Neighbouring Colombia and Peru, Ecuador is a relatively small country that nevertheless offers an enticing array of scenic landscapes, diverse wildlife species and interesting cities. Dense Amazon rainforest, towering Andean mountain peaks, palm-fringed Pacific Coast beaches and fascinating historical sites are all part and parcel of Ecuador’s prolific charms. The former Inca town of Cuenca is the nation’s third-largest city and a Unesco World Heritage Site. This alluring city, with its cobbled streets, beautiful architecture and photogenic plazas, boasts a huge variety of museums and art galleries. The vibrant capital city of Quito is also worth a visit. Arguably the most dazzling jewel in Ecuador’s crown is the Galapagos Archipelago in the Pacific, about 1000 kilometres west of the mainland. Their magnificent, pristine landscapes and prolific wildlife, which inspired Charles Darwin, have made this cluster of islands a world-famous travel destination.
Own Arrangement
The Galapagos Islands are an archipelago of volcanic islands off the coast of Ecuador, renowned for their amazing endemic species, especially the giant tortoises which give the islands their name. Only discovered in the 1800s, the islands are a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the surrounding waters are a national park and biological marine reserve. Of the 18 islands Baltra, Floreana, Isabela, San Cristobal, and Santa Cruz are now populated by more than 25 000 people. The original names were given by an English pirate, but the Ecuadorians have given the islands Spanish names. The Islands were made famous by Charles Darwin after he visited them on his scientific voyage on the HMS Beagle, and the endemic species here contributed significantly to Darwinian Theory.
Own Arrangement
