A little more than a week ago, Ecuador was struck by a strong earthquake. It measured 7.8 on the Richter Scale and as expected from a severe earthquake of that strength, resulted in a lot of structural damage and caused the deaths of at least 600 people. This is a tragic disaster and rescue efforts […]
The Amazon rainforest is a bastion of biodiversity. This is a well known fact but what is not as well known is how difficult it can be to see the animals that live in the forest. Upon entering the rainforests of eastern Ecuador, most people’s first impression is that of entering a humid cathedral of […]
Penguins are some of the more memorable of birds. Although most folks don’t really know what a flycatcher is, just about everyone knows about penguins. We know that they can’t fly, are patterned in crisp black and white (and thus look like they wear tuxedos), and are birds of the cold southern oceans. While the […]
Recently, one of the biggest headlines to hit news agencies in the USA, Europe, South America, and elsewhere has been that of the Zika virus. Although the virus has been known since 1947, it didn’t really make international news until 2016 after the WHO (World Health Organization) published a “public health emergency of international concern” […]
The Amazon rainforest covers a vast area, the majority of which is in Brazil. However, substantial areas of the largest rainforest in the world are also located within the borders of Peru, Colombia, Venezuela, and Ecuador. As with many parts of the Amazon basin, the wildest areas in eastern Ecuador are the places that lack […]
For many folks in North America and Europe, the cold, gray days of December are here again. No matter how much people enjoy the holiday season, it’s impossible to ignore the fact that they are in for two or three more months of freezing cold weather. On some of the coldest days, more than one […]
Deciding upon an itinerary for Ecuador can be a challenge. After looking into possibilities, it can seem that this exciting country almost has too much to offer. One of those exciting possibilities is the train tour. Buy a ticket for this train and you will experience stunning High Andean scenery, visits to local markets, and […]
Everyone has their own set of bucket list destinations. Paris is one of the most common bucket list cities but it’s also one of the easiest to visit. The Great Wall of China also makes it onto the destination lists of some people, as does Mount Kilamanjaro, and other famous sites. Take a look at […]
A visit to the Amazon can take the form of a trip to a local town, a boat ride down a river, a stay at a lodge where the primary rainforest has been cut down, or an authentic experience that includes local Amazonian native peoples and wildlife in primary Amazonian rainforest. The latter experience is […]
There are many reasons for visiting the Galapagos Islands. This exciting destination makes it onto the bucket list of most travelers on account of its unique wild beauty, interesting endemic wildlife, and history. It’s also a wonderful place to experience by way of a cruise ship, especially when the ship comes with a certified naturalist […]
