Ecuador is a state on the Pacific coast of South America, located in the equatorial zone of the Andes. In addition to the mainland, this state owns the Galapagos Islands, lying 1,000 km west of the coast of the country. Exotic equatorial Ecuador can offer a holiday for every taste: there is a very rich "excursion", and luxurious beaches, and a fascinating variety of diving. A trip here is not a cheap pleasure, so the public is appropriate.
The capital is Quito. Also popular with tourists are the national parks of Ecuador and the city of Cuenca.
For a complete list of interesting cities to visit, visit the city page and the resorts of Ecuador.
Ecuador classic with a visit to the Galapagos Islands
Tours to Ecuador in combination with Latin American countries
Tours to Ecuador: rest at the best thermal resorts
Cruises on the Amazon, the Galapagos Islands, dive cruises
The whole of Ecuador - from 83 900 rubles / person + flight. Routes "Immersion in culture" and "Living nature" - for sophisticated tourists! Cruises to the Galapagossa and the Amazon for real adventurers. Russian speaking guides and spetstarif for the flight! All of Latin America!
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How to get
The most convenient variant of the flight is KLM flights with docking in Amsterdam. Its duration is about 17 hours (without taking into account the docking). In addition, Iberia and Lufthansa airlines fly to Ecuador with docking in Madrid and Frankfurt respectively. Local companies operate flights between the major cities of Ecuador, as well as the Galapagos Islands.
At departure, an airport charge of 25 USD is charged.
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Visa to Ecuador
Citizens of Russia and CIS countries do not need a visa to visit Ecuador for up to 90 days.
Customs
Import and export of local and foreign currency is not limited, the declaration is obligatory. The export of foreign currency is limited to the amount declared in the customs declaration upon arrival.
Persons over 18 years of age are allowed duty-free import of 300 cigarettes, 50 cigars or 200 g of tobacco, up to a liter of alcoholic beverages, perfumes and perfumery - within personal needs.
It is forbidden to import and export without special permission objects and things of historical, artistic or archaeological value, as well as gold items, antiques, black coral and its products, drugs and narcotic preparations, wild animals or their stuffed animals. For the importation of firearms, ammunition, fresh, canned or dried meat and its products, as well as fresh fruit and fruits, permission is required from the consulate or the Ministry of Agriculture of the country.
Removal of products made of wool and leather is permitted only if there is a receipt of the store where they were purchased.
Useful phone numbers are
Embassy of Ecuador in Moscow: Gorokhovsky per. 12, tel .: (495) 261-27-39; website
Embassy of Russia in Quito: Calle Reina Victoria, 462 y Roca. Apartado 17-01-9738; tel .: (2) 252-63-61, 252-63-75; website
Police: 101, fire service: 102, first aid: 131
Telephone codes of cities: Quito - 2, Guayaquil - 4, Galapagos Islands - 5.
Transport of Ecuador
The country is crossed by a network of highways, their quality can vary greatly depending on the region. From one major city to another one can be reached by bus. The roads are usually extremely beautiful, along the way there are kinds of snow-covered mountain peaks in the clouds - however, in some tourists such trips can cause altitude sickness. There are two types of buses: ordinary public buses and first class buses Ejecutivo (more expensive, more comfortable and safer).
The most common transportation in cities is a taxi. They are yellow, the number is written on the door. The price can either be agreed in advance before boarding, or without zatey pay on the counter (often so it turns out even cheaper). In the evening, the price doubles. Unlicensed taxis are not recommended.
Rent a car
Renting a car in Ecuador is not worth it. There are practically no traffic rules in the cities (that is, they are, of course, but nobody knows exactly, including road policemen), so it will be difficult and insecure for the foreigner to drive there.
The safety of tourists in Ecuador
Ecuador is considered one of the safest countries in South America, but tourists should not lose their vigilance..Fraud and theft are the main dangers .Especially it is necessary to beware of pickpockets, often hunters at the airport, in ports, railway stations and places of large congestion of people .You should not carry valuables, documents and large sums of money with you - it's better to set them aside in the hotel safe..But copies of all important documents (passports, tickets, credit cards) are always recommended to carry with you .It is necessary to avoid visiting isolated areas, including remote areas of large cities, after darkness .
Before entering the country, no vaccinations are needed. But if you are planning trips to the jungles of the Amazon, vaccination against yellow fever is recommended.
Water from the tap is unsuitable for drinking, you should drink only bottled water and pasteurized milk, do not buy food on the streets and in cheap establishments. Vegetables, meat and fish must be adequately heat treated before consumption, and fruits are thoroughly washed and cleaned.
Many ocean coasts of the country are unsafe for bathing. In the Galapagos Islands, the coast is rocky and heavily indented, there are often strong waves and unpredictable currents on the Pacific coast.
