Ecuador travel
Tourist attractions in Ecuador
Explore the tourist attractions of Ecuador.
Kutuku Protected Forest
The Cutucú-Shaimi protective forest is under study and in a management plan to be able to belong to the SNAP, it has an extension of 311,500 hectares of mainly large arboreal vegetation, it has primary forests and abundant fauna. The protected area is a terrestrial space especially dedicated to the protection and maintenance of diversity, of natural resources, it is one of the tourist attractions, which house species and varieties of importance. It is important to adopt an appropriate behavior of respect and conservation of the natural and cultural resources of the protected areas. Likewise, when carrying out tourist operations in these areas, it is essential to consider fundamental aspects to try not to destroy it. Creation date I declared it a Protected Forest on July 10, 1990. Location It is located in the northern part of the Cuchaentza parish, in the foothills and Cutucú mountain range, northeast of the Morona canton, it is also found in the cantons of Taisha, Logroño and Sucúa. Extension It has an area of 311,500 hectares and is located within the Kutuku-Shaimi mountain range.
340.23 Km.
Busa Lagoon
Interest: Nature Type: Lagoon Friendly to: children, seniors, handicapped, peets Relevant categories: Cajas Massif Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO - Within San Fernando´s Cultural National Heritage by the Ecuadorian Government Hours: Open every day Laguna de Busa is a tourist complex in the canton of San Fernando. The main attractions of Busa are its scenic beauty and the many recreational activities that can be done: water and extreme sports, sport fishing, hiking, horseback riding, camping and nature photography. San Pablo Hill dominates the view. It is an imposing granite mass of 800 meters high to which it is possible to climb to observe the lagoon and the surroundings of San Fernando. The infrastructure of the Parador allows the visitor to enjoy the local gastronomy, with typical dishes at reasonable prices. There are boats to sail the lagoon and children's games. Another option is the purchase of handicrafts. It also has a footbridge, a path to go around the lagoon, piers and signposting. Access to the lagoon is easy. It is a five-minute drive from the centre of the canton of San Fernando along a well-maintained dirt track. An image of the Heart of Jesus was placed in the centre of Busa, based on the belief that it will prevent the waters from flooding the surrounding area in winter. The preferred site for national visitors and foreign tourists to camp is the pine forest, located on the left side of Busa, which is accessed by a trail. It is ideal for a day in the countryside or hiking to study nature. It is recommended to take the necessary equipment for camping. Like every point in the Andean geography, Busa also has its myth of origin. An old man was a victim of selfishness and mistreatment of people. The consequence of the evil was a catastrophic flood from which the lagoon was formed. Only one maiden who was good to the old man was saved. San Fernando is a charming city, Cultural Heritage of Ecuador. Its nature is bountiful. It generates an important cattle, milk and agricultural production, especially avocados. The main architectural asset of its Historical Center is the Mother Church, with paintings dating from 1830. Cantonization: May 6, 1986. The variety of its gastronomy attracts the tourist: the canelazo, the waters of mount and aromatic, black coffee, fried trout with different preparations, fried chop, guinea pig with potatoes, baked, cheese, sweet of fig and of peach.
342.53 Km.
Alex waterfalls
The waterfall known as Cascadas de Alex is a pongo, because it is located in a mountainous relief.Cascadas de Alex is located in Olón, towards the mountain, almost at the end of the town. In this place you can enjoy a bath, and appreciate the vegetation of the area as there are a variety of plants and trees cataloged with names. There are small streams of water that can be crossed on foot near the entrance area. What you can do in Alex Waterfalls Swimming Hike Wildlife observation Location The Alex Waterfalls are located in the San Vicente de Loja complex, in the Olón commune, Santa Elena province.
