Ecuador Vacation Travel Video Guide

Equador the smallest of the andes states in south america the land that derived its name from the equator a natural paradise with a living Indian culture and captivating colonial towns once part of the Inca realm and later the sought-after possession of various European colonial powers Quito the divine city and capital of Ecuador la basílica is situated on a hill north of Quito it is the architectural symbol of an autocratic Catholic Church that dominated the country's faithful until the liberal revolution a monumental building 140 metres long and 35 metres wide in the most recent buildings to be constructed the tradition of medieval glass painting was used for the basilica's large colorful windows the city's religious culture lives on steep and narrow steps the downhill to the centro historico many of these small buildings have been rebuilt several times due to devastating earthquakes on the 6th of December 1536 Quito was newly founded and built on the ruins of an Inca town so originated the plaza grande the square in which many of the country's historic events have taken place from the contras foundation until its independence military parades are a reminder of colonial times for around 200 years the city was under the control of the Vice Kingdom of Peru later Quito belonged to the Vice Kingdom of New Granada until finally in 1822 General Jose Sucre succeeded the Spaniards who were loyal to the crown the catedral metropolitana is located on one side of the square the entire complex is a combination of various building epochs after each earthquake the church was rebuilt and substantially enlarged in the Kali Garcia marina that begins in the plaza grande is the entrance to el sagrario the former sacrament Chapel of the Cathedral gilded carvings shine out in every corner today the city has a new attraction held NFL ago the highest cable car in South America the spectacular views are quite overwhelming below is the metropolis snugly located in a valley between volcanic mountains and snow-covered Peaks when the Spaniards conquered the Inca realm various Catholic orders emerged so the Jesuit Order built the baroque la campaña to hey-zeus church that is known as the greatest house of God in Latin America San Francisco square in front of the monastery has since the arrival of the Spanish been one of the city's three central meeting places and is situated above the plaza grande the monks of the Franciscan Order settled here the tiny Plaza del teatro that was once a marketplace in slaughterhouse has since 1887 featured the neoclassical teatro sucre the city's most beautiful theater it's not difficult to imagine the splendor and elegance of the various festivities take place in these noble halls the Augustine order also has a monastery in Quito the interior of the church is abundantly decorated with paintings and carvings a valuable decorated paneled ceiling adorns the salaah Capuchin our and the green in a courtyard has one of the most beautiful patios in the world the old tile Akito features numerous monuments and churches in a single square kilometer there are no less than 16 religious buildings the Canada laronda is the city's oldest Street subtly hiding the secret of what lies within these beautiful old houses were built in his inner courtyards and wooden stairs are tightly packed together a performance by the ballet in neohuman izzati demonstrates the spirit of the city's indigenous inhabitants country's large variety of regions all united by the andes the roots that date back to the inca realm evoke both melancholy and pride a huge iron statue of the winged virgin of quito the symbol of the city is situated upon the el panecillo volcano that seems to protect the old town it was once a strategic location but today is a popular destination for one and all the city's third-largest square is part of the monastery complex of the Dominican Order Santo Domingo the interior is more modest than most of the city's other sacred buildings the splendid red gold painted gappiya Virgen del Rosario shines out in all its divine beauty whitewashed walls and circle a large in a courtyard arcades the former capital of the Northern Inca Rome became the most Spanish city of the new world and churches monasteries and squares continue to impress with their colonial splendor the legacy of the rich and dramatic past we're stuck ito the edge of the extinct pallulah who are volcano is accessible by car if the largest volcanic crater in South America the huge caldera with its steep slopes has a diameter of four to five kilometers and is hundreds of meters deep the bottom of the crater was inhabited from Inca times and its slopes of protected natural areas around 20 kilometers north of Quito is the mitad del mundo the center of the world male busts line the route to the main Monument they represent the men who in 1736 were sent by the french king ludwig the fifteenth to identify the equator and to measure the exact circumference of the earth unfortunately