Tailormade Holidays in Ecuador & Galápagos

Ecotourism in the Amazonian lowlands of eastern Ecuador flourishes along the Napo River, Ecuador’s principal Amazonian tributary. Bordering the Napo’s south bank is Yasuni National Park, a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve and the largest and best-conserved tract of Amazonian rainforest in the country; indeed it is one of the most biodiverse ecosystems found anywhere in the world. It covers a vast area of almost 10,000 square kilometres and is home to a number of indigenous tribes, some of which are still, even today, isolated from the rest of the world. 

For centuries ancient seafarers have recalled tales of the ‘Enchanted Isles’, and the unique landscapes and extraordinary fauna that reside there. However, it was Charles Darwin who first drew the Galápagos Islands to the world’s attention, as it was here that he first observed the fascinating changes and adaptations of the island finches which permitted him to formulate his theory of evolution. Thanks largely to an absence of predators and extreme isolation, this remote archipelago some 960 kilometres off the coast of Ecuador, holds an extraordinary wealth of endemic species. The islands themselves also vary enormously in character – some being totally barren, receiving little rainfall, whilst others support areas of dense vegetation. Thus each island offers a very different experience, although the natural history of each is outstanding. Giant Tortoises, prehistoric looking Land and Marine Iguanas, and countless breeding seabirds are among the highlights; however, most appealing of all is the confiding nature of the islands’ creatures due to an absence of land-based predators, making the islands a photographer’s paradise.

One of the world’s natural wonders, the Galápagos are on the wish-list of most keen naturalists. So, whether you wish to make the Galápagos the main focus of your Ecuador holiday, or simply an extension to a mainland itinerary, we will ensure that your Galápagos experience is second-to-none!

Although it is possible to stay in a hotel on the Galápagos and take day-trips by boat from the islands of Isabela, Santa Cruz or San Cristobal (a good option for those who suffer badly from motion sickness), undoubtedly the best way to see the islands is by joining a live-aboard cruise vessel. At Naturetrek we operate several of our own exclusive Galápagos cruise charters each year but, if our departure dates don’t suit your itinerary, or if you would prefer a different type or style of boat, we can arrange for you to join one of the many cruises that operate in the islands. Days afloat generally include both morning and afternoon excursions ashore to explore the different islands, with the opportunity to snorkel and experience the fascinating underwater life of the Galápagos at some stage each day. Successful Galápagos wildlife cruises depend on several factors, including your choice of vessel, its deck plan and your choice of cabin, the quality of the cruise leader, the boat’s itinerary and your key objectives set against the timing of your visit. We will be delighted to assist with all of these questions, and more.

San Isidro lies on the picturesque eastern Andean slope and is considered one of the best birding locations in the whole of South America; it offers, for the most part, a totally differing set of avifauna when compared to Mindo. Tumbling waterfalls cut through 1,300 hectares of lush pristine undergrowth cloudforest that supports such species as Bronzy Inca, Gorgeted Woodstar, Marbled-faced and Variegated Bristle-tyrants, White-bellied Antpitta, Emerald Toucanet, Highland Motmot, Black-chested Fruiteater and many others.

Quito, which lies at 2,700 metres and is the world’s second highest capital, is perhaps the most attractive of all the colonial capitals of South America. The city is located in a hollow at the foot of the volcano Pichincha and, on a clear day, the summits of the Andes provide an enviable backdrop. By South American standards it is a small city and it is easy to wander around the streets of the colonial city without becoming lost or being put off by the distances involved. The old town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and it is well worth exploring its warren of narrow alleys and its colonial churches and sun-drenched plazas. Its climate is delightful!

A stay at one of Ecuador’s traditional haciendas will allow you to relax and explore the country’s beautiful countryside while learning a little of the local cultures and traditions. These large estates also offer the opportunity for cycling, horse-riding and walking, as well as plenty of wildlife.

Mindo is a small town in the Andes that lies at an altitude of just over 2,000 metres. The forested hills to the east of the town make up the Mindo- Nambillo Cloud Forest Reserve and offer superb cloudforest birding. Over 450 species of birds have been recorded here and huge mixedspecies feeding flocks are not an uncommon sight. Andean Cock-of-the-rock takes pride of place among a range of species present only in north-western Ecuador and south-western Colombia, including Toucan Barbet and Gorgeted Sunangel; tanagers, too, are very well represented, with the gaudy Grass Green Tanager among the most striking. The Rio Silanche Bird Sanctuary can also easily be visited from Mindo. This wet and steamy sanctuary forms part of the Chocó lowlands, a biosphere region stretching between Ecuador and Colombia. This is the best location outside Colombia to see numerous Chocó endemics such as Purple-chested Hummingbird, Doublebanded Graytail, Griscom’s Antwren, Stub-tailed Antbird, Black-tipped Cotinga, Slate-throated Gnatcatcher and Semiplumbeous Hawk. The reserve’s canopy tower also provides unprecedented views of the mixed flocks for which this area is famous.

The Amazon needs no introduction. The largest and best-known tropical rainforest of all, which covers an astonishing five and a half million square kilometres of northern South America, harbours by far the greatest concentrations of biodiversity on Earth. Representing more than half of the planet’s remaining tropical rainforests, the Amazon supports a riotous abundance and variety of life that defies almost all description. Its dark, tangled jungles contain an estimated 390 billion individual trees of over 16,000 species, more than 1,100 of which have been recorded in a single quarter square kilometre; the UK has fewer than 100 native trees in total. Living amongst them are approximately 400 species each of mammal, reptile and amphibian, along with more than 2,000 fish and 1,300 birds. The diversity of some groups is so overwhelming that we may never fully understand it – the number of insect species, for example, could reach well into the millions. All in all, some 10% of Earth’s known species can be found in the Amazon. Remarkably, this extraordinary profusion of life is largely fertilised by phosphorous-rich dust from the Sahara Desert in Africa, 30 million tons of which are carried to the forest each year by transatlantic winds.

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