Ecuador comes to the fore Shining a light on this magical country

One of the smallest countries in South America is having something of a renaissance in 2008, with the New York Times declaring it one of the top 53 places to go to this year, and Condé Nast Traveller magazine dedicating a sizeable chunk of editorial to Ecuador in its December issue. So what is the appeal and why now?

Well, Ecuador may be small, but it makes up for its size in an awe-inspiring display of biodiversity, history and culture. In fact it has the largest biodiversity per area in the world with dense rainforest and a number of national parks, including the Galápagos Islands, 600 miles off the Pacific coast. The capital of Quito, perched 9,200 ft high in the Andes, has been reborn after a seven year, $200 million renovation project of its historic colonial centre, which was already considered to be ‘the best-preserved, least altered historic centre in Latin America,’ by UNESCO. Surrounded by snow-capped mountains, Ecuador’s capital has, as Condé Nast Traveller points out, enough attractions to keep visitors busy for days. But when you tire of the churches, museums and culture, a walk around the streets admiring the colourful attire and bustling lives of the indigenous people will give you a delightful sense of the unique character of the place.

In keeping with the vibrant character of this spectacular country, accommodation takes on a special hue. Of course, there are upscale hotel chains, but Ecuador is famous for its beautifully preserved haciendas which have been converted into luxury boltholes. At Aracari, we offer five of the best haciendas, each with its own unique style and offering. One hacienda is built on an Inca Temple and overlooks the snow-capped Cotopaxi volcano, another one is Moorish in inspiration. Some are working farms, others grand estates. A few of them have superb “Quiteno” style colonial art and furniture within their walls, others impressive European period pieces.

Once settled, you can explore the dramatic volcanic landscapes on horseback, by vehicle or a combination of the two – or travel a little further to explore the rainforest, known as the Oriente. We have selected luxury lodges, deep within pristine areas of the rainforest, which specifically follow ecological and community policies, and offer the greatest opportunities for you to see the largest variety of wildlife in its natural habitat.

In short, Ecuador has it all, wrapped in a strong sense of individual identity. It is an easy country to travel around and small enough to experience all of the different qualities that come together in this patchwork quilt of a country. To discover more about Ecuador, please contact your Aracari representative.

Related Post
Trip Report: Madidi National Park by Marisol Mosquera Madidi National Park I last travelled to Chalalan Lodge about 12 years ago when it had just opened as an initiative of the US-ba...
“World’s Top Travel Agents”: Aracari on Travel + Lei... It is with great pleasure that we can announce, Aracari founder and president Marisol Mosquera has been included on Travel + Leisure’s A-list of the W...
Top Peru Specialists: The Faces of Aracari As top Peru specialists, we have spent almost three decades honing our craft. Today, our luxury travel takes in some of the country’s most tremendous ...
The Spanish conquest of the Incas The key to Spanish success during the conquest of the Incas Just 169 soldiers accompanied Francisco Pizarro as he campaigned from northern Peru throu...
Nonstop flights from Lima to Cartagena – a perfect Aracari journ... Starting today, Wednesday, 29 April, LAN Peru is offering twice weekly flights between our home base (Lima, Peru) and the Colombian city of Cartagena ...
Why Every Photographer Should Visit Bolivia and Peru In Conversation with Max Milligan : A Preview Of His Bolivian and Peruvian Photo-Workshops With Aracari We recently had the pleasure of interviewin...