their calculations were not precise and the real equator lies about a hundred meters away but that's of no real importance what really matters is the ability to see the dividing line between the northern and southern hemispheres next to the center of the world there's an open-air Museum at its here the actual equatorial line is located an ancient Indian village was replicated here in order to demonstrate the traditions and lifestyle of the former inhabitants of Ecuador Bharani tribe had its own style of dwellings which were inhabited by their extended families here their descendants explained the history of the tribe the practice of various religious and cultural rituals also takes place here such as the brutal Sansa ritual in which humans were beheaded nearby the Incan ruins of Roma culture can be visited it has a magnificent view of the surrounding landscape it's terraced like stone walls were once part of a fortress that in Inca times served as an outpost for the subjection of the northern tribes in the second half of the 15th century coming from Peru the Incas conquered what is today's Ecuador they were militarily well organized and chose locations that were easy to defend after his father's death in 1525 at a whole / the favorite son of the Inga Manik who Araneae kpac inherited the fragmented realm of Keita an excursion takes us east on a road that leads down into the depths of the Amazon basin but this is nevertheless still a high mountain area we traverse the papallacta pass that is often covered in snow and at a deeper lying water reservoir we enter a small side valley one and a half hours from Quito are the termas de papallacta the most beautiful spa bars in Ecuador hot springs were discovered here and an infrastructure built to make them accessible to tourism and a Dilek spot set in remote nature at an altitude of around 4,000 metres above sea level resorts with large pool areas were built here and there's no hint that three hours downhill is the Amazon jungle weekend's this area is very popular with city folk relaxation and hot thermal water is indeed highly relaxing before traveling south our curiosity for new discoveries leads us into the northern highlands of the Andes the small village of king K has a fine white church with blue pinnacles and dome it's a pilgrimage destination for the india's the shrine contains the mother of kinky since 1985 it's been a national century the holy madonna with child patron saint of the mountain india's the ruta de las lagos winds further north between the west and east Cordilleras and every now and then we encounter numerous lakes at the point at which the road crosses the equator it's a large concrete globe the picturesque mountain landscape features several volcanoes such as Cayambe and the in barbara in front of which is the lago de san pablo this impressive scenery also contains the meeting point of the North Auto valo the region's most famous capital and shopping center the city of the otavalo Indians was built around a small square on the western edge of the city each Saturday there's an animal market here chicken geese sheep pigs horses cows and llamas of a sale the animals wait patiently for their new owners come to this weekly market from the far-flung villages of the area choosing the best animals is a demanding task so there are plenty of stalls that display a tempting range of advertising food several of the animals change hands and contentedly taken to their new homes they're also fledglings on offer but otavalo really became well-known due to its arts and crafts weaving embroidery the making of hats and carving helped to make the city prosper the famous puncher market takes place each Saturday in the cities alleys and squares it's always an adventure for both tourists and locals alike in some of the alleys fruit and vegetables are on offer fresh local produce tomatoes onions pineapples bananas and avocados many of the women are attired in traditional clothing they examine the fresh goods for having a friendly chat babies sleep peacefully close to the city is the hacienda pisa key a wonderful estate that was built in 1790 for the manufacture of textiles and with more than 1,000 weavers here's Simon Bolivar while on his travels to Bogota no doubt appreciated the state's fireplaces canopy beds and elegant lounges many constitutional agreements were made here on a hill at the edge of the city the park Condor was established a bird park for condors various other birds of prey of the Andes region the impressive and dramatic scenery of the surrounding volcanoes forms the perfect backdrop for the monarchs of the sky the birds guard their new realm after a short journey we arrive at a city of leather goods katachi a small town with squat houses and the square was framed by palm trees and acacia s-- plus an imposing colonial church the name of the town means to grind salt which indicates that the working of lever has not always been the main business here here lives a mainly Indian population that clings to its