Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands, i.e. luxury on the equator.

One of the smallest countries in South America is a real box of delicious treats. No matter where we go, we will find something interesting. During the four-hour journey, we can cover several climatic zones, from the ocean coast, through a humid rainforest, to a high mountain plateau. Trekking to a volcano, admiring wild animals in the rainforest, zip-lining a few hundred meters above the mountain river bed, admiring Inca ruins, or visiting a real Indian market where, next to rural livestock, mysterious drugs are sold that can help with any ailment. Once we have had our fill of the richness of continental Ecuador, we will go to the Galapagos Archipelago to admire the most unique animal species on our planet: giant turtles, giant iguanas, albatrosses and equatorial penguins. After an eventful day, we will return to the ship to admire the sunset over the Pacific with a glass of our favorite drink in hand.

The greatest attractions of Ecuador

As in the case of Peru, Ecuador, or at least its continental part, is divided into three main zones.

The first one is Costa, i.e. the coast. The country's largest city, Guayaquil, is located in this part. The northern part of the coast, especially around the city of Esmeraldas, is famous for the most beautiful beaches in the country. However, there are no luxury hotels similar to those in the Caribbean region.

Second one Sierra, which is made up of Andean plateaus and cordilleras. The biggest attractions of this region include Quito, the capital of the country with a beautiful colonial old town; Otavalo, a town famous for its handicrafts, the Avenue of Volcanoes, t such giants as Cotopaxi and Chimborazo; Cajas National Park, inhabited by vicunas, llamas and alpacas; as well as colonial Ceunca, probably the most interesting city in the country.

In the west of Ecuador there is the Amazon Basin, this region is called Jungle, i.e. jungle. This is where the town of Coca is located, where all expeditions heading to Yasuni National Park depart. It is one of the most inaccessible and biodiverse places in the world. The area around the Napo River is also inhabited by two tribes that still have no contact with the outside world. On the outskirts of Yasuni there are several luxury lodges that are only accessible by river.

However, what mainly attracts tourists to Ecuador is not its continental part, but the Galapagos Islands. It is a two-hour flight from Quito by scheduled plane. On site you can enjoy communing with nature in its most primitive form. The landscape of the Galapagos is one of the least transformed by humans in the world.