IMAGES: GETTY, AWL IMAGES


departures | dispatch


From left: Cactus trees, Galapagos Islands;


Marine Iguana; Tourist train; Riders in traditional ponchos; Seals on Galapagos Islands


RED TAPE


n FLIGHT TIME: Miami to Quito 4h 20m. n VISAS: None required for stays of up to 90 days. Passports must be valid for at least six months beyond travel dates. n JABS: Yellow fever vaccination and anti- malarial tablets recommended for visiting the Amazon, plus health insurance for all areas. n PITFALLS: There are a number of active volcanoes in the region. Visitors shouldn’t climb the Tungurahua, Reventador, Chiles and Cerro Negro volcanoes due to renewed activity. As a result of the spread of organized crime, visitors are advised not to travel along the border with Colombia in northern Ecuador. n WEATHER: There’s little seasonal variation, with warm spring-like weather and a sub- tropical climate in the Amazon. A year-round destination, January to May is the high season in the Galapagos, while there are cheaper deals to be had in the low season.


GIMME 5: MUST SEES


1. GALAPAGOS ISLANDS: Located 600 miles off the coast of Ecuador, the Galapagos are the jewel in the country’s crown. A true marvel of nature, the islands have a self-contained ecosystem providing a home to nearly 2,000 species of plants and animals that can’t be found anywhere else in the world. They inspired Charles Darwin’s groundbreaking theory of evolution.


2. QUITO: Straddling the equator, Quito was the first ever city to be declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the old town is the largest and best preserved in Latin America. Situated at an altitude of nearly 10,000 feet, Quito is the world’s second highest capital city and offers even loftier views from the cable car that runs to the summit of the Pichincha volcano.


3. AMAZON: Ecuador’s share of the Amazon rainforest, known as el Oriente, is a 30-minute flight from Quito, usually followed by a boat trip to reach one of the tourist lodges. Early morning and


114 | ASTAnetwork | fall 2015


evening safaris take tourists into the heart of the lush jungle that is home to 300 types of tropical birds and more than half of Ecuador’s mammal population.


4. COTOPAXI NATIONAL PARK: Showcasing the best of the Ecuadorian Andes, the park is located 50 miles outside Quito and offers a variety of sightseeing and active day trips. The perfectly symmetrical 19,347ft Cotopaxi volcano — the world’s highest active volcano — creates an awesome backdrop to the park’s treeless plateau and craggy, green countryside.


5. QUILOTOA LOOP: Winding through the volcanic hills and riverbeds in the Central Andes, the 124-mile Quilotoa Loop is an unforgettable journey through some of mainland Ecuador’s most breathtaking scenery. It takes around eight hours to complete by bus, but most visitors choose to break up the journey by traveling over a period of two or three days.


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