Destinations and Attractions in an Ecuador Trip

Ecuador has a lot to offer travelers and is usually much cheaper than other countries. Even a special destination like the Galapagos can be visited at an attractive price with proper planning.

General

Ecuador offers travelers impressive nature with towering and striking volcanoes, picturesque lakes, the sea, rivers with crocodiles, jungles in the Amazon, as well as actions and attractions such as rope parks, river cruises, swings (giant swings), paragliding, and also good hotels at affordable prices. Hot springs and friendly locals for the tourist.

Road infrastructure in Ecuador is good and the country is one of the safest in South America.

Ecuador is only about a 4-hour flight from Florida and it is worth combining it with a trip and/or shopping in Florida. 

Of course, Ecuador also has the wonderful Galapagos Islands located about a thousand kilometers from the mainland, which are the highlight of a trip to Ecuador, and a trip to the Amazon is also an experience for nature lovers.

I have traveled extensively throughout Ecuador along its length and breadth to its attractive destinations including the Galapagos and the Amazon, and in this article I will focus on describing the destinations and attractions in Ecuador itself without the Galapagos and the Amazon.

Recommended Destinations and Attractions to Visit in Ecuador

In addition to the destinations I will mention later, it is highly recommended to visit the famous Galapagos Islands for their nature and the many animals seen up close. Details about them are given in the article:
♦ Trips and Attractions in the Galapagos Islands

Another recommended destination for a trip in Ecuador is the Amazon rainforests that Ecuador borders to the east. Details about this in the article:
♦ Trip to the Amazon Rainforests of Ecuador

Map of Ecuador:

 

Quito Quito the Capital 

 It is best to start your trip in Ecuador in this large and interesting city where you first land. It is recommended to take guided tours where they explain the various destinations and take you to good viewpoint spots of the city and surroundings. The guides will also explain to you about the local culture and food.

Recommended Hotels in Quito

Four-star hotels at an attractive price and convenient location:

Hotel Reina Isabel
or:
Anahi Boutique Hotel
or, cheaper:
Hotel Rio Amazonas

More expensive: 5-star hotels

Swissôtel Quito
or:
JW Marriott Hotel Quito

 

♦ Recommended guided tours in Quito from Viator:

 

The city lies on a ridge of the Andes Mountains and Independence Square in its heart is at an altitude of 2850 meters and therefore the weather in the city is pleasant and not too hot as expected from a place located on the equator.

Details on destinations and attractions in Quito in the article: Trip to Quito, the Capital of Ecuador.

 

 

Star Trips from the City of Quito

It is worth taking star trips out of Quito to its surroundings with drives of several hours in each direction. The advantage is that you don't need to look for a new hotel every day, plus, the choice of hotels in Quito is larger so you can choose a place that suits you in terms of quality and price.

The destinations for a trip around Quito are the towns of Otavalo, Mindo and its surroundings, Cotopaxi Volcano and visiting the Equator.

Details on these trips can be found in the article: Star Trips from Quito.

 

♦ Recommended Private Tour to the city of Otavalo from Quito: Full Day Private Tour of Otavalo and its surroundings

Mindo

The Mindo area has a variety of forest attractions. From forest walking trails, waterfalls, watching birds like hummingbirds, butterfly greenhouses, ziplining in the forests, and more.

♦ Booking recommended guided tours to Mindo from Quito (via Viator):

 

Quilotoa Lake

180 km south of Quito lies an amazingly beautiful lake inside a volcano crater. You can descend inside the crater to the lake and ride back up on a horse.

 

♦ Booking guided tours to Quilotoa / Cotopaxi (from Viator):

 

The City of Baños

The city of Baños Baños is located about 190 km south of the capital Quito. Baños is considered a starting point to the Amazon. It is the most popular tourist city in Ecuador thanks to the many attractions it has for tourists. The city has natural beauty thanks to its location among the mountains and the many waterfalls in its surroundings.

Details about Baños in my article: Trips and Attractions in the city of Baños

The City of Guayaquil Guayaquil

Guayaquil is the largest city in Ecuador with about 3 million residents. It is a vibrant port city located at the estuary of a large river Rio Guayas. Along the river is a nice boardwalk with souvenir shops, food stalls, free children's playgrounds, and paid carousels. At the northern end of the boardwalk is a Ferris wheel offering a nice view of the city, the boardwalk and the Las Penas neighborhood with its colorful houses.

