Ecuador

Ecuador, in a few days

From colonial Quito to the waterfalls of Baños, then out to the giant tortoises of the Galápagos and back through Guayaquil: the map, what is worth booking, everything that costs nothing, and where to sleep at three budgets.

Day by day

1

Quito

Days 1-2

A capital at 2,850 metres, ringed by volcanoes. Its colonial centre was among the first places UNESCO listed, in 1978, and the equator runs just north of the city.

🎟️ Worth booking

• Colonial old town, guidedHalf day · from €15
  Churches, cloisters and plazas in one of the best-preserved colonial centres in Latin America, with someone to read the gold-leaf interiors for you.
• TelefériQo and Mitad del MundoHalf day · from €20
  A cable car up the slopes of Pichincha to almost 4,000 metres, then the equator monument north of the city.

✦ Free to visit

• Plaza de la Independencia
• La Ronda street
• The Basílica del Voto Nacional (from outside)
• The craft market

📲 Book things to do in Quito on GetYourGuide

2

Baños

Days 3-4 · 🚌 Bus 3h30

A small spa town at the foot of the active Tungurahua volcano, and the adventure base of the Andes: waterfalls, hot springs, canyons and the famous swing over the valley.

🎟️ Worth booking

• The waterfall road by bikeHalf day · from €15
  A mostly downhill ride from Baños along the Pastaza gorge, past a string of waterfalls to the Pailón del Diablo.
• The swing at the end of the world (Casa del Árbol)2h · from €5
  A swing hung from a tree house on the ridge above Baños, facing Tungurahua on a clear day.

✦ Free to visit

• Pailón del Diablo waterfall
• The hot springs
• The view of Tungurahua volcano
• The hiking trails

📲 Book things to do in Baños on GetYourGuide

3

Galápagos (Santa Cruz)

Days 5-7 · ✈️ Flight 2h

The archipelago that helped Darwin think through evolution, with giant tortoises, marine iguanas and sea lions that barely notice people. Santa Cruz is the central island and the easiest base for day boats.

🎟️ Worth booking

• Day cruise to Bartolomé or the PlazasFull day · from €120
  A boat day to a smaller island: the volcanic summit and Pinnacle Rock of Bartolomé, or the land iguanas and sea lion colony of South Plaza.
• Charles Darwin Research Station and giant tortoisesHalf day · from €25
  The research station and its tortoise breeding programme, and the chance to see giant tortoises up close.

✦ Free to visit

• Tortuga Bay beach
• The sea lions
• The marine iguanas
• Snorkelling with sea lions

📲 Book things to do in Galápagos (Santa Cruz) on GetYourGuide

Worth sorting before you go

Buses, and one flight · Comfortable long-distance buses link the Andean towns. The Galápagos lie about a thousand kilometres offshore, so that leg is a flight from Quito or Guayaquil.

📶 eSIM data
Online the moment you land, no roaming bill.
Get one · Holafly

🛡️ Travel insurance
Health, luggage, cancellation.
Cover it · Ekta

🚗 Car hire
Compare the agencies before you land.
Compare · Booking

💳 Fee-free card
Pay at the real rate, with no exchange markup.
Open one · Revolut

🚐 Airport transfer
A private car at a fixed price from the moment you land.
Book it · GetTransfer

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Flavours & local habits

🍽️ Worth tasting

• Ceviche: Ecuador's version is usually prawns in a citrus and tomato juice, served with popcorn or plantain crisps on the side.
• Encebollado: a fish soup of tuna, cassava and pickled onion, eaten in the morning and said to cure a hangover.
• Llapingachos: fried potato and cheese patties, often with a fried egg and peanut sauce.
• Hornado: whole roast pork carved at Andean market stalls.
• Chocolate and fruit: fine cacao grown in the country, and juices from fruits you may not have seen before.

⚠️ Best avoided

• Quito sits at 2,850 metres: take the first day slowly, drink water and go easy on alcohol.
• Drink bottled water and favour food that is cooked and served hot.
• Galápagos park rules are strict: keep your distance from animals, never feed them, and visit park sites only with a licensed guide.
• Take official taxis or ride-hailing apps rather than hailing cars in the street, especially at night.

Words that help

English ↔ Spanish

✈️ Flight delayed by 3 hours or more, or cancelled? You may be owed up to €600. Check your flight on AirHelp.

The practical page

Scan to open this guide online, always up to date.
https://offwegooo.com/en/guides/ecuador

Packing checklist

Have a good trip.
Guide made on offwegooo.com · Photos via Pexels · Details are indicative, check before you leave.