World Heritage Sites in Ecuador

Cuenca is a city in Ecuador's southern highlands known for its cultural richness and historical significance. It is the capital and largest city of the Azuay Province, located at an elevation of approximately 2,560 meters. The town is surrounded by the Andes Mountains and irrigated by four rivers: Tomebamba, Yanuncay, Tarqui, and Machangara. Over centuries, Cuenca's identity has been shaped by its profound connection with the natural environment.

The Historic Center of Quito, Ecuador, represents a profound blend of history, culture, and architectural marvels. Designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, this remarkable area showcases the convergence of indigenous traditions, Spanish colonial influence, and modern developments. It remains a vibrant testimony to centuries of cultural and historical evolution, offering visitors a glimpse into Quito's rich and dynamic past.

Deep within the heart of Ecuador's Andean region lies a natural wonder of epic proportions—Sangay National Park—this World Heritage Site epitomes Ecuador's extraordinary biodiversity and geological marvels. Encompassing two active volcanoes, Tungurahua and Sangay, as well as the extinct El Altar (Kapak Urku), this park covers the entire spectrum of Ecuador's ecosystems, from glacial peaks to lush rainforests, all under the watchful gaze of one of the world's most active volcanic giants.

The Archipiélago de Colón, more widely known as the Galápagos Islands, is an archipelago located in the Pacific Ocean west of the coast of Ecuador, the nation to which the islands belong. These islands are renowned for their unique biodiversity and pivotal role in developing the theory of evolution by natural selection, proposed by Charles Darwin. The islands, encompassing the Galápagos Province, the Galápagos National Park, and the Galápagos Marine Reserve, represent one of the planet's most important and unique ecological areas.