Things to Do in Ecuador

The Presidential Palace (in Spanish, Palacio de Carondelet) is located in Quito's Independence Square and is currently the seat of government of the Republic of Ecuador.

 

After the Battle of Pichincha in 1822, the palace became the headquarters of the south department of Gran Colombia, a name used today for a short-lived republic that encompassed much of northern South America and part of southern Central America. The palace was later refurbished in the 19th century by Barón Luis Hector de Carondelet, giving it its current name. 

The palace was built in the French Renaissance and Spanish Baroque architectural styles and is now open to tours. In 2007, Ecuador's president, Rafael Correa, converted part of the palace into a museum for the benefit of the people of Ecuador and visitors.

Highlights of the tour are portraits of past and present presidents of Ecuador, elegant colonial-style meeting rooms, inner courtyards and an area that displays gifts from other nations. Art and historic objects such as furniture are also on display. 

The president of Ecuador and his family reside on the third floor.

The extraordinary biodiversity of the Sangay National Park in the Andes mountains of Ecuador led to it being declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The park also has the natural beauty of three volcanoes, El Altar, Tungurahua and Sangay, the last two of which are active. In fact, the park is named after the Sangay volcano, which in the Quechua language means "to frighten."

Sangay National Park has a range in altitude, from 3,280 to 17,158 feet (1,000 to 5,230 meters), creating a variety of ecosystems that vary from tropical rainforests to glaciers, with perpetual snow on mountaintops.

The park boasts over 324 lakes, including the immense 3.1-mile-long (5-km-long) Pintada Lake. Vegetation varies from lichens and bryophytes in the high páramo zones to Royal Palms in the subtropical rainforest and includes such tropical plants as guayacum, bromeliads, chontaduro and orchids.

This is also the place for animal lovers "” puma, Andean fox, spectacled bear, ocelot, mountain tapir and giant otter are all found here. The park also delights birdwatchers with species such as condor, giant hummingbird and Andean cock-of-the-rock. 

It's possible to get around the park by hiking, biking or horseback riding.

This white sandy beach area is one of the most famous in the Galapagos, both for its beauty and for its wildlife. Sightings of marine iguanas, sea lions, crabs, birds and, of course, turtles are frequent. 

There are two main stretches of beach; the first is popular for surfing, though currents can be strong, while the second is more conducive to swimming and snorkeling. Colorful reef fish, rays and white tip reef shark have all been spotted here.

To get to Tortuga Bay, you must hike a stone and boardwalk path through trees and cacti, where you might spot some of the Galapagos’ famous birds, such as flamingos, finches, pelicans and the blue-footed booby. Whether you come for the sand or the wildlife, Tortuga Bay is one of the Galapagos’ best offerings for both.

El Altar Mountain, called Kapak Urku (meaning "sublime mountain" in the indigenous language), is an extinct volcano on the western side of the Sangay National Park, about 106 miles (170 km) south of Quito. It's part of what is sometimes called the "Top Ten" in Ecuador, the group of peaks over 16,000 feet (5,000 meters) tall.

Spaniards named it the Altar because they thought it looked like a group of nuns and friars gathered at a church altar. The names of the individual peaks are also inspired by the Catholic religion: Bishop, Nun, Tabernacle and the Three Monks. El Altar is made up of nine major peaks arranged in a horseshoe-shaped ridge around a crater at about 13,800 feet (4,200 meters).

El Altar is perhaps the most-demanding climb in Ecuador, and December through February is the best time to attempt an ascent. The hike to the lake within the caldera of the mountain is more accessible. 

For those who dare the climb, the views of Andean valleys, rain forests, active volcanoes, and hundreds of shimmering lakes all make the effort worth it. 

The Church of the Society of Jesus, (in Spanish, Iglesia de la Compañía de Jesús), often called la Compañía, is a Jesuit church in Quito and is one of the most significant works of Spanish Baroque architecture in South America. 

The company in question is the Jesuit order, a powerful religious group that exercised authority in Ecuador. The first Jesuit priests arrived in Quito in 1586 with the mission to establish a church, school and monastery.

Construction of this church began in 1605, though the building was not completed until 1765. It is considered Quito's most-ornate church is and often called the country's most-beautiful church. During the colonial period, the church's bell tower was the tallest structure in Quito, but it was destroyed by an earthquake in 1859. Rebuilt within six years, it was again destroyed shortly after by another earthquake and was never rebuilt. 

