Ecuador a la Carte Article Base

Ecuador: The Difference between an Extreme Adventure and an Extraordinarily Extreme Adventure

2010-08-04T14:14:00.000-05:00

When practicing extreme sports, the body receives a shot of adrenaline that makes us experience what we call “an intense sensation”. In this world, there are many of these sports that make us have amazing experiences. However, with the passing of time these experiences become monotonous with the daily practice of such sport. To avoid that, Ecuador has profited from its natural environments to maximize the intensity while practicing extreme adventures, providing carefully chosen spots with unique surroundings that make extreme adventures an original experience. Find out below the difference between an extreme adventure and an extraordinarily extreme adventure:

Hidrospeed at Santo Domingo (The Andes)

In the area of the Andes, there are some of the nature’s most pristine places perfect for the practice of fun sports such as the hidrospeed: a sport that puts you in direct contact with water in which you don’t use any kind of boat, but a small floating sled to go down the river using your legs for propulsion. It is something similar to bodyboard, but done in a river. This sport can be practiced in a province very close to the Ecuadorian coast called Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas, in the waters of the Blanco River located inside a natural paradise called Valle Hermoso. Thanks to its geographic location, this route offers different landscapes of exuberant vegetation and contrasting weathers that change drastically as you go down the river.

Bungee Jumping at the Pastaza River’s bridge (Los Andes - Amazonia)

This sport is practiced inside the city of Baños de Agua Santa, located inside the Tungurahua Province. Tied up to the San Francisco Bridge, you will experience the adventure of jumping off the bridge to the powerful waters of the Pastaza River, directly to the rocks where the water incessantly breaks into, adding to the experience an extra touch of risk. The surroundings of this place make the difference: the beautiful Andean and Amazonian landscapes with shinny waterfalls and the Tungurahua Volcano as its eternal guardian make bungee jumping at the Pastaza River a completely different experience.

Towing at the Canoa Beach (Ecuadorian Coast)

Experience astonishing emotions by reaching great heights with a sport called Truck Towing. As its name says, Truck Towing consists on a Delta wing which is pulled by an all-terrain vehicle until it gains enough speed to fly up to the sky more than 700m (2296ft). The ideal place for practicing this sport is at the north coast of the Canoa Beach, located inside the Manabí Province. In this place, excellent thermal air currents are originated, making it perfect to set out a trip to the sky and observe from above the endless sea with its deep blue color and its waves braking into the white sand. Once in the air, the villages, the mountains and the forests laying on the horizon can be seen in just a glance.

Diving at Las Grietas (Galapagos)

Diving is something usual, but in a truly enchanted place like the Galapagos Islands, the most usual things become fascinating. In the Santa Cruz Island (also known as the Indefatigable Island), west of the Academia Bay, is found a fantastic spot called Las Grietas, which is a great crack in the land that forms two perpendicular, high walls at whose bottom lies a channel of crystalline waters. This is the ideal place to take your most original jump to the water from an approximate height of 12m (39ft). You will be amazed by the water’s transparency, which allows you to easily observe the wonderful aquatic life. If you believe that this dive couldn’t get any more surprising, you will be shocked when you realize this channel has freshwater at the top and saltwater at the bottom. Have different and fun experiences in only one dive!

Extreme sports can be practiced all around the world, but Ecuador offers places that seem to have been designed by nature especially for the practice of these sports, making the experience of an extreme adventure even more special.

Photo: helixblue

Mindo: A Road That Will Take You through a Spectacle of Colors and Sounds

2010-08-04T14:05:00.000-05:00

If you have seen the bird’s natural paradise of Tandayapa, a place that seems to have been chosen by birds to gather together and celebrate, then you may wonder if there is in the world another place like that. Amazingly there is, and it is found very close to Tandayapa. Its name is Mindo Cloud Forest.

Home of an impressive variety of unique flora and fauna, Mindo is a place where clouds come together with the trees and the birds, creating a cocktail with the most fantastic landscapes. Only 68km (42mi) to the west of Quito, this wildlife reserve offers the most wonderful ecological adventures. Here, activities such as trekking and sight-seeing will make you feel in contact with nature. You will also be able to observe more than 420 different bird species. Looking at the amazing humming birds flying nonstop and the butterflies cheering up the environment with their colors, you will understand the importance of all species, even if they seem small and simple.

The forest’s road will lead you through a spectacle of colors and sounds with trees, waterfalls, butterflies and flowers. The numerous orchids found in the way will make you take a closer look and observe each little amazing detail. In this forest are found 500 orchid species out of a total of 4000 species registered in Ecuador, and you may see them in the area’s viewpoints or in places harder to reach, like the top of a hill.

Mindo is the home of fantastic creatures living inside an unknown world. It offers visitors a trip that will show them the beautiful simplicity of nature inside a pristine forest with multicolored plants and animals that will be your hosts during your visit.

Photo: caminosisenderos

Live The Amazonian experience at its best at The Cofán Bermejo Reserve

2010-08-04T13:57:00.000-05:00

The story tells that during the 16th Century, the Spaniards entered the Amazonian territory and found a great and well-organized indigenous civilization with an approximate population of 3000 inhabitants known by the name of “Cofa Na’esu A’i”. Its settlers are still known as “Cofanes”, and they are considered the guardians and only administrators of the most biologically diverse spot on Earth: the Cofán Bermejo Ecological Reserve, an Ecuadorian territory of more than 55.000 hectares located in the North border of the Sucumbios Province.

Perhaps the most impressive fact about this place is that the Bermejo Forest, which is located inside the reserve covering only a 3% of its territory, is the home of an approximate of 700 bird species; 3000 woody plants and at least 20 mammal species considered to be endangered according to a biological inventory made by the Chicago Field Museum.

Getting to this reserve is an adventure only for those with adventurous spirits and a good shape. The only way to access the place is by taking the Inter-oceanic Lago Agrio – Tulcán Highway, a branch from the Amazonian Highway. When arriving to Cascales, which is 1 hour away from Lago Agrio, there is a small way leading to the Shuar community known as Taruka. After that, the adventure begins: to get to the reserve, visitors will have to walk for 6-8 hours in the region of the San Miguel and Bermejos rivers. It is highly recommended to take good camping equipment with you and to be accompanied by one of the reserve’s forest rangers.

The effort that such a long walk implies is widely compensated when you arrive to this green paradise. Its five pathways created and used by the local indigenous communities will take you through winding tracks, steep slopes, fast-flowing rivers, giant trees and precipices, always accompanied by an astonishing fauna and a mix of Andean and Amazonian flora. This is the Amazonian experience at its best!

To live in the jungle, one must be in good shape physically and mentally. The effort you made to get there, the pure nature of the virgin jungle and the open space survival rules you’ll put into practice will make together a great memory. Going to Cofán Bermejo is certainly a demanding but unforgettable adventure.

Photo: Jade Rivera Rossi

Find Out Why People from All around the World Come to Walk Along This Line

2010-08-04T13:54:00.000-05:00

The City of Quito is known as one of the Latin American countries that has better preserved in a tangible way its Colonial past, but it is also famous for other interesting things, like being the so-called “World’s belly button”:

Dividing the globe into a northern and a southern half by an imaginary line called “Equinoctial line” or “Equator”, the French geodesic expedition that took place in 1736 found out that the center of the planet was located right at the city of Quito, where a Center of the World monument was erected. Nowadays, many people from all around the world enjoy having pictures taken at that monument, with one foot stepping in the northern hemisphere and the other foot stepping on the southern hemisphere of the planet.

The French geodesic mission’s objective was to confirm the shape of the Earth. For this effect, they created the universal metric system that is currently used. With that system, they discovered –to the world’s astonishment– that the planet was round and flattened on the poles. After intense measuring work, the mission also managed to determine that the center of the world was located inside the province of Pichincha, in the Ecuadorian northern mountain range, 13.5km (8.3mi) away from downtown Quito.

That area is now known as the “Center of the World City”, whose main construction is the Center of the World Monument, a 30m (98ft)-tall pyramidal structure that is a tribute to the union of two worlds and to those who contributed so much to what we know about our planet. On its interior is found the Center of the World Ethnographic Museum, built between 1979 and 1982, where the different cultures of the Ecuadorian ethnic groups are shown. The beautiful local handcrafts decorate the surroundings and the whole place is framed by wonderful Andean landscapes.

Nowadays, if you check on the coordinates given by a GPS system, you will realize the French geodesic mission failed to locate the center by a very small difference, marking it on the 0° 00' 08,10" point, only 239.5m (785.7ft) to the south from the 0°00’0,0’’ point. This showed the impressive accuracy of the geodesics of those times, given the fact that they couldn’t use any of the devices that the modern technology has, which actually have the universal metric system they created as their own base.

The Center of the World City is definitely a place worth visiting. It is a place that keeps the secrets of the story of one of the world’s most transcendental events where visitors can experience the nice feeling of walking right at the line that marks the middle of the world.

Visiting Ecuador? Check Out This Top 10

2010-07-22T16:11:00.000-05:00

Ecuador is a little known country. Nonetheless, it is a country that treasures within its limits the most wonderful natural paradises. Undoubtedly, being little known is an advantage for the preservation of this land as well as a new opportunity for visitors to come and discover the country. With four completely different regions –the coast, the Andes, the Amazon and the Galapagos Islands– inside a very small territory, Ecuador is the world’s most diverse territory in proportion to its size of only 270 000sq km (167 770mi). Travelling around the country is very easy, and you can get from the beach to the mountains in only a few hours, or have breakfast in the jungle and spend the night at the Galapagos Islands all in one day. If you’re planning on visiting this country, the following list will help you find the best places in order to fully live the amazing Ecuador experience.

1.   Quito (The Andes/Pichincha) – Quito is the capital of Ecuador, and it is located in the heart of the country. It is a city of traditions mixed with modernity, a place that can be enjoyed in many ways. It has been a long time since Quito stopped being just a necessary stop for people going to the Galapagos Islands. Quito is home of the Latin America’s less modified historical downtown and it is located nearby the “Middle of the World” monument.

2.   The Galapagos Islands – 1005km (624mi) away from the coast of Ecuador is found this group of paradise-like islands. It is a place that was born out of fire, right where 5 water currents get together, becoming a meeting point for the world’s strangest species that have survived to the most adverse climate conditions. These species found now in the Galapagos are a living testimony of the evolution theory made by the scientific that put these islands in the world’s eyes: Charles Darwin. Declared a Human Patrimony by the UNESCO and one of the greatest places to visit by the New York Times, the Galapagos gets you directly in touch with its endemic species and with impressive landscapes made by nature.

3.   Otavalo (The Andes/Imbabura) – This multicultural little town is found to the north of Ecuador. It is one of the tourist’s favorite spots, since it is home of South America’s largest crafts market. Hundreds of handcraft stands are set along many blocks through the town where, besides finding all kinds of traditional Ecuadorian handcrafts at amazingly low prices, you will also find a colorful culture living in the artists and the craftsmen and their joyful character.

4.   The Yasuní National Park (The Amazon / Orellana and Pastaza) – Located in the heart of the jungle and extending to the eastern limits of Ecuador is found this national park. It is not only a national treasure, but a world marvel. A true oxygen generating lung that is the world’s most biologically diverse area in proportion to its size. Nowadays, the Yasuní Park is at the world’s eyes due to the original and exemplary conservational idea the Ecuadorians had, called “Yasuní ITT”.

5.   Montañita (The coast / Santa Elena) – A rustic town with an artistic, bohemian atmosphere has become a paradise for surfers and hippies from all around the world who travel to this place looking for moments of peace and fun. Montañita is framed by a large beach of perfect waves, white sand and beautiful landscapes where you can enjoy the incessant sound of the waves breaking at the shore and the marine breeze refreshing you.

6.   Cuenca (The Andes / Azuay) – This city, considered a Human Patrimony by the UNESCO, can be perceived as a large-scale museum built to the delight of its inhabitants. With buildings that keep an exquisite Colonial taste and four beautiful rivers running through it, Cuenca is a city with whom you fall in love at first sight that will definitely stay forever in the hearts of its visitors.

7.   Ingapirca (The Andes / Cañar) – Very close to the city of Cuenca is found the Incas’ legacy in Ecuador: The mysterious building complex of Ingapirca, or “Inca’s Wall”. With structures that have survived the passing of time, Ingapirca offers a tour through time in which you will almost feel part of the ancient lifestyle of the people that once were part of an empire as big as the Roman Empire. As you walk along the different parts of this archaeological complex, you will learn about the Inca’s way of life, their technology, their astrological knowledge, their architecture, their rituals and their mysteries.

8.   Baños (The Andes / Tungurahua) – This is a town whose name, which means “Baths”, is due to a number of waterfalls found within its territory. Baños is located in the center of the Andean region, and its closeness to the Amazon makes it a paradise for adventure tourism lovers. Various fun activities such as trekking, biking, canopying, bungee jumping, rafting and kayaking can be enjoyed in this magical town and its surroundings. A trip you can’t miss while being at Baños is a visit to a place called the “Pailón del Diablo”.

9.   The Cotopaxi National Park (The Andes / Cotopaxi) – Home of the 5897m (19347ft) high volcano of the same name, the Cotopaxi National Park offers a tour through unforgettable and inhospitable landscapes that show us the power of nature. As you walk along this volcanic land, you will see the Andean lakes, clouds so low that their shadow can be seen projected in the yellow grass, and the Cotopaxi Volcano, perfect as an ice cone with its peak covered in sparkling white snow. The Cotopaxi Park is ideal for climbing, or simply to have a cup of hot chocolate at a height of 5000m (16404ft) and enjoy the astonishing landscape that surrounds you.

10.   The Cajas National Park (The Andes / Azuay) – Very close to the city of Cuenca is found the Andean mountain range’s narrowest spot, that curiously is the place with the largest number of lakes in Ecuador, framed by a beautiful park known as the “Cajas”. With a size of 28400 hectares and an altitude that varies from 3100 to 4400m    (10170 to 14435ft) above the sea level, this park is an impressive place, excellent for hiking and camping in a special connection with nature.

Ecuador is a diverse destination that amazes with its beautiful landscapes and high biodiversity, becoming one of the world’s most magical places. It is a sustainable, astonishing, wonderful and unique South American paradise definitely worth visiting!

A Walk to the Inside of the Crater of Ecuador’s Most Majestic Volcano

2010-07-22T16:03:00.000-05:00

Crafted by the forces of nature in the shape of a sacred Shrine “El Altar” is one of the most breathtaking volcanoes of Andes’ plains. Its various peaks resemble a crown in whose interior, like a jewel, lays a beautiful lake. This nature’s masterpiece is located 30km (19 miles) away from the city of Riobamba, inside the Sangay National Park. It has an altitude of 5400m (17716 feet) above the sea level, making it the fifth highest volcano in all Ecuador. So either walking to the crater to see the beautiful inner lake, or adventuring into one of its majestic peaks, the experience can only be described as vibrating and unforgettable.

The name “El Altar” was given by the Spanish Conquerors, who upon seeing it from afar associated its shape to an altar. Nevertheless the volcano’s original name was “Capac Urcu”, words from the Quechua language meaning “The Majestic Hill”.

To visit this volcano, you can take the route that starts in the village of Penipe, located at its hillsides. The route will take you through high plateaus and unique landscapes. After passing the Candelaria and Releche villages you will reach the Collanes refugee, found 3500m (11482 feet) above the sea level. This refugee is an excellent resting spot before continuing with a 2 hour walk to the interior of the crater, at a height of 4200m (13779 feet). Once inside the crater, you will find yourself face to face with the impressive Amarilla Lake, with its high peaks covered with snow forming a semicircle around it.

For climbers, the Altar is a pleasure and a privilege. Before getting the adventure started, you have to decide which of the 9 peaks you want to climb. The options are: the Obispo (5400m / 17716ft), the Fraile Central (5060m / 16601ft), the Fraile Oriental (5050m / 16568ft), the Fraile Grande (5160m / 16929ft), the Tabernáculo (5290m / 17355ft), the Canónigo (5350m / 17552ft), the Fraile Beato (5040m / 16535ft), the Monja Grande (5100m / 16732ft) and the Monja Chica (5070m / 16633ft). The peaks provide different difficulty levels and climbing times, but they all reward climbers with the amazing view of the freezing Andean landscapes or with various lakes originated by the volcano itself. On clear days, one can also admire the vast Ecuadorian Amazon which contrasts beautifully with the rest of the landscape.

Standing in the open crater fills you with greatness. Being at its peaks you feel part of it and become as powerful as the volcano itself. Undoubtedly this is a perfect mix between adventure and natural beauty that can only be offered by majestic places like the Altar.

Photo: Alfredobi

Yasuní: A World Treasure Found in Ecuador

2010-07-22T15:58:00.000-05:00

Inside the large Ecuadorian Amazon, in the provinces of Orellana and Pastaza, is found a place that needs no introduction: the Yasuní National Park. With a size of only 625 000 hectares, this place is considered by scientists as the World’s most biologically diverse place. Home of enchanting Amazonian landscapes, this park has inspired the whole world to preserve Nature.

To talk about the Yasuní National Park is to talk about the heart of the Earth. It is a paradise that welcomes visitors, leading them through narrow paths in which everything that can be seen and touched is a piece of life. If you pay attention, you will observe the little insects living in giant trees and realize you’re sharing the same territory with wildlife such as jaguars, snakes, eagles, monkeys, alligators, birds and frogs.

The large amount of rivers that run through the Yasuní come down abruptly from the Andean mountain range, and they are known as the “white waters”. Other rivers of the park come directly from the Amazon, and their waters are warm. These are known as the “clear waters”, and when they mix with the white ones, they create life for the entire park’s wildlife.

The golden rule when visiting the Yasuní is respecting everything that exists there. You must respect everything that you see, touch, breathe or feel. To give you an idea, in only one hectare of the Yasuní you can find 655 tree species discovered so far, that is three times more than the US and Canada together. These hectares are also home of 1 3000 animal species (mammals, amphibious, birds, reptiles and fish), more than 100 000 insect species, and the world’s largest number of amphibious found. These statistics make of Yasuní a world treasure in Ecuador, and one of the greatest oxygen generators. Various scientific theories tell that this was an area that didn’t freeze during the Earth’s glaciations, becoming a refugee for the flora and fauna of those times.

Countries like France, Germany, Norway, Spain and Switzerland have now put the world’s eyes in Yasuní, because it is a place whose preservation is vital for the whole world. Famous people like Leonardo DiCaprio, Glenn Close and Edward Norton figure as ambassadors of this area, supporting the Yasuní ITT project to preserve the park and its biodiversity. Yasuní is the right place to meet with millions of years of history, a place that continues being a life generator and a hope for the world’s environmental situation.

Photo: wren el renegade

Zaruma: Mixing Antiquity with Nature in the South Coast of Ecuador

2010-07-22T15:51:00.000-05:00

Zaruma is a charming town located in the south coast of Ecuador, 1200 m (3937ft) above the sea level, in the province of El Oro. It is surrounded by various great mountains, waterfalls and forests that will make you have unforgettable experiences doing one of the various ecological adventure activities available in the area. Zaruma means “corncob” in Quechua. With its colorful wooden houses of the 19th century and its quiet streets where joyful and peaceful people live, this place is definitely worth visiting.
Here is a rough guide to the most amazing spots to visit while at Zaruma:

1.    El Calvario: It is a hill located 1500m (4921ft) above the sea level and approximately 1km (0.6mi) away from the city of Zaruma. Its peak is an excellent viewpoint from which you can appreciate the splendorous landscape of the surroundings.

2.    Zaruma Urcu: Located 14km (8.6mi) to the northeast of the city, this hill stands out because many orchids are cultivated on its hillsides. There, you can find 300 out of the about 4250 orchid species existing in Ecuador.

3.    Chivaturco: 90 minutes away from Zaruma is found this hill. On the way to its peak, you will find a great variety of avifauna next to the crystalline waters of the 100m (328ft) high Chorro Blanco Waterfall, which falls directly into a river surrounded by exuberant vegetation. Following the track to the peak, you will also see the archaeological remains of an ancient civilization that once was settled in the area. When you finally get to the peak, you will be able to enjoy the most amazing, hidden landscapes.

4.    Huayquichuma Forest: Located 8km away from the city, this 80 hectares wide forest is home of a great amount of flora and fauna with little brooks made by the condensation of the thick fog of the place. If you have seen and loved the majestic Chorro Blanco Waterfall, then you will also enjoy visiting the Pingllo Waterfall, with a height of 80 meters making an impressive and relaxing fall complemented by the beautiful surroundings.

Going to Zaruma is mixing antiquity with nature. This is a city that makes you fall in love and teaches you to enjoy the simple, natural things of life. Zaruma is undoubtedly the ultimate paradise in the south, certainly a visit you can’t miss!

Photo: Rinaldo W.

Find Out Why these Ecuadorians have got the Attention of the Whole World

2010-07-02T11:27:00.001-05:00

Otavalo is a city beloved by its people and known by them as “llakta”, which means “town” in their mother language. The people from this city are a vivid example of coexistence and adaptation to the modern world. They are people eager to show how much they are worth through their values, their love for nature, their craftsmanship skills and simply their excellence and versatility in all senses: qualities that have spread their fame to the whole world.

