Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands: The perfect equation for a South American break

Water fights belong to my schooldays - or so I thought. Because there were my guide and I sheltering under the ornate balconies of one of South America's most beautiful colonial cities, Cuenca, as a gang of giggling children did their best to drench us with their arsenal of waterbombs.
Independence Day: The Plaza de la Independencia sits at the heart of Quito, Ecuador's charming capital
We had left our flank unguarded, and I felt a damp 'splat', followed by a whoop of triumph. another pair of damp trousers.
Fortunately, Ecuador's children do not normally run riot, and nor are they waging a vendetta against English tourists. I'd walked into a countrywide ambush, also known as Carnival, the four-day pre-Lent holiday during which children here have carte blanche to douse grown-ups.
Leo, my guide and a fahttp://www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/article-1210470/More-Machu-Picchu-Condorther himself, had warned me to wind up my window whenever we drove past a ten-year-old, but he couldn't protect me from the odd soaking.
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Feature: Ecuador, where the wildlife rivals the Galapagos
More on Ecuador in our South America section

It proved an unforgettably intimate introduction to this Latin American country. Though the 200th anniversary of Charles Darwin's birth has focused attention on the Galapagos Islands whose unique wildlife inspired his revolutionary ideas. But as extraordinary a destination as they undoubtedly are, tiny Ecuador, which owns the archipelago, is far more than just a stop on the way.
It is also truly a journey to the centre of the earth - for Ecuador means 'equator' in Spanish. Finding the actual spot where north becomes south is not as easy as you might think.
My search started off well enough - an imposing 100ft stone monument topped with a five-ton globe proclaimed I had reached the equator, the centre of an entertainingly kitsch theme park called Mitad del Mundo (Middle of the World). this was where an 18th-century French expedition first pinpointed the spot - the parallel ranks of Andean peaks were supposedly vital for calibrating their instruments.
Here, demonstrations suggest water does indeed swirl down a plughole in opposite directions depending which side of the equator you're on. And you can have your picture taken with a foot in either hemisphere. But then a bombshell - satellite technology has demonstrated that the French team got it wrong by about 800ft. So, with impressively entrepreneurial spirit, rival spots have sprung up.
Brooding: Ecuador is a country dotted with volcanoes, notably the huge - and active - Tungurahua
For a more intriguing - not to mention calmer - place to contemplate the earth, we headed for Quitsato, 40 miles north of Quito. Ringed by imposing volcanoes, a giant sundial has been constructed with a 30ft orange cylinder as its pointer, on a spot confirmed by GPS to be exactly 0 degrees latitude. There is next to no development here, only a guide who explained how archaeological finds suggest the Incas worked out where the equator ran several centuries before we managed to.
The enthusiasm of Ecuadorians to share their unique place in the world is infectious. Street vendors selling beautiful scarves and blankets congregate wherever there are tourists. But for a true Ecuadorian shopping experience, I headed to Otavalo market, a short drive beyond Quitsato. An entire square of the pretty town was thronged with all manner of stalls selling bright textiles, leather-work, Andean musical instruments and ornaments.
Just as fascinating was the food market, boasting such exotic fruits as tree tomatoes, red bananas, melting custard apples and flowers.
My trip had begun in the capital, Quito, overshadowed by another immense volcano and renowned for having South America's largest colonial-era centre. With its network of narrow streets and beautiful churches, in particular the all-gold interior of the Jesuits' Compania, it was quite dazzling.
Stalls roasting entire pigs poke out from the pavements, while candyfloss-style taffy is squirted directly out of taps. all Ecuadorian life is focused on Quito's Plaza Grande. While we were there, the tall, blonde finalists for this year's Miss Ecuador paraded through the square, just as disgruntled gas workers were politely demonstrating outside the President's palace.
No prizes for guessing who got more attention.
I was travelling with Saga tours, rightly renowned for its friendly, well-informed local guides and selection of high-quality hotels and restaurants.
Lion's roar: The Galapagos Islands are a wildlife wonderland where residents include sea lions
In Quito, the culinary highlight was rincon La ronda, the perfect opportunity to hear the haunting music of panpipes.
Food is one of the unexpected joys of Ecuador - every meal or snack seemed to feature bananas or corn, while fried pork, grilled fish, and, if you're feeling brave, guinea pig cooked on a spit, are all popular delicacies.
From Quito we headed south along the evocatively-named Avenue of the Volcanoes, where snow covers the peaks of those which tower over the 5,000m (16,400ft) mark.
While the area hasn't witnessed a major eruption in living memory, many of these gigantic cones are by no means extinct. One, a mouthful named Tungurahua, put on a show, belching out enormous clouds of ash as I watched from a safe distance. The delightful subtropical spa town of Banos, on the edge of the Amazon basin, is en-route. Also unmissable is Ingapirca, a miniature Machu Picchu built by the Incas as a staging post and now run by the Canari, a people who predate even them.
But Cuenca was the highlight, its restored colonial houses overlooking a tumbling, tree-lined river. Fortunately, Carnival only comes once a year, and otherwise Ecuador is pretty safe - although the roads aren't for the faint-hearted.
Cuenca also has a permanent claim to fame - it is considered to be home to the Panama hat despite its name. The inaccurate title was popularised because the hats first spread to Europe after being worn by workers digging the Panama Canal. After a tour of the factory of Hermanos Ortega, where they bleach, mould and finish the hand-woven hats in traditional fashion, I duly bought my own.
After avoiding the odd watery ambush, it was onwards to the Galapagos - and seldom can there have been a place so guaranteed to exceed your expectations. After an hour-and-a-half flight from the wealthy port city of Guayaquil, I was transferred to my luxury yacht, the 90ft M/C Anahi.
I marvelled at the huge sealions basking in the hot sunshine on the decks of unoccupied neighbouring boats, then it was back onto the island of Santa Cruz, in search of the world-famous giant tortoises. There they were - mountainous, creatures, munching through the lush grass or wallowing in refreshing mud pools.
After an overnight sail, it was on to the lava island of Chinese Hat. The moment we stepped ashore from our dinghy, baby sealions came shuffling up to us, mewing curiously. It was during moments like these that I realised why the islands inspired Darwin so much.
Shell suit: The famous tortoises of the Galapagos were among the animals that enthralled Charles Darwin
Well-managed tourism - my funny, engaging, locally-born guide, Johanna, ensured none of our party got too close - means once-in-a-lifetime experiences can happen almost hourly. Just when we thought we couldn't top snorkelling with Galapagos penguins - tiny, black-and-white torpedoes zipping through shoals of tropical fish - we were astounded again. After getting up at six on our last morning, we were lucky enough to see a female green turtle waddling back to the waves after laying her precious eggs on a magnificent white sand beach. Even as we reluctantly made our way back to the airport, we were treated to the surreal sight of a bus stop where every bench was occupied by a slumbering sealion.
There's no need to leave South America to the backpackers. Ecuador gives you the chance to experience this magical continent in miniature, with one of the world's ultimate destinations as a bonus.
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