Ecuador - as the name implies - lies draped across the equator in the northwestern corner of South America. It shares a border with Peru to the south and east, and is bounded by Colombia to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the west. Ecuador contains within its borders an improbable variety of landscape and culture. For the mountaineer, it is bisected by an epic stretch of the northern Andes. For the jungle explorer, there is a biological mother lode within the Amazonian Oriente. The sea-minded are rewarded with miles of Pacific coastline, to say nothing of the living wonders of the Galapagos Islands.
The country is also home to some of the world's most extraordinary national parks. In a matter of two hundred miles, the traveler can penetrate all of the mainland's defining regions. For simplicity, Ecuador can be divided into four regions: the western coastal lowlands, the central Andean highlands, the eastern jungles of the Amazon Basin and - some 620 miles west of the mainland - the Galápagos Islands.
The western lowlands - once thick with forests - are today blanketed by banana, palm and cacao farms and have little to interest most travelers. The Andean highlands - the country's backbone - are composed of two volcanic ranges separated by a central valley in which the bulk of the population lives. The highlands also contain the nation's highest mountain, Chimborazo, whose 6310m (20,700ft) peak stands out - thanks to Earth's equatorial bulge - as the farthest point from the center of the planet. Quito, the national capital, sits centered at the northern end of the country in an Andean valley only 22km (14mi) south of the equator. Guayaquil, Ecuador's other main city, basks on the sweltering southern coast just north of the Peruvian border.
Ecuador Multi-Sport Photo Gallery
Find out what past participants have said about this trip on the ROAM blog.
Ecuador Multi-Sport Adventure Travel Planner
(Requires Adobe Acrobat)
Weather & When to Visit Ecuador?
Always warm, Ecuador's can be visited year round. There’s no real summer or winter in Ecuador. Embracing the Pacific, Ecuador’s seasons are defined more by rainfall than temperature. The warm season lasts from January to April, and May through December is characterized by a slighty cooler, drier period. The mountain biking, hiking and horseback riding is good at any time while the Amazon Basin is best for rafting between October and February while the waters are lowest.
Wildlife
With its relatively small territory, Ecuador holds more than 11% of the land vertebrates in the world. Thanks to its agreeable climate and patchwork of habitats (alpine grasslands, coastal swamps, tropical rainforest), Ecuador is one of the most species-rich nations on earth. Dubbed by ecologists a 'megadiversity hotspot,' it boasts 300 species of mammal alone, including monkeys, sloths, llamas, alpacas and the rare spectacle bear.
Birdwatchers come from all over to gawk at the famous Andean condor, but there are plenty of other species. Holding less than .02% of the world’s land mass, Ecuador holds about 10% of all the bird species found on the planet. Falcons, hawks, parrots, toucans, parakeets, hummingbirds and cuckoos are just o a few of the 1600 sepecies found here.
Human History
Ecuador's culture and history mirrors the diversity of its landscape. Like much of South America, Ecuadorian culture blends the influences of Spanish colonialism with the resilient traditions of pre-Columbian peoples. Archaeologists trace the first inhabitants as far back as 10,000 BC, but by 3,200 BC three distinct agricultural-based civilizations had emerged, producing some of the hemisphere's oldest known pottery. Soon trade routes developed with nearby Peru, Brazil, and Amazonian tribes. Culture continued to thrive and diversify, and by 500 BC large cities had been established along the coast. In 1460 AD, when the Inca ruler Tupac-Yupanqui invaded from the south. Remarkably, the Canari, Quitu, and Caras were able to hold back Tupac-Yupanqui, though they proved less successful against his son, Huayna Capac. After conquering Ecuador, Huayna Capac indoctrinated the tribes to Quechua, the language of the Incas, which is still widely spoken in Ecuador.
In celebration of his victory, Huayna Capac ordered a great city to be built at Tomebamba, near Cuenca. Its size and influence rivaled the capital of Cuzco in Peru--a rivalry that would mature with posterity. When he died in 1526, Huayna Capac divided the empire between his two sons, Atahualpa and Huascar. Atahualpa ruled the northern reaches from Tombebamba, while Huascar held court over the south from Cuzco. The split inheritance was an unconventional and fateful move, as the first Spaniards arrived in the same year. On the eve of Pizarro's expedition into the empire, the brothers entered into a civil war for complete control.
Francisco Pizarro landed in Ecuador in 1532, accompanied with armed men and an equally strong lust for gold. Several years earlier, Pizarro had made a peaceful visit to the coast, where he heard rumors of inland cities of incredible wealth. This time, he intended to conquer the Incas just as Hernando Cortez had crushed Mexico's Aztecs--and he couldn't have picked a better time. Atahualpa had only recently won the war against his brother when Pizarro arrived, and the empire was still unstable. Pizarro ambushed the ruler, forced him to collect an enormous ransom, and then executed him. Although the Incas mounted considerable resistance to Pizarro, they were soon broken.
Spanish governors ruled Ecuador for nearly 300 years, first from Lima, Peru, then later from the viceroyalty of Colombia. The Spanish introduced Roman Catholicism, colonial architecture, and today's national language. Independence was won in 1822, when the famed South American liberator Simon Bolivar defeated a Spanish army at the Battle of Pichincha. Bolivar united Ecuador with Colombia and Venezuela, forming the state of Gran Colombia. His plan was to eventually unite all of South America as a constitutional republic, and one can only wonder what such a nation would have been like if his dream had been realized. After eight years, however, local interests sparked Ecuador to secede from the union. Colombia and Venezuela soon split.
Today most of the population live in the highlands. Over half of the people are mestizo, and a quarter are indigenous. Spanish is the official language, but many natives speak Quechua or Jarvo. European-descended residents, who account for about 10% of the population, are mostly landholders and play a dominant role in Equador's unstable political life. Some 10% of the country's inhabitants are of African descent. Roman Catholicism is the main religion, although there is no established church.
Why Go with ROAM?
Our Ecuadorian team could not be better as we utliize long-time guides and colleagues Alfredo Meneses, his brother Marcelo and ROAM guide, Felipe Meneses. Alfredo was the first Ecuadorian river guide and helped us develop a unique program utilizing ideally situated accommodations, incredible daily excursions and the best culture the country has to offer. Marcelo is a computer expert who used to work in the space industry and keeps a close eye on our logistics. Both are U.S. born citizens but grew up in Ecuador and know it well. Felipe Meneses, has guided with ROAM in Canada and studied biotechnology in addition to leading explorations throughout Ecuador. Together, they host the country’s largest adventure race and have a base in Quito where ROAM operates from during the winter months.
Our Ecuadorian guides spend 8 weeks a year training with ROAM on our northern waters and have experience running multi-sport trips in North America. This combined with local knowledge and a little Latino machismo, makes for a unique but well organized experience at the equator.
Back to top
