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Wednesday, 02 December 2009 12:05 |
Culture| |  | Cultures of the Coast | The oldest Ecuadorian cultures are located on the coast. Many of these have already disappeared, and the ones that still exist live in a constant struggle to continue practicing their beliefs. They have a deep and stretch relationship with nature, a connection that now a days is vanishing from a lot of peoples’ minds. | |
|  | Ecuador Cultures of the Highlands | | The indigenous cultures of the highland are the best known Ecuadorian cultures, especially because of the location and the easy access. Eventhough they are deeply influenced by other Ecuador cultures, it is still possible to see them with their typical costumes, continuing with their traditions and festivities, and speaking their mother language, Quichua. They are proud of their art, and you will discover their union and the value of communitarian work in these impressive Ecuadorian cultures. | | |  | Ecuador Cultures of the Amazon Region | | Probably some of the most interesting Ecuador cultures are located in the Amazon Region. They are more pure and untouched because of the location and lack of access possibilities combined with the dense rainforest. These groups maintain their belief, assuring that the human being is a part of nature, and not the center of it. In Ecuadorian cultures, specially in the tropical rainforest, everything is possible, plants have power, and even rocks have a spirit, myths and legends are all around and respect for the environment and other people is what really matters. |           | Galapagos Islands (Galapagos)
Nature at its purest
Galapagos is one of the most important national parks in the world. It has 13 main islands and
dozens of islets and minor volcanic islands. This archipelago, 97% of which is protected by the
government, is located almost 620 miles from the Ecuadorian coast and is characterized by its
white-sand beaches, cactus forests, giant turtles, and colored birds – such as the blue-footed, redfooted
and masked boobies, flamingos, and penguins. The Islands are also home to finches, frigate
birds, albatrosses, and pelicans.
The islands are a living laboratory of animal species that do not exist anywhere else on the
planet. The capital of the Galapagos Islands, Puerto Baquerizo Moreno, is located on San
Cristóbal Island. Its attractions include El Junco Lake, León Dormido (Kicker Rock), Lobos
Island, and Cerro Tijeretas (Frigate Bird Hill).
On Santa Cruz Island, the Charles Darwin Research Station has been working on various
conservation projects for several decades. There, you can see the ancient giant Galapagos tortoises,
which live for an average of 150 years. Floreana, Genovesa, Santiago, Española, Seymour Norte,
Plazas, Santa Fé, and Isabela islands are all home to a large range of endemic species that live in
this paradise.
The marine reserve, which like the archipelago was declared a UNESCO World Natural
Heritage Site, features on the list of the seven best places in the world to snorkel and scuba dive.
During such trips, visitors can swim with whales, rays, manta rays, swordfish, marine turtles, sea
lions, hammerhead sharks, whale sharks, and other impressive species. | Pacific Coast (Costa)
Where the green beaches meet the sea
Beautiful beaches are found from north to south on the Ecuadorian Pacific coast. Alongside ports,
fishing villages, and modern cities, dense protected forests grow with their gigantic and moist terracotta
roots. The tallest mangroves in the world (64 meters / 194 feet) are found in the Majagual
forest in the Cayapas-Mataje Ecological Reserve. In Machalilla National Park, the sea, virgin
beaches, and forests combine with the history of pre-Incan cultures. The waters around Isla de la
Plata are a paradise of multicolored fish and the island’s fauna is similar to that found on the
Galapagos Islands. From Puerto López, you can see the humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae)
that arrive from the Antarctic waters to mate between June and October of each year. The
 biggest refuge for marine birds in Ecuador is Santa Clara Island off the southern coast.
Enjoy the sea breeze as you travel along the Ruta del Sol (Route of the Sun), which takes in
deserted beaches, picturesque fishing villages, and beautiful and modern beaches, such as Salinas
and the impressive fishing and tourist port of Manta. Bahía de Caráquez, a beautiful eco-city on
the Pacific coast, is the departure point for visiting tropical dry forests and archaeological sites.
In Esmeraldas, lush tropical landscapes combine with long beaches. In Atacames, tourism
blends with the happiness and hospitability of the Ecuadorian people. | Andes
Avenue of the volcanoes
In the mythical Andes mountains, there are volcanoes that are more than 16,400 feet/5,000 meters high
and are permanently covered with snow and glaciers dating back to ancient times. The tallest active volcano
in the world, Cotopaxi (19,350 feet/5,897 meters above sea level), is the perfect setting for charming villages
and fertile valleys. Chimborazo (20,702 feet/6,310 meters above sea level) has five summits on flanks
of rocks and an extensive Andean plateau. Cayambe (18,996 feet/5,790 meters above sea level) is the only
snow-capped mountain in the world that is located at zero latitude. Iliniza Norte (North) (16,784
feet/5,116 meters above sea level) and Iliniza Sur (South) (17,267 feet/5,305 meters above sea level) are
considered by the indigenous people to be a couple: male mountain and female mountain. The impressive
Antisana (18,713 feet/5,704 meters above sea level) has two cones joined together by a shallow ridge.
In the north, extensive forests of Polylepis, the original trees of the area, are found next to flat plateaus
of frailejones in “El Angel” Reserve. Meanwhile, in the northwest, in the Mindo-Nambillo protective forest,
you will find the most important bird reserve in the world. Here, you can see hummingbirds, parrots,
horneros (ovenbirds), sparrowhawks, and cock of the rocks, to name but a few. In the Andes, in the south
of the country, 18 miles from Cuenca, el Cajas National Park is spread out over a protected area of more
than 28,000 hectares (69,189 acres) and contains some 232 glacial lakes.
Throughout the Andes mountain range, you will find impressive plateaus, lakes, rivers, waterfalls,
hot springs, cloud forests, valleys, indigenous markets and picturesque villages, and historical and modern
colonial cities.
In addition to this enchanting panorama, a number of haciendas dating back to colonial times can be
found along the “Avenue of the Volcanoes”.
  | Amazon Rainforest (Amazonía)
From the Andean peaks to the Amazon Rainforest
Visitors will find that Ecuador offers the easiest access to the Amazon. In just a few hours, visitors
can travel from the Andean peaks to the jungle. Volcanoes such as El Sangay and El Altar,
with their numerous and sharp peaks, can be seen from the exuberant and dense vegetation of the
Amazon. Reserves and national parks are home to hundreds of bird and fish species. They are also
home to tapirs, anacondas, boa constrictors, turtles, lizards, armadillos, bears, monkeys, giant
rodents and infinite bird species. Ecuador is home to the largest diversity of animals and plants
per square kilometer in the world, and it is third in the world for its variety of amphibians, and
fifth for butterflies.
Tropical rainforests and immense lakes make up the Reserva de Producción Faunística
Cuyabeno (Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve), a unique place that is home to reptiles and pink dolphins
alike. In the Reserva Biológica Limoncocha (Limoncocha Biological Reserve) you will find
Limoncocha Lake, famous for being home to the black caiman. Another natural beauty is
Sumaco-Napo Galeras National Park, which, along with the Yasuní National Park, has been
declared a Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO. There, visitors walk along a path that passes through
six altitudinal ranges until reaching the Sumaco Volcano.
The hot springs of Papallacta, surrounded by the Andes mountains, possess legendary curative
powers. The Ecuadorian jungle, with its numerous medicinal plants, has served as a “natural
pharmacy” for indigenous communities for centuries. The local indigenous communities have
proudly retained their social practices and ancestor’s beliefs, traditions, and customs.
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Last Updated on Wednesday, 16 December 2009 12:31 |
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