Ecuador holidays

Colonial Quito Excursion - What To Expect

I was lucky enough to do the Colonial Quito excursion twice during my six months living in the Ecuadorian capital – once on my first day and then a few months later when my family came to visit. Having spent a lot of my weekends wandering around and getting to know the ins and outs of the historic centre, I can safely say that this excursion encompasses all the best bits and is a great starting point for a first visit to Quito.

Feeling slightly jetlagged and somewhat apprehensive about what the next six months in this strange new city would bring, I was more than happy to spend my first day in the safe hands of a tour guide. I was picked up promptly at 8:30am, ready to begin the tour at 9am. Here are a few of the highlights...

An animal checklist for the Amazon Rainforest

The Amazon Rainforest is humming with life, from the large mammal species all the way down to the tiny frogs and insects. This is of course why so many travellers venture into the humid depths of the jungle. If you have a trip planned, these are some of the animals you might encounter while you're there.

Latin America steals hearts. Here's Why.

If you are considering a visit to Latin America for the first time, you might not be fully aware of just what makes this region so wonderful. Numerous travel companies exist purely to show the world Latin America, so it must have something worth writing home about, right?

Indeed. It’s tricky to sum up an entire continent in a couple of points, particularly when that continent is as diverse as South America. However, there are certain threads which run the length and breadth of the region.

5 Amazing Places to Visit on Mainland Ecuador

Ecuador is world famous for the Galapagos Islands – an archipelago which more-than-deserves its reputation. Not only is the wildlife there abundant and easy to spot, but Charles Darwin’s Theory of Evolution was formed here, and to this day the islands are an important destination for scientists.

However, while Galapagos is undoubtedly special, there is more to Ecuador than these offshore islands.

Here are some of the features of mainland Ecuador which make it worth visiting.

9 Beautiful Landscape Shots of Latin America

Latin America is a beauty - culturally and landscape-wise. Our photo bank is brimming with images of the continent and now seems as good a time as any to showcase some of these photos. These photos reveal just how gorgeous Latin America's landscapes really are.

Frequently Asked Questions: What to Pack for the Amazon Jungle

The Amazon Jungle. Whether you visit it from Peru, Ecuador or Brazil, you will find that it is lush, and dense, and filled with lots of different plants and animals – the reason you are presumably visiting. You will also find that it can be very damp, if not outright wet, and brimming with insects. Make the most of your Amazon visit by being prepared.

Three Cultural Dining Experiences To Have in Quito, Ecuador

“Food is a central activity of mankind and one of the single most significant trademarks of a culture.” - Mark Kurlansky

A Glorious 24 hours at Hacienda Zuleta

Hacienda Zuleta is a stunning and luxurious farmstay in the Ecuadorian paramo of the Imbabura province, outside Quito. It is a very special destination, as Catherine, our marketing executive discovered recently.

All You Need is Ecuador

Catherine! Un gusto conocerte! This was a phrase I heard over and over again in Ecuador, always with the emphasis on gusto – it was a genuine pleasure to meet me. Contrary to how this might be construed, it says more about the Ecuadorian people than it does about my likeability as a person (although I am charming).

I crossed the border into Ecuador at 5am on a dark, but already warm and sticky morning. Going through immigration was a shock to the system, ejected from the dark morning into the harsh fluorescent lighting, to stand in line for a passport stamp while babies cried and a group of teenagers on a school trip shouted excitedly over one another. It was not a particularly pleasant experience, but it was soon forgotten. Back on the bus, I could not bring myself to doze, overcome as I was by the sensation of being in a new country.

Animal Magic – Discovering the Galapagos Islands

Llama Travel’s Travel Consultant Matt has travelled all over South America, from the dense jungles of the Peruvian Amazon rainforest to the colonial cities of Colombia, but for him, a certain volcanic archipelago in the Pacific Ocean will always be a particularly special place. Read on to see why Matt thinks that the Galapagos Islands are as extraordinary today as they were when Darwin first set foot on them almost 180 years ago.