Ecuador is about the size of Colorado, yet you can wake up on the Pacific, have lunch in the Andes and fall asleep in the Amazon. Here's the lay of the land as we get ready to explore it.
Ecuador's Pacific side is warm, green and built on bananas, shrimp and cacao. Guayaquil is the biggest city in the country, and the coast is lined with surf towns and fishing villages.
The Andes run straight through the middle of the country, lined with volcanoes. Spring-like weather all year, colonial cities and indigenous markets. Take altitude seriously, especially with a baby.
East of the Andes, the land drops into the Amazon basin. It's hot, humid and wildly biodiverse, with jungle lodges and adventure towns reachable by road from the highlands.
About 1,000 km off the coast, the islands that shaped Darwin's thinking. Animals with no fear of people, volcanic landscapes and some of the best snorkeling anywhere. Note the time zone is UTC−6.
One email when a new chapter of the move goes up. Real stories from our family, in English and Spanish. New here? Grab our free moving-with-a-baby checklist.
