanas sunbathing beside the landing strip and sea lions gazing impassively from the nearby beach.

From the airstrip we embarked a dingy that took us to our cruise liner, the Galapagos Legend. This 100 passenger vessel offers a luxurious introduction to the Galapagos Islands. Every day the cruise liner visits two islands and offers passengers guided visits of the island’s exotic flora and fauna. Our group, given the name “Iguanas,” disembarked at North Seymour Island, a very dry ecosystem, and here we observed multitudes of birds such as the blue footed booby and frigate, sea lions and iguanas. Here visitors will also find the endemic species of the fragrant, incense-like palo santo – or holy stick.

The deluxe class cruise ship, the Galapagos Legend, the Galapagos Islands, Ecuador. Photograph: Nicola Kopp 2009

Back on board we enjoyed a few bottles of champagne that had been thoughtfully added to our room fridges, and had a great party in the pool and outdoor bar, dancing to the sound of salsa and meringue under the clear, star-studded night sky.

The following morning, and after a full, healthy breakfast, we disembarked at Dragon Hill at Santa Cruz Island, and saw giant cacti rivaled in size by huge iguanas. Just as our guide told us, where there are giant plants on the islands, you will find giant animals too. Colossal tortoises live in the upper highlands of this island, but we didn’t get a chance to visit them.

After lunch, we had some down time to relax by the ship pool and enjoy the onboard facilities. It’s impossible to get bored on a cruise liner when there were so many things to do! There was even a library on board, well stocked with books on Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands.

That afternoon we listened to an interesting lecture about Floreana Island and its natural history. When you disembark here you are first struck by the beauty of the gorgeous white sandy beaches and elegant flamingos walking around in their natural habitat. We thoroughly enjoyed a wonderful afternoon of swimming and snorkeling with the playful sea lions in the clear blue-green waters.

After an excellent barbecue dinner back on the boat, we found ourselves congregating again at our favorite spot between bar and the pool. Dancing beneath a brilliant sky of stars in the Galapagos Islands – a recipe for lifelong memories!

The next day we visited the Galapagos’ oldest island: Espanola. Here you can observe the majestic albatross – although keep in mind that these birds migrate from December to April, and therefore can not be found in the Galapagos during that time. If you are lucky you might witness a mating ceremony, characterized by the birds’ odd beak movements.

Another stunning site is the soplador, a large blowhole caused by waves flowing beneath the coral, which creates a rainbow in front of you every time water shoots through it.

Alongside the albatross are the Nazca birds, crabs, sea lions, and vast numbers of marine iguanas sunning themselves

Just one of many marine birds on the Galapagos Islands, Ecuador. Photograph: Nicola Kopp 2009

on the rocks, all within the picturesque setting of deep blue coastline.

In the afternoon we landed on San Cristobal Island, one of the 5 inhabited islands in the Galapagos archipelago, where we hiked across the island in order to visit the Galapaguera, the tortoise breeding center. Here passengers can learn about the National Park’s giant tortoise breeding program, and if you are lucky you might even see a few.

Back at the ship we all got together for a farewell drink and watched a video summary of what we had seen and learned during our time; a helpful and entertaining way to recap all the different experiences we had had in such a relatively short time.

Most Galapagos Islands tours offer the chance to extend your stay with visits to the western islands, which I would wholeheartedly recommend for a comprehensive experience – the landscape and views in this area are said to be simply magnificent.

Unfortunately for us, we were leaving the Galapagos Islands early, but not before one final excursion in a dingy along the coast to say goodbye to a nearby raft of sea lions and sharks.

Back on the boat we were served snacks and fruit juice by the pool, danced our last dance and took our last photos to remember our new friends before our group was called to disembark, a lovely ending to the trip of a lifetime.