With expansive forests as far as the eye can see, Ecuador's national parks protect biodiversity hotspots and are excellent for birding. In this rare place of overabundance, it is possible to see everything from condors to macaws in one day.
Holbrook has long been deeply involved in the Ecuadorian countryside and community and relies on that involvement to prepare the best possible tours. Whether in the Amazon Basin or high in the Andes, our Ecuador expeditions lead travelers off the beaten path for an authentic travel experience.
Ecuador | Photography in the Chocó-Andes Region: Western and Eastern Slopes of Ecuador
Ecuador | Birding the Chocó-Andes Region: Western and Eastern Slopes of Ecuador
Ecuador | Birding and Photography in the Chocó-Andes
Ecuador | Birding and Photography in the Chocó-Andes
Ecuador and Galápagos | Ultimate Ecuador: Biodiversity in the Amazon and Galápagos
Ecuador | Birding the Chocó-Andes Region: Western and Eastern Slopes of Ecuador
Biodiversity
Ecuador can be divided into three main geographic regions: the east, which includes part of the Amazon Rainforest; the central highlands, which divide the country from north to south; and the coast. These three regions encompass an amazing array of diversity for the country’s relatively small size, and the different landscapes translate to amazing opportunities for discovering a variety of ecosystems and their flora and fauna.
In the east, observe rare and unique wildlife while paddling down the calm rivers of the Amazon. Trek through primary and secondary rainforest, observing different species of birds, insects, and plants. Set up transects for biodiversity counts to get an idea of the full extent of the forest’s life. Learn about plants that are used as medicine and in construction.
Experience the natural and geological wonders of the Andean highlands in Cotacachi Cayapas Reserve. View Cotacachi Volcano, an eroded volcanic crater that has filled with water over the years. Discover cloud forest ecology at Bellavista Reserve, a private reserve of over 700 acres that contains one of the most diverse ecosystems in the country. Species at the reserve include bromeliads, orchids, and a huge population of avifauna that includes hummingbirds, tanagers, toucans, and antpittas.
On the coast, hike through tropical dry forest at Machalilla National Park. Monkeys, anteaters, sloths, cavies, agoutis, and an abundance of butterflies can all be viewed here. Nearby, you can take a boat to explore Isla de la Plata. Also known as Silver Island, it’s nicknamed the “poor man’s Galápagos” because many of the iconic species of the famous archipelago can be found here, including Red-footed Boobies, Blue-footed Boobies, and sea lions. Take hikes on the island to observe its flora and fauna, and participate in whale and dolphin watching during the return to the mainland.
Birds
With more than 1,600 bird species, many of which are rare and endemic, the country is rich in avifauna, with a variety of habitats to explore. Considered one of the world’s 35 recognized “biodiversity hotspots,” the cloud forests of the Andes region have some of the greatest avian diversity in the world. Visitors can bird the Alambi Cloud Forest Reserve in Mindo, the dry scrub at Calacalí, the páramo and cloud forest at Cayambe-Coca Reserve, or the high grassland and lowland rainforest of Antisana Reserve, just to name a few. Highlight species include abundant hummingbirds and tanagers, plus the Andean Condor, Plumbeous Forest-Falcon, Chocó Trogon, Club-winged Manakin, and Long-wattled Umbrellabird. In Guayaquil, you can visit the Churute Mangroves Ecological Reserve, Ecuador’s largest mangrove reserve. The reserve is home to five different types of mangroves, plus howler monkeys, bottlenose dolphins, and almost 300 species of birds, including Neotropic Cormorants, kingfishers, Brown Pelicans, a variety of egrets, and the Roseate Spoonbill.