The main aspect of these people’s lives follows very simple rules: to respect Mother Nature, to use the natural resources in a rational way, to encourage the community’s development and to be joyful and committed to their responsibilities. These simple guidelines had made the people from Otavalo be great farmers, painters, musicians, weavers, polyglots and merchants not only in Ecuador, but all around the world, getting the fame of being impressive, multifaceted and certainly successful people that have set an example of development and organization for societies.

This way, with no other help except for their own ability to organize, they have created the South America’s largest and most colorful textile and handcraft indigenous market, making the city if Otavalo get the attention of the whole world. At present, their textiles and handcrafts are exported to places such as Australia, Italy and Spain, as well as some Middle Eastern countries.

Otavalo’s fame is not only due to the products they export. The artists from this town thought their music would also be liked by people from other countries. With no hesitation, they have managed to travel to countries like the US, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia and Singapore, where their excellent live Andean music is still enjoyed by many fans.

The culture of this town is a culture that has profited from its ancestral knowledge. The people from Otavalo has always believed in it and worked to make it richer and to move forward. Some of the locals are nowadays cosmopolitan people, but they keep on being themselves. They keep on expressing the art, the culture and the values that have given them their strong identity and that bond them to their hometown: their beloved and yearned for Llakta.

Photo: Rinaldo W.

Discover the Secret of the Río Pita Hidden Waterfall

2010-07-02T11:25:00.000-05:00

Only 30 minutes away southwest of Quito, you will find a hidden valley with a river called “Pita” that runs through the most splendorous landscapes. The river flows from the Cotopaxi volcano, tracing a route through an unforgettable ecological adventure 30km (18 mi) long in which 25 waterfalls can be seen. The river’s route has two outstanding touristic areas: the “Rumibosque” (stone forest) and the “Molinuco”, both places with unique attractions that make the Pita are a paradise right in the middle of Ecuador. Discover what makes the Pita River a natural wonder!

The Molinuco is located near the city of Sangolquí, south of Quito. Its name comes from the word “molino” (mill), which refers to a beer factory that used to be in that area. With an average temperature of 14°C (57°F) and an approximate altitude of 2900m (9514ft) above the sea level, the Molinuco is home of various natural attractions, such as the Pita River’s great 60m (196ft) high waterfall; the mini-Cotopaxi, a rocky natural formation with the shape of a volcano surrounded by waters in which you can swim and relax; the “Niñas” and the “Arcoíris” waterfalls that come from underground rivers; and the “Manantial del Samaritano”, which is a beautiful waterfall great for taking a break, drink something and enjoy its healing waters.

A rustic wooden suspension bridge above the Pita River marks the end of the route. A few minutes away from there, you will find a sign that reads “Molinuco, Pita’s waterfall”, and an open door next to it as a welcome sign. Finally, you get to the 60m (196ft) high waterfall. With its vigorous, tranquilizing and gratifying waters originated from the thawing of the magnificent Cotopaxi Volcano, this great waterfall is a life and balance generator. A highly recommended ritual to have at this place consists on passing behind the waterfall to cleanse your aura and be part of a spiritually balanced renovation.

After this excellent adventure, followed by a natural recharge of energies, you will feel ready for the rushed life of the city. Nonetheless, if you want to keep on enjoying nature’s charms, there is an area designated for camping in which you can rest in the company of the waterfall, with its constant, soothing sound.

Photo: Johan.dk

The Panecillo: A Silent Witness of Quito through History

2010-07-02T11:21:00.001-05:00

The Panecillo hill is Quito’s most representative natural formation. Located inside the historical downtown of the city at an altitude of 3000m (9842ft) above the sea level and a height of 200m (656ft), the Panecillo (meaning “Little bread”) is a historical hill that holds on its peak one of Quito’s largest work of art: the beloved Virgin of Quito, that can be seen from almost any corner of the city. This hill is a silent witness of the city’s history of development, destructions, conquests, wars, building and rebuilding.

This hill was already an important spot since the year 1400. Its sides were inhabited by the Quitus indigenes, who called it “Shungoloma”, that means “Hill of the heart” in their native tongue. It was the place of worship to their main god: the Sun, also known as “Yavirac” or “Inti”.

Later on, in the year 1500, the Panecillo hill witnessed the defeat and conquest of the Quitus by the Incas, who kept considering it important. On its peak, the Incas made a very important structure that can still be appreciated nowadays: the “Olla del Panecillo”. It is believed that this large rock container was initially a storage room for seeds –especially corn seeds– and that afterwards it became a water reservoir for irrigating the crop fields that used to be there in those times. Years later, a part of the structure was destroyed by Rumiñahui, the royal warrior of the Incan empire, when he found out about the advance of the Spanish conquistadors.

In 1534, the Panecillo saw the first white men when the conquistadores from Spain finally arrived to the city. They were less in numbers, but their weapons and their greed were superior to those of the Incas, so they defeated them and got established in the sides of the hill. When the Spaniards saw the hill from far away, they realized it had the shape of a little bread, and that is how the “Shungoloma” got its current name of “Panecillo”.

Due to its location, the hill was used by the Spaniards as a strategic military spot; and the “Olla del Panecillo” (which also got its name from them) served to collect rainwater that later got used for the irrigation of the gardens of new Colonial Era. Finally, after years of colonization, on May 24th 1822 the Panecillo proudly observed the liberation battle of Pichincha and the progressive defeat of the Spanish Colonial troops.
More recently, in the year 1976, the Spanish artist Agustín de la Herrán Matorras made at the top of the hill an impressive large structure called “The Virgin of Quito” or “The Virgin of Legarda”: a work made of 7000 pieces of aluminum, the largest of its kind ever made. The sculpture is a replica of the Immaculate Virgin made by the Ecuadorean artist Bernardo de Legarda, which can be observed in the high altar of the San Francisco Church.

Nowadays, the Panecillo can be visited up to its peak to admire the Virgin of Quito and see the Olla del Panecillo. When standing at the top, a look to the impressive landscape of the city will make you understand the love and veneration this natural formation has been subject of by the local people over the centuries.

Photo: ADN Montalvo

Live the Anzu Adventure to the Amazon

2010-07-02T11:16:00.001-05:00

In the Ecuadorian Amazon Rainforest Region, a 30Km (18 miles) river called Anzu goes through the predominantly green landscapes of the provinces of Napo and Pastaza. Anzu has different water currents great for practicing extreme sports such as rafting and kayaking but, if you are a like the kind of person who prefer to stay on land, you will find several touristic attractions that can’t be left unvisited.

The first adventure is right at the river’s source and is called "the Anzu Cave", a cave made of several smaller caves which have little holes leading to chambers. On the most inner chambers, stalactites and stalagmites of various sizes and shapes can be observed.

Going forward on the river’s course, you can also visit the nearby communities, which are essential to understanding the whole environment. Apart from discovering impressive cultures, you will be able to live these people’s harmonious way of life. Activities like hunting, identifying medicinal plants, participating in the local rituals and celebrations, and being hosted by a family or staying in a private house are part of the Anzu experience.

The trip continues with the Hola Vida Reserve, a place 220 hectares wide where you can see different bird and insect species and old giant trees. An activity that you can’t miss here is taking a bath in the Escondida waterfall whose cold waters are believed to have energetic powers.

Finally, you will approach the end of the Anzu River. Walking a nearby path, you will get to the mouth of another majestic river: the Napo River, located right at the heart of the Ecuadorian Amazon, which marks the beginning of a new adventure.

Photo: larry&flo

Santiago: A charming Island inside the “Encantadas”

2010-06-22T17:49:00.001-05:00

Nearby the Santa Cruz (Indefatigable) Island is found the Santiago (James) Island, located at the center of the whole Galapagos archipelago. With a size of 590 km² (366mi), this attractive place offers tourists the most charming spots to enjoy different activities.

Armed with an adventurous spirit, you will witness beautiful natural sceneries existing only in places such as the following:

•    James Bay (Puerto Egas): Located in the west side of the island, this place has a beach of black sand in which large colonies of sea lieons rest by the crystalline waters of the sea, which are perfect for swimming, snorkeling or scuba diving. Magnificent sharks, as well as a great variety of colorful little fish can be observed going deep down these waters. Behind the beach, there is a path that leads to the surroundings of the wide crater of the Pan de Azúcar volcano.

•    Buccaneer Cove (Caleta Bucanero): Found north of Puerto Egas, this place is home of a beautiful beach of brown sand and natural landscapes of large, high cliffs in which you can observe numerous species of seabirds, as if all the birds of the island had a meeting right in that spot. Long time ago, this place was used as a safe refuge for whalers, pirates and sailors.

•    Espumilla Beach: Located to the southeast of the island, this beach has quite exuberant vegetation compared to other regions of the island, which makes it the favorite nesting spot for sea turtles. If you get luck, you can witness this Nature’s unforgettable spectacle. Very close to the coast, going inside the island just a little, there is a large area of mangrove swamps, home of an endemic bird very hard to find: the Galapagos Hawk, who only a few people will get the opportunity to observe. Nearby the swamps is also a lake in where beautiful white and pink flamingoes live together with a variety of small birds.

•    Sullivan Bay: Found to the east of the island, this place has a peculiar beach of white sand in which the large colonies of fur seals can be observed. This seal species has a very sweet appearance due to the two types of fur it has, one longer than the other. Leaving the beach behind, you will find a 1.5 km (1 mile) path in which soon you will find yourself surrounded by wonderful lava fields. A place where long ago there was nothing but fire is now the home of one marvelous creature: the black marine iguana.

With places like these, Santiago is one of the most diverse and charming islands of the Galapagos. It is a central point where the most beautiful beaches of different colors, the most fascinating aquatic life, abundant vegetation and many other interesting species have gathered together. The island’s privileged location is a great starting point for visitors, since it will encourage them to keep on discovering this unique and impressive archipelago.

Photo: Villamette University

Cultural Tourism in Quito: The 4 Immortals

2010-06-22T17:46:00.000-05:00

They were great artists, they have become immortal, and they are Ecuadorian. They are people that managed to capture the images in their minds with great clarity, transforming their thoughts into unforgettable artworks, known all around the world. Here is a short chronological review of four of the greatest Ecuadorian artists:

1.    Caspicara, sculptor. Quito 1723-1796

His birth name was Manuel Chili, but he later changed it to Caspicara, which means “wooden face” in Quechua, his native language. His finely detailed works had a contrast between serenity and dramatic themes, reflected in astonishing religious images. He was one of the creators of the Escuela Quiteña de Arte (Quito school of art), which remains active.

His works can be visited at:
•    The San Francisco Church, at the Convent’s Museum
•    The Nuestra Señora de los Dolores Chapel, also known as the Cantuña Chapel
•    The Quito Cathedral, also known as the “Iglesia la Catedral”
•    The Quito School of Art

2.    Bernardo de Legarda, sculptor. Quito, late 17th Century -1773

His most famous work is known as the “Inmaculada”, which is one of the most representative artistic images of Ecuadorian art. It is not only beloved by Ecuadorians: its beauty made it object to several imitations throughout all South America. Legarda’s work inspired the Spanish artist Agustín de la Herrán Matorras to create the majestic, large-scale replica of the famous “Virgen del Panecillo”, that can be seen by anyone visiting Quito’s historical downtown.

Legarda’s works can be found at the following places:
•    The San Francisco Church, where the “Inmaculada” is found at the High Altar
•    The Santa Clara Monastery
•    The Concepción Convent

3.    Miguel de Santiago, painter. Quito, 1630-1706

He has been the subject for many legends that try to explain why he stayed inside the San Agustin Convent for such a long period of time. What is true is the majesty of the works he created in there, such as the series of paintings devoted to the life of San Agustin or the greatly portrayed chapters of the “Christian Doctrine”. All of these make an immortal legacy of this painter from Quito to whom the origins of the baroque art in Quito are attributed.

His works can be seen at:
•    The Miguel de Santiago Museum, located inside the San Agustin Convent.
•    The Guápulo Church

4.    Oswaldo Guayasamín, sculptor and painter. Quito, 1919-1999

Guayasamín is undoubtedly the most widely known Ecuadorian artist. His works are a legacy not only for his country, but to the whole world. His paintings go deep into the soul; in his own words, his art “is made for hurting, scratching and beating into the heart of the people”. Observing his work, his completely unique style can’t be denied.

There are several places where his works can be seen, but his most representative collections are found in:
•    The Hombre Chapel: his biggest artistic project and a sanctuary for most of his works
•    The Guayasamín Museum

The love and dedication of these four artists was reflected in works of art that became patrimonial treasures for humanity. Treasures whose excellent conservation has made it possible nowadays for us to be amazed and rejoiced in each detail and structure brought to the world by these wonderful creators.

Photo: Enciclopedia del Ecuador

Five New Volcanoes Discovered in Ecuador

2010-06-22T17:43:00.000-05:00

It was difficult for researchers to believe that finding one day some little fragments of volcanic glass –obsidian– would consequently be one of the greatest geological discoveries in Ecuador, something that would reaffirm to the world the reason why this land is known as the “Volcanic Land”. Two American volcano experts, Minard Hall and Patricia Mothes, have announced this way the discovery of five new volcanoes found inside the Ecuadorian Amazon.

Located inside the province of Napo, 75km (46mi) away from Quito, the recently discovered volcanoes have a height range that goes from 2800 to 3700m (9186 to 12139 feet). They got named “El Dorado”, “Domos de Huevo de Chivo”, “Lava Baeza”, “Centro Cosanga” and “Centro Pamayacu”, and this last one is believed to be potentially active. The age of the volcanoes is estimated to be around 2 000 and 20 000 years old.

The amazing expedition inspired the volcanoes’ discoverers so much that they don’t rule out the possibility of the existence of more volcanoes, which might be located close to the Cordillera Real Andina (Royal Andean Mountain Range). More than 50 volcanoes have been identified in Ecuador at present, and 20 of them are considered active by the Global Volcanism Program. Many of them can be visited through the touristic corridor known as the “Volcanoes Avenue”.

The recent discovery has been proudly announced to the rest of the world. Due to their understanding of the cosmos, Ecuadorians feel admiration and respect for these impressive giants, and they are often considered to be the guardians and protectors of their territory.

Discover the Romantic Legend of the Lake and the Tree

2010-06-22T17:40:00.002-05:00

Only five minutes away from the city of Otavalo are found two attractive touristic spots: the San Pablo Lake, found southeast of the city; and the Lechero Tree, located at the top of a nearby famous hill called “Rey Loma”, where an indigenous fortress was built. These two magical places are the main characters of a fascinating legend:

The story tells that North of Ecuador in the Andean mountain range, in a region now known as the Imbabura province, there was a time of great drought during which nothing would grow at the fields. According to the indigenous tradition of those times, it was necessary for a young maiden to be sacrificed in order to calm down the rage of the Imbabura volcano, who was believed to be the cause of such bad season.

A beautiful indigene girl called “Nina Pacha” (which means “Light Source”) was chosen for the sacrifice. Nina Pacha was in love with a young man called Guatalquí, who was ready to do anything to save the life of his beloved one. It was impossible to escape from the village, since it was very well surveyed, so the lovers decided to get help from a powerful wizard. He told them that the only way to leave the village and escape from the sacrifice would be having Nina Pacha cut one of her two beautiful long braids. Both lovers had to hold on to one end of the braid without letting go, as a proof of their union and their love’s strength. The wizard added that they could not look at each other’s face nor back to the village until reaching the top of the nearby mountain, otherwise she would become a lake and he would become a tree.

The lovers began their escape following the instructions from the wizard. With a lot of effort, the couple was finally approaching the peak of the mountain, but they were not alone: they were being chased by a crowd of angry villagers. When the two lovers were about to get caught, Nina Pacha could not help looking back, and Guatalquí did the same involuntarily. At that moment, the sky cleared and the Imbabura volcano awoke from his sleep. The beautiful Nina Pacha became a big lake at the feet of the volcano; and at the same time a lightning struck the young man, who vanished leaving behind a leafy tree known nowadays as the “Lechero”. At the end, the shocked villagers witnessed a hard rain falling over the fields …the drought was over.

It is said that from that moment on, the lake and its guardian tree became a place of prayer and rituals related to the crops. The tree and the lake are very close to one another, and you can have a whole sight of the lake from the top of the hill where the tree is at, as if the young Guatalquí kept surveying his beloved Nina Pacha, staying together forever like they couldn’t before.

Nowadays, it is believed that when you visit the Lechero tree for the first time, you can make a wish while hugging him tightly. As long as it is a positive wish, the tree will make it come true.

Photo: Ecuador a la Carte

June, 2011: The World’s First Ecological Airport Will Be Built in the Galapagos

2010-06-15T10:14:00.001-05:00

The world’s first and only ecological airport will be built in the Galapagos Archipelago, at the Baltra Island. With a cost of 21 million USD, the airport will have a surface of 9000 m² –approximately the size of a professional soccer stadium–. This unprecedented engineering wonder planned to be finished by June, 2011 will highly contribute to the preservation of the species of the area.

This pioneering and historical work has got its ecological quality due to all the building procedures that will be put in practice for its construction: the airport will rigorously respect the international environmental standards using modern and efficient technologies never seen before in other airports. It will be a construction that harmonizes with its surroundings, made fully out of wood and stone. The power it will require will be only solar and wind power, complemented by natural lightning and air flow sources. Its water consumption will be highly controlled and the water will be recycled to optimize the use of the island’s limited resources. Altogether, this airport will set an example for the world to follow in coexisting with nature with a new generation of ecological buildings.

This airport would be good news for anyone, anywhere. Its construction gives hope and confidence that the human kind may one day live once again in harmony with nature. Undoubtedly, this is a reason to celebrate for the island and the region’s wildlife!

Photo: Gobierno Municipal de Santa Cruz

Business traveling to Guayaquil for a short period?

2010-06-15T10:12:00.001-05:00

Usually, traveling businessmen have only a day or two to close a deal, make a sell or talk with some supplier. They are actually eager to get to know the city, but they have very little time to do it. Visiting Guayaquil as a business destination is something hundreds of tourists do, so we have made a guide for those willing to make the most of their visit by going to the touristic attractions which are closer to downtown Guayaquil:

1.    The Centenario Park: This park is one of the city’s biggest parks, and many historical monuments with justice and freedom as themes are found on it.

2.    The Local Museum: Created in 1908, this museum houses 10 000 years of history of Guayaquil, with 12 000 pieces of archaeological and anthropological value. The museum shows the story of the city chronologically, from the pre-Columbian era to the modern Guayaquil.

3.    The Seminario Park: This park got its name from the person who enclosed it with a wrought iron fence, giving it its late 20th Century style. Nowadays, it is known as the Iguana Park, since there are a lot of these animals living in there that come down from the trees to get some sunlight and interact with the visitors.

4.    The House of Culture Museum: This museum has two exhibition halls that show a great collection of pre-Colonial gold and silver works.

5.    The Historical Park: Even though this park is not located inside downtown Guayaquil, it is a place worth visiting. It is two hectares large, and it has three different areas: the wildlife zone, with a variety of fauna living in their natural environment; the urban landscape from the ancient Guayaquil; and the joyful traditional area, that shows the customs of the Ecuadorian coastal region’s inhabitants.

6.    The Simón Bolívar Seafront: Extending all along the Guayas river, the seafront has three different sections: A large shopping center with a variety of shops and cozy restaurants; a park that binds you to nature with its old trees and bushes, birds and fish species typical of the Guayaquil region that make up a peaceful and relaxing place. The third section is the cultural one, with anthropological museums and cinema halls featuring national and international films with educational themes.

7.    The Del Carmen Hill: This hill is located just beside the Simón Bolívar seafront. Its landscape is made of many little houses and the local inhabitants, always in colorful clothing. A stair of 444 steps takes you to the peak of the hill, from which you can have a panoramic view of the city.

All of these attractions will provide the business traveler a historical and contemporary vision of Guayaquil fast but thoroughly. By the end of the day the “passing-by” visitors will feel that Guayaquil was not just another sporadic meeting point for business, but a short yet pleasant stay.

Photo: Columbus GV Team

The Humpback Whales: Loving Giants

2010-06-15T10:00:00.000-05:00

This love story begins in the freezing waters of the Antarctic region. The Humpback whales, Giants of the Sea, begin an exodus to the north in search of the right place to reproduce and give birth to their offspring. It’s gladly in the Ecuadorian coastal region –specifically in the provinces of Guayas, Santa Elena, Manabí, Esmeraldas and El Oro– where nearly 4000 humpback whales find the perfect landscape to live the greatest love story ever, thus ensuring the species’ survival.

Thanks to these visitors, the beaches of Ecuador receive thousands of tourists from all over the world looking to watch from close up the world’s largest animals. The Humpback whale is the most active of all the baleen whales, so it is often seen breaching, spyhopping, slapping its pectoral fin, lobbing its tail and jumping out of the water. To watch the show, there are lots of vessels available, constantly taking people to see them perform their marvelous sea dances.