traditions the road passes by neatly arranged colorful buildings and soon exits the town constantly uphill to the extinct kata catchy volcano we arrive at the entrance to the national park at an altitude of about 3,300 meters is lago cuicocha located close to a large volcano it's one of the most beautiful Crater lagoons in Ecuador in the middle are two small islands steep cliffs with highland vegetation extend down directly to the banks that are covered with Totoro Reed next we return to Quito on the edge of the city is a small station this is the cheaver express a colorful bus on Rails a final word with the conductor passengers wave farewell journey begins we travel through the outskirts of the city an adventurous journey on the auto fare odourless forecasts among the road of volcanoes we passed through several small villages but soon only nature accompanies our journey the Fertile highlands of the Andes between snow-covered volcanoes close to muchacha the first section of the railway line comes to an end we stopped in the middle of nowhere and disembark the train and agree to buy a man on horseback he is the owner of the Hacienda re-clear for four generations the Hacienda has been a colonial estate and has been open to tourists for several years in addition to horses cars are bred for milk and meat production and llamas provide wool as well as being a means of transport there's a small group of llamas plus an informative talk as early as 2500 BC the llama was domesticated in Peru and it's lived in the Andes Highlands ever since with much sweats labor and perseverance generations of immigrants have established a state such as this within the remote landscape further south we travel on the Panamera Carla's sir and more volcanoes appear along our route such as the cotopaxi and Ely Nitze sir as throughout Latin America huge Spanish estates originated on Indian land in the high valleys of the Sierra here roses are cultivated Ecuador produces a hundred and nine million kilos of roses each year and is one of the largest Rose producing countries in the world long-stemmed high quality products from the Andes Highlands the climate of this region is ideal for roses over the course of time the logistics of worldwide distribution have been perfected to a fine art colorful bags of flowers are placed on a special holding device that is fixed to ropes that lead through large tents a perfect system next the hangers are pulled into a central hall workers clean the roses and check the quality of the blossoms then they're transported to the airport we continue on the Panamera connoisseur a road that travels from Alaska in the north of America right across the consulate - as far as the coast of Tierra del Fuego the green and fertile pastures in the shadow of the carry choirs oh volcanoes look like those in the Alps there are rails too although they're no longer in use and the small Urbina station has also survived located at the foot of the volcano it is a scene of lonely isolation it's amazing to think the small steam engine once called this old and abandoned train station high up in the mountains we travel through a valley uphill and downhill and through many small villages rocky highlands with green areas dominate the landscape the route to the deep amazon area gateway into El Oriente the small town of Banyas nestled between steep mountain slopes it's a tourist spot armed with hot springs at the monastery is a place of pilgrimage that pays homage to the Virgin Mary the town has 50 hotels the highest concentration of hotels in Ecuador a place of choix de vie in the town's cafes people sit alfresco and enjoy the relaxing atmosphere of this pulsating place a small animal park the Parker eco zoological contains many indigenous animals it's a must for any visitor to Burroughs the canyon del pastaza dominates the region it's a wild green Canyon that accompanies the rio pastaza down to the Amazon from each side waterfalls plunge down into the deep cut riverbed and a journey on the waterfall route is quite an experience this impressive natural spectacle makes it easy to forget that in 2006 the tunngle Raqqa volcano became active spewing its ash over large areas since time immemorial these water masses have plunged down into the depths of the Oriente so man has taken advantage of the primeval and immense power of the water here in the coldest periods of the Ice Age the snow line of the Andes lay deeper a huge glacier with amazing lakes and hanging valleys and waterfalls an enchanting an overwhelming natural spectacle a special attraction as a cable car that crosses the canyon a breathtaking altitude without any serious protection it is an open platform with tiny fences that is slowly pulled across the deep abyss to a large waterfall here our journey into the side Valley of the klephts and almost inaccessible Western caldera comes to an end back on the Panamericana sir we travel past mountain ranges and small lakes until the site of numerous buildings announces the suburbs of the capital of