Culture & History
Ecuador is a blend of new and old, contemporary and traditional. Nowhere is that more evident than the capital of Quito. Surrounded by snow-capped volcanoes, Quito is a modern city whose well-preserved colonial center is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Learn more about Quito’s history with visits to La Compania Church, Alabado Museum (pre-Columbian art), and San Francisco Church. Just north of the city, you can visit with the Middle of the World Monument and straddle the equator. In Ecuador’s largest city of Guayaquil, ascend Santa Ana Hill. Restaurants, cafes, shops, and plazas populate the hill as you climb the 456 stairs to the top for a panoramic view of the colorful buildings below. Nearby on the banks of the Guayas River, shop, eat, or people-watch as you stroll along the Malecón 2000 boardwalk. Various indigenous cultures also make up Ecuador’s population. Learn about the traditions of the Otavaleños and see their vibrant handicrafts at the famous Otavalo Market. Visit with an indigenous family in an Andean village to learn about their long-standing traditions in music, weaving, and herbal medicine, and how they integrate their traditions with modern culture. In Chota Valley, an area that runs between the two ranges of the Andes, discover the history, traditions, and customs of the Afro-Ecuadorian community. In the Amazon, discover traditional Quichua culture. Learn how to make the beverage chicha, participate in a blowgun target shooting contest, and observe a spiritual cleansing ritual.
Entry & Exit Requirements
U.S. and Canadian citizens must have a valid passport to enter Ecuador. Passports must be valid for at least six months after the date of departure.
A visa is not required for visits up to 90 days.
If you are not traveling with a U.S. passport, please check with the Embassy of Ecuador for the requirements based on your nationality.
Health Information
IMMUNIZATIONS
The Centers for Disease Control recommends that all travelers be up to date on routine vaccinations such as measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine, diphtheria-pertussis-tetanus vaccine, varicella (chicken pox) vaccine, and your yearly flu shot before every trip.
There are no vaccinations required for entry into Ecuador.
Some physicians recommend that travelers get hepatitis A and typhoid vaccines before visiting Ecuador.
Yellow fever is a risk in certain parts of Ecuador. The CDC recommends the yellow fever vaccine if you are traveling to these areas.
Please consult your physician for additional information and recommendations based on your individual circumstances.
MALARIA
The CDC warns that travelers to South America may be at risk for exposure to malaria. Malaria is caused by a parasite found in Anopheles mosquitos, which are active from dusk until dawn. Prevention is twofold: the use of anti-malarial drugs and the prevention of insect bites. If you choose to use an anti-malarial drug, as recommended by the CDC, see your physician for a prescription.
CHIKUNGUNYA
In December 2013, French Guiana reported locally transmitted cases of chikungunya for the first time in South America. Local transmission means that mosquitoes in the area have been infected with chikungunya and are spreading it to people. CDC recommends that travelers to the South America area protect themselves from mosquito bites.
ZIKA VIRUS
Locally transmitted cases of Zika virus have been reported in Ecuador. Local transmission means that mosquitoes in the area have been infected with Zika and are spreading it to people. The CDC recommends that travelers to Ecuador protect themselves from mosquito bites. As a precaution, the CDC advises women who are pregnant to consider postponing travel to any area where Zika virus transmission is ongoing.
ALTITUDE SICKNESS
Upon arrival at locations of high elevation, shortness of breath and a pounding heart are normal responses to the lack of oxygen in the air. However, for some visitors, these symptoms can deteriorate into altitude sickness. Headache, extreme tiredness, dizziness, nausea, and loss of appetite are standard symptoms. Staying hydrated and well rested is important to adjust to the altitude. Avoiding heavy, fatty foods and alcohol in the days before arriving to altitude can help. Over-the-counter medications are also available to help prevent or alleviate symptoms. It’s advisable to avoid sleep medications, as they can slow breathing and respiration, which aid in getting the blood oxygenated while sleeping. Participants who take blood pressure medications should discuss this with their doctor as the medication can drop pressure too low at times.
SUN EXPOSURE
The effects of the sun can be damaging to the eyes and skin. Spending time outdoors exposes you to the sun’s harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays, even on cloudy days. To protect yourself from the sun, use a broad spectrum sunscreen of at least SPF 15, protect skin with clothing, wear a wide-brimmed hat and sunglasses, and drink plenty of fluids.