These giant mammals are the heaviest and strongest of all whales. The size of an adult female is about 19m (62ft), while the males measure up to 15m (49ft). Considering their size and their average weight of about 30-40 tons, the Humpback whales have certainly a place among the world’s largest animals. Nonetheless, it remains an endangered species because their condition of slow swimmers –compared to other whales– made them an easy target for the 18th-Century whalers.

Humpback whales got their particular name out of the exaggerated hump that forms around their dorsal fin when they arch to dive back into the water. They are gregarious animals that live in groups of eight or ten individuals when living in cold climates. However, during the reproductive season, they migrate all together to the warmer waters of the Pacific Ocean, staying there from June to September.

Humpback whale watching season begins next June in Ecuador, and no one should miss it. Enjoy the show and feel moved by this wonderful experience watching one of the biggest and most magnificent animals of the planet emerge from the depths, as if they were weightless.

Photo: Fritz Geller-Grimm

Inti Raymi: June is here… It’s the Sun Party!

2010-06-10T07:43:00.002-05:00

It happens every year in June, when the winter solstice takes place in the Southern Hemisphere. It is a time when all the Andean families and lots of visitors get together to celebrate the Incan’s main festivity: the Inti Raymi –meaning “the Sun’s solemn resurrection” in quichua– is a gratitude ceremony to thank the gods for the collected crops. It is a moment where History is renewed and passed on to the new generations. During three days, people are shown how the greatest festivity of South America’s largest kingdom was like. If we ask the residents about it, they would tell us a story that would go like this:

Five hundred years ago, the Incas that inhabited the Andes believed the winter solstice was not only a moment to thank the gods for the wealthy crops, but also a moment to remember their origins. The party was rigorously prepared: it started when the political leaders or curacas arrived to the place where the celebration would take place, dressed up with their best outfits and taking with them the most modern inventions as an offering to the Sun god. During the three days of celebration, the whole village had to follow three simple rules: to eat only the strictly necessary; to keep from starting up any kind of fire; and to keep from having sexual relations.

Once the day had come, the highest-ranked chief and his family would wait early in the morning for the sun to rise, which indicated the beginning of the main praising ritual. Everyone would get on their knees, presenting their offerings and drinking a toast with the Inca’s traditional drink: the chicha. After that, the celebration started: the attendants would have a taste of the meat of a sacrificed animal, cooked by the fire created with solar rays that where concentrated through the chief’s golden bracelet; and they would drink great amounts of chicha during the three party days. The legend says that if a child with noble Incan descendants was to be born during those days, he would become the Empire’s new leader.

Nowadays in Ecuador, the celebration of Inti Raymi starts every 21th of June. It is a real cultural celebration that brings back to life the country’s ancient history. The town of Ingapirca gets filled with life: there are children playing and bathing in the river; men dressed up in colorful traditional garments and wearing masks, dancing to the rhythm of Andean music; women in shiny, embroidered dresses; handcrafts on sale; and fresh, delicious traditional dishes. Here, the visitor will be always welcomed by the warmth of the Ecuadorian people.

Photo: Presidencia de la República del Ecuador

Vilcabamba: They Live To Be 120 Years Old without Quitting Smoking, Drinking or Dancing

2010-06-08T17:54:00.002-05:00

“When I was younger, at 70 years old, I used to smoke much more...” — How about drinking? Do you like drinking? — “Not anymore. I stopped drinking when I was 106. Only once in a while, when I feel like drinking again, I take a sip…”

A few days ago, the international press announced the passing of the World’s oldest man according to the Guinness records, who lived in Japan. This event made a lot of Ecuadorians think of something right away: Was he only 113 years old? The people from the Guinness Book must not have known about Vilcabamba!

Vilcabamba is a little town in the South of Ecuador, in the most remote province of the Andean region called Loja, at 1500m (4921ft) above the sea level. It is a place that has temperatures ranging from 13° to 25°C (55-77°F) and a population of around 5000 inhabitants, who are known for a peculiar and unexplainable characteristic that very few people in this world would be able to enjoy: They all live more than 120 years.

These people don’t even need doctors. For them, it is easy to get older than 100 years by working actively, gathering at the parks to interact with other people of the same age, having every now and then a drink and a cigarette, going to parties and not measuring the calories they consume. Their hair and their teeth won’t fall off either, and they remain in excellent health until the day they pass away, when their bodies simply decide to “turn of the engines”.

When visit Ecuador, it is worth going to Vilcabamba. At the town’s entrance, you will find a gate with a sign that reads “Welcome to the Valley of Longevity”. Vilcabamba is a town that that aged along with its people. Visiting this place is like taking a trip to the past, which you can see reflected in the little houses with flowers and bright-green bushes in every corner; or in a short conversation taking place in the middle of a park or a plaza between two of its inhabitants, who will always be glad to tell their old stories and talk about their simple way of life.

Photo: Carlos Adampol

Find Out About The Legend Behind The Eruptions of The Quilotoa Volcano

2010-06-08T17:14:00.001-05:00

The Quilotoa Lake is a great lake whose waters amaze the world with their hypnotizing green color that changes its shades along the year. It was born from a crater, and its mysticism gave place to legends of gods. One of them is the story of the great battle between two gods, whose disastrous outcome gave its current shape to the Quilotoa volcano and its lake:

A long time ago, there was a lake that lied inside a volcano’s crater. On its surface lived a violent and feared god called Quilotoa, who was known to be the god of volcanoes. At the same time, a pacific god called Toachi lived at the bottom of the lake. Quilotoa didn’t like having Toachi living on his lake, so he decided to make him leave by throwing a ray of light from the sky into the water. Toachi got angry and threw fire balls to Quilotoa, who fired back. This way, a long battle between the two gods began. The result of such constant flowing of rocks and fire was devastating.

Finally, it is not known whether the gods agreed to a truce or Toachi gave in to the pressures of Quilotoa, but it is believed that the volcano’s crater got the shape it has now a as a result of the battle. Nowadays, the sky wonderfully reflected in its crystalline waters creates a peaceful and beautiful landscape in a place that once was the scene of chaos and destruction.

Photo: Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores del Ecuador

Caleta Tagus: Follow the Pirates’ Steps through Volcanoes and Lava Pathways

2010-06-08T17:10:00.001-05:00

In the Isabela Island, going southwest from the Darwin volcano, you will find a 1 800m (1 mi) pathway that is known to be one of the island’s most interesting places to visit. It can only be accessed by going through a large sea corridor called “Caleta Tagus”. Already from the beginning, as the ship gets closer to steady land, a crowd of penguins, iguanas and cormorants welcome visitors as an anticipation of what will come next.

The pathway, mainly made of gravel, leads to the inside of the island, going around the Darwin Lake. It can be divided into three sections:

1.    The Steps: This is the historical part of the tour, in which you go up about 200m (650 feet) of wooden steps, climbing the hillside of what once was a volcano. In the way, you will find a cave in whose walls the writings left by whalers and buccaneers from the 20th Century can still be seen.

2.    The Darwin Lake: This part of the road goes around the Darwin Lake through a volcanic territory of impressive landscapes. During the hike, a great variety of terrestrial bird species can be seen, and the typical vegetation of this arid area can be appreciated at the Palo Santo Forest.

3.    The Lava Fields: This is the final section of the tour. It is large field of petrified lava providing a great volcanic view that can only be seen in the Galapagos. Here, you will find the famous “petrified raindrops”, which are little round rocks made from the rain mixed with volcanic ashes that have hardened through time.

The name of Caleta Tagus was given to this place in honor of an English warship that passed by the islands in 1814 looking for Galapagos turtles to eat. Nowadays, it is a place full of history, evolution and contrasting landscapes. Caleta Tagus has been one of the tourists’ favorite destinations; and it undoubtedly remains a must-see for people visiting the Galapagos Islands.

Photo: Balabiot

Traditions and Peacefulness in Cuenca: The Ever-Beautiful City

2010-05-29T15:31:00.000-05:00

Already in the Pre Columbine Era, the legendary city of Tomebamba was considered one of the Inca Empire’s most beautiful cities. Nowadays, the territory now called Cuenca has still the same fame. Declared a World Heritage City by UNESCO in 1998, this historical World Museum of artists and intellectuals is evidently a special place whose uniqueness can be seen in every little detail since you arrive there.

Cuenca is located in the Ecuadorian Austro Region, 2500m (8200feet) above the sea level. It is a city of peace and harmony: unlike most cities, it is not full of traffic, stress and pollution. It has a perfect climate and 4 rivers run through it, completing a landscape of customs, handcrafts and cultures.

A tour to the city can be divided into two parts: the Colonial and the Modern Cuenca. The first consists of the patrimonial treasure of the city’s churches, parks, colonial houses and cobbled streets: a historical world where the past and present cultures coexist. Among the numerous churches of the area, the cathedral stands out with its two turquoise domes as a monument of great beauty that reminds us of a past of conquistadors and conquered people. When you walk through the streets of this section, you find the millenary indigenous culture and the modern occidental culture joined together by the joy and respect of the local people.

To complement the tour, visiting the colorful flower market found next to the cathedral; watching the painters doing their art works in the surroundings of the Calderón Park; or buying a handmade toquilla straw hat in one of the handcraft stores are some things you can do in that area of the city.

A little bit further to the East is found the San Sebastián Square, where you can visit the Museum of Local Modern Art, a place that gathers together the most outstanding artistic expressions of the modern Cuenca spirit.

Walking to the South, you will find the Tomebamba: a river that runs across Cuenca from West to South where you can have a tour along its waters to discover the city. As you watch the rocks crashing with the endless water movements and the centuries-old houses built on the river shores, you will be able to see the customs of the country’s ancestors that remain alive in the people gathered on the shore to wash their clothes.

Cuenca is also a strategic spot to visit other places in the South of the Andes. In its surroundings are found destinations such as the Cajas National Park, the Andes’ most narrow area with unique landscapes; the Ingapirca ruins, an Incan secret found 1200 miles North from Machu Picchu; and the Santa Bárbara Corridor, a road of endless traditions.

Cuenca can be described as the city that found the way to receive modernity and protect passionately its artistic and cultural identity at the same time. It is difficult to know and describe what the mystery of its beauty really is, although it is very evident that such mystery produces genuine feelings. The city of Cuenca is an example of total conservation of the material and the spiritual heritage, based in a profound respect for the past.

Photo: ironmanixs

Riobamba: A Story Created Among Snowy Peaks, Deserts and Lakes

2010-05-29T15:29:00.001-05:00

Known by Ecuadorians as “The Homeland’s Cradle” or “The Sultana of the Andes”, the historical city of Riobamba was the place where the beginning of the Ecuadorian nation came with the writing and signing of the country’s first constitution in 1830, right after getting its Independence from Spain. Ironically, it took place only 25km (15 miles) away from the Colta Lake, where the first Spanish settled and erected the Balvanera church, back in 1534.

Riobamba is located in Ecuador’s Central mountain range, 200km (124mi) away from Quito, in the province of Chimborazo. It is a purely cultural city, proud of its independence, created among hills and volcanoes in one of the country’s highest spots, 2754m (9035ft) above the sea level. Its streets have still the atmosphere of the Colonial times, and you can find in them attractions such as the Maldonado Park, with its majestic water fountain and beautiful gardens framed by its two major architectural works: the local government building and the Santa Bárbara Cathedral. Two blocks away from the park is found the Religious Art Museum, the city’s most prestigious museum that houses a fine collection of religious objects from the 18th Century. It is suggested to visit the city either on Saturdays –when the handcraft market is livelier– or on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays, when you can take the early morning train that goes to Nariz Del Diablo (devil’s nose).

Thanks to its strategic location, Riobamba is also a compulsory stay for adventurous spirits: a great starting point from which you can go in any direction and discover one of the province’s unique natural attractions. The closest destination is Guano, located approximately 10km (6mi) North of Riobamba. It is a little town whose craftwork has caught the attention of the Vatican and other institutions. On the other hand, taking a 38km (23mi) road to the North-West, you will get to a highway called “Volcanoes’ Avenue” that leads to the majestic Chimborazo: Ecuador’s highest volcano and even the world’s highest volcano considering the flattened surface of the Earth.

You can also choose going south, where you will find first the Colta Lake –a magical place full of culture, nature and history– and then, at approximately 60km (37 miles) from Riobamba, the Palmira Desert, with its contrasts of sand and Andean landscapes. The impressive road from the desert to the snowy mountains is only 100km (62mi) long.

Riobamba is also a great viewpoint to admire the volcanoes of Chimborazo, Carihuairazo, Sangay and El Altar, which can even be seen from your hotel room. This inspiring historical city is a place that has slowly let the modern world in while continuing to preserve its ancestral essence at the same time.

Photo: Alfredobi

The Isabela Island: The Land Made of Giants

2010-05-29T15:25:00.000-05:00

Seen from above, Isabela (Albemarle) is easily identifiable by its great size of 1790sq miles and its incredible shape of a seahorse. A product of constant volcanic activity, the island keeps intact the volcanoes from which it was created. These giants make up 58% of the island’s surface, forming a range that goes through the entire land. The volcanoes’ exotic beauty is always an attraction, so visitors often choose to discover the volcanoes’ feet and their surroundings when visiting the charming Galapagos Islands as an alternative to the most typical tours. An exploring trip in Isabela goes deep to the heart of the island, allowing visitors to meet places completely isolated from the coast. The tours can be taken to three different volcanoes:

1.    The Wolf Volcano. It is the highest of the island, with 1707m (5600 feet) high. On its hillside, you will find the mystical home of the millenary giant turtles who have survived through slaughters and volcanic eruptions, remaining a silent witness of history and evolution. The Wolf Volcano has also been the scene of great discoveries: In 2008, when a study of 1600 species of the area was taking place, all the known species of giant turtles –in exception, of course, of Lonesome George’s– were found at its feet; and in 2009, a new endemic species was found there too: the pink land iguana.

2.    The Alcedo Volcano. This 1128m (3700ft)-high volcano is literally a “turtle hotel”, since the largest giant turtle wild population of the archipelago is settled in there. The remote location of the volcano has meant that even the most recent eruption in 1993 was not recorded until two years later. On both of its sides, impressive smoke columns are constantly expelled from the ground. It has a large crater, 7km (4mi)-wide.

3.    The Sierra Negra Volcano. This is the world’s second most active volcano with the most recent historic eruption in October 2005. Its name –which means “Black Mountain”– anticipates its image: it has a purely volcanic, harsh landscape that might be product of a very large eruption. Although it is not easy to reach this 1120m (3674ft)-high volcano, for many visitors their physical effort is rewarded by the beauty of its unimaginable landscapes.

In Isabela, you will discover three majestic giants of unexpected beauty that have become the home of another giant: the Galapagos turtle, an icon of the enchanted Galapagos archipelago. This unique island is a place to admire nature as exotic as it can be. More importantly, this magic land encourages many people to be committed to the preservation of such special destinations.

Photo: Awesome Earth Planet

Pasochoa: A Life Reserve Originated From a Boiling Caldron

2010-05-29T15:22:00.002-05:00

When you try to imagine the remains of a millenary volcanic eruption, the first thing that comes to mind is a harsh, arid landscape of rocks and earth. However, in the province of Pichincha, 40km (24 miles) away from the city of Quito, you will find a place that didn’t turn out the way you would have thought. In this place lies the Pasochoa volcano, the protagonist of a great eruption that took place 100,000 years ago. Ironically, that destructive eruption gave place to one of Ecuador’s most beautiful valleys: The Pasochoa Wildlife Reserve, a place with as many green tones as you could imagine.

Located 2800m (9186ft) above the sea level, a place that once burned in flames and was the scene of the cracking down of the Pasochoa Volcano is now a place where lava and ashes have, throughout the centuries, become a very fertile soil creating one of the few naturally originated forests of the Andes with a diverse fauna and flora. This valley is also perfect for horseback riding and picture-taking.

Seeing this forest for the first time from a panoramic view, you’ll notice it looks like a caldron in the shape of a horseshoe. You will discover the 520-hectare reserve through 5 pathways with unique attractions found only on this side of the Andean mountain range. One of them leads to the peak of the volcano at 4200m (13780ft) above the sea level. Throughout this path, you will be able to observe the more than 120 different bird species, among of which is the Great Condor, a representative bird of the country.

The adventures you will live at Pasochoa will make you want to to stay over the night at the area designated for camping. After having spent the night in contact with nature, you will wake up willing to keep on discovering this exciting reserve.

Photo: Pictures from Heather

The Carihuairazo: Learning to Hike with a Giant of Wind and Snow

2010-05-22T13:15:00.003-05:00

The legend tells that, in ancient times, the Carihuairazo Volcano –whose name means “man of wind and snow” in Quechua (cari: man; huaira: wind; razu: snow) – was much higher than it is now. Fighting against the Chimborazo Volcano for the love of the Lady Tungurahua Volcano, the Carihuairazo ended up half-destroyed and lost the fight.

In the Ecuador’s Occidental mountain range is found this romantic fighter, located very close to the Chimborazo, in the province of Tungurahua. The Carihuairazo is perfect for mountaineers in the process of acclimatization or training in search of new landscapes and adventures. It is a place of beautiful natural contrasts that always amazes visitors.

Considering it has 3 peaks, the highest being 5020 (1646ft) above the sea level, the Carihuairazo is also great for beginners or family groups wanting to learn basic techniques for climbing. The snowy slopes are easy to climb, and they help mountaineers to acclimate and get prepared for future ascents to any of the higher, snowy peaks of Ecuador, always accompanied by a professional instructor. In the way up, you will find a great variety of moors full of flora and fauna, which can also be visited on horseback in the skirts of the volcano.

This inspiring, legendary volcano is undoubtedly a relic that can be enjoyed by everyone. The extinct Carihuairazo always welcomes visitors and prepares them for the new experiences and the challenges of reaching great heights.

Photo: august_allen

The Cajas National Park: Find Beauty in the Andes’ Narrowest Point

2010-05-22T13:14:00.003-05:00

The Cajas National Park is the narrowest point of the Andean mountain range and the one with the best landscapes. It is located close to the city of Cuenca, at 4400m (14435ft) above the sea level and it has a surface of 28500 hectares. Considered a national park since 1996, it is made by an exceptional group of more than 300 small lagoons framed by valleys, rocky plateaus and enchanted forests where unique animal and plant species live. Its highest point is the area of the Tres Cruces Lagoon, the place where the Tomebamba River –the only river on Southern America that is the closest to the Pacific Ocean but has waters from the Atlantic Ocean– is born.

The park is considered part of the North-Andean Endemism Center due to the importance it has regarding the Andean Plateau’s biological diversity. It is the only place in the world where you can find 4 out of the 7 existing species of polylepis, the famous enchanted trees from the fairy tales (polylepis weberbaueri, p. reticulata, p. lanuginosa and p. incana). There are also many endangered species living there, like the Andean condor (vultur gryphus), the deer (odocoileus virginianus), the spectacled bear (tremarctos ornatus), the plateau wolf (dulsicyon culpaeus) and the mountain toucan (andigena laminaris). From an ornithological point of view, the park is also a place of high importance because its lagoons are home for a total of 150 bird species.

A trip to Cajas is worth complementing with activities lasting from a couple of hours to a few days. The whole park is perfect for activities such as hiking, climbing and mountain biking. It also offers a great chance to take beautiful pictures: walking in the middle of the mountains and observing everything there is in this land, it is impossible not to feel like taking out your camera. Regardless the place you may choose for your picture, it can easily come out like a beautiful postcard. The lagoons of Toreadora and Llaviucu are ideal for sport fishing and bird-watching. On the other hand, if you want to spend the night in the immensity of the plateau, a good place to set up your camp is in the shores of the Lagartococha Lake. Whatever activity you may choose to do at this park, the experience will undoubtedly be always unique and wonderful.

The Cajas National Park is one of the best parks in Ecuador to get to know the plateau. It is a Nature sanctuary where a great amount of birds and other endemic species coexist in a large forest of enchanted trees. Furthermore, it is easily accessible, well preserved and simply beautiful.

Photo: Orban López Cruz

Find Out About the Legendary Island That Shines Over the Sea

2010-05-22T13:12:00.001-05:00

Picture yourself relaxing on the white, thin sand of a charming beach in the Pacific Ocean, admiring the sunset and waiting for the first moon reflections. Unexpectedly, a bright, mysterious spot as shiny as silver appears on the distance: right before your eyes, you see an inspiring island of treasure legends, whose historic evidence lies under its ground; and whose unique fauna makes it mysterious and wonderful. It is an island known for centuries as the island of Plata (silver).

In this enigmatic place, you can hear from the natives the stories of silver and gold ritual offerings buried in sacred spots as a sign of worship to the Sun, whose archaeological evidence reveals us day after day their authenticity. Numerous silver and gold figures, as well as the famous Spondylus shells used in the past as coins are frequently discovered.

One of these legends takes you centuries back in time, when the famous English pirate Sir Francis Drake used this island as a hiding place to attack and steal the Spanish ships going to Europe charged with gold and then buried the stolen treasure on that land. Even though this legend has not been confirmed yet, many people truly believe that it is real.