the province of Chimborazo Rio Bamba a city that following liberation by the Spanish was for three years the capital of Ecuador this is the exact center of Ecuador that explains the existence of the monument of geographer Pedro Maldonado in the square in front of the Cathedral the facades of the 19th century buildings plus a well-ordered street network make this colonial city a fine example of urban planning the original Rio Bamba was situated 20 kilometers from here was founded in 1534 above a destroyed Inca settlement however in 1797 a devastating earthquake destroyed everything and two years later it was rebuilt huge mosaics feature both the countries and the city's past a moving and dramatic history you from the Spanish conquest then the colonial period until independence occasionally early in the morning when the city is still asleep the small station opens briefly then the rail bus appears out of the darkness a second twin train because the railway line is only accessible in certain sections the chiller Express leaves the city whose roads are still empty and soon the Morning Sun submerges the otherwise dreary suburb but either friendly sky from Rio Bamba we continue in a southerly direction through the province of Jim Bharat sue frequently we cross the panamericana road traffic must stop is our fast bus as the right-of-way about 40 kilometers south of Rio Bamba we reach Guam OTA the rail bus stops in the center of the village it doesn't disturb the traffic simply because there isn't any here the streets are of mud cobblestone and there are colorful buildings when the cheaver Express and other buses stop here passengers are given the opportunity to enjoy a meal in the villages open-air kitchens a roast pig makes for a tasty treat and it'll amid the andean highlands when the rail bus arrives at its weekly destination it has to struggle through much hustle and bustle because this is market day mountain farmers in ponchos and felt head we're arrived from the surrounding villages in small lorries and on foot with their animals they sell the vegetables and fruits that they have cultivated for the women with their colorful ponchos mark a day means much shopping and chatting an authentic market meat is sold both raw and roasted next to market stalls that sell underwear and hygiene products at the end of market day everyone returns to their village the journey on the rail bus continues the adventure continues a remarkable journey on the road of volcanoes our route passes through the half desert of de aquellas and through the Rio Palmer ChaCha Canyon we reach the end of the second rail section palmera station the rails are arranged in such a way that the train is able to turn around and enter the station back to front here we leave the rail bus it's impossible to continue by rail the second bus on Rails has cleaned and examined while the small station falls into sleep the Cheever Express returns we continue on the Panamericana further south through high valleys and pastures and over mountain passes both uphill and downhill here this dream road becomes a single lane and certainly not a highway there's little traffic here after an hour we reach a low C deep down on a valley but nevertheless as an altitude of 2356 metres above sea level you a small town of the Sierras that during its high season was a holiday resort for the rich of Guayaquil the highland climate fascinated the people of the pacific coastal region during the rule of President lol Pharaoh the railway line from Guayaquil de Quito was built he established compulsory education and ordered the construction of kindergartens schools and universities today the street in front of the small station is deserted but at the beginning of the 20th century ROC enjoyed some economic success suddenly it appears the third version of the cheetah Express again it is similar to the other two and is ready for the third and most spectacular leg of the journey the rail bus has become a common sight and Julie arrives the platform passengers get on board and the last part of the adventure is about to begin slowly the rail bus departs from the small village of roc we pass numerous buildings situated on steep slopes the railway line was blasted into the rock face an architectural masterpiece suddenly unexpectedly we stopped a recent storm has caused a landslide the line is blocked railroad workers remove the debris and the journey continues over the nariz del diablo the devil's nose the rails zigzag on the steep slopes we move slowly forwards and then backwards so the Train is able to gradually overcome the difference at altitude at the bottom of the canyon it's necessary for the train to turn around because the line that travels to the harbor city of why Akhil the Pacific Ocean is no longer in use after a short break the cheaver Express returns slowly and cautiously the train again zigzags backwards and forwards this time uphill not darn you drive along the sloop until LOC appears again here the world's last great adventure on