Things to Do in Ecuador

About Ecuador

Ecuador announces itself with altitude. Step off the plane in Quito, 2,850 meters above sea level, and the first breath you take feels thin, crisp, and startlingly cold for a city straddling the equator. That’s Ecuador’s central paradox—a country where you can sunburn on the Pacific coast at breakfast and need a down jacket in the Andean highlands by lunch. In Quito’s historic Centro, the air smells of diesel fumes, roasting pork from the hornado carts on Calle García Moreno, and the faint incense wafting from the gilded interior of La Compañía de Jesús, a church so Baroque it feels like a fever dream. The city tumbles down a valley flanked by volcanoes, and on a clear morning, you can see the perfect snow-capped cone of Cotopaxi from the teleférico cable car, a trip that costs $9 (USD) and delivers views worth ten times the price. The catch? Infrastructure outside the major tourist routes can be patchy. A bus ride from Quito to Baños might be delayed by a landslide, and the Wi-Fi in a jungle lodge is a romantic notion, not a reality. But it’s that raw, unpolished edge that makes the rewards feel earned: spotting a toucan from a dugout canoe on the Napo River, or finding a steaming bowl of locro de papa (potato-cheese soup) for $3.50 (USD) in a mercado in Otavalo after your fingers have gone numb from the morning chill. This is a country that hasn’t been smoothed over for visitors, and that’s precisely why you should come.

Travel Tips

Transportation: Forget renting a car unless you’re exceptionally patient with chaotic driving. Intercity travel is dominated by buses, which are cheap, frequent, and surprisingly comfortable for the price. A four-hour ride from Quito to Baños on a company like Baños Express costs about $6 (USD). The real trick is to avoid the main terminals for popular routes; instead, find the specific company’s own departure point in the city (often just a storefront office), which tends to be less crowded and gets you on the bus faster. For shorter hops, Uber works reliably in Quito, Guayaquil, and Cuenca and tends to be cheaper and less hassle than haggling with taxis. Just be prepared for your driver to call you to confirm your location—it’s standard practice.

Money: Ecuador uses the US dollar, which eliminates exchange rate headaches but creates a unique set of quirks. Small change is perpetually scarce, so break large bills ($20, $50) whenever you can at supermarkets or proper restaurants. Street vendors and taxi drivers will often claim they don’t have change for anything over a $10, and they’re usually telling the truth. Credit cards are widely accepted in hotels and nicer restaurants, but you’ll need cash for markets, buses, and almost everything outside city centers. ATMs are plentiful, but stick to those inside banks during business hours for security. A local SIM card with data from Claro or Movistar costs about $10-15 (USD) and is worth every cent for navigating and calling Ubers.

Cultural Respect: Ecuadorians are formal in their greetings. A simple “buenos días” (good morning) or “buenas tardes” (good afternoon) before launching into a question or transaction is expected and goes a long way. In the highlands, especially in indigenous communities around Otavalo, always ask permission before taking someone’s photograph—a nod and a gesture with your camera is usually enough. It’s a sign of respect, not a legal requirement. Dress is more conservative than you might expect; shorts and tank tops are fine on the coast or in the jungle, but in Quito’s historic churches and even in smaller highland towns, you’ll feel more comfortable (and be treated more respectfully) in long pants and covered shoulders.

Food Safety: You can eat extraordinarily well from street stalls without incident if you follow a few rules. Look for stalls with a high turnover—the one with the queue of locals is always the safest bet. For ceviche, which is marinated, not cooked, midday is best when it’s freshest. Avoid anything with raw shellfish from street vendors if you have a sensitive stomach. The golden rule for fruits and vegetables is “peel it, boil it, cook it, or forget it.” That said, don’t miss the fruit. Passionfruit (maracuyá), naranjilla, and tree tomato (tomate de árbol) are sublime. Buy them whole from a market, wash the skin thoroughly with bottled water, and peel them yourself. A large fruit salad from a mercado will run you about $2 (USD) and is a revelation.

When to Visit

Ecuador’s weather is less about seasons and more about altitude and region, which makes timing tricky but flexible. The dry season, broadly June through September, is considered the best overall window. In the Andes, days are sunny and clear (15-22°C / 59-72°F), perfect for volcano viewing and hiking. This is also peak season, so flight and hotel prices jump by 30-40%, and the Galápagos books out months in advance. The shoulder months of October-November and April-May are likely your best bet—you’ll still get plenty of dry days, crowds are thinner, and prices tend to be lower. The ‘wet’ season (December-March) sees daily afternoon showers in the highlands and on the coast, but temperatures remain mild. This is when the Amazon is at its best, with higher river levels for wildlife spotting, and lodge prices can drop significantly. The coastal beach towns like Montañita are at their sunniest and hottest (28-32°C / 82-90°F) from December to April, which ironically is the rainiest period in the mountains. For families, the dry season offers the easiest logistics. For budget travelers and those prioritizing the Amazon, the wet season offers real value. Honestly, the only months to be cautious of are March and April in the Andes, when rainfall is at its peak and landslides can disrupt travel plans—though even then, mornings are often brilliantly clear.