South America Holidays

Spent twelve days in mainland Ecuador and was blown away by the diversity. The cloud forest at Mindo had incredible birdwatching — we spotted toucans and hummingbirds within the first hour. The indigenous market at Otavalo was colourful and authentic, and the Amazon lodge near Tena gave us a taste of the jungle. Good food throughout, especially the llapingachos. Solid four stars — the roads can be a bit hair-raising.

Ecuador packs an extraordinary amount into a small country. We started in Quito — the old town is a UNESCO gem — then took the train to the Avenue of Volcanoes. Cotopaxi on a clear day is unforgettable. The highlight was Baños: zip-lining over canyons, the swing at the edge of the world, and soaking in thermal baths afterwards. Fabian's planning was meticulous.

The Galápagos was everything we'd hoped for and more. Swimming with sea lions at Kicker Rock, watching blue-footed boobies doing their mating dance on North Seymour, and the giant tortoises on Santa Cruz — it's like stepping into a nature documentary. Our naturalist guide was exceptional and made every landing fascinating. Worth every penny.