ECUADOR

Bordering Peru and Colombia, Ecuador is a country in South America. The country’s name derives from the Spanish word for ‘equator’, which runs right through the middle of the country, dividing it in two. A monument was erected on this imaginary line. Many tourists visit the monument to stand with each leg on a different half of the world. The country is famous for its ancient Incan ruins, the Amazon rainforest, the Andes Mountains and it many volcanoes, some of which are still active. Hot springs can be found on the slopes of some of these active volcanoes, making them a favourite tourist destination. Another major tourist draw is Cotopaxi National Park, centred on an almost 6,000 metre-high volcano that can be climbed over two days. The park also allows for hiking along the Limiopungo Lake and enjoying the sights of various wildlife and the magnificent landscape. Ecuador’s coastline features Machalilla National Park, sporting gorgeous beaches, bays, and forests that are home to magnificent wildlife. The country’s premier tourist site, however, are the Galapagos Islands, an archipelago that officially is a province of Ecuador. The islands are situated some 1,000 kilometres to the west of the mainland and were formed after a volcano erupted, making for a highly distinctive landscape with its own peculiar plant and animal life, including massive schools of hammerhead sharks, galapagos sharks, whale sharks, sea turtles, sea lions, marine iguanas and dolphins. But Ecuador has so much more to offer, we really do not know where to start. Quito is the capital of Ecuador. The city was built on top of the ruins of an Incan city in the 16th century and is located at 2,850 metres above sea level. Despite having suffered a massive earthquake in 1917, the city is home to Latin America’s best-preserved and least-altered historical centre.

$728,-

Capital	Quito
Population	15.223.680
Language	Spaans
Currency	Amerikaanse dollar
Visa required	www.visum.nl
Vaccination(s)	ja
Voltage	120 V
Traffic	Right-hand traffic