| Lying
in the heart of the Ecuadorean Andes, surrounded by majestic
volcanoes, the historic centre of Quito, the nation's capital,
is a living museum of churches, monasteries & convents,
museums, cobbled streets and squares and mile upon mile of
historic houses - the very first 'Cultural World Heritage
Site' in the world as declared by UNESCO in 1978. |
www.quito.com.ec
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Quito
rooftops
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Quito
by night
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San
Francisco Monastery Quito
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Ecuador
contains everything a traveller could wish for in abundance -
much of which can be reached within a two and a half hour drive
from Quito.
On
the western slopes of the Andes, the cloud forest of the Mindo
is considered one of the best birding sites in South America where
some 430 species have been recorded.
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Mindo
rainforest
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Hummingbird
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Butterfly
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To
the north of Quito is 'Mitad del Mundo', the centre of
the world -
Latitude 0° 0' 0"; further north lies Otavalo, justly
famous for its Indian market.
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Spices
Otavalo Market
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Otavalo
Market
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Mitad
del Mundo
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To
the east on the 'Cinnamon Route' to the Amazon, situated
between the volcanoes of Cayambe (5790m) and Antisana (5752m)
lies the Antisana Ecological Reserve - one of the 10 most biodiverse
areas in the world - and Papallacta, with its relaxing natural
hot springs and thermal baths.
Travelling
south, on the 'Avenue of the Volcanoes', lies the beautifully
cone-shaped, snow-capped volcano Cotopaxi (5897m).
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Hacienda
San Agustin de Callo
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Cotapaxi
volcano
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Throughout
this region you will find ample opportunities for horse riding,
hiking, cycling, white-water rafting and much more, possibly overnighting
in charming Haciendas. The variety and quality of food available
is also a highlight of any visit.
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Mountain
biking Cotapaxi
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Horse
riding
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Hacienda
Hato Verde
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The
culture, scenery, cuisine and people of Ecuador will captivate
the heart. This combined with a diverse range of optional leisure
activities must surely tempt the traveller to linger longer amid
the beautiful valleys of the Andes, possibly combined with visits
to the beautiful wilderness of the Ecuadorean Amazon and/or the
magical Galapagos Islands, both of which can be reached in around
a half day by air, river and land (Amazon) and by air (Galapagos).
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Pujili
festival
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Blue
and yellow macaw
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Blue
footed booby
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Galapagos
tortoises
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For
detailed information on 'where to stay' and 'what to do' visit
Website: www.experiencequito.com
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