Rails comes to an end the southern Sierra of Ecuador is a green and fertile landscape the Andes is flatter here the peaks of volcanoes are free from snow this is the most important monument of Incan culture in Ecuador the ruins of Inga purcha a location with a long and dramatic past the ancient Incan kingsroad from Quito to Cusco once passed through here incredibly it was just a tiny section of a 20,000 kilometres long road system from fortress to fortress where today llamas peacefully graze there were once storage buildings baths and soldiers dwellings today only ruins remain Inga Pecha means stone walls of the Incas the name indicates how the complex was constructed prior to the Incas the qunari and their ancestors settled here and used it for various ceremonies right up until their decline the Inca Kings believed that they were the direct descendants of the Sun God and erected a Sun Temple on top of a highest rock inga Pecha is a reminder of their former power our journey continues on a well prepared road in the south of Ecuador within a high valley surrounded by the mighty peaks of the Andes is the country's third-largest City quencher a historic world heritage site the tomebamba river divides the more elevated old town from the modern districts of the city grass and trees grow along the riverbanks and beyond is a row of buildings the Spanish once traveled here along the ancient Inca route from Cusco while journeying to Quito the ruins of tomebamba have a long history this region was settled by the Qunari indians quencher was founded on the remains of prehistoric settlements and laid out according to the strict guidelines of Spanish King Karl v he was influenced by Renaissance design the city had its high season in the second half of the nineteenth century due to the sale of quinine and handmade straw hats the world-famous Panama city has 52 churches one for each Sunday of the year el sagrario was the city's first religious building to be built by the Spanish it was the city's main church during the time of Spanish colonial rule in 1787 quencher became a bishops seat and the church was consecrated as a cathedral over the centuries he was often improved of extended and following major renovation it became a Museum of religious art buildings with fine facades and elaborate administrative buildings frame the parque central the heart of quencher with more than 2,000 jesuit monks here more religious buildings were needed so a huge cathedral was built like a fortress in the middle of the city the catedral nuevo is the finest religious building in the whole of South America it's mighty blue white domes dominate quenchers skyline quencher is also the place in which the sombrero depart Acharya is produced it's also known as the Panama but its name can be deceptive the Panama hat does not originate in Panama but in Ecuador the Olmedo Ortegas family are masters of the trade for five generations they have manufactured the hats from the fiber of the tequila palm tree science has shown that the tree's origin dates back to 4000 BC it is unique and everything is done by hand the straw is prepared and the thin fibers braided on a wooden block finally each hat is individually decorated packed in special boxes the Panama is exported around the world from quencher we be in a long journey across the final pass and then downhill to the Pacific Ocean the mountain ranges of the Andes are also a meteorological divide between the eastern lowland and the coast the Parque Nacional caius was founded in 1996 in the highlands of the western portal eros from February to July the Highlands often foggy rain and snow storms are common along with extremely low temperatures the landscape resembles a Tundra and is mostly located above the Timberline topographically a regular area that measures around 29,000 hectares an untouched paramo region with cleft mountain ridges and deep lying valleys from which the parks name of Caius is derived just one road leads through the Nature Park the origin of this area dates back to primordial times to the quaternary when large sections of this region were covered by glaciers as were the Andes Highlands this wild landscape was designated as a World Heritage Site in 2003 we've reached the highest point of the road from here we descend more than 4000 meters downwards and as far as the coast of the Pacific Ocean the journey lasts several hours many a car driver becomes tired and can consequently find themselves in a dangerous situation due to fatigue down in the coastal area we are greeted by banana plantations and a tropical planet finally we arrived in Guayaquil this is our last stop on the South American continent the pearl of the Pacific with its Cathedral católica and with exotic views all around in the park a seminar Oh live iguanas even in the trees and feeding time is always fascinating for one a tall wire kills the country's biggest city and the administrative center for the south coast it's also a secret capital with fine hotels restaurants and many shops