♦ Booking recommended guided tours in Guayaquil (from Viator):

 

Adjacent to the boardwalk is Seminario Park, also called Bolivar Park, inside which many large iguanas roam freely and can be fed with lettuce leaves sold by vendors on-site.

 

Ingapirca Ruins

This is the only Incan ruins site in Ecuador. The Incas flourished in Ecuador for only about a hundred years around the 14th century until the Spaniards arrived here. Most Incan sites are in Peru.

The site is located about 180 km east of Guayaquil.

The City of Cuenca and Surroundings

The city is located 490 km south of Quito, also on the Andes mountain range at an altitude of about 2500 meters. The city has about 400 thousand residents. It is the third largest city after Quito and Guayaquil. In the central square is the massive 500-year-old cathedral and nearby is also the city hall. Free internet for everyone in the square. It is recommended to climb the church tower and view the city landscape from above. Not far from the square is a flower market with very nice bouquet arrangements. The city is crossed by a river along which is a cute boardwalk with plenty of restaurants and shops.

♦ Guided tours in the city of Cuenca and surroundings:

It is worth taking a guided tour of the surrounding towns where each produces something unique. For example, in the town of Gualaceo they produce handmade scarves

 

 

 and near it is a very large orchid growing farm.

 

In the town of Chordeleg, silver jewelry is manufactured and sold in all the shops of the town

 

In the town of Sigsig there is a factory where the famous handmade Panama hats are produced.

 

Cajas National Park

The park is located less than an hour's drive from Cuenca towards Guayaquil. The park is characterized by many water pools among arid and rocky mountains. The park is situated at an altitude of about 4000 meters. The park has several nice viewpoints and mountain hiking trails. Due to the altitude, the road in the park is often shrouded in fog. 

 

The Town of Puerto Lopez

This is a small fishing town on the Pacific Ocean coast about 200 km northwest of Guayaquil. It is recommended to see the fish market here early in the morning when the fishing boats return from the sea and fishermen sell what they caught right on the beach.

Cruise to Isla de la Plata:

This island located about 40 km northwest of Puerto Lopez is part of a nature reserve and considered a mini-Galapagos because of the rare animals living there, mostly birds. Guided tours in relatively small boats go out to the island. During the cruise, you can watch pods of dolphins, rays and jumping fish, and in the summer months also whales. The tour includes the cruise, snorkeling near the island, and a walking tour on the island to watch the animals. 

 

Weather

Ecuador, as its name suggests, is on the equator. Many settlements are located in the high Andes and so is the capital Quito, so the weather there is pleasant. In the low places, whether in the coastal plain or the Amazon region, the weather is hot and humid. There are no major differences in temperatures between the seasons. Therefore, the weather in this country is influenced more by geographical location than by the seasons. In terms of clothing, you need to prepare for a trip to Ecuador for any weather because in the mountainous part it can be cold in the evenings or higher places, rain can fall there, and it can also be nice. In the low areas it may be hot and humid and also rainy. Dress in layers and always take a rain jacket with a suitable rain hat because it is better than an umbrella.

When to Visit

Basically, you can travel to Ecuador all year round. As I mentioned before, the weather depends on the location you visit more than on the seasons and therefore everyone can choose the time that suits them for a trip in this country depending on their personal limitations for vacation time or depending on the best price they can find. This is also a country that is not crowded with tourists. But still, it is worth avoiding times when vacations and holidays occur when prices soar due to higher demand also from locals, meaning mid-June - early September and late December - early January as well as Easter.

The whale watching season is June-September.

Guided Tour in Ecuador

I recommend traveling to Ecuador on a guided tour. Since this country is cheap, it is better for a family to travel with a local guide with his car. This is the best way to learn the local customs, culture, history and local dishes and rely on their orientation in all the attractions worth visiting.

Our articles on Ecuador:
Destinations and attractions in a trip to Ecuador
Trips in the city of Otavalo and surroundings
Trips and attractions in the Galapagos Islands
Trip to the Amazon of Ecuador
Trips on Santa Cruz Island in the Galapagos
Trips on San Cristobal Island in the Galapagos
Trip to Isabela Island in the Galapagos
Attractions and trips in the city of Baños Baños in Ecuador