Qatar Airways unveiled an upgraded version of QSuite, its business-class product, at the Farnborough Airshow on Monday.
14.07.2024 - 18:16 / lonelyplanet.com
Jul 13, 2024 • 7 min read
Take a look at any topographical map of Ecuador and you’ll immediately notice the Andean spine that cuts through the country from north to south. It’s these mountains and volcanoes that offer the most scope for adventure, and it's where travelers often head first for the best hikes in Ecuador.
For trekkers and serious climbers alike, the high sierra is packed with paths that climb their way up to high altitude. Others wind across lower elevations, through and around alpine scenery.
There are trails for all levels of fitness, and while hiking and climbing are possible throughout much of the year, the most popular seasons are November to February and June to August. Book with a guide if you want to climb higher, trek solo or travel off season.
Situated on the equator where adjacent tectonic plates have forced the ground upward, Ecuador’s Avenue of the Volcanoes is, quite rightly, one of its top draws and best places for trekking in the high country. The route from Quito to Cuenca passes through breathtaking scenery, where snow-tipped, perfectly conical or rugged mountains punctuate the sky.
The Central Highlands are dotted with pueblos rich in Indigenous Andean heritage, and hiking is also a perfect way to immerse yourself in the culture here.
Walking at altitude brings you to water-filled calderas surrounded by grasses and flowers, and guides can help you descend further into canyons, or upward to secluded lodges and eco-retreats that sit above the cloud line, offering a condor’s eye view of the valleys below.
Here are our picks for the six best hikes in Ecuador.
2.2 miles (3.5km); 2 hours; easy
The second-highest peak in Ecuador (19,347ft) and one of the world’s highest active volcanoes, Volcán Cotopaxi offers a serious guided climb for those with the motivation to walk for two days to see the views from the summit.
For others who prefer to stay closer to the base, the 83,000-acre Parque Nacional Cotopaxi’s trails provide a benign, grassy natural sanctuary, with the volcano’s peak as stunning backdrop and central focal point.
Walk around Lake Limpiopungo if you only have a couple of hours to spare – it’s flat, and the gentle terrain will suit all fitness levels. There’s nature in abundance here, from white-tailed deer to Andean fox (or colpeo) roaming the grasslands. The keen-eyed traveler may see soaring condors or even the rare spectacled bear on the volcano’s eastern slopes.
Try horseback riding and stay at one of the park’s traditional haciendas, taking a guided trek to find out more about the flora, fauna and geology of this most beautiful of national parks, arguably Ecuador’s best.
23.9 miles (38.4km); 2–3 days; difficult
Heading south to Riobamba, there’s no escaping the
Qatar Airways unveiled an upgraded version of QSuite, its business-class product, at the Farnborough Airshow on Monday.
Undeniably one of the most spectacular and dramatic stretches of coastline in the world, the celebrated Amalfi Coast pulls in millions of visitors from across the globe each year, all of them attracted by a heady, irresistible mix of astonishing scenery, exclusive hotels, superb food, endless expanses of shimmering blue sea, and a frisson of old-world glamour. There’s plenty to see and do, too, with activities ranging from cooking classes and wine tastings to hikes, day trips to Capri and Salerno, and visits further afield to the world-class archaeological sites at Herculaneum and Paestum.
The Nordstrom Anniversary Sale is here once more, and that means shoppers can score major discounts across all categories—clothing, shoes, beauty, accessories, home goods, and even luggage. That's right—Nordstrom offers its biggest discounts of the year during the annual sale, with dozens of deals on best-selling luggage, duffel bags, and handbags, making it the perfect time to refresh your collection. Durable luggage and travel bags usually cost a pretty penny, but with this sale, travelers can score major discounts—just make sure to shop by August 4.
Quito Turismo will participate at the National Geographic Traveller Food Festival 2024, an event organised by the prestigious international magazine of the same name.
Jul 22, 2024 • 6 min read
Luxury cruises can be more than quadruple the cost of an average ship. But before you click away, hear me out — the higher-end vessels are worth the splurge.
Los Angeles has the most sleep-friendly airport in the United States thanks to an overabundance of lounges open day and night.
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It might be mid-July, but that doesn't mean it's too late to plan a quick summer getaway or get a jumpstart on booking a trip for the fall — and IHG is here to help.
This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Ivette Cuevas, a café owner living in Costa Rica, and her 16-year-old son, Vincent Alcampo. It has been edited for length and clarity.
Quito Turismo is embarking on a journey to transform the city into a Smart Tourism Destination (DTI), aiming to boost competitiveness through enhanced tourist experiences, improved resident-visitor interactions, the widespread incorporation of technology and advanced sustainability management. This initiative follows the model spearheaded by the Spanish Ministry of Industry and Tourism, implemented through Segittur (State Mercantile Society for the Management of Innovation and Tourism Technologies).
Considered by many to be one of the most beautiful cities in the country, Cuenca is synonymous with beauty and heritage. Set in a spring valley of the Andes and crossed by four rivers, the traveller will find charming colonial streets, European-style architecture, churches and cathedrals, ruins that show the passage of the Incas, as well as cultural and art centres of the highest level.