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.
The Otavalo highlands represent the Central Andes at its most essential. With its large and traditional indigenous population, numerous lakes, stunning green volcanoes, traditional craft villages, historic Spanish colonial haciendas, and the world-famous Otavalo market, the region is a beautiful combination of culture cradled in natural beauty.
Otavalo’s colorful and buzzing market is open daily, where you can haggle for astonishingly beautiful hand-made crafts, including a vivacious array of textiles. The surrounding villages, where we typically take time to visit local artisans, specialize in specific crafts including Peguche (weaving), Cotacachi (leather), and the last baroque woodcarving masters at San Antonio village.
The region is known for its historic haciendas including Pinsaqui, where the great liberator, Simon Bolivar, used to stay and where we usually have lunch, as well as Hacienda Cusin and breathtaking Zuleta, once the home of much loved former Ecuadorian President Galo Plaza.
En route to Otavalo, we visit Quitsato sundial to learn what ancient Ecuadorians knew about the equator. For more active travelers there is the opportunity for a full or partial hike of breathtaking Cuicocha Lake, set in a volcanic crater featuring two lava islands, or Mojanda moorlands and lakes.
As previously described
