A string of thirty-five majestic volcanoes run the length of Ecuador. Eight of these indigenous deities are perpetually hugged by snow. Their white covers seem to be the product of eternal love between clouds and mountains. The skirts of the giants, ample valleys, dense forests and generous lands dressed in patches of fields of corn and potatoes, home distinct communities and incredible variety of wildlife. Altitude and climate devise several biologically rich ecosystems ranging from exuberant cloud forests to vast and silent “ Paramo” ( moorlands). Resembling an Andean tapestry the various shades of fertile land and multicolored indigenous markets, traditional haciendas and colonial cities with gilded churches, coexists within a playful pattern. Complying with ancient knowledge and belief, the highland’s extraordinary concentration of cultural and natural beauty could only be explained by its closeness to father sun in the middle of the world.

The capital of Ecuador, named by UNESCO a World Heritage Site, lies in a spectacular mountain setting at 2850 meters (9184 ft.) above the sea level and just 25 kms. (16 miles) south of the equator. With a magnificent blend of colonial and modern architecture, Quito was a prosperous Indian town of the ancient Kingdom of Quitus, and later became the northern capital of the Inca Empire. Colonial Quito was founded in 1534 starting immediately to build golden cathedrals, monasteries and mansions that made Quito a center of the artistic achievement. Visitor’s are warmly welcomed at the capital’s fine hotels and cozy restaurants with both Ecuadorian and international delicate cuisine.

The tropical rainforest is the green skin of our country, land camouflaged by the shadow of uninterrupted canopy and bathed by winding tributaries of the Amazon River. Concealed by countless shades of green the rainforest humbly holds within the richest manifestation of life in the most diverse ecosystem on the planet. Millions of microscopic beings nourishing gigantic tress, choirs of insects and exotic birds, and a varied palette of indigenous cultures, work and live without ostentation. Ironically, despite the tropical forest’s complexity, perceiving its abundance is no easy task. Hidden in the forest our hosts will discover us long before we do. Beyond appreciating its colors, scents and sounds, discovering the rainforest entails the inspiriting feeling of the magnificent and sublime.

Unique conditions conspired towards the emergence of an ecosystem beyond compare. Between three and five million years ago, submarine volcanoes surfaced from the bottom of the ocean forming thirteen major islands, six lesser islands, and about forty two islets, six hundred miles away from the continent. Wind and water currents from both Northern and Southern hemispheres carried foreign fauna to this young archipelago, which, due to the absence of big predators, eventually became a sanctuary of life. These befitting conditions allowed animals to develop characteristics reconciled with a new environment. Evolutionary processes like those within the community of finches inspired Darwin’s thought, which redefined our origin. Giant tortoises, penguins, iguanas, playful sea lions, yellow and black marine turtles, magnificent frigates, blue-footed boobies, albatross, leaping bottlenose dolphins, white tipped sharks, whale sharks and sperm whales conform a rather limited account of the formidable wildlife in the archipelago. Pristine white-sanded beaches and red-sanded ones, coastlines dominated b giant mangroves, waters filled with multicolored forms of life, and animals that still behave as though man is no enemy, make Galapagos The Enchanted Islands. Explore this unique and diverse ecosystem, go beyond the islands and snorkel or dive into a life-bursting world, the possibilities in the Galapagos Islands is ample. From luxury ships to personal sailboats and yachts, or land based programs.

Unveil the history and unmatchable ecological treasures of our golden coastal ribbon. Ten thousand years before today, these lowlands welcomed the earliest cultures to inhabit our territory, well regarded as the prime producers of ceramics in the Western hemisphere. The intriguing ruins of this past civilization render silent tribute to ancient ancestors. White sanded beaches dotted by small fishermen villages stretch along a coastline frame by life-bursting coral reefs and giant mangroves. Embraced by the perpendicular sun of the equator, soothed by the blue waters of the tropics, lulled with rhythms of Afro-Ecuadorian music and decorated by frigate birds and laughing Gulls, our coast is paradise.