Ecuador

Ecuador is the smallest country in South America's Andean highlands and offers gap year travellers stunning scenery and wildlife. If you plan to do any volunteer work or want to learn Spanish during your time in South America then Ecuador is also home to some excellent programmes.

Ecuador is named after its position on the equator and is surrounded by Colombia to the north, Peru to the east and south and the Pacific Ocean to the west. The Andes run through Ecuador from the Colombian border in the north to the borders of Peru in the south and form the country's backbone. There are two main mountain ranges in Ecuador, the Central Cordillera and the Western Cordillera. These two ranges are separated by Ecuador's 400 kilometre long Central Valley, the rims of which are 40 to 65 kilometres apart. Between these rims are ranges of hills, in the basins of which can be found dense clusters of Ecuador's population.

The capital of Ecuador is Quito, a place that many South Americans consider South America's most beautiful city. Quito is 2850 metres above sea level and just 22 kilometres south of the equator. This unique geographic position blesses Quito with a comfortable spring-like climate and some stunning surrounding views of Ecuador's snow-capped mountains. If you want to visit Ecuador to get involved in a rewarding volunteer project, then a good option would be Real Gap's ‘Street Children Volunteer Ecuador' programme. Volunteers offer much-needed help to the street children of Ecuador by helping to improve their living conditions and providing invaluable mentorship. Participants gain a real feel for life in Ecuador and stay with local families at the language school.

A superb day trip from Quito, (30 kilometres away), is the Refugio De Vida Silvestre - a nature reserve containing some of the last remaining Andean forest left in Ecuador. As well as mammals, many rare plants have been recorded here along with more than 100 bird species. Animal enthusiasts who really want to get hands-on with the wildlife in Ecuador should consider joining Real Gap's 'Animal Rescure Volunteer Ecuador' programme. On this project volunteers play an active role in caring for and rehabilitating a wide range of Ecuador's rare indigenous wildlife - including bears, ocelots, snakes, pumas, monkeys and jaguars.

You cannot talk about wildlife in Ecuador, of course, without mentioning the Galapagos Islands. Although the Galapagos form part of Ecuador they are actually to be found 970 kilometres west of the Ecuadorian coast. Ecuador's Galapagos Islands are a real wildlife-lover's paradise, containing highly unique and diverse wildlife. Ecuador's authorities control the number of tourists to the islands to help protect its fragile eco-system and this, coupled with its remoteness, makes it a unique gap year destination.

Whether you just visit mainland Ecuador, the Galapagos Island, or both - Ecuador is a fantastic gap year destination. See South America's famous Andes mountains and other amazing landscapes, visit the beautiful city of Quito, learn Spanish, volunteer with people or rare wildlife - it's all possible in Ecuador.

Ecuador gap year - Gap year programmes in Ecuador


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