We took off and landed ten times with the plane. We spent six days on a yacht in the Pacific near the Galápagos Islands. We sailed for three hours on a motor canoe along the Amazon's left-hand tributary to get to our lodging deep in the jungle. We were paddling on the inflatable canoeing in the ocean. We cut by machete part of the trailing path leading through the deep rainforest. We climbed almost to 5000 meters above sea level. We have experienced the real rain forest, and we saw incredible species of animals and plants. All this and much more was our holiday in Ecuador and the Galápagos. It was a challenging but absolutely wonderful holiday, if not the most amazing, that we have ever had.
I deliberately chose the same introduction for both articles because both sites visited belongs Ecuador and we visited both places within one holiday. On the contrary, these territories are so different that I divided our experiences into two separate articles.
Deep in the woods, far from civilization, in the dense jungle of the Amazon forest, we spent four days of unique vacation full of incredible experiences. Rainforest is full of life, which is not visible at first sight. Even more interesting is watching this life at night. It is incredible what is hidden on trees, branches and leaves under the night cover. One does not see anything at all at first glance. However, thanks to our two great guides, we have really seen a lot. Animal species here are really unpredictable – insects begin and small mammals end up.
A unique experience was also the visit of one of the symbols of this country – the Cotopaxi volcano. Even though we were not at the top, the height of about 4800 m above sea level, where the mountain chalet was located, was for us the highest altitude we had ever been.
Ecuador, as well as the other nine countries of the world, has an equator. In connection with the equator, there are often talks about many physical attractions; one of them is the so-called different effect of Coriolis force on the northern and southern hemispheres. See the video below.
Ecuador, officially the Republic of Ecuador (Spanish: República del Ecuador, which literally translates as "Republic of the Equator"; Quechua: Ikwadur Ripuwlika), is a representative democratic republic in northwestern South America, bordered by Colombia on the north, Peru on the east and south, and the Pacific Ocean to the west. Ecuador also includes the Galápagos Islands in the Pacific, about 1,000 kilometers (620 mi) west of the mainland. The capital city is Quito, while the largest city is Guayaquil.
What is now Ecuador was home to a variety of Amerindian groups that were gradually incorporated into the Inca Empire during the 15th century. The territory was colonized by Spain during the 16th century, achieving independence in 1820 as part of Gran Colombia, from which it emerged as its own sovereign state in 1830. The legacy of both empires is reflected in Ecuador's ethnically diverse population, with most of its 16.4 million people being mestizos, followed by large minorities of European, Amerindian, and African descendants. Spanish is the official language and is spoken by a majority of the population, though 13 Amerindian languages are also recognized, including Quichua and Shuar.
Ecuador is a middle-income country, with a developing economy that is highly dependent on commodities, namely petroleum and agricultural products. It is governed as a democratic presidential republic. One of 17 megadiverse countries in the world, Ecuador hosts many endemic plants and animals, such as those of the Galápagos Islands. In recognition of its unique ecological heritage, the new constitution of 2008 is the first in the world to recognize legally enforceable Rights of Nature, or ecosystem rights.
Ecuador is thus the result of a country with unreal natural diversity, amazing people and excellent cuisine, and a place where we would like to return again in the future.
Ecuador
Abroad
