Climate & Clothing
Hints
Quito and the central valleys (i.e. Otavalo, Ambato,
Riobamba, Cuenca) have an early spring-type climate.
In the high Andean regions (i.e. Cotopaxi, Chimborazo,
Papallacta) it's wintry cool and in the Galapagos,
coastal lowlands (i.e. Esmeraldas, Mindo, Machalilla)
and Amazon rainforest (i.e. Manatee cruise, Cuyabeno,
Napo) warm and tropical. So dress accordingly. Sports
clothes are fine the day. Lightweight rain gear is
useful for brief showers (waterproof plastic rain
ponchos, not Gore-tex, are ideal). For evenings in
the city, dress as formal as you wish (establishments
don't require suits or cocktail dresses). Light cotton
long-sleeve shirts/blouses and sweater or well-insulated
windbreaker is necessary for cool nights in the highlands
and even the jungle or Galapagos.
AMAZON FEATURES: |
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Forest Creatures:
? Black agouti Dasyprocta fuliginosa
? Brown agouti Dasyprocta variegata
? Collared anteater Tamandua tetradactyla
? Giant anteater Myrmecophaga tridactyla
? Giant armadillo Priodontes giganteus
? Boa Boa constrictor
? Dynastes Hercules beetle Dynastes hercules
? Morpho butterfly Morpho peleides
? Uranus butterfly Urania leilus
? Capybara Hydrochaeris hydrochaeris
? Pygmy marmoset Cebuella pygmaea
? Black mantle tamarin Saguinus nigricollis
? Black-orange millipede Nyssodesmus python
? White-throated capuchin Cebus capuchinus
? Monk saki monkey Pithecia monachus
? Nocturnal monkey Aotus trivirgatus
? Red howler monkey Alouatta seniculus
? Squirrel monkey Saimiri sciurens
? Woolly monkey Lagothryx lagothrichia
? Collared peccary Tayassu tajacu
? White-lipped peccary Tayassu pecari albirostris
? Giant snail Strophocheilus polelairianus
? Three-toed sloth Bradypus variegates
? Tapir Tapirus terrestris |
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Bird Life:
? Blue and yellow macaw Ara ararauna
? Scarlet macaw Ara macao
? Macaws (6 species) Ara spp.
? Hoatzin Opisthocomus hoazin
? Anhinga Anhinga anhinga
? Harpy eagle Harpia harpyja
? Neotropic cormorant Phalacrocorax olivaceus
? Striated heron Butorides striatus
? King vulture Sacoramphus papa
? Black vulture Cotagyps atratus
? Ringed kingfisher Ceryle torquata
? Black caracara Daptrius ater
? Large-billed tern Phaetusa simplex
? Black-capped donacobius Donacobius atricapillus
? Purple-throated fruit crow Querula purpurata
? Wattled jacana Jacana jacana
? Black-faced ant thrush Formicarius analis
? Orange-bellied euphonia Euphonia xanthogaster
? White-shouldered ant bird Myrmeciza melanoceps
? Laughing falcon Herpetotherus cachinnans
? Bat falcon Falco rufigularis
? Violaceous jay Cyanocorax violaceus
? Gray-winged trumpeter Psophia crepitans
? Yellow-crowned parrot Amazona ocracephala
? Greater yellow-headed vulture Cathartes melambrotus
? Red-capped cardinal Paroaria gularis
? Mealy parrot Amazona farinose
? Black-fronted nun bird Monasa nigrifrons
? Blue-crowned motmot Momotus momota
? Russet-backed oropendola Psarocolius angustifrons
? Roadside hawk Buteo magnirostris
? Screaming piha Lipaugus vociferans
? White-breasted wood-wren Henicorhina leucosticta
? Long-tailed hermit Phaethornis superciliosus moorei
? Puff-throated wood creeper Xiphorhynchus guttatus
? Cobalt-winged parakeet Brotogeris cyanoptera
? Squirrel cuckoo Piaya cayana
? Pale-vented pigeon Columba cayennensis
? Blue-gray tanager Thraupis episcopus
? Magpie tanager Cissopis leveriana
? Paradise tanager Tangara chilensis
? Swallow-winged puff bird Chelidoptera tenebrosa
? Greater ani Crotophaga major
? Fork-tailed palm-swift Reinarda squamata
? White-tailed trogon Trogon viridis
? Common potoo Nyctibius griseus
? Palm tanager Thraupis palmarum
? Great tinamou Tinamus major
? Golden-headed manakin Pipra erythrocephala
? Blue-throated piping-guan Pipile cumanensis
? Lesser kiskadee Pitangus lictor
? Yellow-rumped cacique Cacicus cela
? Tropical kingbird Tyrannus melancholicus
? Crimson-crested woodpecker Campephilus melanoleucos
? Yellow-tufted woodpecker Melanerpes cruentatus
? White-throated toucan Ramphastos cuvieri
? Many-banded aracari Pteroglosus pluricinctus
? White-eared jacamar Galbalcyrhynchus leucotis |
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Aquatic Wonders:
? Anaconda Eunectes murinus
? Arapaima (paiche) Arapaima gigas
? Spectacled caiman Caiman crocodiles
? Giant catfish Pimelodella spp.
? Fresh-water dolphin Inia geoffroensis
? Manatee Trichechus inunguis
? Nutria Lutra spp.
? Piranha Pygocentrus nattereri
? Fresh-water sting ray Potamotrygon histryx
? Amazon turtle Podocnemis expansa
? Matamata turtle Chelys fimbriata
Botanical Surprises:
? Aguacatillo fruit Persea ferruginea
? Achiote (annatto) dye Bixa orellana
? Balsa tree Ochroma lagopus
? Cinchona (quinine) tree Cinchona spp.
? Kapok tree Ceiba pentandra
? Rubber tree Castilloa elastica
? Guayacan (iron wood) Tabebuia spp.
? Water guarango Macrolobium acacifolium
? Huito (black dye) Genipa americana
? Milk tree Euphorbia spp.
? Maranon fruit Anacardium excelsum
? Red strangler fig Coussapoa spp.
? White strangler fig Ficus spp.
? Ayahuasca (yage) vine Banisteriopsis spp.
? Water strangler fig Coussapoa trinervia
? Cacao tree Theobroma cacao
? Pambil palm Iriartea ventricosa
? Monkey comb Apeiba aspera
? Sande tree Brosimum utile
? Sangre de gallina Vismia spp.
? Tutumbo tree Cordia eriostigma
? Grape tree Pouruma spp.
? Yuca (tapioca shrub) Manihot utilissima
? Naranjilla fruit Solanum quitense |
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