Ecuador's Amazon Region

Ecuador

Preface

If there is one bit of advice to carry on your journey it is to use this guide only as a reference, to help you explore and to expand your comfort zone. All too often travel guides and tours tend to package experiences, but then you miss half the fun. If it weren't for the mistakes I made and resulting experiences, this guide wouldn't have been written (at least not by me). Make it your own journey, wander and make travelers' mistakes, finding yourself in new and unexpected places, meeting new and unexpected people. Remember that adventure travel is experiencing life through new discoveries.

I want to thank first and foremost the bus driver who knew I had asked him to drop me off along the Pan-American Highway in Otavalo, but just kept on going. Otherwise, I never would have made it to the beautiful town of Ibarra and discovered the unanticipated beauty of a newfound place. I also want to thank the South American Explorers and the far-too-many-to-name organizations, tour operators, hotels, friends and acquaintances along the way who assisted and enriched my travels and my life. Finally, to my family and my love, Judith, thank you.

About the Author

Peter spent most of his childhood on the beaches of Oxnard, California. Favorite memories include surfing, baseball and family camping wherever Dad found big fly-fishing rivers. After chasing nature and being chased by development, Peter completed his BA in Economics and Environmental Studies at the University of California, Santa Barbara. A global interest, particularly in deforestation and development, led him to pursue a Master of Public Affairs from Indiana University, concentrating in International Affairs and Environmental Policy. During this time, his Latin American travels and conservation projects began in Ecuador. As a result, he developed an Ecotourism company and joined The World Outdoors in 1997 as an adventure travel guide. He has guided in Ecuador, Cuba, Western North America and elsewhere. While researching and guiding in Ecuador, he met his beautiful wife, Judith, who has been integral to development of this guidebook. Peter now works in development at The World Outdoors and is Co-Director of Sustainable Travel International, a not-for-profit organization working to promote a more responsible travel industry. His dog, Shady, hates it when he travels, but she understands.

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Introduction

Adventure Awaits

P icture for a moment a steam-engine train ride from the equatorial Pacific Coast into the second-largest mountain range in the world - the Andes! If that's not adventurous enough, hop onto the roof of that train for the experience of a lifetime. As the journey begins, notice the lush hillside vegetation shrouded in blankets of mist. This is a land of mangrove swamps, banana plantations, and coastal cloud forests; a land with the business heartbeat of a major Latin American political and economic center; a land of extreme material poverty that's rich in cultural beauty and pride. Experience the inquisitive gaze of local villagers and wave back to the children as you pass. The the scenery begins to change. The vegetation becomes sparse as the canyons deepen and narrow. The sunlight, as it strikes the high sides of the mountains, blends with the intense equatorial shadows.

Now it's time to climb up the side of a mountain. Another engine attaches to the train's caboose and you ascend a steep mountain gorge via countless switchbacks. This is El Nariz del Diablo, the Devil's Nose, and the experience is literally breathtaking. Hold on as your feet dangle not only over the edge of the train but over the surging river 1,000 feet below.

In the blink of an eye the Sierras emerge and the land transforms into a quilted checkerboard of farmland on rolling mountains. The characteristics of the people change as well, as cosmopolitan suits are replaced with traditional ponchos and Panama hats. The villagers break for a moment, still holding balls of wool or bundles of straw, to stare at you and the other fleeting strangers as you roll by. In each village you notice a slight difference in indigenous attire, signs of Ecuador's rich cultural history. You continue on, and later, as the sun sets, you contemplate tomorrow's journey: into the heart of the upper Amazon Basin.

World-Class Adventure

Simply put, Ecuador provides more biologic, geographic and recreational diversity than any other country in Latin America. You can experience the biological wonders of the Galápagos Islands, misty coastal cloud forests, the snowcapped jewels of the Andes, and the unparalleled diversity of the upper Amazon Basin. Add to this native markets and the beauty of the indigenous people, and you can imagine the adventure that awaits.

True adventure travel entails experiencing life through the simple beauty of discovery. To do so, you must expand your limits and open your arms to new encounters. Ecuador, a country that offers a cornucopia of rich, newfound experiences, is full of enchanting natural landscapes and welcoming smiles. Whether your goal is recreation, exploring pristine natural environments, or photographing the amazing variety of scenes, you will be delighted with the opportunities here. This is a land that gives back three times what you bring to it. So go now and take a chance. Challenge yourself, meet the people, try their food, and take a stab at speaking their language. The Ecuadorians will love you for it. And don't be surprised when you decide to return!

Ecuador, the Country

Adventure Overview

Charles Darwin rewrote the history of life on earth after his visit to the Galápagos Islands. Now the Ecuadorian mainland also lures adventure travelers, photographers, scientists, conservationists, and community developers alike. Ecuador is a hidden jewel that is slowly coming to light. The upper Amazon Basin, known locally as the Oriente, is a hotspot of biological diversity. It is truly one of the last places on earth where untouched primary rainforest still exists.

So, what exactly does Ecuador have to offer you? Well, pretty much anything you may hope to find. The Andes provide epic hiking, trekking, and mountaineering for all ability levels among spectacular Sierra scenery. Mountain biking in the high country is coming into its own as well, and horseback-riding opportunities throughout the country are as varied as they are scenic. For the avid birder, photographer, or botanist, Ecuador's cloud and rainforests, not to mention the unique Galápagos Islands, are unparalleled. Water activities top off the list, with snorkeling and diving off the islands. In the jungle there is boating by dugout canoe, as well as a rush of world-class whitewater rafting and kayaking. And all of this is within a day's travel from anywhere else in the country.