Francisco de Orellana founded it in 1537 the first San Francisco church was devastated by fire and then rebuilt and the Parque centenario honors the heroes of the war of independence with splendid flowers in the heart of the cities a promenade flanked by trees along the generous reacquires maricon mm it features a moorish clock tower entertainment for both young and old and beautiful fountains and also la rotunda a monument that commemorates Simon Bolivar and josé de San Martin there are 450 numbered steps on sharrows santillana mountain until some years ago it was a dangerous district but is they're very popular with tourists the route features fabulous views across the city and the harbour with seafarers from all over the world and dock workers that were part of the city's daily life a few more steps and the lighthouse comes into view once warm the city's inhabitants of pirates on the uppermost plateau of the little green hill as a chapel in 1547 the city was settled here a magical height with a remarkable view a little below cannons pirates and the pirate ship a reminiscent of a Carrodus past another route down the river travels past colorful houses with small balconies at the base of the cello Santa Ana is the picturesque artists district of las penas with its renovated buildings that date back to the 19th century this district very popular with sightseers a boat trip on the river provides a good view of the skyline and the nearby mountain glass skyscrapers withstand the tropical rain and humid heat a triumph of building design the city cemetery el cementerio is today the city's cultural inheritance this white city features mausoleums sculptures and burial walls into which coffins are inserted the parque historico provides visitors with an insight into the city's golden time of cacao it features fine buildings that once stood here prior to a devastating fire and actors demonstrate the clothing of that type it all serves as a reminder of the great high season of this the southernmost city in the Caribbean around a thousand kilometers from Ecuador within the Pacific Ocean is a scattered group of 19 volcanic islands the iris Galapagos and even below the water there are creatures that seem to come from another world this swimming reptile is a member of the iguana family growing up to a metre in length the marine iguanas have behavioural patterns that are unique among saurians they also have a somewhat menacing appearance perhaps that's one of the reasons why Charles Darwin preferred to study other animals the islands are like a living museum and contain a large variety of fascinating animal and plant life that may seem quite familiar but in reality have their own unique characteristics on the coast in addition to various species of iguana there are mainly pinnipeds and the sally lightfoot crab shines out on the dark volcanic ground these islands derive the name from the Spanish word for turtle for many centuries the giant turtles were considered to be a cure llanera delicacy even today ocean biologists and an assortment of other scientists following the footsteps of Charles Darwin and in the 1960s a research station on one of the islands was named in his honor these waters are particularly popular with divers however although the archipelago is located close to the equator the temperature of the sea is quite cold in the winter months the Humboldt stream that flows from Antarctica usually keeps the water at below 13 degrees Celsius movements of large shoals of fish don't only attract divers one of the most feared hunters of the Seas also shows an interest raise glide majestically through the water there are common sight around this group of islands and are related to the shark family the underwater world of the Galapagos Islands is a natural paradise for both humans and animals alike due to their curious and energetic way as seals are captivating creatures that always seem to be only too happy to oblige for the perfect snapshot since 1959 the Galapagos Islands have been designated as a protected area a unique natural habitat their most famous inhabitant may cause fear but there in reality totally harmless their vegetarian one of the world's last natural paradises Ecuador is truly fascinating due to its vast variety of culture and nature and its amazing mountain landscapes of a backbone of the country Ecuador's a unique adventure here South America is at its most beautiful

Channel: Expoza Travel

Views: 264,136

Rating: 4.8196135 out of 5

Keywords: travel, Ecuador (Country), South America (Continent), videos, beautiful, Travel, video, channel, guide, world, edit, adventure, travel guide, holiday, tips, highlights, Andes (Mountain Range), city trip, vacation, Video, Tourist Destination, trip, Andes Antioquia (City/Town/Village), Adventure, discovery, guided, Nature (TV Program), landmark, essentials, Tourism (Interest), nature, documentary, tour, Tourism (Industry), destination, culture

Id: YMUtyA7wNXI

Length: 51min 54sec (3114 seconds)

Published: Sat Mar 08 2014