Named for the Equator that divides it, Ecuador is most famous for the Galapagos Islands off it’s coast, but Ecuador has a lot more to offer for the adventurous traveler. Here are just a few things to add to your Ecuador itinerary…

Quito 

      Quito is the capital Ecuador and one of the highest (altitude wise) capitals in the world. Quito’s Old Town is a World Heritage Site and is a perfect merge of Spanish architecture and Ecuadorian traditions.  You could spend days exploring all of it courtyards, shops, restaurants and churches. Of particular note is the La Compania Church which is entirely coated in gold leaf. 

Every Sunday the city closes its main road and hundreds of people come out to bike around the city. Bikes can be rented at many places along the road and riding around the cities is one of the best things to do if you are there on a weekend.

Approximately 45 mins from Quito is the equator and a museum dedicated to Ecuador’s history. Although it is a bit of a tourist trap, it is a good one. The tour is surprising informative and testing out the strange equator tricks is very entertaining. Try balancing an egg!

Trying to balance an egg on the equator

Otavalo Market 

      Otavala Market is about 2 hours from Quito and is known as one of the busiest markets in the world, particularly popular on Saturdays. You can buy pretty much anything there, but most products are fairly touristy. The scarfs are by far the best item to get there, you can buy any kind in any color, usually for about $5 US.  Near by there is also a livestock market which is a little more authentic and less touristy – although it is unlikely you will want to buy any of the products. The livestock market is open on Saturdays and only early in the morning.

There are lots of interesting and fancy hacienda near by although it is possible to do Otavalo as a long day trip out of Quito. If you do stay overnight near by there is a condor and bird rescue centre that is pretty fun to visit.

The Cloud Forest 

       Otherwise known as the poor mans Amazon. It is only a few hours outside of Quito and is one of the adventure capitals in Ecuador. There is plenty of hiking, bird watching, zip lining, canyoning and rafting to occupy your time. We stayed just outside of Mindo which is a great town for backpackers. One of the highlights was rafting down the river on inter-tubes which was embarrassingly fun. Another highlight was zip-lining, although in Ecuador they call it canopy rides. In my opinion it would be difficult to spend too much time in the Cloud Forest. It is one of the most beautiful places in Ecuador, but make sure to bring some rain gear.   

Banos 

      Banos is another staple to any adventure backpacker Ecuador itinerary and is only an easy bus ride from Quito. Like Mindo it has many activities; zip-lining, biking, para-gliding, cable cars, hikes, waterfall tours and much more. It is famous for it ‘swing at the end of the world’ which has become pretty Insta famous. The swing is actually just at the top of a steep hill and is not as impressive or scary as the photos make it out to be. It is beautiful though and you can get some cool pictures to scare your friends and mom, particularly if it is a clear day.  They also have a swing jump off the bridge which is like bungee jumping without the stretch aspect of the bungee. I thought it looked a little painful so we didn’t try it, however we trough ally enjoyed canyoning.

 The Amazon             

The Amazon is one of the most well known parts of Ecuador and for good reason. It is humbling in its emensity and diversity. There are many lodges thoughout the Amazon, but they are generally quite expensive. There are ways to see the Amazon cheaply, but often those do not grasp the full vastness of it and sometimes do not treat the locals respectfully. Most of these lodges are quite remote, but generally you are able to reach parts of the jungle you otherwise wouldn’t. Some of the perks of our Amazon trip were the wild life (particularly the moneys), kapok trees and fishing for piranha! We stayed at Sacha Lodge and really enjoyed the location, the guides and the food. The Amazon is essential to any Ecuador itinerary, but be prepare for 11:30am – 3pm siestas as it is so humid!

To see more photos from the Amazon check out my portfolio.

Things To Look Out For – New Years

New Years is the biggest celebration of the year in Ecuador and is celebrated in style! Celebrations include men dressing up as widowed women, many many fire works and the traditional midnight burning of the Año Viejo. Año Viejo are dummies made to look like movie stars, politicians or really anything you can think of. They are sold all over the country in the weeks leading up to New Years. When the New Year roles in everyone burns them and leaps over them, cleansing people of the misfortunes of the previous year.  If you are in the area over the New Year make sure you add in the celebrations to your Ecuador itinerary. I even added Ecuador New Years to my list of festivals that everyone should add to their bucket list.