Photo Essay: The Andes of Ecuador

I did the “trifecta” in Ecuador, visiting the Galapagos Islands, the Amazon, and the Andes. It was my second time in the Andes region (the first time was about 13 years before), and it didn’t disappoint.

As you can see, the bird life in particular is special in the Andes.

The Andean Guan. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
A female booted racket-tail hummingbird sits on a leaf. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
A beautiful fluted flower in the Andes. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
A Masked Flowerpiercer. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
A scarlet-bellied mountain-tanager enjoys a banana. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
A toucan barbet. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
In the cloudforest of the Andes, the leaves are often huge and otherworldly. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
A white-throated screech owl. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
A female white-bellied woodstar hummingbird with her tongue extended. She appears to have a slightly deformed bill. This bird is not much larger than a large bee but makes a very loud buzzing sound. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
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Melanie Votaw is the Publisher and Executive Travel Writer of LuxuryWeb Magazine. She has visited more than 50 countries on 6 continents and written for such magazines as Executive Travel, Just Luxe, Business Insider, South China Morning Post, Travel Mindset, and more. She is a member of the International Food, Wine & Travel Writers Association, New York Travel Writers Association, and International Travel Writers Alliance. Melanie's photography has won awards, and she has also written 43 nonfiction books as either the author or ghostwriter.

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