342.64 Km.
Cerro El Tablazo
The Mirador Cerro El Tablazo is located on one of the largest hills in Santa Elena.From here you can have a view of the sea and the three cantons of the Peninsula: Santa Elena, La Libertad and Salinas. The buildings of Salinas, the oil tanks in La Libertad and the Emperatriz de Santa Elena church stand out in the panorama that can be seen from this hill.Cerro el Tablazo appears on the coat of arms of the province of Santa Elena. What you can do in Mirador Cerro El Tablazo Hike Photography Cycling Address The Cerro El Tablazo Viewpoint is located on one of the largest hills in Santa Elena, on Sucre Street, before reaching the Santa Elena Bus Terminal.
348.02 Km.
Whale Beach
Small but important fishing port and spa located a short distance from La Libertad and Santa Elena, it owes its name to the fact that these cetaceans were seen in groups on their way to the place they choose to mate. Captain Francisco Pizarro landed on its beaches on August 18, 1527. When he discovered the Peninsula and gave it its original name. It has great fishing activity for which Ballenita develops a varied gastronomic offer for its visitors.White tail whale watching is given. What you can do in Playa Ballenita snorkeling Wildlife observation Surf Hike Taste typical dishes Diving buy souvenirs Location Ballenita Beach Ballenita beach is located about 20 minutes from Salinas and 5 minutes from La Libertad.
349.21 Km.
The Lovers of Sumpa Museum
The museum presents the history and culture of the inhabitants of the Peninsula. It allows to know the coastal identity, the flavors and their coexistence systems. It is a journey to approach history from the signs that remained from the first inhabitants, the history of the ancient embrace of a man and a woman, the testimony of the cholos fishermen and the life of the inhabitants. The site museum bears the name Los Amantes de Sumpa, due to the burial of two skeletons that are embracing and that are part of the cemetery of the inhabitants of the Las Vegas Culture. It is cataloged as one of the oldest in the American continent, towards 6,000 BC The Museum, sponsored by the Central Bank of Ecuador and administered by the "Los Amantes de Sumpa" Foundation, presents the pre-Hispanic, colonial and republican history of the Peninsula. Location 1 km from the cantonal capital of Santa Elena on the Vía La Libertad - Salinas.
350.26 Km.
The chocolatier
It is the most outstanding point of the Santa Elena Peninsula in the Pacific and the second in South America. It is located within the Salinas Naval Base. The meeting of the two marine currents produces a crash of waves against the rocks, which constitutes a unique spectacle, full of color, since the water, when crossed by the intense solar rays, offers multiple rainbows. Cliff of considerable height, which is located at the most prominent point of the Ecuadorian profile where you can develop some activities such as observation of the landscape and fauna. It has large and irregular rocks where marine fauna lives and the waves break with force. La Chocolatera owes its name to the color of its waters, turquoise and green predominate in the sea, but when the sea currents collide and raise the sand from the depths They give it a chocolate hue. entrance prices It's free, you just have to respect the signs that warn you of danger. How to get? From Guayaquil Located within the Naval Base of Salinas, in the province of Santa Elena, 152 kilometers from the city of Guayaquil. Take the road to the Coast or E40, from Guayaquil, to Santa Elena and continue along the road that connects with La Libertad.
359.29 Km.
Rafting in Cuyes River
Rafting, kayaking and tubing are extreme sports and adventure tourism. The communities near Gualaquiza offer these activities, as alternatives for the distraction of tourists and work opportunities for local inhabitants. The Cuyes River descends from the Andes and joins the Cuchipamba. This downstream is a tributary of the Bomboiza, which reaches the Zamora. There is a classification of rapids according to their degree of difficulty, for the descent of rivers. It goes from one to six. The waters of the Cuyes, the Cuchipamba and the Bomboiza are Class II. That is, a little turbulent with eddies without danger for the swimmer and navigable. River rafting is a sport and recreational activity that consists of going downstream in an airboat or raft, overcoming the rapids. The boat is dragged by the current, while the crew members control it with their oars. No previous experience is required to practice it. The participant must know how to swim. Other necessary equipment is the helmet and the vest. If the river waters have low temperature, an insulating suit must be used. A variant of rafting is kayaking. A sport kayak is used for the descent. In tubing the individual is placed on top of a tube and is carried away by the current. The people who practice it are not tied down and paddle with their hands. Sailing on an Amazon river is a unique experience, because of the diversity of landscapes it offers. Other options for the visitor are rappelling, canoeing, swimming, long and pleasant walks to observe and photograph flora and fauna. Adventure, gastronomy, nature and culture. It is possible to experience all this in Gualaquiza, a town located at the southern end of Morona Santiago, in the Ecuadorian Amazon. The canton is located between the foothills of the Cordillera Oriental and the Cordillera del Condor. In its territory there is a wide diversity of ecosystems. Its people are very friendly. It has attractions like the Callejón, Petroglifos de El Empalme and the caves and waterfalls La Dolorosa and El Paraíso. Gualaquiza is known by the nickname of "Paradise of the Ecuadorian Amazon".
