Ecuador sits on the equator – a location that gave the country its name. In this part of the world, there is no gradual progression from cold to hot, only a wet season and a dry season. June to September is the dry season, and is usually the best time to see Ecuador's attractions.
Some of these parks are quite large, and contain challenging terrain. It's a good idea to sign up for a guide who can navigate the trails and provide educational information about the local flora and fauna to you and your kids.
Summer will be here before you know it. After all that time cooped up inside, waiting for the snow to melt, it's time for you to get some sun. Ecuador’s parks are all adventurous places to experience the outdoors.
Cuyabeno National Park
Make a trip this summer to one of the most rare and endangered environments in the world. The Cuyabeno National Park is located deep in the Ecuadorian Amazon. To get there, you will need to take a boat ride down the Amazon River.
Hikes through the jungle will bring you past portions of the Amazon River where pink dolphins, caimans, and manatees make their habitats.
But pink dolphins aren't the rarest sight in this park. The park was originally established to protect tribes of indigenous people. Groups of Secoya, Kichwa and Cofán people still live off the land in Cuyabeno. If you're interested in meeting with an indigenous community, there are guides that can introduce you to groups of natives who have agreed to see visitors.
This park's borders are continually threatened by oil drilling companies. As with every part of the Amazon rainforest, you should plan see this park sooner rather than later.
Yasuni National Park
The Yasuni National Park is the largest protected area in Ecuador, and is home to some of the largest trees in South America. This area is protected because of the intensely diverse wildlife. There are many species of bird here that you can’t see anywhere else in the world, and more species of frogs than anywhere in South America.
To get to the rainforest, you will take a small bush plane. Hiking through the jungle, you have the opportunity to see the wildlife that surrounds the park's network of swamps and rivers. Keep an eye out for the ten different species of monkey that swing from the branches all over this bustling park.
Like Cuyabeno, Yasuni protects the homeland of small groups of indigenous people. There is, however, an area of the park that guests cannot enter, so as not to disturb the traditional lifestyle of the Waorani and Kichwa people.
Chimborazo Ecological Reserve
The Chimborazo Ecological Reserve is located in Ecuador's central Sierra, along what 19th-century naturalist Alexander von Humboldt described as "the Avenue of the Volcanoes." This park is named after the Chimborazo Volcano, which is the highest peak in Ecuador. The Chimborazo Volcano is extinct, meaning it hasn't erupted in the past 10,000 years.
The grasslands that surround the volcano have incredible views of Chimborazo's snow-capped summit. Although it's possible to hike to the summit of Chimborazo, it rivals Mt. Everest for climbing difficulty. As you hike through the grasslands, you may spot one of the parks rare vicuñas. These animals are related to camels, but most resemble llamas.
Cotopaxi National Park
The Cotopaxi National Park is another stop along the Avenue of the Volcanoes. The Cotopaxi Volcano last had a major eruption in 1904. Seismic activity was detected at later dates, but no major eruptions have occurred since the early 20th century. Still, this volcano is classified as potentially active.
No matter what its level of seismic activity, the second-tallest volcano in Ecuador has some of the country's most scenic landscapes. You'll see wild horses and llamas galloping in the grasslands. These grasslands are also the best place to see the park's 90 species of birds. This is one of the few places in the world you can see an Andean condor in the wild.
Machalilla National Park
The Machalilla National Park is located on the Pacific coast of Ecuador. Just off the coast of this park, the waters of the Pacific provide a breeding ground for humpback whales. If you visit the park's Los Frailles beach between June and October, chances are good that you'll get to see whales leaping from the water.
This park is one of the few places where you can still see tropical dry forests and cloud forests. Venturing inland, you'll find trails through short, scrubby trees. Eventually you'll reach the cloud forest, which is a misty habitat brimming with rare plants and delicate flowers.
The Machalilla National Park was named for the ancient Machalilla people, a pre-Columbian civilization that historians know little about. You can hike to a few archeological sites inside the park, although you won't find much left.
Galápagos National Park
The Galápagos island chain is a popular stop on cruises, and is famous for its biodiversity. This vacation hotspot is also a national park.
An adventure to the Galápagos can quickly get expensive, which helps keep too many visitors from overrunning the park. Visiting the Galápagos is a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and well worth the expense. Nowhere else can you see so many animals living without fear of predation.
Volcanic eruptions created the chain of islands that comprise the Galápagos. The following three are some of the largest and most visited islands in the archipelago.
- Santa Cruz Island is home to the park's headquarters. Many people who stay in the Galápagos find their accommodations on this island. While you’re on the island, visit the Charles Darwin Research Station to learn about the park's 400 species of mammals and 1,600 species of bird. Go to the beach at Tortuga Bay for ideal swimming and snorkeling conditions.
- San Cristobál Island offers some of the best bird watching in the Galápagos. Visit the beach at the base of the hill called Cerro Brujo to see flocks of migratory birds. You can also see the seafaring birds gather at Frigatebird Hill. Punta Pitt is a good location to see rare red and blue-footed boobies, as well as a beach full of sleepy sea lions.
- Isabela Island is the largest of the archipelago's 18 islands, and has many miles of interesting terrain for visitors to explore. While you're on Isabela Island, you should make time to visit the Giant Tortoise Breeding Center. You’re guaranteed to get a good look at giant tortoises at the center, and if you're lucky, you’ll get to see one of the baby giants.
Planning Your Trip
Any of these national parks will make a lifelong impression on your kids. Research with your family to figure out what kind of landscape will inspire your kids. Once you all have a trip to look forward to, winter will start to feel like it’s almost over.
