Ecuador Activities

Ecuador is a natural playground for kids if they enjoy the outdoors and meeting different cultures. Sites like the Galápagos Islands are always big hits for the tame wildlife, and snowcapped volcanoes rarely fail to impress. There are plenty of ethnic villages where local life is colourful and exotic, and even the large cities like Quito have parks and fun activities for children.

Hacienda La Alegría
To see how a traditional farm in Ecuador works, spend the day at this lovely old hacienda (ranch) where kids can watch and even help out with the daily chores of a farm. The horseback riding is excellent here, and it’s always fun to watch (or help) the cows being milked. Located in Aloag. Phone: +593 2 2462 319.

Quito’s Parks
Besides its historical highlights, Quito has some great parks where the kids can run around. La Amameda Park has a small lake where you can rent row boats and check out the oldest astronomical observatory in South America. Scenic La Carolina Park has a big lake with pedal boats, a science museum and lots of fields where local kids are always playing around. It’s a great place to meet some of the locals. Vulqano Park is where you can take the fun cable-car up the mountain or enjoy its modest amusement park.

Ecuadorian Amazon
An amazing feature of Ecuador is that on the eastern side of the Andes is the beginning of the Amazon rainforest. This special region known as El Oriente is packed with exotic wildlife, massive trees and dense jungle. Ecotourism treks can be nature-based or feature one of the 14 indigenous tribes which live in this remote area. Staying at a lodge run by native Indians can be a really rewarding cultural experience for the kids.

Galápagos Islands
One of the truly rare wildlife sites on earth is this group of volcanic islands where the wildlife doesn’t blink if a human strolls by. To protect the natural state of these islands, visitors stay on boats and visit individual islands with a guide. Cruises run from a few days to two weeks. They aren’t cheap but they are a unique experience well worth the cost.

Ecuador has one of the most diverse and interesting cultural scenes in South America, and thankfully much of it does not feel touristy. There are amazingly preserved Spanish colonial towns like Cuenca and Quito’s Old Town, an excellent Incan ruin at Ingapirca, and dozens of traditional ethnic villages with skilled craftsmen. Large cities like Guayaquil can show you how modern Ecuadorians get on with their lives, and the shopping options in this country are as varied as its population.

Guayaquil’s Malecón
The nexus of life in this major port city is the seaside promenade known as the Malecón. Although Guayaquil can feel a bit rough around the edges, hanging out along the Malecón gives you an excellent feel for how the locals relax. There are food stalls, souvenir stands and other fun and tacky diversions. At the northern end of the promenade sits the Museo Antropológico y de Arte Contemporáneo, the best museum in the city. Its collection of archaeological finds from around the country is well-complemented by its wonderful wing highlighting contemporary Ecuadorian art. Located in Guayaquil. Phone: +593 4 2327 402.

Museo del Banco Central
Cuenca’s best museum is a modern institution featuring some of the finest collections of relics from every era of this region’s history uncovered during archaeological digs. The religious art from the Spanish colonial era is also impressive, and to add to the excitement is a partially-excavated Incan ceremonial site next door. Large botanical gardens with llamas roaming freely are another highlight of this diverse and entertaining museum. Located in Cuenca. Phone: +593 7 2831 255.

Otavalo Market
Ecuador’s most famous market should not be missed if you are anywhere near the town of Otavalo. This is arguably the single best place in the country to shop for handicrafts, art, musical instruments and jewellery. Handmade Alpaca sweaters hang next to intricate wood carvings and other amazing buys.

Quito’s Churches
If you are a fan of classic churches and cathedrals you won’t want to miss touring these two masterpieces in Quito’s Old Town. The Church of San Francisco was Quito’s first church and is arguably its most impressive. Including the attached museum, monastery and awe-inspiring altar, the complete package of this colonial church is well worth a visit. La Compañía de Jesús is another must-see if simply to witness the amount of gold covering this ornate baroque masterpiece from the 17^th century. The craftsmanship of the details is among the finest in the world.

Quito’s Museums
Quito was rebuilt by the Spaniards in 1534 and contains some of Ecuador’s best museums. To get your history straight, head to the Museo Nacional del Banco Central del Ecuador, the nation’s largest and best cultural museum. From the pre-Columbian era through the Inca period and Spanish colonial times, the displays of relics, artwork and educational exhibits are excellent. There is also a beautiful section dedicated to Ecuador’s finest modern artists. Next head to the Museo Arqueological in El Ejido Park. This amazing little museum has a fascinating collection of masks, jewellery, human figurines and brilliantly painted ceramics in perfect condition dating back nearly 4,000 years.

Quito’s Natural History Museum is the best place to learn about the myriad flora and fauna that exist in this diverse country. The Museo de la Ciudad provides a keen insight into the particular history of Quito itself, while the Fundación Guayasamin is an art museum dedicated to this country’s greatest modern artist. His murals, massive paintings and sculptures have had a huge impact on other Latin American artists and his collection is truly impressive.

