Adventure in Ecuador!
In the country of diversity, Adventure sports are not far behind. Each of the four worlds that make up Ecuador (Pacific Coast, Andes, Amazon and Galapagos) has a way of releasing adrenaline in our body: either by climbing rocky walls, furrowing at high speed the torrential rivers that descend into the jungle , surfing in the waves of the Coast and diving in Galápagos, there is an ideal activity for every adventurer.
All these experiences can be lived almost at the same time, because Ecuador combines thousands of fascinating scenarios in a small space.
Mountaineering
If what you are looking for is a sports activity that includes adrenaline and that challenges your abilities taking them to the limit, mountaineering is the adventure sport indicated for you. In Ecuador, you will find some options.
The highlands offer corners to enjoy them. One of the routes to practice this sport is the one of the Pichinchas, that can initiate in the cable car of Quito or in the Parish of Lloa. From Cruzloma you can walk along a very marked path to the Rucu Pichincha, which reaches 4,690 m (15,387 ft), the total distance of 7 km (4 miles) in about 4 hours. From the Guagua Pichincha you can reach the edge of the crater, cross to the Rucu and get to Cruzloma, for this, it requires some physical preparation. This route is 14 km (8 miles) and takes around 7 hours.
Main destinations around Quito: The Antisana and the Laguna de la Mica, the Pita River canyon, the Molinuco waterfall, the Cotopaxi National Park, the Pasochoa Protective Forest, Illiniza Sur, the Boliche and El Altar.
Horseback riding
One has to ride and gallop to realize that a magical coupling occurs there. For a few seconds, it gives the impression that both bodies – that of the human being and that of the horse – become one; that is one of the great rewards of the ride. Even better if you have around the fascinating Andean landscapes, where the ascents and descents take us to completely different shows in less than a day.
For those travelers who love adventure, there is nothing better than enjoying, from the back of the horse, the majestic landscapes offered by the Avenue of the Volcanoes in Ecuador, sheltered by a traditional and heavy poncho.
Not only in the mountains there is this affinity for the horse, but also in the Pacific Coast. The geographical diversity offered by Ecuador makes it an ideal destination for the horse-loving traveler or those who want to ride through the Andes.
Nowadays, the horseback rides are for tourist and festive purposes, in which one can enjoy the observation of beautiful landscapes with snow-capped volcanoes, forests and Andean baldlands. For these reasons, Ecuador is the ideal destination for exciting horseback riding.
Surf
With beaches with a level of waves for all tastes, Ecuador is a country recognized as a surfing destination. Proof of this is that there have been world championships. The warm temperature of the water on the Ecuador Coast makes the waves very competitive in the context of surfing worldwide.
Montañita.- It is the surf capital of Ecuador and one of the best beaches in the Pacific Coast. With big waves, and in a multicultural environment, it is the perfect place for lovers of this sport. Period: All year. Difficulty: high.
Canoa.- This town is known mainly for its bohemian and warm style. Canoa has an extensive beach, ideal for surfing, but you can also perform other activities such as paragliding, sky water and more. Best season: February – April. Difficulty: Medium.
San Cristóbal.- In the Galapagos Islands, this island is considered an excellent place to practice this sport. The favorite place for surfers is Punta Carola, whose main feature is its large waves. Recommended season: All year round (although recommended from December to April). Difficulty: Medium.
Diving
Ecuador is one of the best destinations in the world to explore underwater, because the beauty of the entire South Pacific is concentrated in its colorful marine fauna, its underwater cliffs, corals and more. The Galapagos Marine Reserve, the Machalilla National Park and the Pacific Coast offer unique sites in the world.
La Isla de la Plata.- Located within the Machalilla National Park -which owns some diving destinations-, this island offers under its waters a compendium of the majestic scenarios of the South Pacific. Difficulty: medium Period: all year round.
Galápagos – León Dormido.- It is a world famous destination for diving. Under this gigantic rock there are sharks and other fish swimming around them. Difficulty: medium – low Period: From June to December.
Laguna de Cuicocha.- Located at 3063 masl, in the province of Imbabura, the submersion activity is one of the most interesting in the Andes. Because this lagoon is an ancient crater of a volcano, the scenarios underwater are unique. Difficulty: medium – high. Recommended time: all year.
Rafting
The fast rivers that descend from the Andean glaciers are roads that allow us to see how nature transforms. The activity of rafting in Ecuador is carried out on those who irrigate the Amazon rainforest. Several rivers grant the ideal characteristics to guarantee an unforgettable adventure.