The climate of Ecuador is
In mountainous terrain, the climate is favorable all year round - around +23 ° C, but there are sharp differences between night and day temperatures. From December to April, a little cooler, and in the second half of the day, rains are possible.
The coast is more characterized by a pronounced tropical climate with an average annual temperature of +28 ° C. The rainy season in these areas is from December to May, but it is he who is the most favorable period to visit. It's too hot during the dry season (June to November).
In the jungle area of the Amazon basin it is always hot, humid and rainy. The dry (conditionally) season is the period from January to April, and the rainy season is from May to January. The average annual air temperature in these areas is +28 ° C.
Actual information: weather forecast for the main Ecuadorian resorts for the coming days.
Hotels in Ecuador
In Quito and Guayaquil, hotels of all categories are represented, including famous world chains. One of the most luxurious hotels in Quito - Swissotel Quito, there are five high-end restaurants in it.
Hotels in the Galapagos are of a lower category and, as a rule, are not distinguished by first-class cuisine with an abundance of seafood. The best option for a visit to the Galapagos is cruises on yachts that cruise between the islands of the archipelago. This is much more interesting, and the service on yachts of the first class is much better.
In the Amazon regions, accommodation in ecological lodges equipped with the necessary minimum for more or less comfortable living is offered.
110 V, 60 Hz. Sockets have two flat pins (American standard), so you need an adapter.
Book hotel in Ecuador at the best price, $
Banks, exchange offices and tips
Banks are open from Monday to Friday from 9:00 to 13:30 and from 14:30 to 18:30. Some banks are open on Saturdays in the morning. Currency can be exchanged in exchange offices, airports or banks. The most profitable course is offered by exchange offices Casas de cambio. In them, in addition to currency, you can exchange traveler's checks (most often only checks in US dollars are accepted). When exchanging a commission is charged from 1 to 4%.
In large shops and hotels credit cards of the world's leading payment systems are accepted for payment, often for their maintenance an additional tax of 6-8% is charged. In big cities, ATMs are ubiquitous, but in the provinces they can only be found in bank offices.
As in other countries of the world, it is customary in Ecuador's restaurants to leave "on tea" 10% of the order amount if the service surcharge is not included in the bill.
As a thanks the tourist can leave the guide 2-3 USD per day, accompanying in the Galapagos Islands - 5 USD per day, the team on the cruise ship - 10 USD per day.
Ecuador's beaches
Most of the beaches are located in the Atacamés, San Vicente, Bahía de Caraquez, Bahia de Manta, Salinas and Playas areas, where the main water sports are concentrated.
Shopping and shopping
Most of the shops are open from Monday to Saturday from 9:00 to 19:00, small shops are open until 22:00 and on weekends. In rural areas, the working day often starts earlier - around 8:00, and shops are closed for lunch from 12: 00-13: 00 to 14: 00-15: 00. During religious holidays and festivals, shops are most often closed.
In the markets it is customary to bargain, but in stores it is useless, but there is a system of discounts that is common in many establishments in tourist areas.
The Indians otvalo can buy carpets, skins, leather goods, original national clothes, magnificent ceramics, exquisite silver jewelry, handmade woolen products, colorful tapestries and a variety of hand-made articles of wood.
| Inhabitant of the Galapagos Islands |
| Basilica in Quito |
| Beautiful Galapagos |
Ecuador's cuisine and restaurants
In Ecuadorian cuisine, "steer" fish, seafood, yucca root and coconuts. Tourists should definitely try a meat pie from yucca, fried squid, soup with prawns and fish, "lokro" - soup of avocado, cheese and potatoes, "agucate" - pork with potatoes and cheese in peanut sauce. In Guayaquil, the "fanesque" is popular - vegetable soup with salted cod. From snacks you can distinguish "empanadas" - hot crispy cookies with meat or cheese filling and "lapingachos" - potato or cheese pies.
The jungle supplies a lot of fruit to the Ecuadorians' table, including exotic fruits such as chirimoya (taste like a custard), mums with a meat-like core, or a striped cucumber like peanuts. Fruit juices here drink freshly mixed or mixed with water or milk. Only in Ecuador can you try the "naranilia" juice, which is something between citrus and peach.
The most popular brands of local beer - "Pilsner", "Club" and "Bjela" .Local alcoholic beverages include the famous "pisco" or more democratic "canelaso" ("kanelito") from sugar cane, lemon, sugar and cinnamon..Also in many establishments, especially in the Sierra, you can find an unusual alcoholic drink "chicha", which is a specially fermented yucca infusion, and also "aguardiente", reminiscent of a very strong rum .Often it is mixed with fruit juices, sugar, cinnamon and hot water, getting a warming drink, popular in high-mountainous areas .
