Andean Explorer

The obvious draw of this small South American country is, of course, the Galápagos. Truth be told, I arrived less starry-eyed than most. Perhaps it was the landscape, which felt oddly familiar, or perhaps the problem is simply that I am not quite as devoted to evolution and marine biology as Charles Darwin.

The islands are endlessly pictured as a teeming, almost biblical swirl of wildlife, whereas the reality is rather more controlled. Yes, you will encounter species found nowhere else on earth, but taken as a whole I found the experience highly regimented, far more touristy than expected, and eye-wateringly expensive.
Which is why I quickly began looking beyond the archipelago. Ecuador, it turns out, is astonishingly diverse, climatically and geographically, and far more interesting once you step away from its most famous export. I began in Quito, one of the first UNESCO World Heritage Sites, with a historic centre that is remarkably intact, and stayed at Casa Gangotena, a Relais & Châteaux property overlooking Plaza San Francisco. From there, it was four hours into the cloud forest for a few nights at Mashpi Lodge, suspended quite literally above the rainforest canopy.

Next came Guayaquil, most people’s gateway to the Galápagos, but a destination worth pausing in, if only to stay at Hotel del Parque, another Relais & Châteaux address, set within the city’s botanical gardens. Finally, I retreated to Hacienda La Danesa, tucked away in a quiet corner of the Guayaquil countryside, idyllic, understated, and a timely reminder that Ecuador’s greatest appeal often lies well away from the places everyone insists you must see.