Ecuador

Ecuador is the smallest Andean country and the easiest to cover: volcanoes, Amazon lodges, cloud forest and the Galápagos, all reachable within short internal journeys. The US dollar is the currency, which simplifies budgeting. Altitude in Quito and the Avenue of the Volcanoes needs a day or two of adjustment.

Cities

Baños de Agua Santa

Baños is an adventure town below the active Tungurahua volcano, with thermal baths, a waterfall road down to the Amazon basin and canyoning, rafting and bridge jumps. The Ruta de las Cascadas can be cycled downhill in a day. It is the standard stop between the Andes and the jungle.

Cuenca

Cuenca is a southern highland city of cobbled streets, blue-domed cathedral and four rivers, with a slower pace than Quito and a strong craft tradition — including the Panama hats actually made here. Cajas National Park, a high páramo of hundreds of lakes, is 30 minutes away. Altitude is 2,560 m.

Quito

Quito's old town is the largest and best-preserved colonial centre in the Americas, sitting at 2,850 m in a valley of volcanoes. The gilded Compañía church and the Basílica towers are the set pieces, and a cable car runs up Pichincha for altitude acclimatisation. It is the hub for Galápagos and Amazon flights.

When to go

See all seasons

• Highland dry: Clear mornings in the Andes, the best volcano climbing window.
• Galápagos cool season: Cooler, rougher seas, richer marine life and active seabird colonies.
• Highland wet: Afternoon rain in the Andes, green landscapes, quieter trails.

Entry & visas

Entry rules for this country aren't published here yet.

Always confirm entry rules with the official source before you book.