Most travelers will find that 10 to 14 days is perfect for a well-paced Ecuador trip with stops in Quito, Puerto Ayora, Yasuni National Park, and Isla San Cristóbal. Travelers with more time can enjoy extra sights and activities at each stop or explore more of the country—our favorite itinerary extension includes Puerto Villamil. See more ideas for Quito, Puerto Ayora, Yasuni National Park, and Isla San Cristóbal itineraries below.
Ecuador is a country that packs enormous diversity into a small area, so it's ideal to visit for a short trip. You can spend a long weekend exploring Quito and the mountains, stay for a week venturing into the Amazon jungle or cruising the Galápagos, or spend two weeks climbing volcanoes, exploring cloud forests, and enjoying adventure sports before relaxing on the Pacific beaches. Whatever your preference, use this guide to help you make the most of your visit.
Easter-related events enliven Ecuador this month, especially welcome in the Highlands to take away from the wet, albeit warm, weather. The coast and the Galapagos remain the most appealing destinations in March due to their favorable weather (hot and sunny, for the most part). Meanwhile, in the jungle at Parque Nacional Yasuni, the rainfall increases rapidly: good for watching animals but bad for road travel, which starts to get very muddy.
Most people visiting both Quito and Puerto Ayora spend about eight to nine days in Ecuador, which usually includes some time in Isla San Cristóbal and Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve as well. If you're not interested in extending your itinerary, seven to nine days is enough for your Quito and Puerto Ayora trip. With less time, it's still possible to see the highlights in as few as five or six days. For the best itineraries, including Quito and Puerto Ayora, keep reading below.
Eco-lodges in the Ecuadorian rainforest offer excellent bird-watching and wildlife-spotting opportunities, guided tours, eco-adventures, and surprising luxury. This article breaks down the best lodges in the Ecuadorian Amazon, from exclusive boutiques to functional huts deep in the jungle.
Come rain or shine (and there will be plenty of both this month in Ecuador) the country appeals to everyone whichever part of it you are in through December. Despite some dreary weather, the Highlands explode with some of the year's best festivities, while it's dry in the jungle and positively radiant on the coast and in the Galapagos.
For most travelers, six to eight days is the perfect amount of time for an Ecuador trip, with stops in both Quito and Yasuni National Park. If you don't mind a fast-paced journey, you can see the highlights of this route in less time—as few as five days. With more time, you can enjoy extra activities at each stop or a few days in another region like Puerto Ayora and Puerto Villamil. Keep reading for more inspiring Quito and Yasuni National Park itineraries.
Ecuador has plenty of great hotels. But staying in alternative accommodations, from hip hostels in colonial cities to romantic haciendas in the highlands and dreamy cloud forest lodges, often adds something special to the trip. Read on for unique suggestions for where to stay in Ecuador.
Seven to eight days is the most popular trip length for Ecuador travelers interested in visiting Quito, Otavalo, and Cotopaxi, especially when also including time in another region. If you're not interested in extending your itinerary, six to seven days is enough for your Quito, Otavalo, and Cotopaxi trip. With less time, it's still possible to see the highlights in as few as four or five days. Read on for the best itineraries, including Quito, Otavalo, Cotopaxi, and beyond.
Ecuador is one of the world’s most biodiverse countries: in this small but breathtakingly varied nation, you can visit tropical beaches, volcanoes, cloud forest and jungle all on the same day. Ecuador is also steeped in culture, with colonial Spanish churches, pre-Columbine archaeology, and bustling indigenous markets. The icing on the cake is the incredible Galapagos archipelago which belongs to Ecuador. From the Andes to Amazon, here are our main highlights.