If you like soccer, you’re in the right place. Like most of Latin America, Ecuador treats the game—known everywhere but the US as “football” or fútbol—as a national passion and pastime. Distant runners-up include volleyball and basketball, which have become quite popular in recent years.
If the courts and pitches don’t do it for you, the slightly more adventurous can experience the thrills of the Andes. The mountain range is home to some of the best trekking and mountaineering in the world. With many peaks over 5000m high, Ecuador has become a prime destination for serious mountain climbers from across the globe. If water’s your thing, there is excellent whitewater rafting and kayaking through raging rivers from the mountains to either the Pacific or the tropical Amazon Basin. Be sure to plan your trip depending on which rivers are safe during the rainy or dry seasons. Many choose to surf the Ecuadorian coast. For more tranquil activity, the valleys created by volcanic peaks provide perfect conditions for short- or long-distance hikes through pristine countryside.
Bullfighting is not just for the Spaniards. Along with Peru, Ecuador is leading the charge of Latin American bullfighting’s popularity. Unlike European bullfighting, where matches are held seasonally, Latin America holds them year-round, and fans consistently fill the stadiums. In November, Quito holds the prestigious Feria del Señor del Gran Poder. Smaller fairs (mini-ferias) also take place alongside the larger ones throughout the country. International stars and local heroes paint towns red, and spectators respond—loudly.
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For 52 years, we have published the world’s favorite budget travel guides, written entirely by students and updated every year. With pen and notebook in hand and a few changes of underwear stuffed in our backpacks, we spend months roaming the globe in search of travel bargains.
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