Everything about Quito – from its setting along the slopes of Pichincha volcano to its having the best preserved, least altered historic center in Latin America – makes it a capital city worth visiting. (The ‘old town’ as the center is known was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1978.) Stroll along its narrow streets and enjoy the buskers, vendors, and locals going about their everyday business. Visit the monasteries of San Francisco and Santa Domingo, the Church and Jesuit College of La Compañia, the Cathedral of Quito or the hill of El Panecillo where you can view the 45m high statue of the Virgin Mary. Mariscal Sucre (Plaza Foch) offers a taste of modern Quito with its trendy bars, restaurants and nightlife.
Established in 1975 as a protected area, Cotopaxi National Park – situated about 50km southeast of the capital Quito – represents the most impressive of what Ecuador has to offer by way of animals and birds, including the majestic Andean condor, as well as valleys, lakes and a number of volcanoes. Center stage is occupied by the snow-laden Cotopaxi volcano that rises to 5 890m – a favorite with mountaineers. An excursion might have you spying puma, the rare Andean spectacled bear, Andean fox or orange-headed caracara, which is endemic in the area. The ruins of Incan forts and other ancient stone ruins can be seen surrounding Santo Domingo Lake. A number of haciendas outside the park offer accommodation.
Resting on the northern banks of the Napo River, Ahuano is a small river village situated in the heart of the Ecuadorian Amazonian tropical rainforest. Ahuano is home to the indigenous Kichwa people, who have retained their rich traditional native culture. The village is set within a landscape featuring a biodiverse ecosystem as well as diverse fauna and flora. Visitors can look forward to a wide variety of fascinating activities and tours including: hiking through the Amazon jungle, taking an Ecuadorian cooking class, participating in a sacred Shaman cleansing ceremony, or making artisanal chocolate with the finest quality cacao. Other popular activities include: canyoning, tubing, swimming, boating, and canoeing.
As previously described
