Ecuador Vacation Packages: From Galapagos Tours To The Andes And Amazon -- A Traveler's Cornocupia Of Delights.

If good things come in small packages, then travel to Ecuador is a gift worth opening. Ecuador vacation packages can satisfy the adventure seeker, the sports enthusiast, the culture maven or ecotourist. Here you can climb the highest active volcano, come upon engaging contemporary and colonial arts, or explore the tallest mangroves on the planet or lush rainforests. There's hiking, horseback riding and mountain biking. In fact, there's enormous natural diversity to be found on Ecuador Tours.

Ecuador is a small country the size of Colorado or Great Britain. Tourism is an important part of Ecuador's economy, and the people are very friendly and service-oriented. Over half of Ecuador's visitors are from the U.S., and Ecuador's currency is the U.S. dollar. The country offers very good value to the American visitor.

You can visit four World Heritage Sites on Ecuador tours: Quito, Cuenca, Sangay National Park and the Galapagos Islands. As for biodiversity, Ecuador has 25,000 plant species. (There are only 17,000 plant species in all of North America.) Ecuador has 2,000 orchid varietals and 1,600 bird species, the highest concentration of birds per square mile. Ecuador is the third largest exporter of flowers.

Being on the equator, the climate offers little variation across the seasons. However, altitude differences will make a difference. For example, in Quito, at high elevation, can have quite cold nights. Our summer months are Ecuador's dry season, which is a good time to visit the highland areas.

Ecuador is comprised of four regions geographically: the Andes, Pacific Coast, Amazonia and Galapagos.

The Ecuadorian Andes include the Avenue of the Volcanoes. While located in the Tropics, there are mountains here towering 20,000' with snow year around. (Continue north along this range and it becomes the Rockies in North America.)

Quito, Ecuador's capital, is nestled high in the Andes at nearly 10,000' elevation. It is the world's second highest capital city. A UNESCO World Heritage site, its Old Town is one of the largest and best preserved in Latin America. For adventure travelers, there's much to do in the area, including rafting, hiking in the highlands, canoeing and horseback riding. Daytrips from Quito can include thermal springs and spas at Papallacta; the artisan market at Otavalo; spectacular Cotopaxi, the world's highest volcano at over 19,000'; and a visit to the middle of the world where you can straddle the equator!

The Pacific Coast is home to great beaches and humpback whales. These mammals follow the Humboldt Current (migrating here from May to November). Guayaquil, on the coast and Ecuador's largest city, is hip and dynamic. The northeast area of Esmeralda is home to an Afro-Ecuadorian community with its own unique culture.

Amazonia covers five countries within South America. In Ecuador, a 28-minute flight from Quito brings you to this rich jungle region. Here visitors can enjoy bird watching, hiking and kayaking among the wildlife, rain forest, and indigenous communities. There are some all-inclusive inns and lodges where guests can enjoy their jungle experience. Tourism is helping preserve the nature and culture of the Amazon from farming and development. A UNESCO biosphere, Yasuni National Park is home to the Huaorani and Quichua cultures.

Galapagos tours transport you to the most famous region of Ecuador. On a Galapagos Island trips, you'll visit the cradle of evolution. It's only a 90-minute flight from Quito. Galapagos tours are undoubtedly one of the planet's most memorable vacations, where wildlife has no fear of man. Read more about Galapagos cruises.

Investments continue to be made in improving the infrastucture. A new airport is being built in Quito, just 25 minutes from the city, and scheduled for completion by 2010. Rail buffs will be eager to know the Middle of the World Train railway line is being fully restored, connecting Quito and Cuenca and Quito and Guayaquil. The first segment connects Quito with Latacunga along the Avenue of the Volcanoes, a distance of 110km. (Train afficianados may be interested to read about our rail vacations.)

While there's so much to see on Ecuador vacation packages, the proximity of Peru and Machu Picchu makes for a good coupling. Read more about Peru vacations.

Our South America travel experts are eager to arrange your Ecuador tours, Galapagos cruises or visits to neighboring countries. Note: yellow fever vaccinations are required (check current requirements).