Ecuador · AmericasEcuador
Galápagos Islands wildlife, Amazon headwaters, Andean condors, and colonial Quito
from $45/day Generally safewildlifeadventure
Quick Facts
Capital
Quito (highest official capital in the world at 2,850m)
Best airports
UIO (Quito), GYE (Guayaquil)
Currency
US Dollar - no currency risk
Galápagos park fee
$100 per person - paid on arrival at the islands
Avg temp (Quito)
15–22°C / 59–72°F year-round (equatorial highland)
Safety
Generally safe
Vibes
wildlifeadventurenaturecultureunique
Best Time to Visit
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Best months This month
Daily Budget
Backpacker
$45
per day
Mid-range
$100
per day
Luxury
$300
per day
Top Experiences
🦎$100 park + $1,500–4,000 liveaboard
Galápagos Islands Tour
Walk among fearless marine iguanas, blue-footed boobies, and giant tortoises - Darwin's living laboratory
🌿$200–400/night all-inclusive
Amazon Basin Eco-Lodge
Jungle lodge in Napo Wildlife Centre or Sacha Lodge - pink dolphins, anacondas, and 600 bird species
🌋$2 entry + $25 guided
Quilotoa Crater Lake Trek
Hike into the caldera of a dormant volcano to an impossibly green-blue crater lake - Laguna Quilotoa
Must-Try Food
Ceviche de Camarón
Ecuadorian shrimp ceviche - cooked (not raw like Peru's), served in tomato broth with popcorn and plantain chips
Llapingachos
Pan-fried potato and cheese cakes served with a peanut sauce, fried egg, and chorizo - Andean street food
Seco de Pollo
Chicken slow-cooked in beer and naranjilla fruit sauce - fragrant, tangy, and served with rice and avocado
Getting Around
✈️
Domestic flights$150–300 return
LATAM, Avianca connect Quito and Guayaquil to Galápagos (Baltra and San Cristóbal) - book well ahead
🚌
Bus (Flota Imbabura etc.)$5–15
Comfortable intercity buses covering all mainland routes - Quito to Cuenca is 9 hours and very scenic
🚗
Taxi (fixed-rate in Quito)$3–15
Yellow taxis use meters in Quito; agree price for long journeys; InDriver app is cheapest option
🚤
Galápagos inter-island ferry$30–60
Cheap speedboats connect Santa Cruz, San Cristóbal, and Isabela - rough but essential
Cultural Tips
Ecuador is the world's first country to grant constitutional rights to nature - this is deeply felt in the culture
Indigenous Kichwa communities appreciate respectful visits; always ask before photographing people
Quito sits at 2,850m - acclimatise for 1–2 days before any strenuous activity
Security in Guayaquil requires extra attention - do not walk with valuables displayed in the port district
Galápagos rules are strict: never touch or feed wildlife, stay on marked paths, no souvenirs from nature
'Chulla vida' - roughly 'you only live once' - is Ecuador's philosophy; embrace the spontaneity
Hidden Gems
Cuenca's Hat Workshops - the Panama hat is actually Ecuadorian; watch a true Montecristi weaver make one in Cuenca or Jipijapa
Mindo Cloud Forest - a 2-hour drive from Quito reveals a biodiversity hotspot with 500+ bird species and chocolate farm tours
Cajas National Park - high-altitude páramo ecosystem of glacier lakes and fog-draped ridges just 30 minutes from Cuenca
Going beyond the trip?
Explore the Ecuador country profile
Cost of living, visas, healthcare, taxes, expat life and everything you'd need to actually move and stay long-term.