Ecuador - A mini South America

Ecuador is often called a “miniature South America” because it actually offers everything—mountains and volcanoes, including some of the most sought after climbs like Cotopaxi and Chimborazo; jungles and rainforests, including Ecuador´s political slice of the vast Amazon; offshore islands such as the Galapagos with all their endemic species; eighteenth-century colonial towns, Incan ruins, a proud indigenous presence in all facets of life; a bounty of natural resources, some of which are highly controversial like oil; beautiful beaches and many options for water sports like surfing, snorkeling, whale watching, etc.

The country is known as having four ‘sections' – ¨La Costa,¨ or the coast (including the beaches as well as a vast inland coastal region); ¨La Sierra,¨ or the Andes Mountains (this range appears as a spine running from north to south through the middle of the country); ¨El Oriente,¨ or the east (most of which is Ecaudor´s Amazon); and, of course, the Galapagos. These regions offer much more than meets the eye, and the real beauty of Ecuador is found all over the country, once you know where to look!