Quito is officially the highest capital city in the world at 9,350 feet above sea level. Located in the Guayllabamba river basin, the city settles nicely into a valley among the Andes mountains range. Continue reading Overlooking Quito
Found on the island of Floreana, this Galapagos Giant Tortoise is not a native to the island. It was once believed that all of the tortoises native to Floreana had become extinct, eaten by whalers passing through during the 1800’s. … Continue reading Galapagos Giant Tortoise
In the highest reaches of the Andes mountains there lies an ecosystem known as the paramo. This area can be quite cold at times, and will sometimes be covered in a layer of snow. Being a more extreme environment, many … Continue reading Cushion Plants in the Paramo
This conical rock is not natural but rather is the result of bombing during World War II. While no actual fighting took place in the Galapagos, US soldiers were stationed on the islands during the war and practiced bombing on … Continue reading WWII History in the Galapagos
Pailon del Diablo, or, Devil’s Cauldron, is a large waterfall located in Baños, Ecuador. Worked into the mountain where it falls, there are a series of walkways and wooden bridges which leave you swinging high above the earth. The water … Continue reading Ecuador’s Devil’s Cauldron
by Nina Oberg. The Sally Lightfoot Crab can be found all over the island of San Cristobal. Commonly known as the zayapa, these crabs start out with a black shell which blends in with the lava rocks they live on. … Continue reading Sally Lightfoot Crabs of the Galápagos
