Ecuador is the most geographically compact country in South America — within a few hours' travel you move between high Andean peaks, tropical cloud forest, Amazon basin, and one of the world's most extraordinary island systems.
The Avenue of Volcanoes north to south of Quito lines up a sequence of 5,000-metre-plus peaks that can be climbed, ridden around on horseback, or viewed from hacienda terraces between them. Cotopaxi's glaciated cone is the most iconic; Chimborazo is the point on earth closest to the sun by distance from the centre.
The Galápagos add the finale. Small live-aboard boats with strict visitor permits are the right way to see the islands — landing on isolated beaches where blue-footed boobies perform their mating dance and marine iguanas bask with no awareness that you are not part of the landscape.
In-depth guide
The Patagonia Adventure Guide
6 min read