This island and its mythical past are a true attraction and a melting pot of life in the Pacific Ocean. Nowadays, it is a new home for many birds native to the charming Galapagos Islands, something that has given it a privileged landscape and made it earn the name of “Little Galapagos”.
For those who wonder about the island’s shine when seen from the distance, researchers have discovered it is due to the large amount of guano found there: the sun rays are reflected on it, producing that beautiful shine.

Photo: Ministerio del Ambiente del Ecuador

Quito: A World Heritage City that lies Among Valleys and Volcanoes

2010-05-22T13:11:00.003-05:00

The magnificent city of Quito, capital of Ecuador, was born in the valley surrounded by majestic mountains and volcanoes. A city full of history and beauty, it got its name from the millenary tribe of the Quitus, and it was the first city chosen by UNESCO as World Heritage in 1978. In many different ways, every corner of the city invites visitors to have fun getting to know it from North to South.

The North of Quito is full of modern infrastructure. One of the tourist’s most visited places is the neighborhood of La Mariscal and its main street, the Amazonas Avenue. This is where many tourists choose to stay because there are plenty of hotels, restaurants and travel agencies to plan the day’s activities that offer visitors endless options. If you want to have a pleasant evening or a night out, this is the area you must go to. If you take a cab to the Plaza El Quinde, better known as Plaza Foch, you will find the tourists’ and locals’ favorite recreational area.

In downtown Quito, you will find yourself face to face with history. It is a place that has survived through time and that is now the best preserved of all Latin American historical downtowns. It still shows its colonial past that started with the fall of the Incan empire, whose baroque and gothic architecture mixed with ancient indigenous techniques is reflected in its churches, plazas, monasteries and cobbled streets.

Downtown is the perfect place to take a walk through its streets and squares, visiting one of its numerous museums and churches, enjoying the panoramic views over the city from the San Juan viewpoint, or taking a 10 minutes ride on the cable railway 4050m (13287ft) above the sea level where you can appreciate the beauty of the city surrounded by the Cayambe, the Antisana and the Cotopaxi volcanoes.

The South of Quito, on the other hand, is a tribute to Nature. This is the area that gives the city the condition of being biologically diverse, thanks to its large surface with heights going from 500m to 4800m (1640 to 15748ft) above the sea level. Here, you can find various ecosystems like cloudy forests, subtropical forests, mountainous high forests and high plateaus, home of 2330 flora species among which 254 are endemic. Places like the Lloa Valley, located at the skirts of the Pichincha Volcano, and the area close to the Cotopaxi Volcano, known for its beautiful ranches, are characteristic of the region. Activities such as hikes and horseback rides can be done during your visit to this area.

Definitely, Quito has it all. It is a place for everyone’s tastes that offers visitors to learn about history in a fun and different way. The city mixes Nature and modernity, fun and relaxation, past and present. It is an experience like you couldn’t imagine. Visiting Quito is going to a place which is unique and full of contrasts, a place as high as your imagination.

Photo: Shoestring

The Santa Bárbara Corridor: a Road of Everlasting Traditions

2010-04-26T15:31:00.006-05:00

In the province of Azuay, inside a peculiar area of colorful landscapes by the Santa Bárbara River is found the Santa Bárbara touristic corridor: a region of singular beauty that keeps its traditions alive in the villages of Gualaceo, Sigsig and Chordeleg; a destination that every day gets a larger number of local and international visitors, becoming the region’s most important touristic destination thanks to the support it has received from the state since 2008.

The village of Gualaceo is known for its traditional jerseys or chompas, which are uniquely woven and embroidered in rustic workshops and can be appreciated worn on the local inhabitants as part of their attire. Places such as Bulcay and Bullzhún are handcrafts centers set up for visitors, where you can take a close look at the manufacture of these people, dedicated to the weaving of scarves, blouses, belts, bedspreads, tablecloths and many other products, all of them hand made in bright colors and beautiful designs.

Going forward on the Santa Bárbara corridor is found Chordeleg, a village of unassuming people dedicated to the art of pottery and metalwork. The traditional designs and shapes step out in their ceramic objects, which are decorated with Nature’s elements in blue, green and brown; as well as in the silver and gold products made with the filigree technique, which consists in making jewelry such as earrings, rings and bracelets from very thin gold and silver strings. All of these beautiful objects certainly get the attention of visitors, who will unavoidably purchase one of them at the end of the visit.

Finally, one of the most outstanding and internationally known activities is the weaving of hats and other objects made with a kind of straw called toquilla. This weaving art has been developed by the talented hands of the inhabitants of Sigsig and other rural communities of the region. It is an art that has gone beyond frontiers and time that tourist can even purchase directly from their home countries.

The Santa Bárbara corridor is full of nature and culture; it is a route of discovery and fun. At the end of the day, you will not only have taken a souvenir with you, but also the feeling of having enriched yourself with a different and extraordinary way of life.

Article by: Diario El Ciudadado
Photo: Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores del Ecuador

The Pastaza: A Rafting Adventure from The Andes to The Amazon

2010-04-26T15:30:00.005-05:00

If you think of a volcano that roars endlessly, it would be difficult to imagine that at its feet lays a peaceful place surrounded by rivers and numerous waterfalls, whose geography makes it the perfect spot for adventure tourism lovers. This place is called Baños de Agua Santa, and it is home of the region’s most fast flowing rivers. Baños has been favored with very nice weather due to its proximity to the Amazonian region, and its rivers are the scenery for several ecological adventure sports, such as rafting.

One of the most interesting fast flowing rivers of the region is called the Pastaza River. There, you can get on a rubber dinghy with other adventurous partners and go through some of the most fun routes as you slide fast down these waters, getting filled with adrenaline. Several pauses are done throughout the route, as a nature’s way to compensate your weariness. At these sections, water flows more slowly and you can hear the sounds of the adventurers’ faithful companions: the birds. You will have the chance to observe the exuberant vegetation at both sides of the river as you dip your hands into the calm, crystalline water. Once this section is left behind, the adventure continues. As you move forward, you will notice the water’s temperature rises, as another sign of the contrasts of this place.

When the aquatic adventure is over and you step once again on firm ground, you can keep on exploring by foot on a trip through the exuberant vegetation that you admired from the rubber dinghy at the river, vegetation so beautiful it invites you to discover it and unveil its mystery.

Photo: Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores del Ecuador

The Fernandina Island: A Unique Island in an Enchanted Place

2010-04-26T15:27:00.003-05:00

Fernandina (Narborough) is a million years old, and yet it is the youngest of islands. It is considered the Galapagos’s most exotic island. It measures only 642m² (0.4 square miles), it is the farthest west of the archipelago’s islands, and the only one that is not inhabited by humans. This island is home of the biggest colony of marine iguanas and flightless cormorants, and its incomparable beauty makes it one of the world’s most exclusive and unique destinations.

In Fernandina, the rule is not to alter the ecosystem. This extreme place is definitely a monument to survival. If you watch it from above, you can see that the island is in fact the tip of a volcano partially submerged in the water, a volcano that remains active and is frequently erupting. Fernandina is a place where creatures have managed to survive in such harsh conditions and have made this land of fire their home.

One of the most amazing of these endemic creatures is the marine iguana, who has unexplainably learnt to swim in view of the lack of food in the surface. With an incredible agility, it dives to the bottom of the sea to eat the algae attached to the rocks. As a curious fact, Charles Darwin considered these animals repulsive due to their prehistoric appearance.

Another wonderful creature of the island is the flightless cormorant, the only one of its species who has lost its ability to fly. Nonetheless, this bird has managed to survive by diving to incredible depths to get its food. Having tiny wings useless for flying, the flightless cormorant has developed strong legs that allow him to easily do these dives at high speeds. The island’s conditions in the past may have caused the fish to go deeper into the water, forcing the cormorant to develop that hunting technique.

Fernandina is a highly protected place that people can only get to know in momentary visits to an area called Punta Espinoza. It is a place full of magic and ruled by wildlife. Swimming birds and iguanas are a good sign of adaptation to harsh conditions. If you get lucky, you may see other extreme creatures, like the only cactus in the world that emerges from dry lava, and you can even snorkel with the only penguin species that can survive in tropical temperatures.

Photo: lightmatter

Swim and Slide Through the Cracks of the Millenary Jumandy Caves

2010-04-19T12:36:00.001-05:00

It is hard to believe that inside a touristic resort with pools, sport fields and lodges you would find a naturally formed mysterious place which you can only discover if you venture inside it in the Indiana Jones style, entering an underground world full of adventure and history, swimming in lakes and sliding through cracks, in an absolute darkness.

This place can be found in Ecuador, and it is known as the Jumandy Caves. The caves are located in the province of Napo, 5km (3mi) away from the village of Archidona. They are hidden among an exuberant nature resulting almost imperceptible, something which has made them preserve their mystery the way they have done it for many years throughout history. They were once used by the indigenous chief called Jumandy (which means wise man in Quechua), who protected his tribe from the Spanish invaders by hiding inside them, where they could not be found. Besides being a protection and a refuge for our people, these caves have also been a witness of our Earth’s natural evolution.

The inside of the caves is completely dark, so using a waterproof flashlight is absolutely necessary. If you look at the cave’s ceiling, you can observe the millenary stalactite formations, which are pointy mineral cones produced by the constant dropping of water from the surface; consequently, you can also observe the stalagmites on the ground, resulting from the accumulation of the fallen minerals of the ceiling. Together, stalactites and stalagmites can form big columns of unique and impressive shapes.

The adventure intensifies when you find the underground lakes. The only way to go across them is by swimming with the flashlight held high. Further on, you also get to know some natives that represent the past societies that lived inside the caves for protection. From time to time, you slide through water currents to descend, getting muddy at some places and washed up in others, so this scientifically amazing tour is also lots of fun. The tour’s length varies depending on your choice, the shortest being 45 minutes and the longest being from 7 to 8 hours, depending on the group’s pace and the challenges found on the way. The tours are always guided by a local.

At the end of the tour, perhaps the first thing you will remark is the beautiful sky full of stars. You may decide to camp there and stay over for one night to continue this adventure full of respect for the Amazonian nature, so you come out having known it from the subsoil to the sky.

Photo: catavergara

Mandango: Find out about the Treasure that no one Dares to Search For

2010-04-19T12:33:00.007-05:00

The legend says that in ancient times, when the Incan Empire was destroyed, the emperor held hostage in prison told the Spanish Francisco Pizarro that he would be given a room filled with gold in exchange of his life. Without any doubts and giving into his greed, Pizzarro accepted, and the Emperor kept his words.

Pizarro, looking at the astonishing room that had more gold, silver and precious stones that he would ever imagine, was so amazed and fulfilled with greed that he decided to take over the whole empire. The emperor Atahualpa became aware of Pizarro’s plan, and gave orders to his second in charge to have the treasure translated to Vilcabamba.

The land of Vilcabamba, which means “Sacred Valley” in Quechua, is a synonym for mystery. It is a place where people do not grow old; home of stone gods in charge of protecting the sacred and destroying anyone who tries to desecrate it.

If you travel to this land located in the South of Ecuador, at the province of Loja, you will see one of these gods that inhabitants call by the name of “El Mandango” (Lying God): a great hill that looks like a giant cathedral considered a sacred place. It is said that this protecting god was chosen by Atahualpa to guard the Incan treasure for the eternity. The treasure is known to be existent, but no one has found it. There is a legend with unknown origins that tells the exact place where it is located, but it also courses whoever dares to look for it.

Knowing this story, it is impossible not to think that maybe their proximity to the gods has made these people of the valley have the world’s longest life expectancy. They live an average of 100 years doing nothing but living their lives normally and drinking from the water that comes down from the stone gods. Looking at these people, a question arises in the mind: are all the stories about the stone gods only a legend or is it really a true story that continues to be reflected into the Vilcabamba landscape and its centenary inhabitants?

Visitors can enjoy these beautiful sacred lands with landscapes that make you fall in love and climb to the Mandango’s peak. At the end of the day, you will have found an exceptional treasure: the Incan god’s wisdom to appreciate and respect the earth in which we live.

Photo: slipszenko

A Bird Paradise that Attracts Photographers from All Over the World

2010-04-19T12:31:00.005-05:00

Imagine a place where all the bird species from the world are gathered together and have made it their home, becoming the world’s region where more bird species live: a place where you can literally have breakfast surrounded by hummingbirds. Every year, photographers and observers from all around the world come to discover this place in the Tandayapa Valley, located in Ecuador’s Occidental Mountain Range, only 30km (18mi) to the west of Quito, at approximately 2000m (6561ft) above the sea level.

Saying that the Tandayapa Valley is only a bird observation site would be an incomplete description of the experience of visiting this place. Think of paradise full of birds, of which a great amount is exotic and even nonexistent anywhere else in the world, that can only be seen if you go further into harsh paths, through an astonishing bright green nature, among the trees and the wind’s whispering, accompanied all along the way by the songs of thousands of birds. Perhaps now you get closer to the feeling of being in Tandayapa.

Before arriving to your destiny, at the Nono-Tandayapa route, you can observe from your car’s windows the beauty of these wonderful creatures. Due to its subtropical climate, the valley has plenty of trees, which has made it a perfect place for the birds to choose to live there. Once you arrive, the hummingbird will become your route’s partner, introducing you to numerous bird species: some of them believed to be nonexistent, some other well known through TV programs; some of them mingling among the trees, others with bright, striking colors; some of them quiet and thoughtful, and others loud and festive. It is a life and survival celebration where some of the world’s most particular birds can be seen all together.

Tandayapa is a place full of life, as many others in Ecuador. It is a piece of earth where our little friends have decided to settle; a place full of peace and tranquility where we, the guests, are invited to witness a song for nature. It is a place that makes us feel attached to nature; that reminds us the urge to meet up again with our origins and go back to the beginning. Certainly, Tandayapa is a valley to enjoy will all your senses.

Photo: Michael Woodruff

The Town Whose Art has drawn the Vatican and Other Entities' Attention

2010-04-19T12:19:00.010-05:00

Among the frozen breeze of the Andes is found a little town called Guano, settled just beside the magnificent Chimborazo Volcano. It is a town as simple as wonderful, with people devoted to the little-known occupation of weaving with sheep wool; a 500 years old art that has survived through time, going from one generation to the next. Nowadays, it is a reason to be proud for the whole country.

Two hands and a wooden loom are the instruments required for the creation of beautiful and astonishing works. In the town’s stores, located along its entrance and extended to its interior, you can find wool products such as quilts, legwarmers, jackets, tapestries and carpets on sale. The carpets are specially known for their Pre-Columbian and modern designs, some of them with very local designs with elements evoking Ecuador’s archaeology, as well as folk and colonial art. The importance that every artisan puts into the making of a carpet, constructing knot by knot a very soft, high-quality, perfect carpet, has made institutions such as the UN, the OEA, the Vatican and some Presidential Palaces have one of them in their rooms and halls.

Guano is a peaceful place, with little old houses and workshops where very warm, friendly people live, dedicated to their art. It is easy to get into a store and come out with a smile on your face, even if you didn’t buy anything. As you walk through this silent town’s streets, the people’s joyfulness and the beauty of the landscape will give you a feeling of peace and tranquility

Photo: edlifeguard09

Hang Gliding Truck Towing in Canoa Beach: Flying up to the Clouds

2010-04-05T18:06:00.002-05:00

To talk about Ecuador’s beaches is to talk about diversity. The beaches can be lonely or crowded; with white sands or dark sands; good for surfing, for swimming or for diving; virgin or touristic: there’s a beach in Ecuador for everyone’s taste.

In this occasion, we will talk about Canoa, a beach of natural beauty located in the province of Manabí, well-known for a sport commonly practiced there: the hang gliding truck towing, simply known as “towing”. As its name says, it is a hang glider pulled by an all-terrain vehicle fast enough to make it rise up to 700 meters (2,296ft) in the sky.

The real adventure starts when the guide lets the hang glider loose from the vehicle: that is the moment when complete freedom can be felt. You can observe everything from high above like bird while you feel the subtle caress of the clouds. You can see the endless, deep blue sea with its waves emerging and breaking into the white sands. The villages, the vegetation, the mountains and the forests expanding to the horizon can be seen all at once. You will have a personal image, a work of art painted in your memory that will always remind you of how small we really are in the immensity of this world.

Finally, you have felt part of the sky and the landscape surrounding you; you have forget your terrestrial condition and felt like a bird in its natural environment. Now, it is time to start the descent. Slowly and safely, like an Andean condor, you go down until you reach the beach with your feet… It is time to take this feeling of freedom down to earth.

Photo: freeform systems

The Story of an Extinct Society Still Alive in This Side of the Planet

2010-04-05T18:05:00.008-05:00

Those who have been at the largest Latin-American indigenous market of Otavalo must have realized that a world completely different from the one we are used to exists. They must have had a taste of that indigenous world, a world full of joy, art, history and pride. You can go further in the discovery of this mythical indigenous culture continuing on the main road to the north, where the village of Peguche is found: a community of proud craftsmen full of wonderful traditions and achievements, settled by a famous ritual waterfall. Peguche is a living testimony of an ancient society surviving in the modern world.

Peguche is only 20 minutes by car from Otavalo. There, inhabitants greet each other with a “ñanda mañachi”, which means “let me use your path” and is used as a sign of respect. Peguche is a village of unassuming people whose life goes around music and traditional handcrafts. From this mixture of occupations, great musicians have come out with a unique ability to create their own instruments. With the passing of time, these instruments have been improved to be perfect in quality and sound. Nowadays, the village produces both Andean and contemporary instruments with a sound so pure that people from all around the world travel all the way to that place just to purchase one of them.

Following by foot a rustic path that goes through corn and guava plantations is found the entrance to the track leading to Peguche’s ritual waterfall. Among legends and real stories, its secrets are hidden behind eucalyptus and other ancient plants, across a long river. The deafening sound shows that you are close to the sacred waters: a magnificent white water veil of 20m (65ft) high.

The Peguche waterfall is a place worth admiring from the viewpoint located on the opposite side of it, but the spiritual experience is even greater if you let the waterfall’s cool, relaxing waters fall over you, just as the indigenous people do. It is said that taking a bath at the Peguche waterfall renews your spirit, getting rid of all negative energies and welcoming all the good ones. On the night before the Inti Raymi Festival, the waterfall is a meeting point for indigenes and shamans who have rituals before the festivities.

A sign written at the entrance to the waterfall’s path may roughly describe the Peguche experience: “Come into my world and discover the beauty of my ethnic group, my art, my culture, my history and my ecology”. Peguche is a village in which there is much more than pure nature. This place, once ruled by the colonizers and currently completely managed by its own indigenous community, represents its people’s struggle for having a fresh start, overcoming the dark history of the past by recovering their traditions and old ways of life, and constructing a new society based on them.

Photo: colleen_taugher

Guayaquil and Santay: An Encounter between Nature and Modernity

2010-04-05T18:05:00.007-05:00

Ecuador’s modern city of Guayaquil and the virginal island of Santay are only separated by a river. Being so close to each other, the resulting contrast is amazing to see: on one side, Guayaquil stands as Ecuador’s most populated city and an icon of the country’s modernity. Only 500 meters (0.3 miles) away, the Santay Island is a virginal place that keeps an intangible record of its history and represents the past and the unknown to the modern world. From the Guayaquil’s famous pier, it takes only a 10 minute boat trip to get to this little natural paradise of 2,214 hectares wide and a population of 233, highly contrasting with the 2,800,000 people living in Guayaquil.

Arriving to the island, you can observe the exotic birds and plants living there and feel the peace of its inhabitants. Different types of tours are available, such as the canoe paddling tour, where you sit on a canoe floating almost as low as the water level and a tourist guide shows you the different bird species appearing among the foliage as you paddle along the river. If you rather take an inland tour, there are various paths to explore the island’s fauna and flora.

In Santay Island, you get to know all the people living there, listen to their stories and learn about their lifestyle while feeling happily welcomed. While you have a cup of hot chocolate, you may hear the story of the times when Simón Bolívar, known as the American Liberator, stayed in the island in 1829 to recover from an illness. You may even want to stay longer than planned, spending the night at the bamboo-made houses where you can comfortably rest after a day of adventures.

Being in the island and looking at the natural preservation of its surroundings feels like time had stopped. As you sit down to enjoy the sunset that kindly illuminates the green landscape full of singing birds, you can understand a way of life that has been preserved for centuries in this island; a way of life that exists only there, although it once was the lifestyle of the entire region including its close and beloved neighbor, Guayaquil.

Photo: Nihilo

Go From Snow to Desert Traveling Less Than 100km (62 Miles)

2010-04-05T17:55:00.003-05:00

Riobamba is a historical city located in the province of Chimborazo, 2,750m (9,022 feet) above the sea level. It is the central point of a road full of contrasts: a road leading to the snowy mountains if you go north; and to the desert, if you head south. Have an amazing journey on this 100km (62mi) road across the best of Ecuador’s Andean landscapes.

