ECUADOR & GALÁPAGOS

In a continent of giants, compactness is one of Ecuador’s main attractions; travellers can hop between misty cloud forests full of tropical birds and volcanic lakes, from marine reserves to colonial cities and the lush Amazon jungle in a single tour. The country unfolds from high-altitude Quito, one of South America’s best-preserved colonial capitals, north to the Indian textile markets of Otavalo, and south to the Avenue of the Volcanoes: the country’s Andean heartland, where traditional villages brim with stalls of colourful indigenous crafts. Head east, and the Andes plunge into the remote reaches of the upper Amazon, pulsing with macaws and monkeys, caimans and pink river dolphins.

Strike out into the Pacific, and you can reach the Galápagos, the Ecuadorian island province, roughly 1,000 kilometers (620 miles) offshore, visited by Charles Darwin while the British naturalist was developing his theory of natural selection. Look out for iguanas, giant tortoises and penguins, among other beautiful, thought-provoking beasts.