Are you thinking of visiting Ecuador?  If you are, you are in the right place.  Keep reading.

• Would you like to take an intimate and magical journey into the pristine rainforest of the Ecuadorian Amazon?
• Or would you like to trek the snow-covered volcanoes of the Andes?
• Or how about feasting your eyes on the Blue-Footed Boobies that live on the Galapagos Islands?
• Or participate along side the indigenous people as they celebrate the Inti Raimi Festival at an ancient Incan ruin during the summer solstice.
• Or just relax on the sandy white beaches of the Ecuadorian coast.

You can do it all………with Andean Paths.  Our promise is to create a journey for you that will fulfill all your expectations and more. But first, a little about our country: Ecuador is a small South American country with an impressive and diverse geography. You can discover permanent snow on the higher volcanoes, tropical humid forests in the Amazonian jungles, cloud forests on the slopes of the hills, tropical dry forests on the coasts, temperate and tropical valleys in the Inter-Andean regions, long beaches on the coast, and the exotic Galapagos Islands.

Its kind and peaceful people always treat visitors warmly, making it easy to share their culture and experience the country. The richness of its colonial cities, colorful rural towns, pre-Columbian ruins, national parks, sunny, peaceful beach towns and other attractions are what make Ecuador an interesting and challenging place to explore.

Geography:

The Andes clearly define three continental geographical areas. In the middle of the country, the Andes run from north to south. They have two parallel branches – one on the west and one on the east which form numerous Inter-Andean valleys. In the highlands of Ecuador are great extensions of Paramour (highland grasslands) surrounded by an impressive series of volcanoes, some of which are still active today.

To the west of the Andes, the flat lands of the Pacific coast form the most fertile land of the Pacific seaboard of South America. Here, there are long beautiful white sand beaches in the central and northern parts of the coast. On the east side of the Andes can be found the sources of tributaries of the great Amazon River, which flow into the Amazonian region of Ecuador. The extensive primary forest in this area is one of the largest and least explored genetic banks of the world.

The Galapagos Islands are 1000 km from the Pacific Coast of Ecuador. The Islands are filled with fascinating endemic flora, fauna and geological formations, where you can literally see “the earth being born” and observe nature with no major human alterations. Because Ecuador is at 0º latitude and receives solar rays perpendicularly, there is an amazing condition of biodiversity. As a result of these conditions Ecuador is considered one of the most mega-diverse countries on the planet.

Source: Biodiversity in Ecuador – 2000 Report (Ministry of Environment, Ecociencia, UICN).

Biodiversity is also reflected in the variety of human groups which coexist in the country. Without considering the urban populations where “mestizaje” (mixture of races) is the main characteristic, there are 25 indigenous nationalities (in the Amazonian Region: Shuar, Achuar, Cofán, Siona, Secoya, Kichua, Huaorani, Shiwiar and Zápara; Coastal Region: Chachis, Tsáchila, Awá and Épera; in the Highlands Region: Cayambe, Quitu, Otavalo, Caranqui, Natabuela, Cañari, Chibuleo, Panzaleo, Guaranga, Salasaca, Puruhá and Saraguro), and an Afro-Ecuadorian population with clearly defined cultural features mainly in the northern coastal region. This diversity of people has created a multicultural country with a human and cultural richness that combined with the diversity of climates and landscapes makes Ecuador a country that offers unique and memorable experiences to everyone who visits.

We hope this gives you a general feel for the uniqueness and diversity of Ecuador.  Our itineraries are “examples”.  You tell us what you want, what you expect, and what you require and we will design a trip that fits you and/or your group.

Our goal is that you have an experience of Ecuador that will live in your heart forever.