A trip to Ecuador is a journey through time into the Stone Age. It is hiking along the Inca trail and exploring places of ancient times and transporting through history into the present era to appreciate the pride of the Spanish heritage blended with modern civilization. Visiting Ecuador is walking together with llama herds through the Avenue of the Volcanoes to discover the pristine region surrounding the towering peaks, sparking lakes, and to enjoy the beautiful natural scenery, the rainforest and snow-capped peaks, the enchanted Galapagos Islands, and ancient ruins, temples and sacred places. And not to mention the endemic and exotic flora and fauna of Ecuador nearly in its wholeness. That makes of Ecuador a world flower leader and lovely country of because the beauty of its flora, but also Ecuador is rich in an fantastic variety of birds that attracts many photographers, ornithologists, and bird lovers, and some of them have filled books and books of flying beauties, or as Murray Cooper will say PLUMAS, birds in Ecuador, in its brilliant and extensive work of pictures of the birds of Ecuador.

Many people will enjoy their pictures, and motivated by them may decide to see the birds personally, in their own habitat. Touring to Ecuador is entering into ancient lands, learning about the secrets of the oldest ceramic and weaving civilizations in South America, to admire the peculiar and beautiful forms of art developed for centuries by ancient cultures and transmitted from generation to generation to their descendants. Beautiful crafted weavings such as in Guano, hand loomed rugs, wall hangings, jewelry and pottery are a the exponents of the significant artistic heritage of Ecuadorians, which are known and admired worldwide. A visit to Ecuador is to enjoy the diversity of festivals of a varied cultural tradition, learning the local music, the dance, the arts and craft demonstrations; it is tasting the cuisine of diverse cultures; learning about the life and the history of this country, and also is to feel the warm hospitality of Quito of the Shiris, the Colorados of Santo Domingo, or the openness of the Costeno. Of course you cannot skip the Vilcabamba Valley in the Loja province, on the South, there they know the secrets of life long living and you can find 100+ years young people happily living and working in their farmlands. A tour to Ecuador is to explore the Amazon jungle and its ecosystem with its indigenous cultures, to visit the SHAMAN in the privacy of his home to participate in the most primitive healing rituals based on ancient Andean traditions, myths and ceremonies, and learn and experience first hand, deep in the jungle, the medical value of the herbs and the healing powers of the Shamans.

TOURIST ATTRACTIONS AND POINTS OF INTEREST

Ports

Guayaquil Manta Puerto Bolivar Esmeraldas Salinas (international cruise tours)

International airports

Mariscal Sucre Airport, located in Quito (passengers and cargo) Joaquin Olmedo Airport, located in Guayaquil (passengers and cargo) Latacunga Airport, located in Latacunga (cargo only) Manta Airport in Manta city, recently upgraded for international flies

Beaches

Playas Salinas La Libertad Punta Carnero Puerto Lopez Ayangue Atacames Muisne Cojimies Playa de los Murcielagos (Manta) Bahia (Bahia de Caraquez) Jambeli Montaita

The Resort of Salinas

This resort town is the docking place for many ships doing cruise tours to South America. Perched on the tip of Santa Elena Peninsula, Salinas is the western-most town of Ecuador on the Ecuadorian mainland. Deep-sea fishing is the port's main lure.

National Parks

Galapagos Islands National Park Machalilla National Park La Plata Island National Park Churute Mangrove Ecological Reserve Cotopaxi National Park Sangay National Park Illinizas Ecological Reserve Chimborazo Fauna Production Reserve Pululahua Geobotanical Reserve S. Podocarpus National Park Cuyabeno Fauna Production Reserve Yasuni National Park Biosphere Reserve Sumaco Galeras National Park Limoncocha Ecological Reserve R.E. Mache Chindul Cayapas-Mataje Cayambe-Coca Ecological Reserve Cotacachi-Cayapas Ecological Reserve Antisana Ecological Reserve El Angel Ecological Reserve El Boliche Recreational Park El Cajas Recreational Park Llanganates National Park Puyangos Petrified Forest

Cities

Quito Population 1,100,847/1990 Ecuador's capital Altitude 9,400 ft. rivals with some most beautiful cities in South America Guayaquil Largest Port in South America on the Pacific Most developed tourism and industrial center Population 2,200,000 Cuenca Important cultural and industrial development center, gold jewellry Population 194,981/1990 Machala Population close to 300,000inhabitants With Pto Bolivar, the largest Southern port of Ecuador Largest exporter of bananas in the world Important center of gold business Important shrimp farming center

OTHER INTERESTING PLACES TO VISIT

QUITO - SAN LORENZO
QUITO - PUERTO LOPEZ
QUITO - IBARRA
TRIP AROUND ECUADOR
THE SUN ROUTE
QUITO RIOBAMBA-CHIMBORAZO
QUITO PUYOS FOREST