Going 38km (23 miles) northeast is found the Chimborazo volcano, the highest volcano in the country, and the world’s highest peak considering it is the farthest point to the center of the planet, due to its slightly flattened surface. Time goes by unnoticed when you see this volcano showing its bright, snowy peak and its astonishing height. Vehicles are left at the first stop, located 4,800m (15,748ft) high, and visitors must continue by foot to get to one of the world’s best viewpoints: the Andes seen from 5,000meters (16,404 feet) high. From this point, the adventure can only be continued by specialized climbers.

Going south, you find an amazing contrast: the cold Palmira Desert, whose name’s origins and its relation to the desert found in Syria are unknown. This is a fantastic spot to take pictures and the only place in the country where you can dream of a mysterious odyssey of the kind of the Saharan stories. It is a small desert 10 hectares wide located 3,150 meters (10,334 feet) above the sea level, in whose sands lies a pine tree forest. Such contrast is due to the forestation carried out by the Palmira inhabitants, who decided to turn the desert into an oasis. To walk among the pine trees, the sand, and a few cactuses while hearing the wind whistling among the trees, is undoubtedly a priceless experience.

The journey from the snows of the impressive Chimborazo to the sands and the pine trees of the cold desert of Palmira is an adventure full of contrasts and colors, a relaxing trip and an invaluable moment: definitely something travelers should not miss!

Photo: adrikar

Lonesome George: A foretold Extinction

2010-03-29T15:04:00.003-05:00

Charles Darwin once said: “it is an intolerable thought that he [the human being] and all other sentient beings are doomed to complete annihilation after such long continued slow progress”. For the 100 years old turtle called Lonesome George, this long and slow evolutionary road seems to inevitably lead to its end, since he is the last remaining member of its species. Learn about the past two years of George’s struggle, according to the Galapagos National Park Management:

21 July 2008 – Lonesome George may have descendants: between 120 and 130 days will have to pass before we find out if the eggs are fertile.

4 August 2008 – The lonely turtle’s possibilities to have descendants arise: at this moment, a total of 13 eggs -5 from the female partner number 107 and 8 from the female partner number 106- are found at the incubator.

8 September 2008 – The park keepers find another nest in George’s yard: with this discovery, the possibilities of having descendants increase for this emblematic animal.

21 November 2008 – The hopes for having descendants lessen: the eggs’ considerable weight loss raises doubts about their fertility.

3 December 2008 – The analysis of George’s eggs confirm their infertility: there is no sign of embryo development in the first eggs.

1 January 2009 – Lonesome George’s last eggs have been opened: the eggs have finished their incubation cycle in January, with no signs of embryo development.

21 July 2009 – Hope arises again: a new nest has been found in the yard of our famous turtle.

5 October 2009 – One more chance for the “Loner”: another of his female partners has laid six eggs.

11 December 2009 – The eggs of George’s partners have again turned out to be unfertile: the National Park’s technicians have few hopes for George to have descendants this season.

George’s struggle continues, and the world will certainly keep getting news from him in the following decades. This sole survivor of the turtles’ massacre, carried out by sailors and buccaneers during the 18th and 19th centuries, has lived to tell us his amazing story. Maybe it won’t be soon, but we will keep waiting for the moment he will finally reproduce successfully, giving us a lesson of hope.

Photo: Mike Weston

An Imaginary World of Dwarfs and Giants Found in Ecuador

2010-03-29T15:03:00.002-05:00

Imagine a mysterious, enchanted forest with giant flowers as abundant as an army of epic proportions; millenary trees that seem to come from a fairy story and lakes so beautiful they look like one of Renoir’s landscapes. This fairy tale exists in the province of Carchi, Ecuador, at a dream-like place called the Ángel Ecological Reserve: a protected reserve of more than 15.000 hectares that has formed a unique landscape right under the clouds, at 4000m (13123ft) above the sea level.

Arriving to this place, the first impression comes from the numerous frailejones, a type of giant plant with flowers similar to sunflowers that has profusely scattered among the weeds in this area. The frailejón is called like that because, in days of intense fog, it looks like the head of a friar (the word fraile means friar). This plant is commonly found at the Andes and in some parts of Canada, but the Ángel reserve is the only one in the world with frailejones of such size –with some of them growing up to 4 meters (13ft)– all arranged one after the other into an almost perfect row.

It is said that this area was once burnt, and that this plant was the only survivor. After the fire, the plant got stronger and reproduced on a large scale, forming the landscape that we see nowadays. Visitors shouldn’t miss the chance to make a stop at any of the viewpoints located along the forest’s paths. There, they are able to observe from high up these surroundings so wonderful the cold weather doesn’t seem to matter much anymore.

The road leads to Voladero, a great lake whose water level has been decreasing over thousands of years, forming a group of three smaller lakes that lie in a breathtaking landscape. The contrast between the green, the blue and the multicolored orchids, added to the striking cold weather and the wind where birds seem to float, makes it impossible not to sit down and do nothing but contemplate, feeling part of this beautiful place.

The landscape changes drastically at the enchanted forest of Polylepis, or Paper Trees. The magical sceneries found at the fairy tales come to life in this forest. Brooks, waterfalls, wooden suspension bridges and amazing trees give visitors the impression of being in a Lord of the Rings or Peter Pan sequel. If you have the opportunity to stay over for a night, you can’t miss the night walk with torches, where the legends of dwarfs, fairies and other magical creatures feel more real than ever. The name of “paper tree” is due to the tree’s old age, which makes strips of bark as thin as a paper peel off its trunk.

Located 170km (105mi) north of the city of Quito, the Ángel Ecological Reserve could be defined as an existing imaginary world. It is a life source for the region and a lung for the world: definitely a visitors’ must-see.

Photo: Paramo

Volunteer in Ecuador and Have One of your Life’s Greatest Experiences

2010-03-29T15:01:00.003-05:00

A volunteering program’s idea is simple: To help, protect and get to know the nature and the people through voluntary work. This may not be a priority for some people, but it is a lifestyle and a philosophy for a few others. Having this experience in Ecuador is something as rewarding as amazing, due to its great diversity –in all senses. Even though it is a relatively small country compared to the rest of Latin American countries, Ecuador is abundant in natural landscapes and completely different cultures. It is a diverse, multicultural and multiethnic country. This means that landscapes and wildlife, as well as people, races and traditions change drastically within a few miles, giving us the impression of being in a different country. This variety is precisely what makes Ecuador a destination with endless volunteering alternatives. In only one country, there are four different surroundings among which volunteers can pick:

•    The Coast: the fishing and agricultural communities are found in the Ecuadorian coastal region, from the beautiful beaches of the Pacific Ocean to a few miles further to the East. Working in the middle of nature, staying at the typical bamboo-made houses and meeting one of the most unassuming, friendly people of the world who will make volunteers feel welcome will certainly provide a joyful, wonderful stay. Contributing to these communities is immensely appreciated. A few days after working at this place, volunteers will feel as if they have been living there for years, as part of the peasant family.

•    The Andean Region: hundreds of indigenous communities, living in houses made of adobes (sun-dried bricks made of clay and straw), are settled down next to the mountains of this beautiful Andean landscape of blue skies. Each community is certainly unique; each of them has a different culture and a different way of seeing life, always under the golden rule of respecting and coexisting with each other. This respect for diversity has made them capable of welcoming with joy and without prejudices people from everywhere around the world, with any kind of ideology, willing to share their time with mutual learning and affection. A lot of foundations and associations have developed volunteering programs here, each contributing to the development of these communities, their millenary agriculture and their education.

•    The Amazon: the jungle is located to the East of Ecuador, crossing the Andes. If you want to get to know the work of scientists, help discovering new species and learn about them, the Amazon is perfect for you. It has a wonderful ecosystem full of fauna and flora that remain unidentified always in need of volunteers on its various scientific stations located at rivers and tropical forests.

•    The Galapagos: these islands are very similar to the Amazon in terms of variety of fauna, flora and ecosystems, but a little different to the rest of the volunteering options regarding costs and logistics. Nevertheless, Galapagos has always had a special charm. Various foundations are in constant need of volunteers for their ecosystem preservation projects, whose main objectives are to avoid the insertion of foreign species and the pollution of the environment, as well as helping reforesting the area and taking care of the endangered species. Volunteering at the Galapagos would undoubtedly be a valuable contribution to preserve this natural living laboratory.

Ecuador amazes with its great variety of cultures and ecosystems. No matter which volunteering program you choose, it will always be a unique experience that only a few people in the world get to enjoy, remembering it forever.

Photo: alexindigo

200 Years of Living History in Only One Park

2010-03-22T17:22:00.005-05:00

Guayaquil is the name of the Ecuadorian coastal region’s main city, a place full of cultural enchantment and a rich history. To keep its past alive, there is a park in the north of the city called the Guayaquil Historical Park. This place takes visitors to a time when Guayaquil used to be called “The Free Province of Guayaquil”; and its territory used to cover the whole coastlines of what nowadays are the provinces of Guayas, Los Ríos, El Oro and Manabí.

Visitors travel in time as they go along the park’s three sections. The first section is the Wildlife Zone. With a length of 5 hectares, this zone shows how life was at the mangrove swamps and the dry tropical forests that used to cover great extensions of Ecuador. Walking through this section, visitors can observe a great diversity of tropical animals and outstanding ecosystems. Places such as the viewpoint tower and the Monkey Island will certainly get the attention.

The second stage is known as the Urban and Architectural Zone. It takes us to the time between the years of 1800 and 1900, when the streets, the houses, the means of transport and the people were different. Here, there is an astonishing recreation of those times, with real, 100-years old houses that have been restored and placed facing the simulated seafront known as the “Foreign Colony’s Walk”, dating back to 1931, with its carriages and its pier. A friendly couple of inhabitants of those times are there to invite you to meet the famous house of Dr. Coronel, built in 1900. The house has a beautiful view to the Daule River, and on its first floor you can enjoy a nice cup of coffee at the “1900 Café”. Afterwards, you have the opportunity to see other important restored constructions, such as the Territorial Bank (1886), created to give an incentive to cacao production in the country; the Corazón de Jesús Hospice (1892) and its beautiful gardens; and the famous Green House (2896), that belongs to the powerful Lavayén-Paredes family.

Finally, following the path you find the Traditions Zone, which shows the life of the Ecuadorian peasants, active characters of the Ecuadorian coastline during the 20th Century, whose houses can still be seen from some points of the coastline. In this tour, you meet these famous people, who happily invite you to their bamboo-made houses and talk about their customs and lifestyle. A bell ringing far away calls for the peasants to gather in the manor or estate, dating back to 1882, that is better known as the Boss’ House and belongs to the owner of the lands were the peasants worked. The tour finishes with the visit to the gardens, were you can learn from the peasants themselves about medicinal plants; the origins of the coffee and cacao grains; as well as about their natural cures for illnesses such as flu and asthma. If you are lucky, you get to know the Shamán, a folk healer that performs a ritual called limpia (cleaning) that, according to their beliefs, takes any negative energy away from your body.

Undoubtedly, this park takes you through a whole journey to the Ecuadorian coastal region’s past, where you will learn about the customs, the people, the stories, the architecture, the ecosystems and the fauna of those times. The park is also a witness of the hard work of the region’s inhabitants, something that nowadays sets an example of agricultural and commercial development to the rest of the country.

Photo: Biblioteca Municipal de Guayaquil

The Quilotoa Volcano and its Lake: a Nature’s Work of Art

2010-03-22T17:20:00.002-05:00

When we talk about the Quilotoa Volcano and its lake, we are talking about one of Ecuador’s most amazing landscapes. Pictures of the lake have appeared in a great amount of touristic publications around the world; and its beautiful landscape has also been the most photographed subject by tourists visiting the country. This nature’s magnificent work is located in the Andean region, at the Cotopaxi province. The mysterious lake, whose emerald green waters lie at the bottom of the volcano’s crater, hypnotizes with its beauty.

The story of the lake takes us 800 years back, when the world witnessed the Quilotoa Volcano’s great eruption that made its crater larger, to its current size of 3 kilometers (1.8 miles) wide. Ever since then, the extinct crater accumulated water that eventually formed a 250m (820ft) deep lake, whose waters’ striking beautiful color is due to the accumulation of minerals dissolved in them.

To get to the lake, we arrive to the Quilotoa village, located approximately two and a half hours far from the city of Latacunga, Cotopaxi where, after a 5-minutes uphill walk, surrounded by mountains and precipices, we will arrive to the impressive lake that can’t be seen until you get to the edge of the crater.

The strong wind adds up to the beauty of the place, with its indigenous houses and its local artists selling the famous Tigua paintings. Just being part of this landscape could be enough for make the place worth visiting; nonetheless, there are various activities that can be done there. You can go down the winding and steep crater’s path for 45 meters (147ft) to reach the lake, where the tranquility and the feeling of inner peace are simply indescribable. The guiding and mule renting services also make it easier and more comfortable to do 5-hour long expeditions around the crater and its surroundings.

Certainly, the Quilotoa Lake is an inspirational place. Its beautiful landscape of freedom and joy can only be half seen through pictures. It is a truly unique world treasure, hidden inside the most western volcano of Ecuador. The route to the Quilotoa’s peak is a real testimony of Nature’s perfection.

Photo: Stitched by Seattle Skier, photos by Martini

Post Office Bay: A Postal Service with Two Centuries of History

2010-03-22T17:18:00.001-05:00

Imagine receiving from an unknown person that has traveled from a little pacific island directly to your home, a letter written by a loved one who has used the same mail delivery system once used by sailors and pirates of the 18th Century. This is only possible in the Floreana Island, at a place called Post Office Bay that has been operating for two centuries.

In 1793, due to the sailors’ needs to communicate with their families back home while they were away hunting whales at the Galapagos Islands, the Royal British navy officer James Colnett decided to establish a letter delivery system based on a simple premise: “Everyone can drop off his letters, but he must also take the mail having his same destination and deliver it to its addressee”. Colnett installed a wine barrel as a mailbox and everyone followed his system. As they arrived to the island, the ships would drop off their correspondence and pick up the one they could deliver. Nowadays, that mailbox at the Floreana Island is still working, but this time the 217 years old tradition is kept alive by tourists.

Ironically, the Post Office Bay sometimes works faster than the normal postal service, and it is way more convenient because it is for free. So go on and send a letter to your loved ones while visiting the islands, it will surely be a nice surprise for them and become another reason to fall in love with the Galapagos Islands!

Photo: Pictures from Heather

Walking the Road from the Holy Waters to the Devil’s Waters

2010-03-22T17:17:00.003-05:00

In Ecuador, there is a sanctuary for those who enjoy adventure tourism. It is located in the Tungurahua Province, at the feet of the Tungurahua Volcano. The place is called "Baños de Agua Santa" (The Holy Water Baths), a village that offers visitors a tour through the famous Waterfalls Route: a 16km (almost 10 miles) route including several waterfalls and tunnels, a cable railway ride, suspension bridges and narrow paths. The route leads to the jungle’s heart, where one of the world’s 10 most beautiful waterfalls is found: the Pailón del Diablo (Devil’s Cauldron).

The route is usually done by bike or quad, although it can also be done by car. There are seven other waterfalls along the way, whose white waters contrast beautifully with the green vegetation. Visitors take a break at the third waterfall called the Manto de la Novia (the Bride’s Veil), located facing a precipice. There, visitors can take a ride on the tarabita, an old kind of cable railway that makes a 100m (328ft) tour to the other side of the precipice, passing right over the waterfall: an experience you just can’t miss!

After the 16 km route, all vehicles must be left at the Hortensias Restaurant and the final, 1km (0.6mi) path must be done by foot. Arriving to the Pailón del Diablo, a slight climate change can be perceived, since the path takes visitors away from the Andean cold weather and closer to the warmth and humidity of the Amazonian region. Visitors walk through the jungle until arriving to a long suspension bridge, from which the power of the great Pailón del Diablo waterfall can already be felt. The final stop is at the Otro Lado Restaurant, which has a path that allows watching from a short distance the powerful waters plunging from an altitude of more than 100m (328ft).

In this tour, Nature offers us a great spectacle made up by the deafening fury of the water crashing into a black giant rock known as the Diablo; the water splashing everywhere; the smell of wet earth that invades the place; the wind desperately blowing and the fascinating vegetation that envelopes the scene in green, all of these providing an adventure that makes visitors want to go back every year. The Waterfalls Route is a unique experience that will awake all your senses.

Photo: RevThom's Sabbatical Blog

Biological Wonder in Ecuador Takes the World by Surprise

2010-03-22T17:16:00.002-05:00

Ecuador has shocked the world again. Inside a very small forest that can be walked through in merely 30 minutes, a group of scientists has found 14 new animal species, among which there are several reptiles and amphibious not existing anywhere else in the world. Incidentally, they also found 4 new insect species while taking pictures. Among the discovered reptiles, there is a new record breaker: the world’s smallest lizard, measuring the size of a pencil tip.

The forest is located in the Pata de Pájaro hill, in the Ecuadorian coastal region, a little further to the north of the Equatorial line. It is a cloudy forest of only 2 miles of length that is home to more than 140 reptile and amphibious species among of which some never seen rarities have been identified. Such is the case of a frog that lays its eggs in the trees instead of laying them in the water. Usually frogs pass through a tadpole stage; however, this kind of frog comes directly out of the egg as a tiny young frog of the size of a pinhead. Another frog species has the skin of its chest area so transparent it can be seen through, allowing seeing its internal organs, including its beating heart.

This discovery empowers the social consciousness call to stop the people’s careless attitude regarding the handling of the planet’s resources. The Pata de Pájaro hill is currently endangered due to several factors, such as the insertion of cattle ranching that deforests the region, the tree felling and the illegal hunting. In words of Dr. Kerry Kriger, director of the Save the Frogs Charity: “the good news is, the animals are still there and alive, so there is still time to save them from extinction. But we need to take action now to make it happen”.

Photo: Photo: Reptile & Amphibian Ecology International

Diving in the Galapagos: An Adventure among Corals and Algae

2010-03-13T17:08:00.005-05:00

The Galapagos, one of the World’s seven underwater natural wonders, is considered a diving paradise. Selected as one of the World’s 10 best diving spots year after year, the Galapagos has always welcomed visitors willing to practice that sport.

The island’s several diving centers are all managed by renowned international professionals (generally certified by PADI) with top modern equipment. Visitors are required to have an intermediate or advanced level certificate (30 or more immersions) and a preliminary dive at the Ayora Port Bay, since the place is only available for those with enough experience.

There are almost 30 diving spots in the islands, giving plenty of choices to divers. Among the best are the Caamaño Islet, the Lobería Island and the Punta Carrión, at Puerto Ayora Port. For the more experienced divers, there are spots such as the Gordon Rocks, located east of the Santa Cruz Island; and the Darwin and Wolf islands. The best time for diving in the Galapagos is from December to April, when the waters are calmer and the temperature agreeable, although the chances of finding a whale shark are low during that time compared to the rest of the year, when the water is colder and the wind stronger.

Once submerged, the diver will discover the island’s underwater world: a wonderful sight of sea turtles, penguins and sea lions swimming next to hammerhead sharks, whales, manta rays, dolphins and tropical fish. A silent world in the immeasurable sea inhabited by corals and algae, starfish and sea urchins. The variety of tropical fish (including some species not existing anywhere else) is so great that the renowned oceanographer Dr. Sylvia Earle described the Galapagos as “the fishiest place on Earth”. Most of the underwater species are not afraid of human contact, so divers can often see turtles, sharks and rays coming closer, making the diving experience a magical memory.

This marine life sanctuary and biosphere reserve –as declared by the Unesco– is one of the world’s most exciting and unique diving spots due to the variety of its waters. Far from being the typical tropical adventure, the cold Humboldt Current and the warm Cromwell Current that mainly rule life at the islands, produce continuous and unpredicted changes to temperature, water’s strength, visibility and marine life… making the Galapagos a true challenge and a privilege to those who get the opportunity to dive into its waters.

Photo: 88rabbit

The Banana Tour: Find out about the Work behind the Bananas you Buy at the Market

2010-03-13T17:06:00.010-05:00

Even though bananas have been related to Ecuador's history over the past 50 years, it has been only a few years ago since the association of small-scale banana producers has decided to open its doors to tourists to show them the fantastic world of banana production. To enjoy this curious journey, we get to the provinces of Guayas and El Oro, the south of Ecuador. There, visitors will learn by the words and the work of the producers, how are the bananas cultivated.

The banana tour takes place inside one of the several banana farms of Ecuador. On the way to the farm, we will see the big and endless banana plantations on both sides of the road, with their large leaves forming two bright green lines along the way. A magnificent landscape complemented by the sweet banana smell and the warm climate of Ecuador's coastal region. Once in the farm, the visitor will be introduced to the world of bananas and will be able to follow all its production process from its growth to its harvest and packing, and even watch the bananas being shipped to other countries. To better enjoy this experience, the best days to take the tour are Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays, when the harvest takes place.

Visitors will also enjoy the simplicity and the warmth of the Ecuadorian agricultural workers, whose hospitality and friendliness will make them feel as part of the banana producing family. At the end of the tour, visitors are invited to participate on the harvest and packing of the fruits, followed by a tasting of products made with them. The visit will end with a delicious homemade lunch in the farm’s dining hall, surrounded by the exuberant nature. The tour lasts 3 hours approximately.

