Ecuador

Page sponsored by Lead Adventures

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Ecuador is a country rich in natural resources. It has the highest biodiversity, per unit of area, on earth. It is rich in culture and in 2003, Quito (Ecuador’s capital) celebrated the 25th anniversary of its declaration as the first city in the world to be declared a ¨World Heritage Site¨ by UNESCO.

Visitors can see Ecuador’s highest active volcano, Cotopaxi; explore Otovalo the world famous indigenous market and activities could include horse riding in the Andes, trips in the amazon jungle as well as visiting the paradisic beaches in the coast.

Ecuador’s climate is infamously known as the land of eternal spring. Due to its high altitude and close proximity to the equator it has an average daily temperature of 70°F and this rarely changes.

Ecuador offers different adventures, cultural experiences and opportunities to work with nature which are not to be missed. The country maintains a unique tie to its ancestral indigenous cultures and is one of the most biologically diverse countries in the world.

Quito
Quito has plenty to offer culturally; cinemas, theatres, concerts, bookstores, discos, museums, art galleries, craft stores, tourist attractions, restaurants and even western-style bars.

Travel by land and air is easy from Quito. Its central location means you can easily access different areas of the country including beaches, mountains and the Amazon basin. Mountains, valleys, volcanoes, river and varied plant life provide spectacular scenery in the area of Quito.

Coast
One of the most known areas of the Coast is Machalilla National Park. This park has abundant and exotic wildlife, exquisite unspoiled beaches and rich historical past. Within the Park, Isla de la Plata offers fantastic opportunities especially for bird lovers. At the island you can see blue-footed and masked boobies, frigate birds, pelicans, and giant albatross

Andes
In the Andes, the majestic snow-capped mountains and active volcanoes with hot springs surrounding, humid cloud forests and fertile valleys, colorful Indian markets, lovely colonial towns, ancient haciendas and historic cities make of this area a paradise on its own.

Amazon
In the amazon jungle there are innumerable varieties of flora, including many of Ecuador's 4,500 species of orchids, and many plants with medicinal value. Wildlife such as butterflies, bats, monkeys, sloths, parrots, macaws, river dolphins and caimans are easy to view.

About Us
To date, Lead-Adventures has efficiently managed over 2000 participants inbound, in our 30 programs running in Ecuador and Galapagos.

One of our best programs threats on rescuing animals in bad conditions. The role of our Rescue Centers is very important towards conservation in the Ecuadorian Amazon, Andes and Coast region, taking on rescued animals and providing them a better quality of life, with the ultimate goal of reintroducing them to their natural habitat, giving them a second chance at freedom.

After being part of our social programs, you will see things from a different point of view. From the beginning, you will feel part of them and decide how much you want to get involved. Volunteers get to help with the daily tasks in schools or kindergartens, play with the kids, read them short stories, feed them. Apart of the volunteering, your life in Quito will be memorable; you will really get integrated with the Ecuadorian culture and lifestyle.

Remember that our programs are targeted to young minded people of all ages.