I left Missoula, Montana early on a Sunday morning and headed to Atlanta by way of Minneapolis, where I would meet my international flight. It's always hard to get to and from Montana by plane - getting just about anywhere requires at least two connections and a lot of patience. Wherever you might be coming from, though, you will find that …

Getting to Mashpi does not require nearly as many forms of transportation as it does getting to the Amazon, but it is certainly no less of a journey. Head north of Quito in a comfortable van, taking in the changing scenery. Try to avoid making the trip on a Friday evening, when the Quitanios are also getting out of the city to enjoy their weekend. …

Settle in and make yourself at home….



The rooms are dispersed through the jungle, set up in pairs of two adjacent rooms (although most do no connect internally). Each has its own porch with hammocks, and all of the cabins and main building are connected by a series of walkways and some raised boardwalks.



Meals are taken in the main …

My first stop in Ecuador took me to the Amazon basin. Encompassing an enormous portion of the country, specifically I headed to the Yasuni region. Getting here, and just about anywhere else in the Amazon is done most easily by plane. Early this morning it was back to the airport for me - I took the 4 minute shuttle from my hotel back to the …

After spending some time in the Amazon, but before heading to the cloudforest, I had a full day to spend in Quito. My only regret from my whole adventure is that I didn’t get to spend more time in this incredible city.

Situated at over 9,000 feet, Quito is among the highest capital cities in the world. The urban spread is also nestled …

Unlike most of the people who visit this archipelago, the Galapagos was never on my bucket list. It wasn’t even really on my radar at all as a potential travel destination until I started working at Adventure Life.

I learned a lot about the islands as quickly as I could to keep pace with the travelers who called in. I grilled my …

Throughout the highlands of Ecuador – both north to Otavalo and Ibarra, and to the south along the Avenue of the Volcanoes to Cotopaxi – you will find haciendas. Many of these properties are restored historical family homes and ranches. Each hacienda has its own unique flavor and atmosphere, with local influences and echoes of the …