Going through this experience is an excellent opportunity to find out about the customs of the region's inhabitants; learn about the organic production of bananas; feel how it is to live and work in the banana plantations; and be part of this big family, who will always welcome you with arms wide open. Come and enjoy the bananas of Ecuador!

Photo: Fair Trade in Ecuador - Annika

The Churute Mangrove Swamps: A cocktail of life in the Coast of Ecuador

2010-03-13T17:03:00.004-05:00

The mangrove swamps are found from north to south in the Ecuadorian coastal region; from the province of Esmeraldas to the one of El Oro. They are areas where an extensive group of trees and woody bushes have been adapted to the harsh climate conditions; and where the fresh water of the rivers is mixed with the seawater. Looking at Ecuador's map, you will find a little place called Naranjal, located south of the Guayas province. This place is home of Ecuador’s biggest and most important mangrove swamp, where a great variety of aquatic, amphibious and land animals live: the Churute Mangrove Swamp Ecological Reserve. Measuring almost 50,000 hectares, this reserve is a unique cocktail of life, a true wonder for all eyes to see.

To enjoy this landscape, visitors can choose among these five routes offered by the reserve:

•    The path that goes up in the Mate hill: it is a 4 hours walk. Home to a fauna of great diversity, it is a place where monkeys, birds, squirrels, invertebrates and all animals in general make up an interesting experience.

•    The path that goes up in the Pancho Diablo hill: this is also 4 hours long. It has exuberant vegetation, and it is also the howling monkey’s favorite spot.

•    The path to the viewpoint: it is usually taken together with the Pancho Diablo path, since they head to the same direction. It is only 30 meters (98ft) long, but the path makes an ascent of 80 meters (262ft) above the sea level. The highest point provides a 360° view of the astonishing mangrove swamps and their surroundings.

•    The path to the Canclón Lake: it takes 8 hours to walk it. It is the hardest path, but there, we can easily watch over 600 bird species along the way. Among these birds is found the canclón, an endangered bird species of the size of a goose, of which only 180 individuals remain in Ecuador.

•    The mangrove swamp area: this is a tour that lasts five hours made by ship, and it's probably the most visited route, since it takes visitors closer to the amazing mangrove plants and, in some parts of the route, it even passes under trees forming tunnels. Here, visitors can observe dolphins, flamingos, herons and all the animal species of the region.

The phrase “mangrove is life” gets a new sense for those who have visited the area. In 1990, due to the devastation of almost 50% of the mangroves of the world, carried out for the past 50 years by the fishing, shrimp and lumber industries, the Churute Mangrove Ecological Reserve was registered in the Ramsar International Agreement, which regulates the conservation and the rational use of the mangrove and its resources. Certainly, the Churute Reserve is an aquatic and land life sanctuary that we must preserve.

Photo: kaeru.my

The Galapagos’ Five Most Impressive Rarities

2010-03-13T17:02:00.004-05:00

The Galapagos Islands are not just about evolution, exotic animals and paradise-like beaches. It also has amazing and unexplainable natural formations. Let's take a look to the ones that, according to us, are the Galapagos’ most impressive natural rarities:

1.    Las Grietas (The Cracks): It is a giant crack located in the Santa Cruz Island that forms two big walls up to 12m (39 ft) high. At the bottom, there is a long inlet of the sea with crystalline waters and a great diversity of tropical fish. It is a great place for diving or simply for swimming between these two giants walls.

2.    The sleeping lion (Kicker Rock): located in front of the San Cristóbal Island, it is a dramatic formation of two rocks that rise up abruptly from the bottom of the sea, creating a little passage where small vessels can transit (photo). With 144m (472ft) high, these formations are a resting area for birds and sea lions. The formation got its name because, viewed from a certain angle, the rocks seem to form the silhouette of a sea lion lying down.

3.    Darwin’s Arch: it is a natural stone arch that works as an entrance door to the Darwin Island. It is also considered by many professional scuba divers as the world's best place to dive.

4.    The Pinnacle Rock: this is probably the tourists’ most photographed scene of the Galapagos Islands. It is a rocky formation located in the Bartolomé Island that looks like the tip off a big arrow coming out of the sea, pointing to the sky. There are many volcanic formations with these characteristics in the Galápagos, but none of them have taken such a peculiar shape.

5.    The Love Tunnel: it is an 800m (2624ft) long tunnel in the island of Santa Cruz, formed by the underground passing of the lava that was expulsed by the volcanoes thousands of years ago. Its entrance has the singular shape of a heart, reason why it got its name.

The Galapagos have been well taken care of and preserved in a good state for visitors to see. Nowadays, you can still enjoy its natural wonders and feel the same excitement the islands’ first visitors once felt.

Photo: NOAA Photo Library

Photographer: Rosalind Cohen

Among Demon Stories and Hidden Treasures

2010-03-13T16:58:00.005-05:00

If you travel to Quito, one of the city's main attractions is visiting the colonial historic downtown, home of a magnificent architectural masterpiece: the San Francisco church and convent, built by the Franciscans between the years of 1550 and 1680. Next to the building, there is an ancient house that was turned into a church dedicated to the Virgin of Dolorosa. A few more than 50 years ago, during the restoration works of the church’s floor, an underground vault made of bricks with human bones dispersed on the ground was found. It was then when the old legend of the Cantuña indigene came back to life. That man used to live in that house during the colonial years, and everybody in Ecuador knows about him. Every Ecuadorian can tell his own version of the famous legend to whoever willing to hear about it.

It is said that Cantuña was hired by the Franciscans to build a church in Quito in only six months, in exchange of a great amount of money. Even though it seemed impossible to build the whole church in such little time, Cantuña agreed to do it. He gathered a group of indigenes who started working as hard as they could. However, the construction was not going as fast as it had to. On the day before the deadline for the building to be finished, Cantuña was completely desperate, knowing that his work was not going to be finished on time. That night, when he was already thinking that he would go to jail, a figure dressed in red appeared. He said he was the devil, and offered him to finish the church in exchange of his soul. Cantuña agreed and, at that moment, a countless army of demons appeared and started working very fast on the building. At the end of the night, the church was almost finished. Cantuña, fearing for his soul, sneaked among the working demons and, on the last stone to be put on the construction, he wrote: “whoever puts this stone in place, will admit that God is greater than him”. When the demons were about to put that last stone in the building, they realized what was written on it and left it aside. The new day came and the devil could not accomplish his part of the deal, so the indigene saved his soul and the devil went away, leaving behind just a strong sulfur smell.

Cantuña’s bones were found in the church and he was subject of this great fantastic story, so people have wondered who he really was. The story says that Cantuña was the son of Hualca, an indigene who fought with the Incan general Rumiñanui’s army against the Spanish invasion. The army set on fire the area that is nowadays the city of Quito and hid the Incan’s gold treasure, so wanted by the conquistadors’ greed. Fearing of his death, Hualca told his son where the treasure was hidden. The story had a twist because Cantuña got burned during the fire and became crippled. He was taken in and adopted by a Spanish called Hernán Suárez, with whom he lived in the house that was to become the Dolorosa Church. Cantuña, as an act of gratitude, revealed him the treasure’s location and all that gold was secretly melted in their house’s underground vault and spent in luxurious whims. When Suárez died, Cantuña inherited the treasure and started donating it to the Franciscans for the construction of the current San Francisco de Quito Church.

What about the devil? Well, the story says that the contributions Cantuña made to the Franciscans were so big that the authorities, not knowing the origin of such big amounts of money, decided to interrogate him. Cantuña never revealed his father's secret, but he decided to get rid of everything by confessing to the astonished monks that he had made a deal with the devil who, in exchange of his soul, had given him all the money he wanted. As time went by, the famous legend of Cantuña was created.

Back in the modern Quito, you will find the famous church and convent of San Francisco de Quito, that curiously has a missing stone corresponding to the water canal that should be placed in the northern front of the wall that surrounds the construction. Next to it, you will find the Dolorosa Church, known nowadays as the Cantuña Church.

Photo: Hflopz2000

The World’s smallest orchid is found among roots and leaves

2010-03-08T19:49:00.003-05:00

Ecuador has the World’s greatest orchid diversity with 4000 identified orchid species, 1300 of them being endemic. It was in this transitional area between the Andes and the Ecuadorian Amazon where, half hidden among roots and leaves, the World’s smallest orchid was found. This orchid, of which the name has not been yet defined, measures only 2.1mm wide, beating the platysteke jungermannioides species’ size of 2.5mm, a plant so small that its leaves are almost transparent, allowing seeing through them.

It was almost three months ago, in a high-biodiversity region known as Cerro Candelaria, up in the Pastaza River of the Ecuadorian Amazon; when Dr. Lou Jost, an American botanist specialized in orchids, found by chance the smallest orchid of the platysteke genre, on which he was researching. At that moment, the famous orchid hunter realized that his new discovery was far more interesting than the orchid he was studying.

On an interview with the botanist, he remarked: « "It's an exciting feeling to find a new species. People think everything has been discovered but there's much more ». This discovery adds up to the more than 60 orchids and 10 plants Dr. Jost has found in the last 10 years.

To visit this high-diversity region, you must first get to the Tungurahua province, right between the national parks of Sangay and Llanganates. This area works as a corridor in the middle of the two protected parks, preserving a big portion of virgin forest.

Photo: Lou Jost

Mompiche Beach: A Piece of Paradise in a Little Fishing Village

2010-03-08T19:40:00.003-05:00

Mompiche is located in Ecuador’s coastal region, just 8km (5 miles) south of Muisne, at the Esmeraldas province. When you arrive to the place, it feels like if it was a remote island far away from the modern world, where the perfect waves, the lovely landscapes, the sound of the local music and the smell of exquisite seafood get together to make a perfect day on the beach. Mompiche is considered as one of the region’s most beautiful beaches and it has certainly become the new vacation spot for national and international tourists.

Mompiche is a rustic village of around 150 wooden houses where horses trot around the streets next to the tourists. Half of its population does fishing, and the other half works in touristic services such as restaurants and hotels. Due to the village’s relaxed and informal atmosphere, it is common to watch people walking on the streets in their bathing suits, with no shirt and no shoes on, always ready to enjoy the beach.

The beach’s large expanse of nearly 7km (4 miles) and the sea’s perfect waves, together with its wonderful landscapes and its charming village also makes this place a dream spot for surf lovers. Around 6:30 in the morning, surf-loving men, women and children walk to El Punto (The Spot): a rocky place where the continuous sound of the breaking waves on the shore seems to invite the surfer to enter the water.

The Mompiche coast has a lot to offer regarding surf, exploration, whale sighting and fishing. This isolated, rustic beach will overwhelm you with its beauty and genuine charm.

Photo: Carlson Collective

Beach Holidays at the Galapagos

2010-03-08T19:38:00.005-05:00

The radiant sun warming up the crystalline waters; the beautiful natural landscape of red mangrove swamps and exotic beaches of thin, white sand; the sea lions, the colorful birds and the amazing aquatic life that appears as soon as you get underwater… everything you ever dreamed for a beach to be perfect is found at the Galapagos. Enjoy life to the full with the vacations you’ve always dreamed about, spending some days at the beach of your choice lying on the sand, listening to the sound of the waves, breathing the marine air and just enjoying your free time. If you’re having a hard time picking the beach that best suits you, here’s a rough guide to some of the Galapagos’s greatest holyday spots:

The Santa Cruz Island is considered the Galapago’s main destination for tourists. Among its most beautiful beaches are the Tortuga Bay –great for taking long walks–; the Garrapatero Beach, that thanks to its white, thin sand and turquoise waters is perfect for flamingo sighting and snorkeling; the Alemanes Beach, another splendid, sandy beach and a gate to the fascinating Grietas (cracks); and finally, the isolated beach of Conway Bay, home of a big colony of sea wolves, where only a few cruises dock, making the place specially quiet and peaceful.

Other islands, such as the Española, have wonderful beaches as well. The Gardner Beach, for example, is a fantastic location to spend your time and enjoy the best sunsets. It is also a perfect spot for those willing to enjoy underwater life without diving: it is enough to take a dip into the water to observe an amazing variety of tropical fish and sometimes even white-finned sharks.

At the beginning of the year temperature is generally high, which means the beach season at the Galapagos has started. Galapagos is a place where the image of a paradise-like beach gets enhanced by the enormous variety of species that inhabit the place. Undoubtedly, this is a main destination picked by travelers from around the world, an unforgettable place where responsible tourists are always welcomed.

Photo: lightmatter

Pintores de Tigua: Indigenous Artists of Ecuador

2010-03-08T19:31:00.003-05:00

Tigua artists from high in the Ecuadorian Andes are renowned for their colorful paintings of rural life. Their delightful folk art, painted on sheep hide, celebrates their mountain life with its festivals, legends, and traditions dating back centuries.

Tigua is a collection of small communities southwest of Quito. Most of the people here are famers who herd sheep and llamas and cultivate potatoes, onions, barley and other crops on a patchwork of steep, windswept fields and valleys. Tigua artists are deeply bound to the land. Even though most Tigua artists now live on the outskirts of Quito, many return periodically to their communities to tend to their lands.

Traditionally, the Kichwa people of this region decorated drums and masks for use in colorful festivals like Corpus Cristi and Noche Buena. In the the early 1970's, Olga Fisch, a Quito art dealer suggested the idea of painting on a flat surface—a sheepskin stretched over a wood frame. It changed Tigua art dramatically. As the market grew for these colorful paintings, more and more men and women from the area began to paint. Though lacking formal training, Tigua artists have seen their creations exhibited throughout Ecuador and beyond. Tigua paintings are now widely collected and prized for their vibrancy and detail.

Tigua artists paint almost exclusively on sheep hide. The paintings are invariably small, their dimensions limited by the size of the sheepskin. In the early years of Tigua paintings, most artists also painted and decorated the frames of the paintings, though now it is rare to find a painting with the decorated frame. There have also been changes in the type of paint. Not long ago, all Tigua artists painted with the inexpensive enamel paints available everywhere in Ecuador. But since these lead-based paints were found to be toxic, many have switched to oils or acrylics.

Tigua artists generally paint scenes of communal life: villagers herding livestock, spinning and weaving wool, harvesting crops and going to market, or enjoying a bullfight. Other favorite subjects are Cotopaxi, the sacred, snow-covered volcano, Quilatoa crater lake with its rugged slopes, and the condor, the legendary “messenger” of the Andes. Faces on rocks and mountains reflect the Tigua view that all nature is alive.

For the most part, Tigua paintings reflect traditional aspects of life with a broad perspective rather than portraits or abstract compositions—village or rural scenes of multiple figures, themes of community and nature are typical.

Festivals are a common theme. Although predominately Christian, the artists still represent the ancient rituals and festivals of pre-conquest origin. Festivals portrayed most frequently in Tigua paintings are Corpus Christi (celebrated in June, a fiesta uniting Inca harvest festivals with medieval Christianity), Noche Buena (Christmas Eve), and Tres Reyes (Three Kings). And since music is inseparable from the festival, Tigua paintings typically pay homage to musicians and their instruments—flute, panpipe, drum, and bocina, the long wood horns blown on special occasions. Dancers, too, are a favorite. Swaying and weaving to the hauntingly beautiful music, brightly costumed performers in ornately carved masks of tigers, monkeys, and dogs dance through the narrow streets. In trouble or ill health, highland Indians turn to their shaman to perform the cleaning and healing rituals. The skulls, candles, smoke, and medicinal plants that shamans use in their ceremonies figure prominently in Tigua art. This genre tends to be somewhat somber and dark, as shamans practice their rites at night.

Historical and political themes are less common in Tigua paintings. Although the Incas did not spend much time in Ecuador, the rulers and Inca deities do figure in the paintings. Another historical subject is the hacienda period. In these paintings, Indian serfs work on the large estates. Today, political themes are common..scenes of indigenous people marching in protest, scenes of environmental destruction wrought by international oil companies and political leaders in action. Pachacama, protector of the earth and the principle Inca deity, is often portrayed as a disembodied visage in the background of the painting, a symbol of indigenous cultural pride.

The growing popularity of Tigua-style art has spawned a whole new host of painters, some native Tiguans, but many from other parts of Ecuador. Quality varies dramatically. Better painters sell their work through stores or galleries. Less-well-known artists hawk their paintings themselves. You’ll find them at the weekend fairs and on the streets of Quito and other towns where tourists gather. Not a few Tigua artists have turned their backs on the country, forsaking the rural hardships for the advantages of urban life with its abundance of tourists and art dealers. Tigua artists who severed their roots and still paint bucolic scenes of village life are frowned upon by those artists still living with their families in rural areas. They feel theirs is the true Tigua art, an art that expresses their ties to the land. They prefer to sell their art, not through galleries or dealers, but directly.

Tigua painters have earned the respect of Ecuadorian art dealers who once viewed them as mere artisans and their work handicrafts. Since the mid 1990s, Tigua art has been exhibited at the Organization of American States in Washington DC, the University of California Hearst Museum, the Museum of Man in San Diego, California, UNESCO headquarters in Paris and the Presidential Palace in Quito.
Tigua Art: Where to Go

Though quality varies widely, you’ll find Tigua paintings in tourist stores throughout Quito, at the weekend fair in Parque Elejido, the Mariscal Market opposite the Colon Hotel, at the market in Otavalo (Wednesday and Saturday), Saquisili(Thursday), and Pujili (Sunday) as well as by the entrance to Quilatoa Crater (about 30 minutes by car from the town of Zumbahua) and in small communities in Tigua along the Latacunga-Quevedo road.

Written by Jean G. Colvin - www.sharefund2010.org

Jean Colvin is the author of the book Tigua Art: A reflection of indigenous culture in Ecuador (in Spanish and English). She was formerly director of the University of California Research Expeditions Program (UREP) and now directs a math education for indigenous schools in Cotopaxi and other provinces of Ecuador.

Walk through the Clouds to the Moon’s Throne

2010-02-27T13:41:00.003-05:00

The “Moon’s Throne” or “Cotopaxi” in the ancient tongue, is the name given both to the world’s most active volcano and to the national park where it is found. It is the name of a unique place, where the beauty of nature surrounds you and fills you up with a feeling of greatness. A place where Heaven seems closer to Earth, where every landscape gets together to form –right in the middle of Ecuador– one of the most beautiful natural sanctuaries.

The journey begins going south from the city of Quito, or north from the cities of Ambato and Latacunga. Travelling through a road full of impressive landscapes, we get to the entrance of the park, at 3500m (11482 feet) above the sea level. A little handcraft market welcomes us. It is a place full of contrasts where volcanic soil predominates and where the great Cotopaxi rises at 5789m (18992ft)a.s.l. The first part of the road takes us up and down through volcanic formations, with the photogenic Cotopaxi decorating the landscape. It sometimes hides behind the clouds, as if it acted accordingly to the inhabitants’ mood.

The first stop is at an area called Mariscal Sucre, where a 20-30-minute walk takes us to impressive sightseeing spots as we go through South America’s largest pine tree forest and the only one of its kind within the Andean region. A museum found at the entrance of this area gives us some information about the park, its rules and its conservation.

Fifteen minutes going northeast from Mariscal Sucre is found the Limpiopungo Lake, at 3850m (12631ft)a.s.l., reflecting the Rumiñahui (stone face) volcano. Here, the power of Nature can be felt everywhere: the strong, cold wind forces you to make a greater effort to walk while he plays with the golden grass and the transparent waters of the lake; the sun shines even more intensely; the clouds get even closer; and the fauna mostly composed of native bird species seem to enjoy permanently this magical scene. This section of the road splits up into two pathways:

The northwest path will take you –either by foot, horseback or bike– to the peak of the Rumiñahui volcano, found at 4722m (15492ft) above the sea level. From the peak, you are able to see the Cotopaxi volcano. It is, overall, a wonderful experience.

On the other hand, the southeast way is an ascending road surrounded by volcanic landscapes that takes you to the colossal Cotopaxi. Strong winds, low-hanging clouds, light rains and some sunlight are expected throughout this route. On the first stop, found at 4500m (14763ft)a.s.l., cars must be parked and visitors may enjoy a cup of hot chocolate while admiring the beauty of nature. Afterwards, visitors may decide to have a 45-minute walk to the next stop, José F. Ribas, found at 4800m (15748ft)a.s.l. Those with climbing experience can also go up to the white, shiny peak of the Cotopaxi.

The Cotopaxi volcano welcomes visitors from everywhere who want to go back to the world’s origins, to a place where men and nature coexist peacefully. This biologically and culturally outstanding place is waiting for you, enjoy it!

Photo: Gerard Prins

Huairasinchi: One of the World’s Greatest Adventure Races

2010-02-27T13:38:00.004-05:00

Huairasinchi means “the wind’s force” in the ancient Quichua tongue. It is the name given to one of the World’s toughest adventure race that takes place at some of Ecuador’s most amazing spots. It is a three-day long race where the contestant teams from all around the World go beyond their limits and struggle with all their strength to complete the route through different sport disciplines such as mountain bike riding, trail running, paddling and fixed ropes; and good orientation skills.

