South & Central America Brochure

Ecuador &

Galapagos

GENOVESA

Colombia

GALAPAGOS

SANTIAGO

FERNANDINA

SANTA CRUZ BALTRA

QUITO

ISABELA

SANTA FE

SAN CRISTOBAL

COTOPAXI RIOBAMBA

FLOREANA

GUAYAQUIL

ESPANOLA

ECUADOR

Dense jungles. Charming cities. Rugged islands. Snow-capped mountains. Away-from-it-all beaches. Ecuador and the Galapagos are where natural beauty meets wild wonders. Say ‘hello’ to the best of both. C ompact compared to its neighbours, Ecuador is only a little bigger than the UK. Which means its biggest attractions are only

CUENCA

Peru

a few hours apart, often by road. Walk the cobbled streets and colonial plazas of Quito, or look across the colourful city on a cable car ride to the peak of Pichincha. See jaguars and capybaras in the Oriente rainforest from El Coca. Climb into the Andes and follow the Avenue of Volcanoes to the indigenous markets in Otavalo, the mountainside hiking trails around Quilotoa, or zip-lining, rafting and biking in the Pastaza Valley surrounding Baños. Once the adventures are done, relax in the bubbling thermal springs near UNESCO-listed Cuenca. Then, there’s the little matter of the Galapagos Islands. A short flight from Quito, this evolutionary archipelago was the birthplace of Darwin’s world changing theories and remains one of the most unspoiled and naturally diverse habitats on Earth. No large indigenous predators means the giant tortoises, marine iguanas, blue-footed boobies and many more creatures show little fear and are likely to be as curious about you as you are about them. Island-hopping sailing tours make exploring this wild region easy, while luxurious eco-hotels add extra comfort to every expedition.

Brazil

GALAPAGOS

QUITO

FLIGHT TIME 16 hours approximately. GMT -5 hours Ecuador, -6 hours Galapagos. CLIMATE Regions vary, but it’s generally warmer from January to June and drier from July to December. The Essentials