The 160-year construction period explains the difference in design between the Baroque facade and the Renaissance interior. The floor plan is in the shape of a Latin cross, and the architects incorporated elements of four architectural styles, Baroque being the most prominent. Moorish influence can be seen in the geometrical figures on the pillars in the nave, and there are neoclassical influences as well. 

The decoration includes gold-leaf work, gilded plaster and wood carvings. Design elements include a near-symmetrical facade, with 10 side altars and a gold-plated altar plated. Much of the artwork was done by artists of the Quito School.

Back in the early 20th century, in the heyday of trains and train travel, the railway connecting Guayaquil with Quito was one of the world’s best tracks. Aside from the fact it reduced the trip from nine days down to two, what made the line such global fame was the near vertical, harrowing ascent up the mountainous “Devil’s Nose.” Rising over 2,000 vertical feet in only 7 miles, the track was engineered in a way that the train goes forward—and then in reverse—as it climbs up the switchbacking track. The building process was laced with tragedy, from snakebites and floods to deaths, but finally the track in 1908 was complete between the two cities. By the late 1970s, however, road travel had made trains impractical and the tracks were in disrepair, until the government spruced up the Devil’s Nose and made it a high end draw. While it’s no longer possible to ride on the roof of the carriages like travelers of old, the views looking down in the valleys are just as spine-tingling and steep as before, and this marvel of modern engineering continues to thrive to this day.

Just a 40-mile (67-km) ride from Quito through the Amazon jungle lies the 625 acres (253 hectares) of the privately owned Termas de Papallacta Spa. 

This hotel spa and resort features thermal baths on the banks of the Papallacta River, which crosses the property. Situated in a unique environment between the Cayambe and Antiisana volcanos, the odorless thermal waters in the nine pools vary between 97 F (36 C) and 104 F (40 C), providing health benefits in a soothing environment.

Enjoy some pampering and relaxation in the hot-water thermal pools or the three cold-water pools. The spa also offers hydro massages using water jets or air bubbles, facials, reflexology and aromatherapy.

Take advantage of self-guided walks on the many nature paths, or opt for the orientation given by native guides. The abundance of animals and plants on the property includes 160 species of birds. This private nonprofit organization has a research and interpretation center that has audiovisual information on locally found species. The resort restaurant has a diverse menu of national and international cuisine. Local fresh trout is the specialty, and many ingredients are picked from the organic vegetable garden on-site. 

Ringed by mountains, Quito has no shortage of viewpoints, but the ultimate view of the Ecuadorian capital has to be from the peak of the Pichincha Volcano, reached by the Teleferico Quito. Opened in 2005, the gondola lift runs up the east side of the still-active volcano, reaching a height of 3,945 meters, which makes it South America’s highest aerial lift. The dramatic ascent, which takes around 10 minutes, offers impressive views over the city and surrounding mountain valleys, but the best lookout point is on arrival, from the top of the Cruz Loma plateau.

As well as riding the Teleferico, visitors can follow a number of marked hiking trails, enjoy a horseback riding excursion or dine at one of the mountaintop restaurants and cafés, while the Vulqano Park amusement park, located at the foot of the mountain, makes a popular distraction for younger members of the family. 

Works by renowned "˜Quito School' artists Miguel de Santiago, Manuel Chili (the indigenous artist known as Caspicara), and Bernardo de Legarda feature along with some of Quito's finest colonial art.

The Museo de Arte Colonial is not open on Sunday or Monday.

At first glance this stone wall doesn't seem like much, but it is the history behind its creation that makes it meaningful. The Wall of Tears was constructed by hundreds of prisoners held captive in a penal colony on the island from 1945 to 1959. The colony was created by then President Jose María Velasco Ibarra in 1944, using infrastructure left by the U.S. military after World War II. Prisoners were instructed to build the wall to keep busy, and they would haul and cut large chunks of volcanic rock in the hot sun to do so. 

The prison was eventually abandoned after a revolt in 1959, but the wall stands as a testament to the suffering and the loss of many lives here. The wall stands nearly 65 feet tall and is known as the Wall of Tears by locals who claim to hear the cries of prisoners and feel the heavy energy around the wall.