Ecuador is a small, charming country located along the equator on the Pacific Coast of South America. But don’t let its small size fool you! It is packed with unlimited sightseeing opportunities, all with-in easy reach from the main cities of Quito, Cuenca and Guayaquil.

The combination of Andes Mountains, Amazon rainforest, highlands, coastal areas, and the world-famous Galapagos Islands make Ecuador the perfect destination for cultural, adventure and natural history explorations. Indian markets, volcanoes, rainforest, unique wildlife and colonial cities are all part of a comprehensive travel experience. You can easily mix and match these destinations to suit your available travel time and interests.

History and archaeology enthusiasts will enjoy exploring the sites and museums dedicated to the Valdivia, Machalilla and Chorrera pre-columbian cultures of the Pacific Coast. The Incas had a strong presence as well, taking full control of the region by the end of the 15th century. They built elaborate cities and an extensive series of roads to connect the huge Incan empire. You can visit Ecuador’s most famous Incan site of Ingapirca, located outside of Cuenca. Or lace up your hiking boots to trek part of the original Inca road in the Cajas reserve. The Spanish influence came just 100 years later at the end of the 16th century, laying the foundation for the colonial churches, plazas and cities you can explore today.

Our Best of Ecuador itinerary includes all the country’s highlights as you travel along the Avenue of the Volcanoes from Quito to Cuenca, enjoying the famous “Chiva Express” rail adventure. If you would like to experience a variety of native markets while staying in historic haciendas, then our Haciendas and Markets tour shouldn’t be missed!

Ecuador Adventure tours include the most popular activities--river rafting, mountain biking, sea kayaking, trekking & mountain climbing are all available. Both our Ecuador Adventure, and Ecuador Multi-Sport tours allow you to explore the scenic and cultural beauty of several different regions, while participating in a wide range of adventure sports. For a more relaxed adventure, combine scenic day hikes with regional markets and lodging at historical haciendas in our Hiking, Haciendas & Markets tour.

The lush Amazon rainforest offers several excellent lodges, with some of the best bird watching in South America. Visit parrot clay licks, canopy towers and/or walkways, canoe through lakes and creeks, hike forest trails, and experience spectacular bird watching. Over 500 species of birds have been recorded in this region, which is more than 1/3 of all the birds in Ecuador! The Napo Wildlife Center, Sacha Jungle Lodge, and Kapawi Jungle Lodge provide our travelers with a comfortable and educational rainforest experience.

The diversity of Ecuador’s natural history can also be discovered in its tropical dry & wet forests of Machalilla National Park along the Pacific Coast, the altiplano area of the Andes (Andean condors!) and the prolific bird-life of the cloud forests. The Mindo-Nambillo Forest Reserve and Pasochoa Reserve are two excellent cloud forest reserves located with-in easy driving distance of Quito.

To pull these eco-systems together into a comprehensive itinerary, we’ve designed our Natural History Explorer tour, which includes Andes volcanoes, rainforest & cloud forest explorations. Toss in the tropical dry & wet forests and coastal areas of the Pacific coast, and our Natural History Extravaganza is the trip for you!

For a complete listing of our group departures, and suggested custom designed itineraries please visit our Ecuador Trip Index.

To request specific itineraries not found on our website, for help designing a custom trip, or any additional information, please contact us by email, or by calling 800-510-5999.