Most people think Ecuador is small, so they can see everything in a week. They land in Quito, rush to Cotopaxi, fly to the Galapagos, then try to squeeze in the Amazon. That is a recipe for spending half your trip in transit and remembering nothing except bus seats and airport floors. Ecuador is compact, yes. But the geography changes fast. You go from 2,850 meters in Quito to sea level in the Pacific, then back up to 3,500 meters in the Andes, then down to 300 meters in the Amazon basin. Your body needs time to adjust. Your mind…