A day's journey from the capitol of Quito can transport you to the bromeliad-laden cloudforests on the tumbling slopes of the Andes; to the mangrove forests and sandy beaches of the emerald coast; or to the Amazon basin, with its intricate latticework of rivers, lagoons, myths and magic.

Dividing it all is the Avenue of the Volcanoes, the central valley, where over half of Ecuador's 11 million inhabitants till the rich soils as their ancestors have for centuries. One thousand miles off the Ecuadorian coast - but still only a day's journey away - are the Galapagos Islands. These otherworldly islands are undoubtedly one of the most fantastical archipelagos on our planet: simultaneously a modern-day Garden of Eden and a living laboratory of evolution.

The same day of travel from Quito can also bring you into the homes and lives of any one (or more) of Ecuador's 13+ distinct cultures. In the Andes are the highland Quichua, Otavalenos, Salasacas, and Saraguros, all modern-day couriers of the ancient tongue of the Incas. On the coast are Afro-Ecuadorians, famous for their marimba music and dance festivals, in addition to the indigenous Awa, Cayapas and Colorados. In the Amazon basin, shamanistic traditions still thrive within the rainforest worlds of the Huaorani, Zaparo, Cofan, lowland Quichua, Siona, Secoya, Shuar and Achuar, despite increasing pressures from the industrialized world. Rambling old haciendas, chicken-potato-pig-packed markets, Amazonian frontier towns, Pacific fishing villages, and colonial cities provide the stage on which Ecuador's cultures intermingle -- each striving to maintain its own identity and history, while also charting a meaningful path into the future.

Ecuador's cities and towns all retain a distinct local flavor. Otavalo is famous for it's warm, enterprising indigenous people. Cuenca is possibly the most beautiful of all Ecuadorian cities with its splendid colonial architecture. Banos, with its hot springs and agreeable climate has been a favorite vacation spot for centuries. And Quito, the country's political center, has developed into a cosmopolitan city amongst towering, snow-capped volcanoes and a traditional countryside. Adventure Tourism

Ecuador's spectacular diversity in landscapes is matched by its impressive array of playscapes for outdoor enthusiasts. Many of these adventures are just starting to become popular in Ecuador: whitewater rafting and kayaking (for its size Ecuador has more whitewater than any other nation), volcano climbing (over 10 peaks exceeding 5000m), highland trekking, mountain biking, rainforest expeditions, scuba diving, and horseback riding. You can even do many of these activities in a day trip from Quito. Nature Tourism For the nature enthusiast, the opportunities for wildlife viewing, bird watching (Ecuador has over 1500 species of birds), botanizing (an average lowland rainforest hectare can boast over 400 tree species), and photography are unrivaled. Climate Because Ecuador is smack-dab on the equator (hence the source of its name), this South American nation is an excellent travel destination year-round. Rather than rotating through four seasons, each region of Ecuador experiences oscillating wet and dry periods. (The rainforest not surprisingly has rainy and not-so-rainy seasons.)

Perhaps the best way to describe Ecuadorian weather is to say that there are often four mild seasons in each day. (See our Packing List for clothing suggestions). Getting Around As a newly discovered destination for the adventure traveler, much of Ecuador remains untamed and uncharted, yet it is relatively easy to travel from one locale to another. An extensive infrastructure is quickly being developed to accommodate the increasing demand by tourism. This makes Ecuador just as amenable to shoestring backpackers looking for serendipitous adventure as it does to luxury travelers of the Louis Vuitton tradition.