Each year, this adventure competition takes the teams through remote places full of friendly people, historical richness and natural beauty. This year on its 7th edition, from February 13th to 15th, the 2010 Huairasinchi Race took place at the provinces of Carchi and Imbabura. The route was carefully planned to take the teams through magical places such as the Cuicocha and Yaguarcocha lakes, the humid forest of Apuela, the Piñan and Ángel plateaus, the Guadual area and the Chota Valley, among others. As the race is part of the “AR World Series”, the winners will get a place at the Bimbache Extreme in Spain, a race that gathers the champions from all the different AR races taking place at Argentina, Australia, Costa Rica, France, Poland, Portugal, Sweden and the US.

Jari Kirkland, member of the 2006 Huairasinchi winning team, talking about his experience at the race said: “The view, the scenery and everything else far exceeded my expectations. I honestly believe it could be the most beautiful country. It’s not very big and yet you have many different things so close from one another. We walked in the jungle yesterday and, a couple of hours later, we were already in the hills and mountains.” Considering that statement, we can tell that the Huairasinchi is much more than an adventure race. This race is a way of living that shows how to reach goals, going beyond physical and mental limits and learning to respect and protect nature.

Photo: Jonathan Thorne and Hjvannes

YASUNI ITT: A Big Idea from a Small Country… will the world respond?

2010-02-27T13:35:00.005-05:00

The best things in life do come in small packages, and such is the case of an idea that came from a little package: a country called Ecuador. As some may already know, Ecuador’s economy depends directly on oil resources whose gains are then invested on health, education and housing. This is the reason why, even though the planet is experiencing a climate crisis, the Ecuadorian and worldwide oil industry are expanding to new frontiers.

One of these oil industry’s new horizon is located in the heart of the Amazon basin: the Yasuni Forest. Declared a World Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO in 1999, Yasuni is the most biologically diverse place on earth, with 13.000 species of mammals, amphibious, reptiles, birds and fish; and more than 100.000 species of insects. Just one hectare of this forest has as many as 655 tree species, more than what the United States and Canada combined have.

The Yasuni forest is also home to some of the last indigenous people still living in voluntary isolation. These people are now waiting for a miracle for the deforestation to stop, since they happen to live above Ecuador’s largest undeveloped oil reserve: the “Ishpingo-Tambococha-Tiputini“(ITT) Oil Block. This block contains 20% of all the oil reserves in Ecuador (850 million barrels), representing 407 million metric tons of CO₂ to the atmosphere, a 7 billion dollars gain and an extra 7.2 billion dollar for the carbon market.

Two decades ago, the Yasuni forest got considerably reduced from 1.476.000 hectares to only 625.000 due to the pressure of the oil companies, so the Ecuador government is facing now a huge dilemma: should it keep deforesting the reserve and drill for the oil, which would provide the country with the economic sources it needs to develop; or should it help preserve the environment by not deforesting the world’s biggest ecological reserve? Looking for the best possible solution, the Ecuadorian government came up with a revolutionary idea and started to contribute to this race for life: “The Yasuní ITT Project”.

The idea is quite simple: The government will leave the Yasuní oil underground and request, as a compensation for having avoided environmental pollution, a 50% of what the Country would have gained if the area had been exploited ($350 million a year) for a period of 10 years, giving up the rest of the gains.

To better understand the foundations of this project, it’s essential to know that there is something called the “Carbon Market”, regulated by the Kyoto Protocol. The program has created First and Second Generation bonds (G1 and G2) to reduce the emission of greenhouse gases to the atmosphere. The G1 bonds are given to companies with environment generating practices, while the G2 bonds are given to the companies that reduce their deforestation and pollution levels. These bonds are placed into the Carbon Market so that the companies with environment polluting practices can buy them. Depending on the amount of bonds they buy, these companies are allowed to pollute the environment.

Yasuní-ITT from Santiago del Hierro on Vimeo.

All these been said, Ecuador’s Yasuní ITT Proyect is proposing the European Union to place into the Carbon Market bonds called “Yasuní Certificates of Guaranty (CGY)”, that would be Third Generation bonds given to countries that avoid or prevent environmental pollution, something that would keep millions of tons of CO₂ from being emitted to the atmosphere. The money raised from these “green bonds” would be placed into an international trust foundation to support local environmental and social development programs that would help Ecuador move towards a sustainable economy, while preserving the rainforest and recognizing the rights of the indigenous communities in Yasuní. This preventive model is the Ecuadorian’s major initiative to become supporters and contributors to the preservation of the planet.

From 2007 until today, this historical initiative has been supported by the Medicine laureate Rita Levi-Montalcini and several Nobel Peace Prices such as Muhamad Yunus, Desmond Tutu, Rigoberta Menchú; as well as by various countries such as France, Germany, Norway, Spain and Switzerland. If the plan succeeds, it could even become a worldwide accepted model.

With the current Kyoto Protocol model resulting in global emissions 40 percent above the ones registered in 1990 (the basis year), this is an alternative that has already being considered as effective not only for Ecuador, but for countries with similar conditions such as Bolivia, Brazil, Indonesia, Malaysia, Peru, the Philippines, the Republic of Congo and Venezuela.

For Ecuador’s plan to succeed, the international community has to get engaged with the initiative in a significant way. Will the world respond? Perhaps the following letter, written by a Yasuní native to the former Ecuadorian president, back in 1995, could motivate the countries provide an answer:

"What will happen when our children grow up?
Where will they live when they are older?
Our rivers are peaceful and in our forests we find the food, the medicines and everything that we need.
What will happen when the oil companies finish destroying what we have?"

More Information on:
•    www.yasuni-itt.gov.ec
•    www.liveyasuni.org
•    www.sosyasuni.org
•    www.amazoniaporlavida.org

Photo: Yasuni ITT

The Colta Lake: Natural Beauty among Conquests and Ruins

2010-02-27T13:30:00.004-05:00

In the Pan-American Highway, 17km (10 miles) south of Riobamba, among beautiful landscapes where green and blue tones predominate, we get to a place full of history, culture and natural beauty. A place inhabited by friendly people who live among hills and volcanoes. Its name is Colta, an extraordinary spot that, seen from the highway, could be described as a big, crystal clear lake that beautifully reflects Ecuador’s highest volcano; and in whose shores the country’s oldest village was erected. It is a perfect mix of Nature and History what makes this place magical.

To get to the lake’s shores, the road goes another 2km (1 mile) forward. Before arriving to the village we find the ruins of what once was the city of Riobamba —currently known as Cajabamba or Sicalpa— destroyed during the Colonial period (1797) by a big earthquake that took the life of 5000 people. The remains are those of their streets, their temples and their handcrafts. Arriving to the place, the big cracks caused by the earthquake can still be observed at the hills.

Going a little further in the way to the village (or taking the alternative road, right beside the lake, aboard the train that goes to the “Devil’s Nose”) we find the Colta Lake. In the indigenous language, the lake is called kulta kucha, which means “Duck’s Lake”. Here, the senses are awakened by a colorful parade: the indigenes navigating in their “Caballitos de Totora” (reed watercrafts), the wildlife, the multicolor little houses, the animals, the kids playing, and the great Chimborazo volcano… They are all part of the autumn-like landscape of this historical lake.

At the end of the road and facing the lake, we find the population known as “Santiago de Quito”, name whose similarity to that of Ecuador’s capital, San Francisco de Quito, is not just a coincidence. In 1534, with the arrival of the conquistadors to the land that is nowadays the country of Ecuador; the Colta area was designated as the place to build the capital of the region, since the lake would provide water for the village. The area received the name of “Santiago de Quito”. Later on, the place was subject of confrontations between the conquistadors. To prevent more fights, the capital was moved further to the North. Even as time went by, the settlement found at the shores of the Colta Lake is still known as Santiago de Quito. The village’s parish, called the Balbanera, is the first Catholic Church ever built in Ecuador, and it was erected more than 475 years ago.

Colonial ruins, spectacular landscapes and the history of the beginnings of the Republic is what visitors will find at this magical, edifying place. The Colta Lake and the Santiago de Quito Parish have been fitted out so that they support responsible, sustainable and ecological tourism, offering their visitors activities such as hiking, horseback riding, camping, photography, fauna and flora observation, sightseeing, adventure tourism and the amazing indigenous fair that takes place every Sunday.

Photo: Kangrex

Of Love Stories and Preservation of Species

2010-02-27T13:28:00.005-05:00

The kingdom of birds in the Galapagos Islands is always full of surprises. Studying the birds, naturists have observed some behaviors that result very interesting and even funny to us, but the truth is that these behaviors could be compared to those of Men. In this article, you will learn more about the reproductive rituals of the Blue-Footed Booby, the Frigatebird and the Albatross, three unusual birds that inhabit the Galapagos Islands whose unique mating behaviors attract tourists from all around the world.

For the male Blue-Footed Booby, finding a mate can be a complicated task due to the low number of female individuals. The male must start by getting the female’s attention, and the best way to do it is by dancing for her: Standing in front of an interested female, the male shakes his wings, whistles and performs a little dance with his big, blue legs. If the movements are good enough, the young male is ready to take the next step on his struggle to be picked. Once he gets the female’s attention, he has to win her heart with a present. If the female doesn’t like it, she will let him know with a loud squawk, turn her back on him and wait for the next male. Sometimes, when the present is very unpleasant for the female, she will lean down and squirt the male with her feces. Nevertheless, if the present pleases the female, the male will surely be among those who will have a partner for the season.

The female, as it usually happens among all animal species, is the one who picks her partner. This is also the case of the Frigatebird, who searches for the best partner among lots of suitors. To be picked, the male must first find a good spot in the bushes to alight. Here, the female’s taste in architecture is of great importance, since a poorly-constructed nest will go unnoticed. Once the male has found the best place, he will alight on it, inflate his red chest as much as he can and exhibit it to the female, who will pick the individual with the biggest and reddest chest. They will then mate, passing the best genes to their brood to preserve the species.

Finally, the Albatross’ mating ritual is probably the most longed for and witnessed by tourist, perhaps due to the truly romantic story involving a couple of Albatross. Once he has found a partner, a young adult with stay with her for the rest of his life, and both of them will take care of their chicks until they die. Season by season, from April to December, the couples meet at the Española (Hood) Island, where the love stories begin. The courtship lasts a few days, in which the couples dance before mating, rub their beaks continuously and sing all day long.

To watch these beautiful marine birds of the Galapagos during their mating rituals, visitors must be attentive and silent, and they must have a good camera in hand (no flash). Visitors are welcomed throughout the whole mating season, so join the party and enjoy this wonderful experience!

Photo: Mike Weston

Chocolateland in Ecuador

2010-02-14T13:42:00.001-05:00

Chocolate has certainly become one of the most popular flavors in the world. Countries like Belgium, England, France, Italy and Switzerland have stood out as great chocolate producers. However, since the past 5 years, the eyes of chocolate lovers around the world have also turned to Ecuador.

Despite being a country that provides only a 3% of the world’s total production of cacao –the plant chocolate is made from–, Ecuador happens to be one of the best when it comes to cacao quality and flavor. Ecuador is the world’s number one producer of fine cocoa, with the 63% of the world’s total production.

Ecuador’s fine cocoa, utilized to elaborate chocolate truffles for the Queen of England, has unique secondary flavors that depend directly on the region where the plant has grown, just like it happens with wine. The country has three main spots for the production of high-quality chocolate: the province of Los Rios, that has two well-defined seasons together with volcanic and alluvial terrains and produces a unique, fruit-almond flavored chocolate; the province of Manabí, known for its dry, desert geography that provides a magnificent flower-flavored chocolate with a strong personality; and the province of Esmeraldas, where the most European-like chocolate is produced, due to its resemblance to the African cocoa lands.

This Ecuadorian, 100% organic chocolate is indeed a luxury product. If you have the chance to travel to the coastal region of Ecuador, you shouldn’t miss the opportunity to enjoy a cup of Ecuadorian chocolate made right before your eyes. Watch the cook as he toasts, peels, grinds and melts the cocoa beans to finally pour you a cup of hot, delicious chocolate that will certainly cheer you up. Made from the finest cacao grains once known as “gold beans”, this sweet treat will be a feast to your senses!

Photo: f10n4

31 Miles Along the Royal Inca Trail

2010-02-14T13:40:00.001-05:00

The Royal Inca Trail or “Qhapaq Ñan” is the name of the most extensive and highly advanced transportation system of the pre-Columbian South America, a main road with several branches joining the nations of Argentina, Chile, Bolivia, Peru and Ecuador. It is an impressive 23,000km (14.291mi) system of roads built by the Incas, and it connected the northern city of Quito with the south of Chile.

One of the most famous treks of this road is probably the one that goes from the village of Achullapas to the village of Ingapirca, recently called “The Culebrillas Trail”. It is a 50km (31mi) portion of the road that hasn’t changed much in the past five centuries, where the historical characteristics are still conserved. This hike can be done in 2-3 days and follows the original royal road, with altitudes ranging from 3200m to 4500m (10.500 to 14.800ft) above the sea level. At the Andean high lands, perennial rain is expected all along this historical trail that goes through breathtaking landscapes and archeological discoveries. The original Inca roadways are found here. Some of them got paved with stone, but most of them remain the natural dirt pathways, of 1-4meters (3-13ft) wide.

From start to end, this route unveils five hundred years of history. The starting point, Achullapas, is a place that served as an Inca fortress for the expansion of the empire to the north of the continent. One first gets amazed by the route that goes through the fabulous valley of the Cadrul River, the Las Tres Cruces Lake and the ruins of Cuchishiana, an archeological vestige whose function is still controversial.

Following the road, at 4,350m (14.271ft) high, there is mountainous formation called the Nudo del Azuay or Quimsacruz, that is the highest land point on Ecuador. A certain number of rectangular structures that belonged to a Chasquihuasi (Chasqui House) or a Tambo (a resting place) are found there, as well as big rock mounts called “Apachitas” that evidence the Inca tradition of offering a rock in a propitiatory ritual to continue their trip.

After this point, there are at least two possible pathways to take: The one that goes through the valley of Espindola – not usable during extended rainy periods –, and the shortcut parallel to the Espindola pathway that goes through the top of the valley. This route goes across the Cachapampa plain and the Sontzahuín torrent before arriving to the Culebrillas valley, home of the mystic Culebrillas Lake. To cross the Sontzahuín torrent, there is a wooden footbridge that seems to date back to the Incas period.

The Culebrillas (little snakes) Lake was called this way because of the 800m (2.624 feet) zigzag formation of the river that feeds the lake. Home to a wild duck colony, the lake’s clean and transparent waters were considered sacred by the Cañaris, who used to throw there handcrafted objects and ritual ceramics in commemoration to their ancestors.

The lake features a number of elements that feed its mystery such as a stone stairway that enters the lake 30m (98ft) deep from the river shore; a big stone platform; and a recently discovered construction made from carved stone. At a depth of 4,000m (13.123ft), there is an Inca quarry or “Labrashca Rumi” full of hundreds of carved stones waiting forever to be carried to their destination. At the opposite shore and close to the lake, the old Tambo de Paredones is located. It is an important resting place that served also as a military spot with vast accommodations for the troops and warehouses for goods, arms and clothes.

Past the lake, the road leads to the village of San Jose. It takes about a two hour walk from there until you reach the end of the road at Ingapirca, the biggest Inca complex built in the current Ecuadorian territory.

Nominated by UNESCO for its World Heritage List, the Royal Trails are a meeting point for those who take the chance to travel by foot through this challenging landscape. They are a place of encounter for men and women from different horizons, a place where man faces nature and revives the past. What once was a means of conquest today becomes a symbol of unity between nations and their history.

Photo: afroboof

12 Rules you can’t ignore when going to Galapagos

2010-02-14T13:39:00.005-05:00

The Galapagos Islands are one of the few places in the world that remain relatively untouched by human exploitation. The preservation of the environment is everybody's responsibility. You can help, by following some simple rules which will help to maintain the archipelago's fragile ecosystem intact. The future depends on you.

1. Because of its unique nature, the plants, animals and rocks should stay on site so that there is no change. Nothing must be taken away from the Islands, except photos.

2. Please avoid the introduction of foreign organisms such as animals, seeds, plants and insects as they cause serious problems.

3. Galapagos animals should not be touched or petted for your safety because they can quickly lose their tameness and change their behavior.

4. The endemic and native fauna of Galapagos has its natural form for feeding. Therefore, do not give them any type of food because it could harm them.

5. The Galapagos marine birds leave their nests if you disturb or follow them. They will leave their eggs or chicks alone on the ground or leave them exposed to the sun. Therefore you may watch the birds at a distance of no less than two meters.

6. Visitors’ sites at the Galapagos National Park are marked to guarantee your safety. You cannot leave the paths.

7. Garbage of any type interferes with natural processes and takes away the enchantment of the unique Islands scenery. Do not dispose garbage at visitors sites, in the ocean or near the Islands.

8. Please avoid purchasing souvenirs made of flora and fauna of the Islands, like black coral, marine tortoise shells, sea lion teeth or shells. This goes against the principles of conservation.

9. Avoid writing names and phrases of any type on rocks, walls, etc. It is a sign of bad manners and rudeness and damages the scenery.

10. Fire or smoking within Park areas is not allowed as a fire could start with a match or a cigarette that is not put out completely and can cause uncontrollable bushfires, death and destruction.

11. Fishing on board of tourist ships is not permitted. Please collaborate with the National Park Service by reporting any transgression to the management of the Galapagos National Park.

12. If you want to camp in the authorized sites or do commercial fishing you have to request a permit from the Galapagos National Park Director. Please contact The Galapagos National Park at any of their technical offices located in the inhabited Islands (San Cristobal, Santa Cruz, Isabela or Floreana).

The Galapagos National Park thanks you for respecting these rules.

Source: Galapagos National Park.
Photo: lightmatter

The Volcanoes Land: Passing Through Giants

2010-02-14T13:38:00.003-05:00

When traveling to Ecuador, make sure you include in your plans a 325km (201mi) road called “The Volcanoes Avenue”. This road goes through some of the world’s highest volcanic peaks, many of which are still active. Named by the legendary explorer Alexander Von Humboldt in 1802, this unique natural corridor is formed by eleven volcanoes that emerged on the sides of the Ecuadorian central highlands. It has become one of Ecuador’s main sightseeing destinations, attracting thousands of tourists each year.

Already at the beginning of the trip the landscape variety is overwhelming: one gets surrounded by immense patchwork of fields and enormous pine forest plateaus. The first part of the route goes through the magnificent volcanoes of Pasochoa, Corazon and Illiniza, finally getting to the Rumiñahui volcano, where visitors have the opportunity to climb to the crater either by trekking or on horseback. Once at the top, an astonishing view of the mighty, 5900-meter (19356ft)-high Cotopaxi volcano will take your breath away!

Back on the road, you go through a landscape of low-hanging clouds until reaching the Cotopaxi National Park, Ecuador’s most famous park and home of the highest active volcano in the world: the Cotopaxi, nominated for the World’s New Seven Wonders of Nature. Contrary to the Chimborazo Volcano, where you must have more climbing experience, Cotopaxi offers a great climbing opportunity for reasonably in shape novices. There is a good gravel road which winds up the ash-strewn side to a parking area located 4600m (2 miles) away. From here, the physically fit can carefully walk a further distance of 200m (0.12mi) to a refuge from which you can get incredible views – if the altitude and the weather allow!

The route then passes through Baños (baths), a scenic little town named like that after the five natural thermal baths found here. Baños is located in the Tungurahua province, nestled in a valley at the foot of the 5023m (16479ft)-high Tungurahua volcano.

Our Final Destination is Riobamba. This city has quite a unique location. On a clear day, it is possible to see the peaks of five volcanoes: Chimborazo (6310m/20702ft), Altar (5319m/17450ft), Sangay (5230m/17158), Tungurahua (5023m/16479ft) and Carihuairazo (5020m/16469ft) – a magnificent view! Chimborazo, the highest volcano in Ecuador and the furthest point from the center of the Earth (and once thought to be the highest mountain on Earth) is located approx. 50km (31 miles) away from Riobamba.

To better enjoy the environmental beauty of this eco route, activities such as horseback riding, canopy, climbing, trekking and bird watching are offered to visitor, but just the fact to be standing next to these magnificent formations, volcanoes that are higher than you could imagine, will give you a feeling of eternal peace and an unforgivable memory.

Photo: Kilobug

Panama Hats: a world famous Ecuadorian handcraft

2010-02-14T13:37:00.004-05:00

The toquilla Straw hat, better known as “Panama Hat”, has its origins in the Ecuadorian counties of Montecristi and Jipijapa, both located in the Manabi province. No one knows exactly how long these hats have been woven in Ecuador, but it was certainly some centuries before the Spanish Conquest. The chroniclers of those times narrate that natives wore over their heads a hand split, strange attire similar to vampires’ wings, made from the fibers of a plant that grew wild in a sector of the Ecuadorian coastal region.

