The Ecuador Adventure Difference

Since 1991, Ecuador Adventure has developed, organized, and delivered top-quality adventure tours in one of the world's hotspots of biodiversity. We offer a complete range of products to explore practically every fascinating corner of this wonderfully diverse country and are also a tour and hotel operator in the Galapagos Islands. We are proud to say that our combination of quality, comfort, and value has made us Ecuador's number one adventure travel operator.

We strive to provide only distinctive adventure travel experiences, unmatched by creativity, variety, safety, professionalism, and attention to detail. Our office staff skillfully handles every detail of even the toughest itineraries - letting you focus on enjoying the natural and cultural distinctiveness of Ecuador. Every journey we offer delivers an ideal blend of Ecuador's most astonishing landscapes, wildlife, and adventure along with a unique combination of local and indigenous cultures, traditions, sights, sounds, and flavors. Each program is combined with carefully selected hotels, haciendas, and eco-lodges; and skillfully led by some of the most exceptional, knowledgeable, and passionate guides.

The Ecuador Adventure Travel Philosophy

Our tours have been crafted over two decades to deliver you the finest natural and cultural experiences in the hands of skilled and passionate guides, with the comfort of fine dining and lodging, in the most breathtaking modes of adventure travel possible. Our tours are based on 4 pillars - nature and culture, local knowledge, comfort, and adventure:

1. People come to Ecuador first and foremost to see incredible natural beauty; therefore our utmost priority is bringing our guests to the most stunning, unique, fascinating, and wildlife-filled natural settings. For nearly 20 years, we have been exploring little-known areas and routes to discover magical locations unknown to other companies. The second reason that people come to Ecuador is to discover the colorful array of ancient cultures that continue to live on today. From the Andes to the Amazon, nearly all of our tours involve visits to indigenous communities. Our tours are special in the regard that they don't just visit and see different cultures but take time to experience and learn from them. Along our tours, guests shoot blowguns, weave palm tree fibers, are spiritually cleansed by shamans, bargain at indigenous marketplaces, dance with Amazonian Indians, and listen to enchanting traditional Andean music.
   
   
2. The foundation of stellar tours are stellar guides. Our guides provide fascinating insight and a local perspective onto the magnificent places we visit. In addition, they are incredibly keen at spotting wildlife and are able to rapidly and flawlessly adapt tours to local weather patterns, special festivals and events, and guests' interests and needs. Furthermore, our guides are more than tour facilitators; they are friends and portals through which you will explore new worlds.
   
   
3. Comfort is essential to the enjoyment of any tour. The boutique hotels, historic haciendas, and premium eco-lodges you will stay at have been carefully selected for comfort, service, authenticity, reliability, and sustainable practices. The meals you will enjoy are local and delicious fusions of international and local cuisine. The private transportation we provide ensures that you travel comfortably, safely, reliably, and swiftly.
   
   
4. Active adventure activities transform our programs from mere sight-seeing tours into unforgettable hands-on experiences filled with action, emotion, and fulfillment. Our guests don't merely see incredible sites, they explore them by foot, bike, raft, zipline, snorkel, scuba, and kayak in order to feel and experience nature to the fullest. Our adventure medium is not only the most exhilarating way to experience Ecuador's breathtaking landscapes, it is the usually the best way and often the only way.

Adventure Pioneers

Creativity and dedication is the epitome of Ecuador Adventure. We began by pioneering adventure travel in Ecuador and opening new routes to experience its natural wonders. We first began as a whitewater operator, running first descents down rivers and gorges of the Amazon and coast. Soon afterwards, we expanded to include trekking and mountain biking routes, producing the venerable multisport concept. Multisport adventure is perfectly adapted to Ecuador's geographical diversity and close proximity between regions. We developed the Galapagos Multisport, which revolutionized the way adventure travelers explore Galapagos today. Ecuador Adventure further innovated adventure travel by creating a strikingly diverse wilderness trekking tour in premium comfort. Our tradition of creativity and dedication continues today, as we are constantly exploring new routes and searching for the next revolution in Ecuadorian adventure travel.

Safety First

Safety is always our primary concern. Years of experience, combined with carefully planned safety procedures and contingency plans, form the backbone of our successful operation. A comprehensive safety briefing is given at the start of every trip, and each adventurer is trained in the paddling, cycling, or riding techniques needed to safely navigate Ecuador's often challenging terrain. Our guides are Wilderness First Responder (WFR) certified and carry complete first aid kits stocked to the standards of a medical emergency response team. When possible, our Adventure Tours are supported by a chase vehicle or boat on call for immediate response. In remote areas, we carry SPOT satellite tracking devices which can be used to launch a rapid search and rescue operation.

Equipment

Our equipment is professional grade and top-of-the-line, specialized to withstand the rigors of adventure sports and designed to ensure maximum safety and enjoyment. We provide all the necessary personal protective equipment: high-flotation life jackets, high-impact helmets, lightweight paddles, throw ropes, gloves, water bottles, splash jackets, and more, based on the type of activity and weather. We also carry spare equipment in case of breakdown, and we are constantly maintaining and replacing equipment to keep them up to our high standards.

Sustainable and Environmental Practices

Ecuador Adventure's tours are socially and environmentally committed to sustainable ecotourism practices. We are proud board members of ASEC (Ecuadorian Ecotourism & Adventure Association), and we also preside over the presidency position through our general manager. Through ASEC, we are able to contribute to Ecuador's tourism industry at both an operational and political level. One of our larger direct impacts on the national ecotourism industry was helping to establish the first certification standards for nature-based hotels, and we are currently working on establishing minimum operational standards for adventure activities. We work closely with the International Ecotourism Society (TIES), abide by Leave No Trace camping and environmental standards, are members of Sustainable Travel International (STI), and are certified as sustainable tour operators by the Rainforest Alliance. Furthermore, our land-based tours have become a model for tourism in the Galapagos in which 70% of the funds from our tours are redistributed within the local Galapagos economy.

Our guests can expect:

• To receive information to help minimize their impact on local cultures, plants, and animals.
• Trip costs and fees to contribute to the welfare of local communities and the conservation of their natural environment, as we help develop skills in the local people empowering them to direct their communities towards sustainable futures.
• To travel in small groups to ensure richer experiences and minimal environmental impact.
• To avoid areas which are under-managed or over-visited.
• Meticulous recycling, trash, and water management both on our tours and in our office.
• In the Galapagos, to be served fruit, juice, and coffee benefiting a local organic farm owned by a charitable organization

Our Logo

Quitu-Caras pottery adorned with The Sun of Eight Points. 1000 AD

Ecuador Adventure's logo not only represents unrivalled experiences in nature, culture, learning, comfort, and adventure - it is an ancient Andean symbol representing the center of life and time. Our logo is The Sun of Eight Points, a powerful emblem that dates back to pre-Incan times adoring the sun god, Inti. The Sun of Eight Points is more than a symbol, it is a highly advanced astronomical and geographical tool identifying the precise location of latitude 0°. The shape of the sun icon is formed by the shadow of the sun as it rises and falls on each of the four seasons. During the solstices, it is perfectly aligned with the surrounding temples and volcanoes. The Sun of Eight Points represents the center of life and time, as it is the only place on earth where the sun can be precisely measured throughout the year.