GREAT ADVENTURE TRIPS IN ECUADOR

Ecuador is filled with incredible adventure activities that will be sure to satisfy even the biggest adrenaline seekers. Much like Costa Rica, Ecuador offers amazing jungle adventures, relaxing beaches, and beautiful mountains and volcanos. But, a visit to Ecuador is more affordable and allows you to experience the country with fewer tourists around! Having so much untamed wilderness within easy striking distance of major population centers, Ecuador is a superb destination for outdoor enthusiasts. Traditionally it’s been a target for climbers, boasting ten volcanoes over 5000m, including the beautifully symmetrical Cotopaxi, and the point furthest from the center of the Earth, the summit of Chimborazo. Ecuador has been making a name for itself in international rafting and kayaking circles and has a broad range of exciting runs packed into a small area. Hiking, mountain biking, surfing, diving, fishing, and horse riding are all also widely available. Birdwatching is one of the biggest draws, with Ecuador’s extraordinary biodiversity supporting more than 1600 bird species, almost a fifth of the world’s total. Here are some of the great adventure trips in Ecuador.

 

Hammerhead off The Galapagos

Visit The Galapagos

The Galapagos Islands have always been a top bucket list item for many people. This is one of the few places in the world where you can get very close to the wildlife. The wildlife here has few predators, which has allowed various species to flourish over the years. As such they have little fear, especially towards humans. The Galapagos is an archipelago of volcanic islands in the Pacific Ocean, around 1,000km (600 miles) from Ecuador’s coast. Charles Darwin noted that the unique creatures were similar from island to island but perfectly adapted to their environments, which led him to ponder their origin. If you are looking for Galapagos adventure tours, contact us here.

 

Galapagos Landscape

Extreme Swings at Baños

Baños is a small city, located at the foot of an active volcano. It’s a beautiful place to visit and another favorite of ours in Ecuador. There’s plenty to do here, like zip lining, white water rafting, trekking, canyoning, and swinging out into the mountain! The Casa del Arbol (which literally means tree house) is the most famous place people come to get the money shot of them on a swing with the backdrop of the Andes. It is in fact not as scary as it sounds: you’re safely tucked in and you never go beyond the cliff edge. For a greater adrenaline kick, check out the nearby El Vuelo del Cóndor (which literally means the flight of the condor). Here you’re strapped into a much longer swing, so you swing further out into the mountain valley, far beyond the mountain edge, and back.

 

Extreme Swing

Swimming With Piranhas in Jungle Waters

Ecuador has its share of the Amazon jungle. You can visit it either on an Amazon river cruise or stay in a jungle lodge. The Amazon is home to 427 mammals, 1,300 species of birds, 378 reptiles, more than 400 amphibians, and around 3,000 freshwater fish, including the famous piranhas! Napo River in Ecuador’s Amazon may not be quite so high up on your bucket list. However, contrary to popular belief, it is perfectly safe. Piranhas are not aggressive or territorial, they are merely scavengers – opportunists, who will only attack a dying or dead animal; they will not go anywhere near swimming humans and will instead keep far away from us.

 

Piranha

Trekking The Quilotoa Loop

The Quilotoa Loop is a famous trekking destination in Ecuador. It’s a bumpy, ring-shaped road that travels from the Panamericana far into the backcountry of the Cotopaxi province. You can reach the Quilotoa volcano by bus from either Latacunga or Zumbahua as a day trip, or as part of the 3-4 days Quilotoa Loop trek, stopping over at various mountain villages along the way and getting up close to the indigenous communities. The climax point of the Quilotoa Loop is the Quilotoa Lake, which is a volcanic crater bed of emerald green water, located at 3,500 meters (11,483ft) above sea level. This is a favorite destination in Ecuador because of the stunning backdrop. On Quilatoa lake,  you can rent a kayak and traverse the entire length of the lake in around 30 minutes. It’s a lot of fun, both for the remarkable views, and to give you full bragging rights to say you went kayaking in a volcanic lake!

 

Quilotoa Lake

Trekking Cotopaxi Volcano

Cotopaxi has lured climbing enthusiasts and tourists for centuries, and the surrounding parkland is great for adventure and wildlife spotting too. In total Cotopaxi National Park covers an area of almost 334 square kilometers. The entire area is protected and is large enough to overlap 3 different provinces – Cotopaxi, Napo, and Pichincha. Cotopaxi is not the only volcano in this region of the Andes. In fact, renowned German explorer and naturalist, Alexander Von Humboldt, found so many volcanos here that he created the name for Ecuador’s “Avenue of the Volcanos”. For novice hikers, there are a variety of hikes in Cotopaxi that offer beautiful views of the volcano and the surrounding Andes mountains without having to acclimatize and worry about being short of breath while climbing the actual volcano. For those daring to climb the volcano, the two to three-day journey offers an incredibly up-close look at the active stratovolcano and will undoubtedly be a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

 

Cotapaxi Volcano Hike

Trekking Chimborazo Volcano

International alpinists come to scale the peak of the Chimborazo volcano because it is the highest mountain in the world when measured from the center of the earth rather than by sea level, making it the closest point on Earth to the sun. It is also popular for beginning mountaineers as the trek requires little technical climbing experience and the summit is obtainable for intermediate skill levels. Many consider Chimborazo the gateway into mountaineering which makes it the perfect starting adventure for those looking to get into this form of adventure sports. With its short expeditions, sustained climbing, and ice-capped summit – it’s the perfect adventure for those looking for a fulfilling climb. This trip takes 2-3 days, and the actual climb takes 7 hours but is done during the night, thus the minimum time you need is 2 days and 1 night. 

