Ecuador Introduction

Ecuador is a small country located in South America. The country was part of Gran Colombia until 1830. Ecuador is bordered with Colombia in the northeast, Peru to the south and east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. Most cities in Ecuador has been listed as UNESCO World Heritage Sites such as the Galapagos Islands and the city of Cuenca.

Tourism

Airport

Ecuador has 11 international airports. The main international airport, Mariscal Sucre International Airport, is located in the capitol of Ecuador, Quito. The airport is located in the centre of the city surrounded by mountains and therefore cannot be expanded further. A new airport, east of the city, is being built and operation is planned to begin in November 2011.

Other important international airports are San Cristóbal Airport and Seymour Airport, both located in the Galápagos Islands.

Airlines

The following airlines offer flights from South Africa to Ecuador

• South African Airways SAA (Johannesburg, Cape Town, Durban, Bloemfontein)
• British Airways (Johannesburg, Cape Town)
• BMI (Johannesburg, Cape Town)
• Delta Airlines (Durban, Bloemfontein)
• Emirates (Cape Town, Durban)
• Iberia (Johannesburg, Cape Town, Durban)
• KLM (Johannesburg, Cape Town, Durban, Bloemfontein)
• LAN Airlines (Johannesburg, Durban)
• Lufthansa (Cape Town)
• Malaysia Airways (Cape Town)
• United Airlines (Johannesburg, Durban, Bloemfontein)
• Virgin Atlantic (Johannesburg, Cape Town)

What to see

• Teleférico (cable-car)
• Malecón 2000
• Cuyabeno Wild Life Reserve
  
• Galapagos Islands
  
• Sangay National Park
  

General Info

Ecuador has many low-cost hostels which are actually privately owned homes that welcomes travelers. Natives are most likely to assist you finding a low priced hotel. Air conditioning is often an amenity that cost extra a night. Ecuador also has a a large number of Eco Lodges which are mostly renovated and traditional Haciendas. Ecuador adopted the United States Dollar (US$) as their currency. Ecuador is located on the UTC-5 timezone meaning the country is 5 hours behind Greenwich Mean Time with the Galapagos Islands on the UTC-6 timezone. Travelers should be cautious and use common sense to ensure safety.

Weather

Ecuador is situated on the Equator and therefore don't have distinctive seasons. Temperature are typically warm in the coastal lowlands and average in the region of 25˚C and experience rainfall between January and April.

Flights to Quito

Quito, the capital city of Ecuador, is regarded as the most beautiful and stylish city in the Andes and is home to more than 2 million people. The city was the first site to be declared a World Cultural Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1978. Quito’s cultural and entertainment options are more limited than other large international cities, but are vibrant and exciting nonetheless.

Click here for more information on Flights to Quito