Ecuador covers a territory of 109,483 square miles, straddling the Equator between Colombia (to the north) and Peru (to the south) in northwestern South America. Ecuador enjoys one of the most stunning portions of the Northern Andes Mountains. The country also lies along the northwestern fringes of the Amazon Basin and receives both warm and cold ocean currents along its equatorial Pacific Coast. The world-renowned Galapagos Islands have located 600 miles offshore.
Our goal is to insure that your trip to Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands is one of the most meaningful experiences of your life. We have learned that the way to experience the magic of this part of the world is through direct, first hand participation. We help you to achieve this in ways that invite you to interact with diverse ecosystems, ancient cultures and indigenous peoples. We are there to offer knowledge, and guidance that shares insights aimed at opening understanding. Both the Galapagos and mainland Ecuador are such unique and extraordinary places, we know your heart and mind will be captured, as ours once were almost three decades ago and will always remain.
Before you rush out to shop for your trip, we recommend you take a moment to read through this information in a place you find most conducive to thorough study.
Quito's historical center has mesmerized travelers for centuries and was acknowledged as the inaugural city to be designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1978. The ancient town showcases cobblestone streets and Spanish-style residences with garden courtyards that date back centuries, making it the most extensive and best-preserved historical center in South America. Nearly every block in this area is adorned with colonial churches, which exhibit Baroque art, classic Catholic iconography, and exquisite Arabesque patterns and motifs. Noteworthy architectural marvels that must be seen include the breathtaking Iglesia de La Compañía and Iglesia San Francisco, both showcasing gold leaf, Christian symbolism, and the mastery of the Baroque style.
An unmissable attraction is the Iglesia de la Compañía de Jesus, located in Quito's historic center, and hailed as one of the most splendid and awe-inspiring churches in Latin America. Constructed by the Jesuits between 1605 and 1765, this church took nearly 160 years to complete. The interior of the church is a true masterpiece of Baroque art, with copious amounts of gold leaf adorning the walls, pillars, and ceilings. The decoration also boasts stunning paintings, sculptures, and intricate designs, which showcase the Jesuits' unwavering commitment to creating an astonishing temple.
Quito's Plaza Grande, also known as the 'large square,' is the heart of the city, where activity seems to converge from every corner. Some of the most renowned buildings, including the Presidential Palace, City Hall, the Archbishop's Palace, and Quito's Cathedral, as well as the Centro Cultural Metropolitano, surround this square. The square offers an ideal spot to unwind and appreciate the remarkable architecture and emblematic heritage trees, including endemic Andean palms. Colonial Quito presents captivating sights and panoramic vistas, providing ample opportunities for photography, particularly from the numerous towers overlooking the expansive plazas.
Apart from the architectural wonders and breathtaking views, Quito is also known for offering some of the world's finest premium dark chocolates. Ecuador is renowned for cultivating some of the planet's best cacao, and tours of the Colonial section often include visits to chocolatiers and shops. For an even more unforgettable experience, Quasar offers excursions to the domes of Santo Domingo Church & Convent or via an aerial tram to the summit of Pichincha volcano, offering one of the most comprehensive views of the renowned Avenue of the Volcanoes.
Orellana lies along the northeastern part of Ecuador´s Amazon jungle and is located near the confluence of the Coca and Napo Rivers. It is home to several indigenous nations as the Shuar, Ashuar, Taguaeris, Kichwa and many others that still thrive on living in their native forests.
Orellana is also home to several National Parks as the mega biodiverse Yasuni National Park, the Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve, and the Sumaco Napo-Galeras National Park.
Orellana province was named after one of history most famous explorers: Francisco de Orellana. Inspired by the tales of “El Dorado's” golden city, Francisco de Orellana and its ill-fated but grandiose voyage led him to become the first European to explore and witness the river maze and numerous civilizations that once populated the Amazon jungle. And ultimately, reach the immense Amazon river.
Ecuador’s Amazon Basin is believed to be the most biodiverse corner of our planet per square meter with record numbers of plant, mammal, tree, reptile, fish, and amphibian species. Scientists are still discovering dozens every year, from orchids with flowers as tiny as the eye of a needle to large, spectacular trees that no one knew were different from the rest. The numbers are astounding. There can be more tree species in one hectare of the Amazonian rainforest than in the entire United States. And the sheer uniqueness of those life forms also fills us with wonder.