 

Chimborazo Base Camp

Mindo

Hiking and birdwatching in Mindo offers two of the best bio-diversified ecosystems; the Chocoan lowlands and the tropical Andes. Just like The Amazon, Mindo Cloud Forest is also home to numerous species of birds, therefore is a hotspot for bird watching. It’s called a cloud forest because it has temperatures that are usually cooler than those of tropical rainforests. Due to cooler temperatures but high humidity, clouds are frequently forming above it, giving it an ethereal aura. In addition to various bird species, Mindo National Park is also known for its mystical environment. However, bird watching is not all this place offers; there are still several other fun activities that you can do, such as the hike to Tarabita to Nambillo Waterfall Sanctuary, rafting, visiting a butterfly farm, zip lining, and incredible chocolate tours.

 

Toucan in Mindo

 

Rafting Along World-Class Whitewater Rapids

 

With one of the highest concentrations of rivers per square mile in the world, those seeking a whitewater adventure will be in heaven. Head to where the Amazon jungle meets the Andes Mountains, and enjoy world-class rafting on the Napo river (class III), Misahuallí river (class IV), and Toachi River (class III).  Kayaking companies, mainly based in Quito, Tena and Baños, organize trips to dozens of rivers. Not far from Quito, on the way to Santo Domingo, the ríos Blanco, and Toachi offer a selection of popular runs suitable for beginners and old hands alike. A high density of rivers around Tena has brought the town to the fore as a center for the sport in Ecuador. Among the most popular is the Upper Napo (Jatunyacu), a typical beginner’s run, while the nearby Río Misahuallí is suitable for more advanced paddlers, weaving through a stunning canyon in a remote section of rainforest, described as the best rafting trip in the country. 

 

Rafting on The Napo River

Mountain Biking in Any Of Ecuador’s Four Regions.

Mountain biking is more widespread in the sierra than in the lowlands, and rental companies in the main tourist centers can offer fairly cheap rates per day or half day; always check the bike is in good working order before you leave. Several specialist biking operators, mainly based in Quito, also arrange single- or multi-day mountain-biking tours of diverse parts of the sierra, such as Cotopaxi National Park, the Papallacta area, or the Otavalo region, with both cross-country and downhill routes available. Being at altitude some trips can be hard work, but a reasonable level of fitness is generally all that’s required. The better operators will be able to provide helmets. For general information on cycle touring. Bikers can choose from many different routes in any of Ecuador’s stunning regions. Go mountain biking with a guide in the Andes or take a scenic route through Baños or the Galapagos.

 

Mountain Biking, Galapagos

Kayaking on the Mainland Rivers or in the Galapagos

Kayaking can be done both on mainland Ecuador and in the Galapagos. The most popular places on the mainland are Cofanes, Aguarico, and Chingual rivers. Whereas in the Galapagos, you can kayak during your Galapagos cruise or on an island-hopping tour in Santa Cruz, San Cristobal, or Isabela.

 

Kayaking off The Galapagos

Snorkeling to Discover Exotic Marine Species

If you are visiting the Galapagos, snorkeling is one of the main activities during your Galapagos cruise or tour. On mainland Ecuador, you can snorkel at Los Frailes or Isla de la Plata, Puerto Cayo Beach, and the Machalilla National Park.

 

Snorkeling with Mantas

Birdwatching

With roughly as many species as North America and Europe combined crammed into a country smaller than Nevada, Ecuador arguably has the best birding in the world. There are hundreds of endemic species, and even some recent discoveries, such as the Jocotoco Antpitta found near Vilcabamba in 1997. The greatest diversity is in the transition zone habitats and montane forests, most famously on the western flank of the Andes, which forms part of the Chocó bioregion. The village of Mindo, west of Quito, is internationally recognized as an Important Bird Area, and there are several fine private reserves in the northwestern forests renowned for their birdlife.

 

Birdwatching in Mindo

 

Diving in Paradise

In the Galapagos, there are many diving tours from Santa Cruz Island either for beginners or experienced divers. Or liveaboards that take you to the best places to dive in the Islands, like Wolf Island or Gordon Rocks.

 

Diving off Wolf Island

 

Contact us here if you want to book a trip to Ecuador or The Galapagos Islands.