In the eastern part of the country, commonly known as the Amazon Basin, heavy rainfall and high humidity are constant features. The vegetation of the Ecuadorian Amazon is exuberant as is its fauna. Within and around the huge protected areas of the Amazon Rain Forest several indigenous ethnic groups live side by side, still living traditionally, each group maintaining its distinct customs and traditions.

The most popular sports in the region are rafting and kayaking, chosen by those looking for the maximum in adventure in the middle of a paradise of pure and crystal waters. In the Napo, Misahuallí, Hollín, or Calmitoyacu, near the 16th century town of Archidona, you can find underground rivers, cracks, passageways, and caves among the waters that run through the Amazon jungle.

In Tena, the capital city of the province of Napo, there is a large concentration of rivers with many facilities for practicing water sports. You can choose between calm routes and the excitement offered by heavy rapids. Another popular trip made by tourists is along the Upano River in southern Ecuador in the province of Morona Santiago. Ecuador offers schools and instructors to help facilitate these activities. In the Casanga and Quijos Rivers of Baeza (Napo) or in the Lake of Lago Agrio (Nueva Loja, Sucumbíos), you can do some great fishing. The main travel agencies in the country’s major cities, including the capitals of the Amazon provinces, will help to organize any trip or tour desirable.

July 29 - August 2

All inclusive in the cruise

Special rate: 1210 usd (just cruise)

Tkt to Galapagos: 406 usd

July 7 - 10 / 2008

All inclusive, even the TKT to Galapagos

Really special rate

4 days / 3 nights

1200 usd - An incredibly opportunity

The oil pipelines are inescapable companians as one drives through Ecuador's northwest jungle towns. Many of the roads were constructed by Texaco in the 70s and 80s as the oil industry developed. Each pipe represents a different well. In the USA, law requieres this waste water to be pumped back into the ground once the oil has been extracted.

When companies drill for oil in Ecuador, they also pump up natural gas. Natural gas in this raw state has essentially no uses, except for the refinement of cocaine. Any natural gas Ecuador uses for energy does not come from their own supply, but is imported from countries that have large enough reserves to make the processing economically feasible, such as Bolivia.

Shortly after Texaco left Ecuador in 1990 it was recomended by an independent enviromental audit to invest 13.2 million USD in remediaton efforts. These pits collect waste water, drilling muds (a carconegetic cocktail of chemical lubricants that ease the drilling process) and crude oil (when oil is hit it sprays into the enviroment for hours or days as tests are run to determine the wealth of the well).

An international conference centre has been opened at the site of the Neo-Classical Hospital Eugenio Espejo buildings. The centre, discribed by the mayor of Quito, Paco Moncayo, as 'one more reason to visit this great city and country', was opened in a candle lit ceremony on the night of Friday, the 28th March.  The buildings, finished in 1933, were donated by the Ministry of Health and the centre is now in the hands of the Municipality of Quito. It is hoped that the $4 million project will attract international congresses and conferences, and thereby become a boon to commerce and tourism.  The site includes auditoria, an open-air concert venue, and conference centres equipped with video equipment. FONSAL, Quito's Cultural Safe-Guarding Fund, started work on the buildings in 2006. Although 'open for business now'. according to Dominic Hamilton, Quito's International Media Relations Officer, the site will comprise an underground car park and capacity for 1200 conference participants when finished in 2009.

The opening of the new Congress and Convention Centre was given more relevance by the inclusion of the new strategic marketing plan for Quito, known as Plan Q, the brainchild of Dr. Joseph Chias, of Chias Marketing, Barcelona. The new conference centre is one of the many aspects of his scheme to attract more tourists to Quito and to entice them to stay longer once they are here. After the opening of the centre, guests were invited to a speech, given by Dr. Chias, in which he outlined the other ways the city is to become more attractive to tourists, building on the successes of the first Plan Q which began in 2002.

Last Minute!!! - 8 days / 7 nights

June 6 - 13

Special rate: 1200.00 usd

Itinerary:

FRI: Baltra airport, Bachas beach.

SAT: Santa Fe and Plazas islands.

SUN: Española island, Punta Suárez, Gardner Bay

MON: Floreana island, Corona del Diablo, Punta Cormorant, Post Office

TUE: Santa Cruz island, Charles Darwin Station.

WED: Rabida island, Egas Port

THU: Bartolome island, Sullivan Bay

FRI: North Seymur island, Baltra airport.

Last Minute!!! - 4 days / 3 nights

May 31 to June 3

Special rate: 840.00 usd

Last Minute!!! - 8 days / 7 nights

May 31 to June 7

Special rate: 1760.00 usd

Itinerary:

SAT: Baltra. Primicias - Charles Darwin Station

SUN: Plazas Sur - Santa Fe

MON: Española

TUE: San Cristobal: León Dormido – Interpretation Center- Lobería.

WED: Bachas - Caleta Tortuga Negra

THU: Genovesa

FRI: Sullivan Bay - Bartolome

SAT: Gemelos - Baltra

"Ecuador's first chapel in honour of Mary was located in Guapulo. Spanish settlers chose this area because of it's physical resemblance to the Extremadura province of Spain, where Our Lady of Guapulo is said to have appeared to a shepheard in around 1300. The Sanctuary of Guadalupe's virgin in Guapulo, as seen today, is predominantly the work of the architec Fray Antonio Rodriguez and was erected between 1649 and 1693.

In the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, Malaria swept through Quito and it was believed that church congregations were ideal breeding grounds for spreading the disease. In the belief that it would help prevent the spread of the disease, the lavishly decorated interior of the church was hastily painted over in the red and white garb that remains to this day. Fragments of the original radiant decor are painstakingly being brought back into view by the efforts of restoration workers.

A museum located at the back of the church contains artefacts relating to the history of the church and paintings whose themes are linked to the miracles of Our Lady of Guadalupe. The Baroque hanging pulpit, intricately and completely decorated with carved motifs, is also one of the finest in Latin America."

"A new organisation has begun planting trees of offset carbon emissions from flights to, from and within Ecuador. CanopyCo aims to improve the atmosphere as well as recuperate some of Ecuador's native forests and raise awareness of how come from tourists can be fairly distributed. Director of CanopyCo, Stuart Franklin, says "Our aim is to work with the tourism industry and redirect some of the wealth to the poorer areas of Ecuador".

To offset carbon emissions CanopyCo takes into account all of the activities tourists do whilst here in Ecuador. Buses, flights and electricity are all measured when accumulating how much carbon is put into the atmosphere. From these facts and figures, CanopyCo can calculate how many trees need to be planted to carbon offset a stay in Ecuador."