Tuesday, February 21, 2012

Bienvenidos!

That means “Welcome!” to all you non-Spanish speakers. This is our very first of many blogs where we hope to enlighten and sometimes entertain you as we present the very best Ecuador travel info.

Most people associate Ecuador only with the fabulous Galapagos archipelago. We want everyone to appreciate the incredible beauty and diversity throughout our small country. So let’s start out with a “greatest hits” collection of interesting facts & figures.

Ecuador has the most biodiversity per square mile of any nation in the world. There are over 1600 bird species, over 16,000 species of plants, and 6000 different types of butterfly. We are the only country on earth with a constitution that recognizes the rights of nature.



Aside from the Galapagos (which will be featured in a future blog), Ecuador is divided into three very distinct regions: the Pacific coast, the Andean highlands, and the Amazon. The unspoiled 1250 mile Ecuadorian coastline is lined with spectacular beaches, quaint fishing villages, mangrove forests, and even jungle. There are several rollicking resort areas as well as championship deep sea fishing sites. Between July and October hundreds of humpback whales gather along the central coast, sometimes so close they can be observed from the shore!



The Andes, which run north to south through the middle of Ecuador, offer a year-round temperate climate and an incredible variety of cultural and adventure excursions. Trek snow-capped mountains; observe active volcanoes; relax in hot

springs surrounded by lush vegetation; enjoy colonial architecture in two UNESCO World Heritage cities; horseback ride along the Inca Trail; or bargain in world-famous indigenous markets—these activities only scratch the surface of your amazing possibilities.

A lot of folks are surprised to learn that the Amazon jungle occupies almost half of Ecuador. Ethnic groups and tribes still live in this vast wilderness according to the customs and traditions of their ancestral past. Ecuador offers some of the world’s best ecotourism programs and an unprecedented opportunity for experiencing abundant wildlife and cultural immersion. There’s no better place to discover the magic of the Amazon.



TerraDiversa has been offering professional tours throughout Ecuador , Galapagos, and Peru for over 10 years. Visit our website (www.terradiversa.com) to contact us and to check out all the fun excursions and destinations.

And, hey, we’d love to hear from you about topics you’d like to see featured in our blog. Please take a minute to post a comment so we can get a conversation started!