Entertainment, Excursions and Landmarks in Ecuador
Ecuador's attractions are colonial, natural and ethnographic.
Guayaquil is the capital of the province of Guayas, one of the largest and most populous cities in Ecuador..It is a modern city, but it retains a small colonial part of old Guayaquil - the area of Las Peñas with wooden buildings and narrow paved streets .The most famous sights are the Centenario Square, the cathedral, the Centro de Artes Theater, the Cerro Blanco Natural Park .In addition, it will be interesting to visit the Anthropological Museum, Nakhim Issias Museum, the Municipal Museum .To the sights of the city can be attributed and recently completed embankment with magnificent parks, shopping and entertainment centers, small cozy restaurants .Next to Guayaquil there are Botanical Gardens, which represent about 350 plant species, 73 bird species and 60 butterfly species .Also in the vicinity of the city are the ruins of ancient settlements of Indians Valdivia, Machalilla, Chorrera, Guangala and Mantegna .
- Visit the Sunday art market in El Ejido Park in Quito.
- Look into the cultural and entertainment complex of Ciudad Mitad del Mundo ("Mid-World"), which is located 15 minutes north of Quito.
- Ride by Ibarro-San Lorenzo in an unusual train on the chassis.
- Recruit local products and exotic products in the world-famous Saturday market in Otavalo's De Ponchos square.
- Scuba dive in the area of La Corona del Diablo, which is in the Galapagos.
- Observe whales in the dilapidated port of Puerto Lopez (better - from June to September).
- In the last decade of September, look at the annual World Banana Fair in the "Banana Capital of the World" Machalu.
Salinas - one of the best beach resorts in Ecuador, located on the Pacific coast, at 2.55 hours from Guayaquil (144 km) .The most favorable time for rest at the resort is from January to April: at this time there is installed solar and dry weather .The main beach of Salinas is pleased with the developed infrastructure: almost all water sports are presented here .This beach is gradually moving to Chipipe beach, already located in the residential and commercial zone of the city .There are stronger waves suitable for bodybuilding, there is also a yacht club .In the vicinity of Salinas, various ecological excursions are conducted: on cocoa plantations, on local hacienda, on thermal mud baths (the baths of San Vicente are located 25 minutes from the resort) .
Otavalo or "city of weavers" is a small town located between Quito and the border with Colombia. It is there that the most famous and rich Indian market of woolen goods and souvenirs is in Ecuador. Local residents inherited from the Indians a secrets of making fabrics with the use of dyes, allowing to achieve any shade of color. On the way to Otavalo, tourists often visit the town of Calderon, famous for unique figures made from bread dough, as well as Kayambe, where delicious biscuits are cooked.
Ecuador is a suitable place for fans of active sports. There are all conditions for mountaineering and hiking, kayaking and diving, surfing and paragliding. For fans of exotic adventures along the tributaries of the Amazon, tours are organized to the heart of the village on traditional boats and on boats.
Climbing and trekking
The most popular places for difficult ascents are located in the national park of Cotopaxi (Cotopaxi volcano, 5897 m) and on the volcano Chimborazo (6310 m). A lot of slopes for simpler routes are in Banos. There are excellent hiking trails in the Las Cajas Reserve. And travel to the jungle, which has always been the most extreme adventure, usually starts from Misahuali, Coca, Banos, Dureno, Tena and Quito.
Events in Ecuador
The main holiday of the country is Ecuador's Independence Day, which is celebrated throughout the country. Each city celebrates its own Independence Day: Quito - December 6, Guayaquil - October 9, Cuenca - April 11, etc. In addition, many cities celebrate the city's day, for example, the Day of the founding of Quito in December is a great national holiday with festivals, fairs and bullfights.
In September, the Yamor festival in Otavalo, the bullfights in Sangolki, the festival in honor of the Virgin of Mercat in Latakunga and Quito, the Fiesta de la Mama Negra (the festival of the "Black Mother", the patroness of the region), and the Lakes Festival in Ibarra, accompanied by car races in the lagoon of Yahuarcoch, beauty contests and numerous fairs.
In January, in the central part of the Sierra and on the coast, the New Year and Epiphany celebrate noisily and colorfully. February was marked by the Day of the Amazon and the Galápagos, the Festival of Fruits and Flowers, the National Day of Unity, and the Water Carnival (late February-early March). In March, the Peaches Festival in Gualaseo, the Festival of Fruits in Saraguro and the theatrical performance "The Road to Golgotha" in Atuntaki are held. In April, the Folk Festival in Riobamba and the Latin American Handicraft Fair in Ibarra. Photo of Ecuador (48)