Tigua
This Andean community is famous for its brightly colourful paintings depicting local mountain life. The paintings are created on sheepskin canvases and were originally used on drums. Tigua is also known for its beautiful traditional masks. There are several shops where you can pick up some amazing buys and see the artists at work.

The cuisine of Ecuador relies heavily on the staples of rice, beans and potatoes. Each region has its own variation on the core ingredients so visitors won’t have to endure an exclusively carbohydrate-based diet during their travels through Ecuador. The coastal areas have plenty of fresh seafood, while the rainforests and fertile lowlands produce large quantities of vegetables and fruits. Only high in the Andes will visitors find the least selection of food due to the arid land and remote location. But in all the main cities and tourist areas there are a handful of restaurants featuring continental cuisine in case you miss your own home cooking.

Among the specialties of Ecuador, soup stands out as a major player. It is served with virtually every lunch and dinner in a variety of forms. From the thick stews known as menestra to the tasty cheese and potato delight called locro there is always a soup on the menu to choose from. There are some amazing snacks in Ecuador as well. Tamales, empanadas, humitas and llapingachos are all incredibly addictive and found everywhere you go.

To balance the ubiquitous potato, rice and beans, meat is often part of the meal. Pork and chicken are the most common meats eaten, but not the most unusual. An Ecuadorian specialty you may want to try is roasted guinea pig, known as cuy. The seafood along the coast is also very good. The fish, lobster and shrimp are excellent, often served raw as ceviche (a specialty of the coast). Don’t miss out on the bollos de pescado, fish and crushed peanuts steamed in banana leaves.

You’ll find potato everywhere you go, as there are more than 200 varieties grown in the country. Delicious tropical fruit is also readily available all over the country, and there are some interesting drinks worth trying. The fermented corn drink called chicha is a local favourite found throughout the Andes and Amazon regions. Pisco and canelazo are the other major alcoholic beverages worth sampling. Most restaurants will add a 10 per cent service charge to your bill so tipping is not necessary.

Even more than its food, visitors will enjoy exploring the shopping possibilities throughout Ecuador. Its craftsmen and artists are famous in South America for their skill and creativity. Hand-woven clothes and blankets made from alpaca, vicuña and sheep wool are great buys in the Andes, while the tribal crafts from El Oriente include wonderful jewellery, basketry and woven bags. The jewellery made in Ecuador is also quite impressive, and you may be surprised to learn that the famous Panama hats originated here and are very popular for their high quality and style.

The main cities of Cuenca, Quito, Guayaquil and Gualaceo all have lively markets and plenty of shops catering to tourists. Some smaller towns such as Otavalo and San Antonio de Ibarra are almost entirely made up of skilled craftsmen. If shopping is on your agenda, make sure and visit these towns as this is where you’ll find the best experience. Special markets appear frequently to coincide with holidays and festivals, and there is often a weekend market in larger towns. Although you can bargain the prices in some small shops, haggling is not a normal part of Ecuadorian market culture.

With the alpine environment of the Andes mountains, a huge swath of Amazon rainforest and a long coastline visitors will find plenty of outdoor recreation in Ecuador. Action-packed sports like whitewater rafting are balanced by some of the best bird-watching on the planet. Nature is the main star of Ecuador’s outdoor scene, and for team sports it’s all about football (soccer).

Bird Watching
With more than 1,600 species of bird, Ecuador is one of the planet’s best countries for bird watching. Many are migratory, but the cloud forests of the Andes, the rainforests in El Oriente and the Galápagos Islands are packed with beautifully exotic and rare birds all year round.

Hiking
From alpine climbs in the Andes to trails through the Amazon rainforest, Ecuador offers some fantastic hiking. Most hikes are organised with a tour company as they often travel through challenging and unmarked terrain. But seasoned hikers can easily navigate the developed trails of Parque Nacional Cotopaxi, where the surreal high altitude Lake Limpiopungo awaits. The Parque Nacional Podocarpus is another popular hiking destination, as are walks on the well-marked Pasochoa Reserve outside of Quito.

Kayaking and Rafting
A lot of water rushes down from the Andes into Ecuador’s lowland and Amazon rivers, creating world-class conditions for kayaking and rafting at all levels. Fans of whitewater adventure should check out the class IV rapids of Río Quijos on the eastern flank of the Andes. The Río Napo’s 15-mile route passes through stunning rainforest, while the Río Upano flows by a few indigenous villages. The western slopes have plenty of rivers as well. The Río Toachi’s proximity to Quito and its wide range of conditions and water levels make it Ecuador’s most rafted river.

Scuba Diving
Though not known for its coral reefs, the diving off the Galápagos is teeming with marine life like sea turtles and manta rays. The waters are chilly, though, so try and dive between November and April when the water is calmest and warmest. Ecuador’s other main dive site is around Isla de la Plata.