PHOTO OF THE MONTH:

Photo gallery of pictures from our ACTIVE NEW ZEALAND adventure vacation
Iguana Apr 2006
Costa Rica has some amazing beaches, with the rainforest almost spilling on to the waves.

GUIDE OF THE MONTH:

ACTIVE NEW ZEALAND adventure travel guide
Arturo Rojas
"Bottom line, ASA is lucky to have such an incredible person on their staff. Arturo definitely made our trip what it was. His professional guiding abilities are well rounded and very solid. The marks I am giving him are 100% (all maximum) sincere and well earned. My wife and I were both very impressed and grateful for Arturo. You always felt like he was your leader but at the same time a friend. Arturo is truly a unique individual and is perfect for what he is doing!"
Thomas Akeson (Oregon, USA) Nov 2008 Jaguar
News Clips and Reviews
Swimming with sea lions
by Bernie Lovejoy

GALÁPAGOS ISLANDS, Ecuador — Would you like to swim with sea lions? Sounds interesting. But what if I added, 'And the sea lions will swim with you!' This was exactly our experience when my wife, Francoise, and I tried an adventure (not a vacation) in the Galápagos Islands. It began with sea lion babies checking us out while teething on the mooring lines of our boat and went on to lengthy water ballets with playful 'teenagers' joining divers and snorkelers in dives, twists and pirouettes in crystal-clear water. After a week full of challenges and thrills, we still had no trouble choosing this as the high point of our trip. Read more...

swimming with seals in the Galapagos Islands
"I'd recommend ASA to anyone who wants to take the path less traveled. The "W" (trek) was just strenuous enough to let you know you weren't just slack-packing. An amazing trip through a part of the globe that earns the title "the end of the world". If you want to hike, bike and kayak in mountains, trails, lakes, fiords and glaciers that will take your breath away, this trip is the one for you. "

Jack Richardson (Florida, USA) Feb 2009 Condor 0809 - 13 day

History of Ecuador & Facts


If you're planning an Ecuador holiday, you'll be visiting the smallest country in the rugged Andean highlands and one of the most rewarding travel destinations in South America. Ecuador travel is full of surprises - with its array of vibrant indigenous cultures, well preserved colonial architecture, otherworldly volcanic landscapes and dense rainforest, Ecuador packs its perimeters with more points of interest than many countries twice its size. When you touch down in its picture-perfect capital, Quito, at the start of your Ecuador trip, you are no more than a day's drive from a slog through all-swallowing Amazonian jungle, a snow swept ascent of an active volcano, a sociable haggle with indigenous artesanos or a welcome wallow on a tropical beach. And all that in a nation no bigger than the US state of Nevada.

Brief History of Ecuador

A rich and diverse mosaic of ancient cultures is the foundation of Ecuador's national identity today. Archaeological facts have been found in the area dating back to 10,000 BC, and many cultures are thought to have evolved here between 500 BC and 500 AD. The Incas captured Quito in 1492 but the centre of the Inca Empire in Cuzco, Peru and Quito, Ecuador, would soon be divided again when civil war breaks out. Until Pizarro, one of the Spanish invaders, took over Quito in 1534 and Ecuador remained under Spanish rule for almost 300 years.

The indigenous people became slaves to Spanish landowners and this feudal system largely survived until land reforms in 1964. Ecuadorian independence was won in several stages beginning in 1809. By the late 1800s, the Radical Liberals reduced the power of the church - one of the strong legacies of Spanish rule - in an effort to modernize Ecuador. After a long period of political instability, Ecuador entered another period of economic expansion based on banana export. Military rule followed and finally Ecuador returned to democracy in 1979. Also during the 70s, Ecuador transformed from an essentially agricultural economy to a predominantly petroleum-based economy.

Ecuador Facts

Full country name: Republic of Ecuador
Area: 283,520 sq km (175,780 sq mi)
Population: 12,920,092 (growth rate: 2.1%)
Capital city: Quito (pop 1.5 million)
People: 40% mestizo, 40% Indian, 15% Spanish descent, 5% African descent
Language: Spanish, Quechua, Quichua, other indigenous languages
Religion: Over 90% Roman Catholic, small minority of other Christian denominations
Government: Democracy
GDP per head: US$4,800
Major industries: Oil, bananas, shrimp, fish, coffee, textiles, metal work, paper products, wood products, chemicals, plastics, fishing, lumber
Major trading partners: US, South America, EU, Asia, Caribbean

Planning an Ecuador vacation? Check out our 12-day Ecuador adventure vacation.


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