The lushness present throughout the Amazon is mind-blowing, with tall forests that reach heights of over 50 meters, pink dolphins, freshwater rays, prehistoric fish like the Paiche, a dozen monkey, six species of jungle cats, including the great Jaguar, over 600 species of birds, including the hoatzin, a primitive bird that seems to hail straight from the Late Cretaceous, not to mention insects, frogs, bats (there are more bat species in the Ecuadorian Amazon than anywhere else on Earth). This is nature at its most extreme.
Within lies the most complex and intricate network of life our planet holds, and many biological and environmental studies suggest that it is here, in this very specific northwestern edge of the Amazon, where biodiversity is most exceptional worldwide.
These legendary jungles have been off-limits to most of modern civilization. Exploring one of the world’s most emblematic ecosystems never fails to deliver experiences and memories that will last a lifetime. You will walk beneath sky-scraping kapok trees with buttress roots that rise well above your head, listening to the chatter of monkeys and the clamor of blue and gold macaws high up in the gallery.
You will navigate on black-water lakes and along streams, enveloped in what is probably nature’s most glorious soundtrack. Paradise certainly seems at hand. You can climb to the top of natural observation towers and peer out into the distance like an eagle or stand behind a blind and witness thousands of multicolored parrots swarming at salt-clay licks. You will visit the people of the Amazon, discover their ancient wisdom, their customs that are so utterly contradictory to our day and age, as they cope with a world that couldn’t be more different from ours.
Human beings have existed in these forests for millennia and are an integral part of them. Recent discoveries have proven that Amazonian dwellers have been more than just hunters and gatherers throughout the ages.
With a keen sense of agriculture and recent evidence revealing that it was here, in the Ecuadorian Amazon Basin, where Man discovered how to manipulate the cacao seed. Also, critical technological breakthroughs took place in these forests way back in 10,000 BC when the first inhabitants are thought to have made the forest their home.
The capability of farming manioc dates back 10,000 years, and pottery has been recorded as early as 4,000 BC. There are at least seven different languages in the Amazon Basin, none of which are traditionally written yet hold fascinating constructions. In Wao, the language of the Waorani ethnic nationality, the word for the number five is a synonym of the word they use to designate their right hand, and the number ten is the synonym of the left hand!
Occupying roughly seven million square kilometres of surface area, the Amazon Basin is a lush wilderness that encompasses the planet’s largest rainforest and the world’s second longest river. Extending across sections of Brazil, Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Peru, Suriname and Venezuela, it is a region of thriving biodiversity and striking beauty. The basin features a staggering array of plant and animal life, and the intrepid travellers who visit here have the chance of encountering such exotic creature as anacondas, piranhas, sloths, capybaras, and – if you’re lucky – even elusive jaguars, pumas and ocelots.
Pañacocha is a magical place, a flooded forest deep in the Yasuni National Park. During a hike, it is not uncommon to find the cinnamon tree. Francisco de Orellana, the Spanish explorer and the first European to explore the Amazon river, once went deep into the amazon maze after the mystical “land of cinnamon.” From September to November, you can witness a Sci-Fi scene when cotton trees drop their seeds as tiny balls of fluff floating through the air.
The flooded forest offers a fantastic chance for kayaking, or for those who are more adventurers, maybe swim in its dark waters and share and splash with the resident piranhas. Water looks very dark due to an enormous amount of sediments and plant tannins, responsible for that tea-like appearance.
While kayaking, the best way to discover the lake, you will find that every centimeter of the shores of Pañacocha and its floating islands are filled with infinite vegetation and wildlife. The lake is home to the very elusive pink river dolphin. Residents of Pañacocha are jaguars, ocelots, over twelve species of monkeys and more than 550 species of birds. Pañacocha is part of a biological corridor that connects different areas of the Amazon jungle, and serves to rare or endangered species.
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Staying in a comfortable country inn or hotel near the airport the night before avoids our guests' long drives and the city traffic. Also, there will be no need to wake up unnecessarily early to travel to the airport, allowing them to enjoy a better night’s sleep and feel more refreshed for your next day's flight or adventure.
As previously described
