Ecuador HOLIDAYS

Ecuador’s famous ‘Avenue of Volcanoes’ runs south of Quito and contains 7 volcanoes each of which is over 5,000 metres high. At their base you will find a mixture of local markets, colonial towns, cloud forest, rivers and historical hacienda to stay in.

The train system in Ecuador has had a major overall in the past 10 years and their lines now stretch as far north as Otavalo and as far south as Cuenca.  It is one the best ways to see the country as it allows you take in the superb scenery as well as stop to visit some of the highlights of the country.

In the far north is Otavalo, a town famous for its local market and weaving as well its colonial buildings. The best place to stay though is Cuenca in the south.  This small town has been built around its lovely colonial stonework and its numerous churches are simply stunning, especially the one with the flower market at its doors.

The cloud forest of Mindo, to the west of Quito is probably one of the most accessible in the continent – a 3 hour drive away. Within such a short time you find yourself in another world, where the dripping forest is home to numerous bird and plant species

The Ecuadorian Amazon has a charm like no other. The lodge’s distances from the nearest point of civilisation mean you feel remote and the wildlife flourishes. On top of this there are numerous lakes allowing the canopy to be broken and hence see more wildlife.

When the Spanish arrive in Ecuador they fell in love with its climate.  Sitting on the Equator it has similar weather all year round and its gentle altitude meant temperatures were pleasant, so they settled and built stunning Haciendas which are used as hotels today.