Getting Advance Ecuador Travel Advice

Ecuador travel advice is fortunately easy to get online, because it would be a pity to visit this fascinating country without advance planning. There are different ecosystems with unique features, as well as all sorts of sights to see and memorable places to go.

Even a single discipline will require study to set the best goal. Mountain climbers of all skill levels can choose routes along a mountain with sublime views or along a volcano, active or extinct. Mountain bikers can decide if views are more important than encountering a mind-blowing variety of birds or catching a glimpse of a jaguar. Hikers can choose to follow a jungle path to an ancient ruin or descend into a crater to see the rich crop plantations hidden inside.

You can hire a horse - calm or spirited - to get the real flavor of the high grasslands or to follow a guide along designated paths in the Galapagos islands, home to some of the most unique animals in the world. You may want to spend time on the beaches, where you will see whales and dolphins playing, or take a charter boat to get up close and personal with the protected sea mammals. You might choose to walk only as far from your comfortable hotel as the nearest thermal bath, fed by a hot or cold spring with healing mineral waters.

Knowing which time of year to visit and what the temperature is likely to be will help you pack. Those who are not prepared may find their jackets too warm or too light, their boots not waterproof enough, their plans for essential water and food supplies unsuitable. However, all this information can be found online, either on official sites or on those of tour companies eager to help.

Guides are important in this region where much remains unchanged for centuries. In many protected areas, both historically and ecologically, you cannot go without one. In addition to knowing the safe routes, and the right direction to go, these experienced people know how to find elusive wildlife and the best birdwatching sites, how to get from one small village to another, and how to get you there and back in daylight.

It is exciting to know that many areas of this fascinating country can only be seen by those who go in on foot. Talk about getting away from it all. There are many different levels of all activities, challenging hikes at high altitudes or slow progressions through forests to find an ancient ruin. It is part of the adventure to know that you should plan to arrive a few days early to get used to the altitude before tackling even easy climbs in the Andes.

Unfit birdwatchers can find many of the 1500 species of birds close to Quito, the capital city, or can take a bus to a water wonderland at one of the mountain lakes. Fit ones can explore anywhere they wish, trusting their guide to know where the most elusive wildlife abound. There are quiet horses and spirited ones, easy mountain biking routes and challenging trails, and snorkeling for those not up for scuba diving.

Ecuador travel advice is important, telling you how to enjoy this country on the Equator in safety while directing you to what interests you most. Knowing that you need your passport but might want to get an official copy of it as well, that you need rubber boots for wet conditions and an inexhaustible supply of bug repellent and clean water, and that you should have moisture-proof binoculars and camera can help you get the most out of your adventure.


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