361.06 Km.
Kayamas Shuar Community
Kayamas, a small Shuar community of 55 inhabitants. Located in the parish of Bomboiza, 15 minutes south of the canton of Gualaquiza, Morona Santiago. To boost its social and economic development, this town has also opted for community tourism, like other towns in eastern Ecuador. In order to promote their culture, the Shuar ethnic group resorts, in addition to gastronomy, music and dance, to the realization of the clean shamanic. In Kayamás this offer exists, which consists of a way to recover the health, by means of own rituals of the Amazonia. They aim to balance the body's energies. For the Kayamás Shuar it is about cleaning the bad energies, getting in touch with Mother Nature and discharging the electromagnetism of the technologies of the modern world. The shamanic cleanings eliminate negative thoughts, balance the body with the mind and spirit, achieving the well-being of the person. The Shuar are also the people of the sacred waterfalls. Kayamas is not the exception. He treasures his Arutam waterfall. There the ancestral rite of initiation, consecration, transmission of power and lineage is carried out. The waterfall allows the encounter with the Father Giver of the life and with the individuality of the person. The means are the power plants and the sacred tobacco. The grandparents give a spiritual name, awaken consciousness, purify the being and restore health. Another tourist activity of Kayamas, which promotes and spreads the Shuar culture, are the handicrafts. Its inhabitants make changuinas, a traditional basket used mainly for transporting food, made from vegetable fibers provided by the jungle. Necklaces for men and women made from seeds are in great demand by tourists. Authentic vegetable jewels, woven with mullets. Kayamas was created in the late 1970s by 12 people who wanted a better education for their children. The community was legalized in the Federation of Shuar Centers of Sucua. The community tourism would have emerged with the very creation of the community, getting stronger in the last years.
364.30 Km.
Andean Condors of Leon River
Interest : Nature Type : Canyon Friendly to: children, families, seniors Relevant categories: Municipal Protected Area Hours : Open every day The condor is the emblematic bird of the equator. It is drawn with its wings spread out on the shield of the Republic. It is a paradox, because the condor is also an endangered bird. Its sighting is possible in the Susudel parish, Oña canton, in the south of the Ecuadorian Andes. The deep canyon of the river León in Susudel has served for millennia as a nesting site for the Andean condor (Vultur Grypus). It is a desert area with a warm climate, although it has plateaus that exceed 3,800 meters above sea level. To protect the bird, on February 2, 2018, the Municipal Area of Conservation and Sustainable Use of the Andean Condor was created in the León River Canyon, in the provinces of Azuay and Loja. An area of 34,763 hectares was delimited based on satellite monitoring of a female bird. The initiative began with the murder of the condor Felipe in 2013, a crime committed by a poacher. The National Condor Working Group coordinated by the Ministry of Environment decided to protect Arturo's birthplace and prevent the condor's extinction. The cantons of Oña, Nabón, Santa Isabel and Saguro support this protection action. The area has an exclusive municipal management and ordinance, with a territory designed based on scientific data generated by the same species. Río León is a remote place. Because of its cliffs, it is ideal for the rest, nesting and flight of condors. It seems that the area has been used by these birds for thousands of years. The species is attached to the nesting sites of its ancestors. Up to 15 condors have been counted here. Arturo has managed to get the authorities to protect the Andean condors living in Rio Leon. The first flight of this condor was perpetuated in a sculpture in the central square of Susudel. With a little bit of luck, upon reaching the top of Mount Putushio opposite Oña, a specimen of this great bird will welcome visitors in an overflight. The 2015 Andean Condor Census revealed that there are between 94 and 102 individuals in Ecuador. In the south of the country, the 2017 census, resulted in the presence of 28 condors. In the canyon of the León River, where the king of the Andes lives, 43 species of birds, nine of mammals and eight of amphibians and reptiles hide among the dry vegetation. Source: Fundación Municipal Turismo para Cuenca
