Quito

Quito, capital of Ecuador escorted by high volcanoes and formed by streets, broken and rocks where the houses become engraved like looking for a solid shelter, are a city where people try to conserve her colorful traditions.

Quito is located on a horizontal strip of land running north to south between beautiful mountains. The splendor of the city's natural setting, combined with its attractive squares, parks and monuments as well as the warmth of its people, makes it a unique and unforgettable place.

Quito, the capital of Ecuador, is considered one of the most beautiful regions in Latin America. Located in the Andean mountains at the foot of Mount Pichincha 9200 feet above sea level. Quito has a spring-like climate all year. Beautifully preserved colonial churches, convents, palaces, and other buildings of note contrast with the contemporary architecture of modern Quito, a cosmopolitan city of great cultural diversity.

See Tungurahua´s eruption live!!!

Latin American Destinations has been traditionally a cultural specialist. We also offer delightful travel options for those customers interested in immersing themselves in the history of the Andean culture. Discover with us the magnificence of the Spanish colonial architecture in cathedrals, churches, monasteries and temples, in World’s Cultural Heritage sites like Quito and Cuenca. Witness the syncretism of the Indian and European cultural mixture by shopping in Otavalo. Or perhaps settle with a fine dinner while enjoying from the typical Ecuadorian cuisine in Cuenca’s beautiful scenery. Quito, Ecuador’s capital and first city in the world to be declared “World Heritage Site”, by UNESCO, is a breathtaking experience from the moment you set foot at more than 9,000 feet. The city’s amazing landscape, nestled on a long but thin fertile valley and overseen by several of its colossal caretakers (Volcanoes), together with its delightful colonial architecture, makes Quito a sure stop of any traveler who wishes to discover South America.

Otavalo, north of Quito, as the largest and most famous Indian Market in Latin America, is the definitive stop for your shopping while in Ecuador. The town, with its vibrant and prosperous Indian population, displays to its visitors the finest of Indian handicraft and its well-known textiles. Nearby, Cotacachi and San Pedro de Ibarra are other shopping destinations for their unique leather and wood-crafting industries. Also in the Imbabura Province, Lakes San Pablo and Cotacachi stand as major tourist attractions for their unique beauty.

Cuenca, also declared “World Heritage Site” by UNESCO, is another colonial jewel in the Andean Highlands. The city’s captivating colonial history and architecture, coupled with its relative historical isolation from the rest of the country, bred a thriving city so particular that its inhabitants speak a particular Spanish dialect of their own. Cuenca should be anyone’s definite stop if one wishes to immerse itself in the syncretism and beauty of the Andean culture.

Amazon Rainforest

The Amazon Rainforest, in Ecuador is recognized worldwide as the “the last and major oxygen pump” of the planet, can be easily accessed through the Ecuadorian Lands. Only 3 and ½ hours drive from Quito, lies the entrance to a new frontier of discovery and adventure. It is this convenience that has made Ecuador the starting point of thousands of tourists in their voyage to the area with the greatest bio-diversity in the entire planet.

According to the records, 25,000 species of birds, 3,500 kinds of orchids and countless varieties of insects live in the entire Amazon ecosystem, making the area a heaven for experienced bird watchers and ornithologists.

While in the Amazon, you can trek through primary or secondary forests while encountering monkeys, colorful serpents or giant spiders. Or perhaps be amazed by wondering armadillos, watchful “cocks of the rock” or the timid “spectacle bear.”

You can also visit ancestral Indian villages, where the West is unknown. There, discover how native tribes have lived for over a thousand years, using the Amazon’s resources without tipping the ecological equilibrium of the forest.

Sun Route (Coast)

The Sun Route is Ecuador’s beautiful coast line in the Pacific Ocean. Here you can find more than 5 different ethnic groups and more than 60 beaches, most of them totally unpopulated.

In Ecuador The “Sun Route” extends for more than 900 km, from Esmeraldas province, site of the largest African-Ecuadorian community to Salinas, Ecuador’s largest resort city. Half way you will find the exciting Machalilla National Park, site of one of the most beautiful beaches in South America, Frayles Beach and La Plata Island, famous for its amazing diversity of bird species. Here every summer hundreds of Humpback Whales swim from the Antarctica to the warm waters of Ecuador to celebrate their yearly mating ritual. And don’t forget Montañita, the “Surfer’s City,” a very colorful town attracting people from all over the world.

Adventure & Relax

Ecuador has more than 20 national parks exemplifying the country’s ecological wealth. The different protected sites are located throughout the nation’s mainland and offer different experiences to the visitor, ranging from sights of Humpback Whales in the coast, Condors in the Andes or Spectacle Bears in the Ecuadorian Amazon.

In Ecuador Ingapirca, province of Cañar , is the most important archeological site in Ecuador. It was built with perfectly carved stones, held together with natural mortar and, incredibly, remains standing. The Temple of the Sun, an elliptic structure, was used to carry out ceremonies and rituals by the Cañari-Inca culture. It also had a strategic military use. The ruins are made up of a cemetery, solar observatories, roads, storehouses, priests´ lodgings and an Indian square, among other things.