Western South America
Ecuador
Volcanoes, cloud forest, the Amazon and the Galápagos Islands — all in one compact country on the equator.
Photo: Alain Bonnardeaux / Unsplash
Ecuador is one of South America's most compact countries, yet it's full of variety. Within a few hours you can descend from snow-capped volcanoes and Quito's colonial churches into hummingbird-filled cloud forest, or down into the Amazon rainforest.
And roughly a thousand kilometres out in the Pacific lie the Galápagos Islands, which belong to Ecuador. Here sea lions doze on the jetties, giant tortoises plod across the highlands, and sea turtles and reef sharks glide beneath the surface. The islands are explored by small expedition ship or by hopping between the inhabited islands, always with naturalist guides.
Experiences to consider
- 01
The Galápagos Islands
Volcanic islands where wildlife shows little fear of people: blue-footed boobies, marine iguanas, giant tortoises and curious sea lions. Snorkelling here becomes one of the most memorable parts of the journey.
- 02
Quito and the Avenue of the Volcanoes
One of the best-preserved colonial old towns in Latin America and, to the south, Cotopaxi volcano, the Quilotoa crater lake and haciendas in the Andean valleys.
- 03
Cloud forest and the Amazon
The cloud forests around Mindo, with dozens of hummingbird species, and to the east the Amazon rainforest, where lodges by the rivers are reached by canoe.
Ways to travel
Ways to experience it
Ways to travel aren't separate paths — the best journeys often bring several together.
Wildlife & nature
The Galápagos, Amazon rivers and cloud-forest birdlife — with naturalist guides. Wildlife sightings are never guaranteed.
Adventure & active travel
Hikes around the Quilotoa lake and on the flanks of Cotopaxi, snorkelling in the Galápagos and canoeing in the Amazon.
Family journeys
The Galápagos are a living natural-history lesson: children see tortoises, iguanas and sea lions just a few steps away.
Exceptional stays & escapes
Historic haciendas in the Andes, cloud-forest lodges and small expedition ships in the Galápagos.
Sample journey
More journey inspiration
10–12 days
Ecuador without the Galápagos: hummingbirds, the Amazon and a crater lake
Quito, the Mindo cloud forest, the Napo River, Quilotoa and Baños
Wildlife & nature · Adventure & active travel
11–14 days
Ecuador as a family: volcanoes and the Galápagos
Quito, the Otavalo highlands, Cotopaxi and three Galápagos islands
Wildlife & nature · Family journeys
The Journal
Visit the JournalPlanning a journey
How to choose wildlife experiences responsibly
Distance, riding, feeding, guides and local communities: what to weigh up before choosing a safari, a gorilla trek or a day with elephants.
5 min read
Where & when
Where to travel in September: the month seasoned travellers wait for
The summer crowds thin, but the warmth stays. It's spring in South Africa, dry season in the Ecuadorian Andes, and in Europe's mountains and vineyards the quietest, loveliest end of the season.
4 min read
Inspiration
Wildlife beyond the African safari: where else to go
Sea lions swimming beside you in the Galápagos, orangutans in the forests of Borneo, elephants on Sri Lanka's plains and grey whales in Baja's lagoons. Where and when to travel for wildlife when the savannah isn't the only answer.
4 min read
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