by Brian Major
Last updated: 11:00 AM ET, Thu November 23, 2017
There's nothing ordinary about Ecuador.
Widely recognized for the endemically rich Galapagos Islands, the South American nation is also distinguished by Quito the capital city-a UNESCO World Heritage site that features one of the world's best-preserved colonial districts. Three hours away by car is the Andean cloud forest, a world-class biodiversity hotspot.
Of the many companies offering excursions across this fascinating country is Metropolitan Touring, which pioneered Galapagos travel more than six decades ago. It is set apart by its focus on combining land, sea and air to offer a full view of Ecuador.
The company offers seagoing voyages (with three ships ranging from 48 to 90 passengers) and land stays at three hotels: the Finch Bay Galapagos Hotel, the Mashpi Lodge in Ecuador's cloud forest, and Casa Gangotena, a boutique luxury property in the heart of Quito's Plaza San Francisco.
Ecuador-born Francisco Dousdebés is Galápagos Product Manager for Metropolitain's Yacht La Pinta, Yacht Isabela II and Casa Gangotena. A former naturalist and dive guide for the Galapagos National Park, he has led extensive scuba diving trips in the Galapagos Marine Reserve and completed over 500 dives there. TravelPulse spoke with Dousdebés recently to learn how the company introduces travelers to this fascinating land.
TravelPulse: What is unique about Ecuador and why has Metropolitan Touring focused on bringing travelers to the country?
Francisco Dousdebés: Ecuador is about the same size as the state of Colorado, with one immense difference: its tropical latitude.
This means super high mountains inscribed right at the Equator, and that translates into tropical ice right in the Andes (which is the same chain of mountains as the Rockies, but with a different name). That huge bulk of massive rock amidst tropical latitudes will give you the fabric of biodiversity. The many ocean currents-some from the Pacific and others as far as the Atlantic-will congregate around here, providing suitable conditions for all living creatures.
Thus, it is an oasis for tropical development, also known as biodiversity
TP: Why is it best to visit the Galapagos by boat? What should travelers expect to experience while there?
FD: The advantages of visiting the islands by boat is that you get to explore bizarre corners of the Galapagos where access to many unique features can only happen if you sail a great deal within the islands' waters.
Of course, for most people, it seems Galapagos covers a small area in any world map but, in reality, the islands are scattered over the Pacific Ocean within an area over 50,000 square miles (about the size of the state of New York). So, reaching out to these faraway places takes time, and that's when a boat may be the most rewarding way of maximizing your exploring time in Galapagos.
TP: Mashpi Lodge offers another distinctive Ecuador experience. What is special about the cloud forest and how does Mashpi present the environment to travelers?
FD: Technically, a cloud forest is a rainforest, but a special one. In such high biodiversity area what makes the area special is the variation in altitudes. This means that microclimates can be witnessed in a relatively small amount of distance explored and time invested.
Such variations will translate into different wildlife encounters where a representative species of lower elevations can easily overlap species from higher elevations.
Henceforth, the delivery of experiences at Mashpi Lodge is presented from three basic angles: the stunning biodiversity in such a small area, the need for deeper scientific understanding of cloud forests, and the absolute commitment to preserving wild habitats in order to be able to withhold the forest's biodiversity. (This includes, quite naturally, the community living here.)
This triangle of connection is what's been labeled, at a more technical level, as sustainable tourism. At Mashpi Lodge, we hope that the experiences felt in every outing are able to change the perception about the world around us and inspiration as to how to protect it.
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