Like many Latin American countries, Ecuador is a poverty-stricken nation, but it also boasts peace and pride, a relatively stable political climate, and an extensive tourist and transportation infrastructure. Ecuador is among the pioneers of ecotourism and it continues to develop within the merging worlds of tourism, environmental preservation, and economic development. The time to go is now.

Location

Ecuador is located on the northwestern coast of South America. It covers approximately 104,550 square miles, plus the Galápagos. It straddles the equator on the Pacific Coast of South America and is bordered by Colombia to the north and Peru to the south and east. The Galápagos Islands form an archipelago over 600 miles off the coast of mainland Ecuador.

The name Ecuador is the Spanish term for the equator, the invisible line that divides the Earth horizontally in the Northern and Southern hemispheres and crosses the country (there is a monument near Quito, latitude 0°).

History & Politics

A view into the window of Ecuador's historical life is the first step in understanding and appreciating the beauty of this land.

Pre-Inca

Ecuador's earliest inhabitants lived in the Andes as hunters and gatherers, having arrived from Asia across the Bering Strait between 30,000 and 50,000 years ago. As agriculture developed, they settled in the fertile valley of the Andean Sierras. On the coast, related tribes with different dialects hunted, fished, practiced agriculture, traded and made war with each other, as well as with tribes of the highlands. Spear tips belonging to the earliest groups from as far back as 10,000 BC have been discovered. Though there is little evidence about Ecuador's pre-Incan past, by around 3,500 BC a fairly well developed culture known today as the Valdivians lived in the central coastal plain near what today is Santa Elena, along the south-central coast. Small earthenware figurines, most likely related to fertility rites and religious rituals within the Valdivia culture, have been discovered in this region and are on display in small archeological museums, as well as in Quito and Guayaquil. Other, more recent archeological sites exist in Esmeraldas and Manabí coastal provinces, and in the Northern Highlands.

In the fertile valleys of the Andes, meanwhile, several independent tribes evolved in more settled communities, ruled by local and regional chiefs and farming crops such as maize, quinoa, potatoes. In the Southern Highlands, they even utilized irrigation. As many independent tribes merged and evolved during this period, most early inhabitants lived primarily along the coast (the Caras) or in the highlands (the Quitus), though not much is known about possible cultures in the Oriente. These two groups merged into the Shyri Nation under the leadership of the coastal Caras, who were then in the Northern Highlands, and the Quitus, around the modern site of Quito. Another alliance by marriage united the Shyri Nation with the Puruhá of the Southern Highlands under the Dachicela lineage, while the Cañaris remained separate during the period of Inca arrival in the area around what is Cuenca today.

Inca Invasion

The Inca Empire dominated southern Peru - primarily the area around Lake Titicaca - as far back as the 11th century. By the 15th century, when the Incas began to expand their empire, the Quitucaras (from the Dachicela lineage) dominated the northern chain of Andean kingdoms in today's Ecuador, and the Cañaris ruled the south in the area around the beautiful modern-day city of Cuenca. The ninth Inca King, Pachacuti Inca Yupanque, meaning Earthshaker, was primarily responsible for what eventually became 11 generations of Inca rule from as far south and Chile and Argentina and as far north as Ecuador and Colombia.

After years of resistance against Inca expansion under Yupanque's son Túpac-Yupanqui, the Cañaris and Incas settled peacefully in 1470. As the Incas proceeded north, the Quitucaras continued to resist for many more years. Eventually, the son of Túpac-Yupanqui, named Hauyna-Capac (meaning rich and excellent youth), was born of a Cañari princess and succeeded to the Inca throne. From this point forward the southern Incan culture in Peru began to merge with that of the peoples of Ecuador. Huayna-Capac, the 11th Inca King, expanded the empire further and reigned during a brief period of relative stability.

Inca-Ecuadorian Society

Though short-lived in Ecuador, the Inca Empire - particularly during Huayna-Capac's rule - had a profound effect on the Andean community and structure of life. The two cultures were relatively compatible, as Huayna Capac, who was fond of Quito, ruled with strength and reported wisdom. Traditional subsistence farming was complemented by agricultural advances from farther south near the capital of Cuzco, including new crops, expanded irrigation and the use of domesticated llamas. The people continued to use the land communally, with private allotments for family consumption. Under the Incas, however, the emperor owned the land by divine right and took homage and a portion of proceeds, mainly to support the largest army in the Americas and to provide personal comforts. Any resistance resulted in entire community displacement, and local inhabitants were sometimes relocated to far away lands in the empire and replaced primarily by Quichua-speaking groups from near Cuzco. This culture became the foundation for modern Ecuador's largest indigenous language group, the Quichua, who range from the Andes to the upper Amazon.

The Incas eventually subdued the resistant Quitucara and sacked Quito in 1492, although a peaceful alliance did not occur until Huayna-Capac married the daughter of the captured Quitu leader. Their son in Quito was Atahualpa. Huayna-Capac had another son, named Huascar, previously born of an Inca princess in the capital of Cuzco (and rightful heir to the empire). By now the Inca Empire included the Andean portion of Ecuador in what was known as Tawantinsuyu. Time was running out, though, even for the powerful Incas. According to the first Spanish historian, Father Bernabe Cobo, Huayna-Capac knew ahead of time that the ferocious Spaniards had traveled across the sea in large wooden houses and that they were on their way. But the Spanish sent messengers of death ahead of them in the form of smallpox and measles, and wiped out a significant number