General Information about Ecuador

Area: 280.000 Km2.

Population: Approximately 12,500,000 inhabitants.

Capital: Quito has approximately 1,800,000 inhabitants; however, the economic capital of the country is Guayaquil which has 2,500,000 inhabitants.

Language: The official language is Spanish, although Quechua is also spoken and there are some other Indian dialects such as Cofan, Siona, Huaorani, Shuar and Tsachila. English is spoken in most of the hotels, shops and places visited by tourists. French and German are spoken to a lesser degree.

Religion: The Roman Catholic religion predominates by 95%.

Boundaries: Colombia borders Ecuador on the north, Peru on the south and east, and the Pacific Ocean has an extension of nearly 800 km on the west.

Islands: The Galapagos Islands (approximately 8,000 km2) consist of 13 principal islands, 6 small islands and 42 islets.

Highest Altitudes: Chimborazo rises 6,310 meters above sea level and Cotopaxi, the highest active volcano in the world, is 5,897 meters above sea level.

Currency: The Ecuadorian currency is the United States dollar. Other currencies are also accepted, especially in Quito and Guayaquil. It is advisable to carry traveler's checks in U.S. dollars. Places that cater to tourists accept American Express, Visa, Mastercard and Diners Club credit cards.

Documents: Upon arrival in the country, all foreigners must present a passport and a visa certified by an accredited Ecuadorian consul in the country of origin. It is a good idea to always carry your passport or a copy of it, because there are regular checkpoints at different places in the country.

Weather: Although Ecuador belongs to the tropic zone, the great differences that exist in altitude result in varying temperatures in different regions. The average temperature on the coast is 27ºC. The sierra has a subtropical climate with temperatures varying between 3ºC and 25ºC. In the Amazon region, the climate is warm and humid with temperatures varying between 23ºC and 26ºC. The Galapagos region has a dry subtropical climate with temperatures varying between 18ºC and 22ºC.

Clothing: On the coast, summer clothing is good year round. However, in the sierra those clothes are good between May and August. For the rest of the year, warmer casual clothing, including a raincoat, is recommendable. For Galapagos and the Amazon region, informal lightweight clothing is essential.

Custom: Travelers over 18 years of age can bring 300 cigarettes and one bottle of liquor into the country tax free.

Voltage:110 V, 60 Hz outlets.

Time Difference: In relation to European countries, Ecuadorian time is 7 hours earlier in summer and 6 hours earlier in winter. The Galapagos Islands are ahead of the continental Ecuador by one hour.

Taxes: All persons, whether they be foreigners or nationals, must pay a departure tax of $ 31.60 in cash. There are also other taxes varying between $10 and $20 that are charged within the country, especially when entering national parks and reservations. The tax for Galapagos is $100.

Air Transportation: Ecuador has two international airports, "Mariscal Sucre" in Quito and "Simón Bolívar" in Guayaquil. These airports have flights to and from the principal cities of the world. There are also other air terminals for the national airlines that fly to the main cities within the country.
Do not forget to reconfirm your international flight at least 72 hours before departure. Our staff will be happy to help you.

International airlines operating in Ecuador: American Airlines, Avensa Servivensa, Aces, Aeropostal, Avianca, Air France, Copa, Continental Airlines, KLM, Lanchile, Grupo Taca LACSA, TAME, Lufthansa and Ladeco.

National airlines operating in Ecuador: : TAME. AEROGAL. AUSTRO AEREO.

Working Hours: Banks and money exchanges are open from 9 am to 4 pm. Businesses and shopping centers are usually open from 9 am to 7 pm, Monday to Saturday. Small stores sometimes stay open longer, and it is possible to shop on weekends.

Recommended medicine and vaccination: No vaccinations are required for entering the country. However, the following are recommended for travelers: yellow fever, typhus, malaria, polio, tetanus and hepatitis. Travelers should not forget the medicine they normally take and should contact their physician before traveling, especially if they have any type of heart or blood pressure problems.

Medical Services: Most cities in the country have excellent clinics and hospitals. All the hotels have information regarding how to contact a doctor or call Emergency. Many hotels have a staff physician. There are pharmacies that are open 24 hours a day.

Water: We suggest you drink bottled water rather than water from the tap.

Telephone, fax, postal services, telefax, e-mail: From Ecuador you can make international telephone calls directly or by calling through the operator at 116 or 117. Andinatel is the company in charge of communication in the sierra and Pacifictel on the coast. Most hotels now have fax and e-mail service. There are also many nice "cyber cafés" where you can make international calls or send fax and e-mail.

Special cuisine: Here is a short list of some of the quite special foods served in Ecuador. Of course, the list is not complete since our gastronomy is varied and extensive. Some examples are locro de papas (potato soup), caldo de patas (pig feet bouillon), yahuarlocro (potato soup served with fried blood), timbushca (beef vegetable soup), sopa de bolas de verde (plantain ball soup), cebiche (seafood cocktail), biche (fish chowder with yucca and plantain), fritada (fried pork), llapingachos (potato patties), empanadas de morocho (fried cornmeal turnovers), empanadas de verde (plantain turnovers), quimbolitos (steamed corn cakes), tamales (steamed cornbread), fanesca (fish chowder), seco de chivo (lamb stew) and colada morada (spicy wine-colored fruit drink).

There are also many good restaurants that serve international cuisine.

Crafts: A wide variety of crafts are sold everywhere. On Amazonas Avenue in Quito, there are little stores open every day, and there is a new craft market in the Mariscal sector that is also open every day. These places offer all kinds of crafts from all over the country. There are also Indian markets all over the sierra that are well known for their original designs in sweaters, wall hangings, ponchos, hats, shawls, scarves, embroidery, wood carvings, leather objects, leather clothes, clay figurines, bags and articles made of alpaca wool. Always ask for a cut in price -it's part of the deal!

Transporte: (trein, bus, taxi, airplane) There are two railroad lines in Ecuador. One is the Quito-Cotopaxi National Park and the other is the Riobamba-Alausi (Nose of the Devil)-Sibambe line. Unfortunately, these trains are very old and slow and frequent landslides in the rainy season damage the rails, forcing operations to a standstill, sometimes for several weeks or months.

The most important and usual means of transportation both in and between cities is the bus. There are different kinds of buses, but the tourist who decides on this means of transportation should be very careful not to get robbed.

Taxis are plentiful in all cities. They can be summoned by phone if so desired, but they appear on the street quite regularly. Almost all the taxis in Quito have meters.

The fastest means of transportation between cities is the airplane. There are several flights a day between Quito and Guayaquil every day of the week.

There are companies that rent different kinds of cars and they logically charge according to the type. Our Travel Agency also provides chauffeured vehicles at prices lower than those of the rental agencies. Requirements for renting a car are a passport, a credit card, a driver's license and be over 18 years of age. Before renting a car, be sure you know it is insured.

Observations:

- Be careful with your belongings -don't trust people.
- Don't eat or drink foods bought on the street, even when they look good, because they may spread disease.
- Tipping is always courteous but never obligatory.