Ecuador

Straddling the equator as its name implies, Ecuador is a land of contrasts and its extraordinary range of habitats makes it one of the most biodiverse places on Earth.

Slightly larger than the United Kingdom, Ecuador is a small country by South American standards, and many of its main attractions can be reached easily from the capital Quito, itself a World Heritage Site and one of the Americas’ colonial jewels, set in a ring of towering volcanoes 2850 metres (9,300 feet) above sea level.