There is much more information you might ignore about the Panama hats, so we’ve made a quick list of the 5 most relevant facts about them:

1.       Its original name is “Toquilla Straw Hat”, named after the palm tree straws they are made from.

2.       The “Panama Hat” trade name was created in the mid-1800s by American gold miners who stumbled upon these hats in the Panama markets. Once in the United Estates, the hat quickly became fashionable, and from that day on, it has been misleadingly known as “Panama hat”.

3.       The botanical name of the palm tree used to produce the Panama hat was created in Europe, at the end of the 18th century. Botanist called the palm “carludovica palmata” (from the Latin roots carolus: Carlos; and luduvica: Luisa) in honor to the king Carlos IV and the queen Luisa, who wore the hat as several renowned members of the European royalty did.

4.       The hat reached its popularity during the 18th and 19th century, when it was used by renowned people like Napoleon III and Edward VII. In the 1920s, gangsters adopted the wide brim models still known as the “Al Capone style”, while women preferred the smaller-brim models in a variety of colors to match their dresses. Nowadays the hat is still used by Hollywood starts like Jeff Goldblum and Peter Falk, as well as by some members of the royalty.

5.       The Panama hat is catalogued as one of the world’s three finest hats. A Panama hat of truly fine quality –a "superfino"– can hold water, and when folded for storage, it can pass through a wedding ring.

In Ecuador, this hat has an average cost of $25 to $50, but can fetch more than five times this price depending on the style and the quality. Whether you buy it in Ecuador or internationally, a toquilla Straw Hat represents a stylish accessory that can be worn all year long, in any climate.

Photo: Alex Proimos

Huaorani and Achuar: Ethnic Groups from the Ecuadorian Amazon

2010-02-14T13:36:00.002-05:00

When thinking about the Spanish conquerors’ arrival to the Kingdom of Quito, Ecuador, it is impossible not to imagine how astonished would they have felt by looking at the various social settlements and realizing how different could their culture and customs be, regardless of being separated by very short distances.

This diversity is still found today in Ecuador, a multiethnic and thus multicultural nation that is nowadays home to fourteen ethnic groups, living in more than sixteen communities. Among these indigenous groups we can find the Huaorani and the Achuar, both communities that have stood out as nature’s guardians.

The Huaorani have a population of 4.000 people, located inside the Ecuadorian Amazon basin, in the provinces of Orellana, Pastaza and Napo, which comprised in a 6,125km² (3805sq.mi) area considered by the Ecuador government, since 1990, an untouchable indigenous reserve, thanks to its support and conservation of ethnical customs and beliefs policy. Their reserve overlaps with the Yasuní National Park, one of the most biologically diverse places on Earth, something that provides them some measure of environmental protection and, at the same time, makes them its primary defenders, given their belief of respecting everything that exists.

The Huaorani people are known for taking the decision to live in complete isolation, away from the contemporary world. The forest is their home, and they consider the outside world to be unsafe. Among their beliefs is found that of afterlife. According to them, a person who dies walks a trail to the next life guarded by large python. Those who cannot escape the snake fail to enter the spirits’ domain and return to Earth to become animals. Another Huaorani belief is that deer’s eyes are similar to those of humans, and therefore they shall not hunt and eat them.

Living south of the Huaorani settlements are found the Achuars, formed by 28 communities settled in the provinces of Morona Santiago and Pastaza, being Kapawi their most internationally famous community. They are sedentary people that inhabit the Amazon region and are deeply attached to it, something of great importance when it comes to defending that area.

The Achuar people preserve old practices such as polygamy, something that results into big, expanded families living at the same house. Marriages are typically made of partners somehow related or, in some instances, women are taken from nearby tribes. The size of the house plays a primordial part in the self-esteem of an Achuar man. The bigger the house, the more wives and children can fit on it, and therefore they’re more likely to be considered a juunt, or "great man".

The Achuar community live in peace with Nature, feeding on what it provides them. Unlike the Huaorani, the Achuar welcome visitors who want to get to know their culture, their lifestyle and their spirituality while having a different travel experience at the same time.

Ecuador will amaze you with the variety of immeasurable cultural treasures you’ll find at every step. Although indigenous cultures can be considered as odd by the modern world at first, it is through the observation, knowledge and understanding of these millenary cultures that we’ll be able to brake free from our prejudices and learn to respect life of all kinds and, therefore, protect the environment.

Visiting Ecuador’s indigenous communities is the perfect opportunity to mix adventure with the experience of discovering different people and ways of life. Let them show you how and why they’ve become Nature’s keepers.

Photo: Conaie

Some Good Reasons to Study Spanish in Ecuador

2010-02-14T11:21:00.001-05:00

Just like it happens with the English language, Spanish can present some variations according to the country where it is spoken. The pronunciation, the expressions, as well as the meaning of the words are elements that may change from one country to another. Because of this, Spanish may be easier to learn in certain countries rather than others.

Given these facts, the question arising in your mind now might be “Which is the best country to learn Spanish?” …The answer is Ecuador. Because Ecuadorians are known for their exceptionally clear pronunciation and use of Spanish diction, the Spanish you’ll be learning from an Ecuador native will allow you to be understood in any other Spanish-speaking country. Ecuadorian Spanish is considered one of the easiest to understand in the Spanish-speaking world.

If learning Spanish the easy way isn’t enough, here are some other excellent reasons to make this beautiful South American country the best choice to pursue your language goal:

1. The Warmth of the People: Ecuadorians are friendly, kind-hearted persons. They enjoy having contact with people from other countries, so you may find them approaching you for conversation on their own initiative. In Ecuador, everyone is a friend.

2. The Excellent Spanish Language and Culture Schools: Ecuador has a big number of Spanish language and culture schools where you can learn fast, getting the individual attention you need from the best professional teachers. The students are shown fantastic ways to put learning into practice, and encouraged to speak Spanish while out in the community to be totally immersed in the language.

3. The Magnificent Surroundings: When you decide to take a break from studying, you won’t get bored. In Ecuador, there’s plenty to see and do. Apart from its towering volcanic peaks, pristine cloud forests and the unique Galapagos Islands, Ecuador is also a home for vibrant indigenous cultures, a place rich in Historic Colonial architecture, Incan archaeological sites and colorful local markets that remain largely unaffected by modernity. Ecuador is a country of diversity and contrasts. It is the only place where you can travel through tropical coasts, mountains and cloud forests within a few hours.

4. The Travel Easiness: Of all Andean countries, Ecuador is certainly the one in which traveling is easier. Distances are short, infrastructures are acceptable, prices are quite accessible and the spring-like climate goes all year round.

Whether your choice is the captivating city of Quito; or you rather stay at Cuenca, in the heart of Ecuador’s culture; or if you love the beach and decide to take a Spanish and a surf course at the same time in places such as Montañita or Manta… no matter where you choose to study, Ecuador could lead you to the most worthwhile and memorable learning experience of your life.

Photo: ElGringoLoco

Otavalo: Meet the World’s Largest and Most Colorful Indigenous Market

2010-01-25T12:46:00.008-05:00

It is early morning in Otavalo, where the world’s largest and most colorful Indigenous market takes place. It all begins at dawn, when the first costumers arrive attracted by the food and the animals for sale. This market dates back to pre-Inca times and it is a veritable collection of animals to eat and buy that mingles with the sound of the Andean pipes and the Quichua, the native indigenous language.

By 9am, the activity takes place at the hundreds of handicraft booths spread all along the main streets. The center of the action is the "Poncho Plaza", where almost any craft item produced in Ecuador can be found at really cheap prices.

The little stalls offer a bewildering and exciting array of local handicrafts, with textiles of outstanding rainbow colors predominating. Naturally, you will also find there the famous Panama hats -originally made in Ecuador- at half the price or less than what you would pay in Quito, the capital. The variety of colors of the various fabric products, the blankets, ponchos, balsa wood bowls and carvings, as well as the variety of fruit and vegetables on sale is a feast for the eyes in this lively market where haggling for lower prices is expected and part of the fun.

The market is safe and tourists are always welcomed by the friendly local people, the Otavaleño indigenous. People can’t help but be delighted by the dignified Otavaleño ladies who still wear their distinctive traditional dress of intricately embroidered white blouses with flounced lace sleeves, their black skirts and their long, braided hair often decorated with colorful ribbons.

Saturday is the busiest market day and the best time of the week for tourists to go. This world-famous outdoor marketplace, that some consider “a place to visit before you die” (Book “1000 places to visit before you die” by Patricia Schultz; and Ninemsn’s article “Top 10 Places to see Before You Die”) is a wonderful way to experience some local culture while you get a good price for loads of gifts and souvenirs for everyone back home!

Photo: Pictures from Heather

Unknown Facts about Galapagos

2010-01-24T09:30:00.005-05:00

Are you curious about the Galapagos Islands and willing to learn more about them? Do you want to know what makes them so special? Don’t miss this list of interesting facts!

1.    The name of “Galapagos” comes from the word Galápago, an old Spanish term used for horse saddles that were shaped like the shells of some of the first turtles found in the region.

2.    The name of “Las Encantadas” means enchanted or bewitched. It has been given to those islands because they are often very foggy, something that confused the early Spanish navigators who thought they were looking at the same island moving around in the mist.

3.    It’s in the Galapagos Island where the rarest species on the planet lives: being the only one of its kind, the giant turtle of the “Geochelone Nigra Abingdoni” subspecies –better known as “Lonesome George”– lives with two female turtles, but it has been incapable of breeding. George appears in the Guinness Book of Records as the “rarest living creature”.

4.    The Flightless Cormorant is the only type of cormorant found in the Galapagos. From all the 28 cormorant species worldwide, it is the only one that has lost the ability to fly. Nevertheless, thanks to its heavy and powerful legs, it can make deep, long underwater dives to get its food.

5.    To determine who will have the right to mate, the male Galapagos Giant Turtles will rise on their legs and stretch their necks. The longest neck wins and gets the female.

6.    The Galapagos Masked Boobies lay two eggs, but invariably raise only one chick. If both eggs manage to hatch, the oldest chick will kill its younger brother –a behavior called siblicide–.

7.    The Galapagos Islands are, in fact, the peaks of submerged volcanoes that arose from the bottom of the ocean due to an intense volcanic activity produced when the Nazca plate moved over a hot spot, under the surface of the Earth.

8.    The Galapagos are considered to be one of the most active volcanic areas in the world. In fact, a volcano called “La Cumbre”, located on Fernandina Island, erupted this year on April 11, after four years of inactivity.

9.    In 1535 the Spanish bishop of Panama, Fray Tomás de Berlanga, deemed the islands as “cursed by God, inhospitable and worthless”. His expedition found big stones, giant turtles, “dragons coming from the sea” (marine iguanas) and cactuses… but no water. With two sailors and ten horses having died of dehydration, they eventually found a source of fresh water and promptly abandoned the islands.

10.    In 1841 the American novelist Herman Melville navigated around the Galapagos Islands on board a whaling vessel. There, he gathered the material that he would later use for his famous novel Moby Dick, in 1851. He also wrote, in 1845, ten philosophical essays about the Encantadas Islands.

11.    Charles Darwin was so repulsed by the marine iguana that he described it as “a hideous looking creature, of a dirty black color, stupid and sluggish in its movements.”

12.    Prince Charles and his wife Camilla became the official “godparents” for a tiny, two-year old turtle during a visit to the Galapagos’ Charles Darwin Research Station. Since the turtle was formerly known as “No. 53”, the Prince of Wales decided to rename it after his eldest son, William.

Ingapirca: An Inca Secret 1200mi North of Machu Picchu

2010-01-23T11:47:00.004-05:00

Five hundred years ago, the Inca Emperor Huayna Capac constructed a building complex called Ingapirca, or Inca’s Wall. It remains a living testimony that unveils a lost culture that once was, in fact, bigger than the Roman Empire.

In the Ecuadorian city of Cañar, 1200mi north from Machu Picchu, this magnificent construction was erected between valleys and mountains where llamas and alpacas graze, a place among eucalyptus and potato fields covered by the fog and the modest rain.

When arriving to Ingapirca, the contrast of colors between the landscape and the construction is the first thing that gets the attention. It’s impossible not to wonder what did the place look like five hundred years ago, when there where buildings such as a room constructed in alignment with the moon where religious rituals and cults to this natural satellite took place; a big plaza used for celebrations that could gather more than 3000 people; an exclusive area for “The Sun Virgins”, women chosen at the age of 12 to serve the High Priests that would sometimes cook the meals for the sun festival; and a room used only for the priests’ prayers.

Perhaps the most impressive construction of this complex is the Ingapirca Castle, which is the only known oval-shaped Inca building, erected as a cult to the Sun god. The perfect alignment with the sun (at 0°) that the Incas made with this construction provides the best illumination for its rooms during the solstices of June and December. This also reveals their advanced astrological knowledge.

In the surroundings of Ingapirca we can appreciate some elements that feed the mystery of this culture. Such is the case of the “Inca Face”, a mountainous formation that reveals a possibly genuine shape of a face. Another element is the “Moon Calendar”, a stone with several holes that were filled with water, serving as mirrors where the Incas could see the moon’s reflection and in this way tell the date. Finally, there is the “Inca Trail”, a 31mi route (3 days walking distance) starting at the village of Achullapas and leading to Ingapirca. This route allows us to see and live the same trail the Incas once walked.

All these astonishing features take us to the time where the king, the priests, the Inca society, their buildings and the environment, all interacted to create the legend of The Incas, a culture that, in spite of being already extinct, still surprises us. As you will discover, Ingapirca is an archaeological complex that connects us with the Inca experience. It is not just about its construction, but also about its culture. It’s an encounter with the world’s origins and with ourselves, a feeling of inner peace.

Ingapirca is a journey to ancient times, and what is experienced there, becomes unforgettable. At the end of the visit, and according to the Incas’ belief, a part of the visitor stays in the place, as a part of the Inca soul stays in the visitor.

Photo: jrubinic

10 Facts You Might Ignore About Ecuador

2010-01-22T15:16:00.006-05:00

If you look at a map, you will see that Ecuador is a small country in South America, just north of Peru. It is only the size of Colorado in the United States. Do you want to learn more about this place? Here are some other facts that you may not know about it:

1.    Although it measures only 250.000 Km² (155342sq.miles), there are 18 different languages spoken in Ecuador among the native communities, and both Spanish and Quechua are considered the primary languages of the country.

2.    Most people are not aware that the Galapagos Islands actually belong to Ecuador.

3.    Ecuador’s weather is not hot, even if it is located on the equatorial line. Cities along The Andes Region have an average high temperature of 15.5°C (60°F) all year-round. The Coastal Region is constantly refreshed by the Humboldt Current, it may be humid, but the temperature rarely reaches 35°C (95°F). The Amazon Basin is the only area consistently hot and humid.

4.    Ecuador’s official currency is the U.S. Dollar. In fact, Ecuador is the only country besides the U.S. using the U.S. Dollar as its sole currency.

5.    Ecuador has the most biodiversity out of any country in the world in proportion to its size, with more than 9 species of animals and plants per square kilometer (0.62mi). Over 15,000 types of vascular plants, more than 1,600 species of birds, 1,750 of freshwater fish, 413 of amphibians, 374 of reptiles, and 324 of mammals have been discovered in its territory. Almost 80% of its biodiversity is found in the Amazon Rainforest region, which is the least populated part of Ecuador.

6.    Ecuador has the place on Earth closest to the sun: the summit of Mount Chimborazo. This is because the Earth bulges at the Equator. This makes the top of Chimborazo the furthest point from the center of the Earth …In other words, the closest point to the Sun.

7.    The westernmost point of South America is found in Ecuador. It is a place called “The Chocolatera” (chocolate pot), a place from which you can watch the sea beating the rocks endlessly and furiously.

8.    In Ecuador’s “Sumaco Park”, we can find 831 bird species ―14 of which can’t be found anywhere else in the world— all packed into a 106Km² (66 sq. mi) area. This bird diversity is higher than that of Costa Rica or all of the United States and Canada combined.

9.    In Ecuador, there are 4,000 identified orchid species that constitute the highest diversity of orchids in the world, 1,300 of which are not found anywhere else in the world.

10.    Ecuador is a cheap place to travel. You can still get a decent meal at a sit-down restaurant for less than $4. The price for a hotel room in many towns may start at $20 or so, and it can be even less if you know how to negotiate… so be ready to walk away and the price may drop!

Napo Valley: An Ultimate South American Rafting Trip

2010-01-21T12:40:00.007-05:00

Whatever you thought rafting was before, you should necessarily change your conception of it when rafting in Ecuador. Rafting isn’t just about doing sport; it also means experiencing the magnificence of nature at its greatest. Being challenged by powerful rivers is not the only reason to take this adventure; it is also the search for breathtaking surroundings. That’s why the Amazon Rainforest Region offers one of the best rafting hotspots ever discovered: The Napo Valley.

Home to three main rivers —the Anzu, the Jatunyacu and the Misahualli—, The Napo Valley offers an amazing jungle landscape that combines an abundant wildlife, crystalline waters and native indigenous lifestyle. Let its rivers show you the way to one of South America’s ultimate rafting experiences.

The Anzu River – Class: ll and lll; Length: 16km (9.9mi)
The Anzu River is the perfect place for those looking for a soft adventure together with spectacular jungle scenery. This relaxing river, which goes through small rapids and relaxing ponds, offers you the opportunity to practice rafting while appreciating the beautiful landscape. While traveling along the river, you will be able to take a glimpse at the daily life of the local inhabitants that live along the shore in small bamboo and wood houses, as well as a variety of birds such as kingfishers, egrets, yellow-rumped caciques and green tangaras.

The Jatunyacu River (Upper Napo) – Class: lll+ and lV; Length: 25km (15.5mi)
Located inside the Llanganates National Park, an area declared a Biosphere Zone by the United Nations, the Jatunyacu River or “Upper Napo” is one of the two major sources that feed the Amazon River. It is considered Ecuador’s best one-day rafting run, as it is all that you could ask for a river rafting experience. Its name meaning “big water”, this river carries a great amount of clear water through a perfect combination of exciting rapids, peaceful pools and exuberant jungle. Although it is best for rafting between March and October, Jatunyacu can be rafted all year long.

The Misahualli River – Class: IV and V+; Length: 23Km (14.2mi)
This is Napo Valley’s most challenging rafting, recommended only for those in good physical shape. Nestled in a deep and charming canyon surrounded with lush virgin jungles and sparkling waterfalls, the Misahualli River is undoubtedly the gem of the region, an extraordinary river of magical beauty. The highlights of this trip are the amazing 10 meter (32.8ft) high, impressive Casanova Falls; and the legendary “Land of the Giants”, one the largest rapids rafted in Ecuador. Usually the river can only be rafted from mid-October to mid-March, given that the rest of the year it remains much higher.

Ecuador’s tourism slogan, “Life at its Purest”, can be confirmed by these rivers and their exceptional landscapes of dense vegetation and wilderness sounds. The Napo Valley provides traveling easiness to visitors and offers various alternatives to combine up to 5 days of rafting trips, jungle excursions and camping expeditions along the river, everything you need to ensure it will be an unforgettable trip.

Photo: skifatenum

Take a Ride to the Devil’s Nose On this 1900’s Engineering Marvel

2010-01-20T12:13:00.005-05:00

If you ever have the occasion to travel to Ecuador, make sure you have a life-time adventure winding through curves and tunnels on the once called “the most difficult railway in the world”. Enjoy unbelievable landscapes of valleys, pasturelands and picturesque towns along the way riding on this historical train line built between 1899 and 1908 and still considered a technical masterpiece. Starting from Riobamba and arriving to Alausí, the ride’s main objective and most spectacular point is a place known as the “Devil's Nose”.

The train departs from Riobamba city at 5:00am. It is still dark, but the station’s activity is at its peak. The first stop is at the Cajabamba Station. The weather is freezing cold, but the sight is wonderful. Next stop is the Guamote Station, located 50 kilometers (31 miles) away from Riobamba. It is a place full on enchantment, culture and tradition where tourists are given a 30-minute break to get a coffee or eat something, having the opportunity to be in contact with the friendly local population.

As the train goes further on up the track, the landscape changes and the layout become increasingly sinuous, making it hard to go through the mountains. Near the Palmira Station, at 3239m (10626 feet) above the sea level, the landscape becomes desolate: almost nothing grows in there, there’s only a few conifers and dry grass. Looking at the landscape, people would sometimes get the impression to be on the moon. However, as soon as the train starts going back down, a beautiful contrast can be perceived: the landscape becomes greener and nicer again.

The Alausí Station is almost the last stop. After having passed it, the train finds itself front to front with the astonishing Devil’s Nose: an impressive, almost vertical 600-meter (1968ft) cliff. The sound of the railway indicates a slight movement of the train, and this is where the spectacle begins, because the train must perform an adventurous, almost technically impossible zigzag movement in order to go down the abrupt precipice. To do this, the driver must turn the train to the right, move the railway track switch and then reverse it to go to the left, repeating this for several times while descending through this magnificent cliff.

Past the Devil’s Nose, this breathtaking ride gets to its end at the Simbambe Station, the train’s final destination. Once in the Alausí Village, the passengers can be transferred back to Quito. This trip is an extraordinary experience and definitely a must-see for travelers going to Ecuador.

Photo: andyinsouthamerica