Currency
The currency of Ecuador is the U.S. Dollar.
Electricity
The electrical current in Ecuador is 120V 50Hz AC. Travelers from the United States do not need to use a converter.
Time Zone
The time zone of Ecuador is Ecuador Time Zone (UTC-05:00).
Ecuador does not observe Daylight Saving Time.
Departures and arrivals on flight schedules are listed in the local time.
Communications
PHONES
Ecuador’s country code is +593.
To call Ecuador (from the U.S.): Dial 011-593-(xx-xxx-xxxx)
To call the United States: Dial 001-(xxx-xxx-xxxx)
Please check with your cell phone provider if you’re unsure whether or not your cell phone will work internationally. Be aware that you are likely to incur additional charges for international use. It may be more affordable to purchase a local SIM card upon arrival.
INTERNET
Internet is widely available in Ecuador and many lodges offer WiFi.
Reading List
FIELD GUIDES
Birds of Ecuador, A Field Guide
Paul Greenfield & Robert Ridgely
A comprehensive, gorgeous and exhaustively researched field guide to the birds of Ecuador (and adjacent countries), featuring 96 color plates. It's also the best bird guide for travelers in the Peruvian Amazon.
Amazon Insects - A Photo Guide
James L. Castner
Spectacular, weird and commonly encountered bugs, butterflies, katydids, leafhoppers, ants, bees, spiders and other insects of the Amazon basin. Geared for the traveler, with 200 color photographs.
Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands, Travellers' Wildlife Guides
David Pearson & Les Beletsky
An excellent guide to Ecuador's wildlife, featuring concise descriptions and color illustrations of 500 frequently encountered reptiles and amphibians, birds, mammals and insects. The Galapagos Islands get a separate chapter and section of illustrations.
Neotropical Rainforest Mammals, A Field Guide
L.H. Emmons
Compact enough to slip into your daypack, this field guide to the mammals of Central and South American features 29 color plates of more than 200 species.
MAPS
Ecuador Map
Borch Maps
A laminated map of Ecuador at a scale of 1:1,000,000, with detailed insets of Quito, Guayaquil, Galapagos and the Ecuadorian Amazon on the reverse.
Quito and Northern Ecuador
ITMB
A full-color map of Quito and surroundings for the traveler, at a scale of 1:12,500.
GUIDEBOOKS
Insight Guide Ecuador and Galapagos
Insight Guides
Presenting the natural history, politics, culture, wildlife and attractions of Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands with style and authority.
Lonely Planet Ecuador & Galapagos Islands
Lonely Planet
An excellent practical guide to Ecuador and Galapagos for independent travelers.
Lonely Planet Latin American Spanish Phrasebook
Lonely Planet Publications
A handy Spanish phrasebook, with a short two-way dictionary.
Moon Spotlight Quito
Ben Westwood
A slim, authoritative guide to Quito and the Ecuadorian Andes. What Moon guides lack in flash, they more than make up for in personable, clear writing, expert recommendations and advice. The text is interspersed with color photographs and maps.
Viva Travel Guides Ecuador, Climbing and Hiking
Rob Rachowiecki
This practical guide draws on the Viva online community for its in-depth recommendations.
Culture Smart! Ecuador
Russell Maddicks
A concise and practical guide to local customs, etiquette and culture with a short overview of the land and people along with practical travel advice.
Rough Guide Ecuador
Harry Ades & Melissa Graham
A compact comprehensive guide to travel in Ecuador, including Quito, the Oriente and Galapagos with extensive listings, dozens of sketch maps, and a brief overview of culture, nature and history.
NATURAL HISTORY
Through the Eyes of the Condor, An Aerial Vision of Latin America
Robert B. Haas
This collection of stunning, oversized photographs, taken from above, shows the jungles and favellas, the reefs and ruins, wildlife and diverse landscapes of Latin America.
