Adventure, Travel, Education, Photography, Architecture

E X P L O R E E C U A D O R

GEOGRAPHY OF ECUADOR Ecuador is a small but geographically diverse country. At about 256,370 square kilometers, it covers an area slightly larger than of Great Britain. The country is located on the Equatorial Line along the northwestern coast of South America and is bordered by Colombia to the north, Perú to the South and East and Pacific Ocean to the west. Ecuador offers 4 distinct regions: the Andean highlands (Sierra), the mysterious tropical jungle (Oriente), the broad coastal plains and the unique Galápagos Islands. CLIMATE Ecuador’s climate is so varied that it makes any time of the year the right time for a visit. In the highlands, the weather remains at a perfect, spring like climate year round. Every valley seems to have its own microclimate. In general, however, the average temperature in the Sierra rises to a dry 22º C / 72º F at midday to a cool 8º C /46º F in the early morning and evening. Generally, t he driest months in the Northern and Central Andes are from June to September. In the southern highlands, the driest months are from August to January. Rain tends to appear along the Pacific Coast, so although it may rain in northern Esmeraldas, so does near the Peruvian border. In spite of rainfall, the coast can be enjoyed year-round, with cooler temperatures more common from June to September. In the Oriente or the Amazon basin, heavy rain can fall at any time, but it usually wettest from April to September. The Galápagos and the coast are both hot (averages of 31º C / 88º F) from January to April, when heavy showers are likely. From May to September is the island´s cooler misty season. HIGH AND LOW SEASONS The great diversity of attractions and climates means that there are really no high and low seasons in Ecuador. Still, the high international tourist season is from June to early September, which is the best time for trekking, climbing, mountain biking and all adventure sports. There is also a shorter tourist season between December and January, when visitors must take care to book Galápagos tours well in advance. Ecuadorians take long weekends around Carnival, Easter weekend and over Christmas and New Year’s. School vacations in the highlands are from July to September and on the coast from January to March. Ecuador is not overcrowded at any time of the year. LANGUAGE The official languages of Ecuador are Spanish and Kichwa. English is spoken in the major visitor centers and European Languages may be spoken in some establishments catering to tourists in Quito and the more popular tourist destinations.