367.62 Km.
Two Bocas Spa
Natural spa that is located in a place called Cadena, a place chosen by tourists for having free access and having crystal clear waters for the use of bathers accompanied by good gastronomy. Those who visit the site are fascinated by the charm of this beautiful spa, it has a fauna and flora that make the perfect complement to this landscape. The spa is formed by the merger of two rivers called the Caguana and Aguila, and for this reason the name arises as we know it today to the Dos Bocas spa. Tourists prefer to bathe in the upper part of the confluence of these waters, which have a temperature between 18 to 24 degrees Celsius. What can we find in the area? Gastronomy Balneario Dos Bocas: Community tourism providers offer a wide range of typical food that diners can taste as they are; fried pork, tube broth, pork rinds, Creole chicken stew, chicken broth, roasted plantain and other kitchen delicacies; that yes with the seasoning and flavor of the field, ancestral flavors of the grandmother to catch the most demanding tastes of the tourist. How to get to the Dos Bocas Spa? The route to reach the natural charm of Pasaje begins in the urban area of the canton, take the Pasaje-El Guabo road, after passing the El Donque bridge and traveling 1.5 km, take the road to the El Progreso parish. The road is in good condition for vehicular traffic. To get from Progreso to the spa, follow the paved street by the agricultural school, to the left, via La Cadena, travel 3 kilometers to reach Dos Bocas. Entry Cost Currently the entrance to Balneario Dos Bocas is free, yes, it is also recommended to clean all the dirty that we can do during our stay in the place.
371.17 Km.
Jubones River Desert
The Jubones River Desert is a place of extremes and contradictions. Aggressive and dry. Located between the provinces of Azuay, Loja and El Oro. Its geography, although mostly free of vegetation, has a special beauty for its brown mountains. Due to the action of the wind and erosion they have pointed or round, thick or thin shapes. This place, so arid and not very suitable for human life, resembles a landscape of Mars. It has an area of 1,200 hectares, with a dry and warm temperate climate. The altitude between 800 and 1,400 meters above sea level, the topography and the ecosystem of the Jubones River basin, make the winds transport all the humidity to the coastal plain. As a consequence of this natural exchange, the desert is formed. Tourists with an adventurous spirit who wish to go into the desert have several options. From Santa Isabel, Azuay or Saraguro, Loja, they can start the journey having the prudence of being accompanied by a guide. Hiking, bird watching, photography or simply admiring the landscape are among the activities. As it is a desert of deep and wrinkled ravines, the level of physical demand is high. Dry slopes, rivers, cliffs, little shade and even poisonous snakes flank the path. A good supply of water must be carried. The most spectacular view is offered by the river, which cuts through the mountains forming high cliffs of pure rock. An extraordinary place. Apart from the landscape it has fauna typical of places with little rainfall: lizards, geckos, spiders, stick grasshoppers, acacias. The Jubones basin is 4,300 km2. It has a length of 180 km. Its tributaries are the rivers: Leon, Rircay, San Francisco, Minas, Vivar, Mollepungo, Uchucay, Guanacay, Chillayaco and Casacay. It flows into the Pacific Ocean. The most touristic point of this basin is the Yunguilla Valley. Vacation homes, restaurants and small hotels are everywhere. An oasis of greenery. The hydroelectric projects Minas-San Francisco and La Union are located downstream of Jubones.
371.92 Km.
We have 413 tourist attractions listed in Ecuador.