South America
Ecuador
Volcanoes, cloud forest, Amazon jungle and the Galápagos, in a country you can cross in a day.
Ecuador packs the Andes, the Amazon and the Pacific coast into a small space, and buses are cheap, so you can see a lot in two weeks. Quito’s old town is the usual start, then the Quilotoa Loop, the waterfalls around Baños and the colonial streets of Cuenca.
It uses the US dollar, which makes budgeting simple. The Galápagos Islands are the big splurge, but staying on the inhabited islands and taking day trips costs far less than a cruise.
Good to know
- Time zone
- GMT-5 (GMT-6 on the Galápagos)
- Plugs
- Types A and B, 120V
- Emergency numbers
- 911 for police, ambulance and fire
- Tap water
- Drink bottled or filtered
- Traffic drives on the
- Right
- Tipping
- Mid-range restaurants often add 10% service to the bill; otherwise leaving the small change is plenty.
- SIM cards
- A Claro or Movistar prepaid SIM costs about $5, and $10–15 buys a month of data; bring your passport to register it.
When to go to Ecuador
Best months to go: June to September. Pick a month to see what it’s like.
Bars show rainfall; numbers are the average daytime high. Amber marks the best months to go.
SeptemberBest time to go
Still mostly dry, with fewer visitors after the summer holidays.
- Daytime high
- 20°C
- Rainfall
- 80 mm
- Crowds
- Busy
| Month | Daytime high | Rainfall | Crowds | Best time to go |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 19°C | 100 mm | Quiet | No |
| February | 19°C | 120 mm | Busy | No |
| March | 19°C | 150 mm | Quiet | No |
| April | 19°C | 170 mm | Quiet | No |
| May | 19°C | 110 mm | Quiet | No |
| June | 19°C | 40 mm | Busy | Yes |
| July | 19°C | 20 mm | Peak season | Yes |
| August | 20°C | 25 mm | Peak season | Yes |
| September | 20°C | 80 mm | Busy | Yes |
| October | 19°C | 125 mm | Quiet | No |
| November | 19°C | 110 mm | Busy | No |
| December | 19°C | 100 mm | Busy | No |
What Ecuador costs
Work out a budget for your trip, then check what everyday things cost.
$462for 14 days, about $33 a day ($462 in total)
| Cost | Per day | For the trip | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bed | $10 | $140 | |
| Food and drink | $8 | $112 | |
| Getting around | $5 | $70 | |
| Things to do | $7 | $98 | |
| Everything else | $3 | $42 |
Per person, in US dollars. Flights and insurance not included.
What things cost
- Almuerzo, a set lunch$3.50, about $3.50
- Bowl of encebollado$4, about $4
- Large bottle of Pilsener beer$2.50, about $2.50
- Hostel dorm bed in Quito$12, about $12
- Bus from Quito to Baños$5, about $5
- TelefériQo ride up Pichincha$9, about $9
- Galápagos national park fee$200, about $200
Routes through Ecuador
Where to go and how long to stay, for the time you’ve got.
14 nights, 5 stops
A loop through the Andes from Quito, with cloud forest, a crater lake hike and the adventure town of Baños, ending in Cuenca.
Quito
3 nights
The colonial old town, the equator line and the cable car up Pichincha.
Mindo
2 nights
Cloud forest with hummingbirds, waterfalls and a chocolate tour.
Quilotoa Loop
3 nights
Walk between Andean villages to the rim of a turquoise crater lake.
Baños
3 nights
Cycle the waterfall route, swing at the Casa del Árbol and soak in hot springs.
Cuenca
3 nights
Cobbled streets, blue domes and a day hike in Cajas National Park.
Getting around
Bus
About $1–2 per hour of travel
Buses go almost everywhere, often. Keep your bag at your feet, not in the overhead rack.
Flight
$200–450 return to the Galápagos
Avianca, LATAM and Equair fly from Quito and Guayaquil. Domestic hops within the mainland are rarely worth it.
Boat
$30–40 per island hop
Speedboats link the main Galápagos islands twice a day. The crossings can be rough.
Cable car
About $9 return
Quito’s TelefériQo climbs to almost 4,000 metres on the side of Pichincha.
Walk
Free, plus about $15–25 a night in hostels
The Quilotoa Loop is walked village to village, with dinner and breakfast included in most places.
What to eat and drink
Encebollado
Tuna and cassava soup with pickled onions, eaten for breakfast or as a hangover cure.
$4, about $4
Locro de papa
A creamy potato and cheese soup topped with avocado, perfect in the cold Andes.
$3, about $3
Hornado
Slow-roasted pork with mote corn and potato cakes, from market stalls.
$5, about $5
Ceviche de camarón
Prawns in a tangy tomato and lime sauce, served with popcorn and plantain chips.
$7, about $7
Bolón de verde
A ball of mashed green plantain with cheese or pork, the coastal breakfast.
$2.50, about $2.50
Canelazo
A hot drink of cinnamon, fruit and cane spirit, sold on cold evenings in Quito.
$3, about $3
Say it like a local
A few words go a long way. Tap “Hear it” to listen, where your browser can.
Hello
Hola
Say it like: oh-lah
Thank you
Gracias
Say it like: grah-see-ahs
How much is it?
¿Cuánto cuesta?
Say it like: kwan-toh kwes-tah
Where does the bus to Baños leave from?
¿De dónde sale el bus a Baños?
Say it like: deh don-deh sah-leh el boos ah bah-nyos
How cool!
¡Qué chévere!
Say it like: keh cheh-veh-reh
Brr, it’s cold!
¡Achachay, qué frío!
Say it like: ah-chah-chai, keh free-oh
The bill, please
La cuenta, por favor
Say it like: lah kwen-tah por fah-vor
Cheers!
¡Salud!
Say it like: sah-lood
Questions travellers ask
Can I do the Galápagos on a budget?
Yes, if you skip the cruise. Stay in hostels on Santa Cruz and Isabela, travel between islands by speedboat and book day trips locally. Budget for the $200 park fee and the $20 transit card too.
Is Ecuador safe?
Gang crime has risen, mostly around Guayaquil and the northern coast, so check current advice before you go. The Andean backpacker trail is generally fine with normal care. Use app taxis at night in cities.
How do I deal with the altitude in Quito?
Quito sits at around 2,850 metres, so take it easy for a day or two and drink plenty of water. Save the Quilotoa Loop and any volcano climbs for later in the trip.
Do I need cash?
Yes. Ecuador uses US dollars, but $50 and $100 notes are often refused, so carry $1, $5 and $10 notes. Ecuadorian coins are used alongside US ones.
Which jungle trip should I choose?
Tena is cheap and easy to reach for a few days of rafting and short jungle walks. For wildlife, a four-night lodge trip into Cuyabeno from Lago Agrio is worth the extra time and money.