Trekking in Ecuador (Paperback)

by Robert Kunstaetter (Author), Daisy Kunstaetter (Author) "Ecuador's special appeal to trekkers, day-trippers, and nature lovers can be summed up in one word: accessibility..." (more)
Key Phrases: San Juan, Laguna Negra, Mountain Tapir (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
The most up-to-date trekking guide to one of the world's most biodiverse nations.

Includes a thorough introduction to Ecuador and its people.

No-nonsense information on what to expect, preparations, and safety.

Twenty-nine detailed trek descriptions, with 50 photos, 33 topographic maps, and 27 elevation profiles.

Comprehensive appendices, including lists of trekking companies, emergency contacts, and conservation organizations.

Ecuador's special appeal to trekkers, day-trippers, and nature lovers can be summed up in one word: accessibility. The country's unique combination of small size, exceptional geographic and biological diversity, and good transportation infrastructure places an outstanding variety of splendid natural experiences within easy reach of the adventurous visitor. Ecuador boasts more than forty-five protected natural areas, including national parks and private reserves, almost all of which offer trekking and day-hiking possibilities.

Many longer treks span several natural regions, from the highlands down toward the Amazon jungle or coastal plain. Ecuador receives many visitors (approximately 500,000 a year), but as yet relatively few people come specifically to trek. Unlike well-known trekking venues such as Nepal, the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu in Peru, and Chile's Torres del Paine National Park, trails in Ecuador are never crowded and offer virtually unlimited scope for exploration. Trekking in Ecuador is easily combined with a visit to the country's more traditional destinations: the Galápagos Islands, colorful indigenous markets, Amazon jungle lodges or Pacific coast beaches.

From the Author
Trekking is our passion. Between 2000 and 2002 we explored 30 new trekking routes to write "Trekking in Ecuador", the most up-to-date hiking guide for this country. It remains an unforgettable experience and taught us that, however well we might know Ecuador, there would always be more to discover here.

We are graduates of the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS), in Wyoming, USA. We live in Ecuador and know the country intimately, its places, people, strengths and weaknesses. In addition to our personal knowledge, we have developed an extensive network of contacts throughout Ecuador and its travel community. We can therefore constantly keep our fingers on the pulse of local developments and regularly update "Trekking in Ecuador" on-line.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 301 pages
• Publisher: Mountaineers Books; 1st edition (May 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0898868246
• ISBN-13: 978-0898868241
• Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 5.3 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #444,334 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great start for trekking Ecuador, February 28, 2005

By	Harold Maddock (Cleveland, Ohio USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I have been to Ecuador a number of times, but I didn't know what I was missing until I purchased "Trekking in Ecuador". Contained in this book is all of the information you need to plan a great trekking advanture to Ecuador. The treks are easy to follow and offer some of the greatest scenery in the world. Ecuador stole my heart on my very first visit, and with this book I was able to see even deeper into her soul.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Passed the boot test with flying colours., January 30, 2004

By	Kate Haxton (Vancouver, Canada) - See all my reviews

I recently spent a month trekking in Ecuador with this guidebook and I would recommend it to anybody interested in hiking in this beautiful country. There is something for everyone with short dayhikes near travelling hubs, week long treks through remote mountains, hikes that end in hotsprings and hikes that take you in search of the elusive Ecuadorian wild orchid. This guidebook contains all the information you need to set out on your own and the hikes I did were unforgetable. I waited untill Quito to buy a guidebook so I could compare all the books available and I can say now that this is, by far, the best hiking guide for the country. I will be back in Ecuador to walk some more of the beautiful trails described in Trekking in Ecuador.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars If you are Trekking in Ecuador: You Need This BOOK!, March 11, 2004

By	Meg and Staley Heatly (Ecuador) - See all my reviews

This book is a must have for those interested in trekking in Ecuador. It provides numerous hikes that are broken down into ranges of difficulty. These treks will get you off the beaten path and into undiscovered Ecuador where you can see the real Ecuador and meet its enchanting people. We are Peace Corps volunteers in Ecuador and learned about this great book from other volunteers. It keeps getting passed down from one group to the next.