Volcanoes, Fire from the Earth
Maurice Krafft
By the great French volcanologist (who died on the job on Mount Unzen in Japan in 1992), this pocket guide features hundreds of full-color paintings and traces the study of volcanoes from early myth and legend to modern science.
Tropical Nature
Adrian Forsyth & Ken Miyata
Two uncommonly observant and thoughtful field biologists offer a lucid portrait of the tropics through 17 marvelous essays that introduce the habitats, ecology, plants and animals of the Central and South American rainforests.
A Neotropical Companion
John Kricher & Mark Plotkin
From plants and animals to birds and bugs, it's all here in this wonderfully written overview of the ecology, habitats, plants and animals of Central and South America.
The Smithsonian Atlas of the Amazon
Michael Goulding, Ronaldo Barthem, & Efrem Ferreira
This beautiful, profusely illustrated atlas of the river includes its major tributaries and 150 full-color maps. Goulding (Floods of Fortune) and Brazilian biologists Barthem and Ferreira provide the accompanying text.
HISTORY & CULTURE
Banana, The Fate of the Fruit That Changed the World
Dan Koeppel
Koeppel traces the history, natural and otherwise, politics and precarious current status of modern monoculture, touching down in India (world center of banana diversity), Ecuador (world's largest producer) and Central America.
Ecuador Reader, History, Culture, Politics
Carlos De La Torre & Steve Striffler
A portrait of a nation. This lively sourcebook gathers selections from long out-of-print travel accounts, articles, interviews, poems, literary excerpts (and even a recipe) to document the vitality and diversity of modern Ecuador.
Tree of Rivers, The Story of the Amazon
John Hemming
Hemming captures the ambition, greed and awe of naturalists, explorers and missionaries -- and their devastating impact on native peoples -- in this absorbing human history.
Forgotten Continent
Michael Reid
Economist editor Reid draws on his years in the cities, presidential palaces and shantytowns of Central and South America in this portrait of a region rich in oil, farmland and culture, with consideration on its prospects in the face of globalization.
In Focus Ecuador, A Guide to the People, Politics, and Culture
Wilma Roos & Omer van Renterghem
This slim guide provides a lively overview of Ecuador's history, cultural heritage and political, environmental and economic challenges.
Portrait of a Nation, Culture and Progress in Ecuador
Osvaldo Hurtado
President of Ecuador from 1981 to 1984, Hurtado writes of cultural values and obstacles to change. A main one, he writes, is that beliefs and cultural attitudes in the country impede economic success.
The Great Inka Road, Engineering an Empire
Ramiro Matos
An astute collection of essays on the "Qhapaq Nan" (the Great Inca Road), its engineering, practical purposes and the great Inca civilization that built it. Includes more than 225 full-color illustrations.
The History of Ecuador
George Lauderbaugh
this compact book includes chapters on Ecuador today, Ecuador's indigenous and colonial past, the oil boom and other events.
Weaving and Dyeing in Highland Ecuador
Ann Pollard Rowe & Lynn Meisch
A well-illustrated, authoritative overview of textiles and textile traditions in the Andes of Ecuador. Unrivaled in its detail, the study includes not only descriptions of highlanders' indigenous weaving and dyeing technology, but also an interpretation of their works' historical significance. Features hundreds of photographs, drawings and maps.
Woven Stories, Andean Textiles and Rituals
Andrea Heckman
This illustrated survey focuses on Quechua textiles, traditions, designs and daily life in the Andes, specifically in the high country surrounding Ausangate, 85 miles southeast of Cuzco.
Valverde's Gold, In Search of the Last Great Inca Treasure
Mark Honigsbaum
The spellbinding account of a tough journey into Ecuador's Llanganati mountains in search of buried Spanish gold.
Living Poor
Moritz Thomsen
Moritz's heartfelt account of his small triumphs and tragedies as a Peace Corps volunteer in a village on the Ecuadorian coast is a classic.
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