Jatunyacu.- It offers a perfect combination of exciting waters between rapids and breaks, so this river is one of the most famous of all the Amazon to perform this sport. Period: All year. Difficulty: Medium.
Quijos.- This river of world transcendence (category IV, ideal for the most experienced) attracts visitors from all over. Enjoy the challenge of tamering these crystal clear waters. Period: All year. Degree of difficulty: High.
Paute.- This tour that takes place in the Ecuadorian Austro allows us to admire diverse landscapes of the montane forest and agricultural crops, in one of the safest and quietest walks of this sport in Ecuador. Recommended time: all year. Degree of difficulty: Low – Medium.
Paragliding
Ecuador is a great destination to do this activity because of the diversity of the landscapes that can be observed. Whether on the South Pacific Coast or in the diverse Andean scenarios that combine lakes and mountains, every minute in the air will stay in your memory forever.
Cerro Blanco.- Where previously a quarry worked, today it operates a runway near the city of Guayaquil. The view in that locality is dazzling, because you can admire the city and the Cerro Blanco Ecological Reserve. Difficulty: Low. Best season: From May to December.
Pululahua.- This geobotanical reserve of volcanic origin allows paragliders to enjoy amazing aerial landscapes in the middle of the world (zero parallel). Paragliders from all over the country gather here. Difficulty: medium, high. Period: all year.
Crucita.- It is an ideal place to admire the landscape of the Pacific Coast, in Manabí. Its climate is generally good all year round; which allows the development of the activity in favorable weather conditions. Difficulty: Medium. Period: All year.
Camping
Ecuador has a great natural beauty, admirable throughout its territory. This feature allows several activities to be developed in it. Especially those that allow overnight, such as camping. This practice is the one favored by lovers of freedom and by those who seek to relax outside the city.
In Ecuador you will find some places to camp such as the impressive mountains of the Andes, the captivating Pacific Coast and a variety of areas for fans of adventures.
Quilotoa Lagoon.- Located in the province of Cotopaxi and occupying the interior of a volcano crater, is the Quilotoa Lagoon. This natural attraction is characteristic for enjoying turquoise waters that merge with the landscape, simulating a fantasy environment. It is one of the perfect places to camp on the shore; light a fire and admire more of the sunset, the snowy ones like the Cotopaxi and the Illinizas.
Ayampe.- Located in the province of Manabí, a small paradise that intertwines the jungle with the sea, it is presented and at the same time it hides from the world … it is Ayampe, a reserved and ideal place to find peace and relaxation. Camping near the sea, sleeping listening to the waves and waking up with the sunlight, are some of the experiences that will make you fall in love with the ecosystem that surrounds this wonderful beach.
Yasuní National Park.- The Yasuní National Park, located in the heart of the Ecuadorian Amazon and surrounded by a million hectares of tropical forest, besides containing an infinite variety of fauna, allows camping surrounded by a unique landscape, next to the Lagoon of Jatuncocha.
Mangahurco.- Mangahurco, parish of the Zapotillo border canton in the province of Loja, is dressed in yellow the first months of each year; this, due to the flowering of the guayacanes. Its striking color invites locals and foreigners to spend the night camping, listening to the song of the birds and the serenity of the dry forest.
El Altar Volcano.- The Altar Volcano is part of Sangay National Park and is one of the most beautiful mountains in Ecuador. Feeling embraced by the alley of mountains that surrounds its lagoons, spend the night and admire the stars while you make a bonfire, are some of the experiences you can experience when visiting the Altar Volcano. Simply, a place of fantasy.
Trekking
The Andes have offered, since the time of the Incas, beautiful roads that unfold between forests, moors, wetlands and more. Today it is possible to travel these old routes and also to trace new little-explored roads that keep a surprise in each section.
Trekking of the Condor.- Departing from the Antisana Ecological Reserve, you can see various climatic floors, lagoons, páramos, snow-capped mountains and more during the journey. An effort in which each step is worthwhile. Near Quito. Difficulty: high. Recommended time: from June to September.
The Inca Road.- Also called Qhapaq Ñan, this section, one of the most popular in Ecuador, goes from the Culebrillas lagoon, located at almost 4 thousand meters above sea level, to the fairly well-preserved Inca ruins of Ingapirca, in the south of the country. Difficulty: medium – high. Period: April-December.
Cochasquí – Mojanda.- The route starts at the Cochasquí Archaeological Park, where the ruins of an ancient pre-Columbian astronomical observatory are located, and it advances north until reaching the beautiful Mojanda lagoons. Difficulty: medium.
