Things to Do in Ecuador in August
August weather, activities, events & insider tips
August Weather in Ecuador
Is August Right for You?
Advantages
- Absolutely prime whale watching season on the coast - humpback whales migrate from Antarctica to breed in warm Ecuadorian waters from June through September, with August being peak season. Success rates hit 95% on tours from Puerto López, and you'll typically see mothers with calves breaching within 100m (328ft) of boats.
- Driest month along the entire coast and Galápagos - the coastal garúa mist clears up, giving you brilliant blue skies and calm seas perfect for island hopping. Puerto López gets maybe 5mm (0.2in) of rain all month, and Galápagos visibility underwater reaches 15-20m (49-66ft), the best conditions all year for snorkeling and diving.
- Highland weather hits that sweet spot - mornings start crisp at 8°C (46°F) but warm to comfortable 21°C (70°F) afternoons with clear skies for volcano viewing. Cotopaxi, Chimborazo, and the Avenue of Volcanoes are visible most mornings before clouds roll in around 2pm. This is genuinely the best window for summit attempts if you're into mountaineering.
- Festival season in the highlands - Quito's Independence Day celebrations on August 10th bring week-long festivities with street parades, bullfights (controversial but traditional), and neighborhood parties. It's when locals actually take vacation, so you get an authentic sense of how Ecuadorians celebrate rather than tourist-focused events.
Considerations
- Peak pricing and crowds in Galápagos - August falls right in high season when North American and European families travel. Last-minute cruise availability essentially disappears, and you'll pay 30-40% more than shoulder months like May or November. Budget at least USD 3,500-5,000 per person for a week-long cruise booked 6-8 months ahead.
- Amazon basin is in its wetter season - while not the absolute wettest months (that's March-May), August still brings afternoon downpours that can dump 200mm (7.9in) across the month. Rivers run high and muddy, making wildlife spotting trickier since animals disperse rather than concentrate around water sources. If jungle lodges are your priority, September-December tends to work better.
- Quito accommodation gets tight and expensive around August 10th - the Independence Day week sees domestic tourism spike, with hotels in the historic center doubling their rates and booking solid. If your dates overlap August 6-12, book at least 8 weeks ahead or expect to pay USD 120-180 for rooms that normally cost USD 60-80.
Best Activities in August
Humpback whale watching tours from Puerto López
August sits right in the middle of the humpback migration season, when these 40-ton mammals breed in the warm waters off Ecuador's central coast. Tours depart daily at 9am from Puerto López, lasting 3-4 hours, and success rates hit 95% this month. You'll typically see breaching, tail slapping, and if you're lucky, competitive male displays. The sea conditions are notably calmer in August compared to June or September, which matters if you're prone to seasickness. Water temperature reaches 24°C (75°F), so some tours offer swimming opportunities when whales aren't immediately present.
Galápagos island-hopping and snorkeling
August brings the coolest water temperatures of the year at 18-22°C (64-72°F) as the Humboldt Current strengthens, which might sound unappealing until you realize this nutrient-rich water draws in massive schools of fish, rays, and the marine iguanas that make Galápagos special. Underwater visibility reaches 15-20m (49-66ft), the best all year. On land, the dry conditions mean easier hiking without mud, and you'll see blue-footed boobies in full mating display. The trade-off is you'll need a 3mm wetsuit for snorkeling - the water genuinely feels cold after 30 minutes - but that's what brings the hammerhead sharks to spots like Kicker Rock.
Cotopaxi and highland volcano day hikes
August mornings in the highlands are spectacularly clear before afternoon clouds roll in around 2pm, giving you that 6-hour window for volcano viewing and hiking. Cotopaxi's snow-capped peak at 5,897m (19,347ft) is visible from Quito on maybe 80% of August mornings versus 40% in rainy season. Day hikes to the refuge at 4,800m (15,748ft) are manageable for reasonably fit travelers, though the altitude will absolutely humble you - what feels like a gentle slope at sea level has you gasping every 20 steps up here. The paramo grasslands turn golden in the dry season, and you might spot wild horses and the occasional Andean condor.
Otavalo market and northern highland culture tours
The Saturday market in Otavalo runs year-round, but August's dry weather makes the 2-hour drive from Quito on the newly improved Panamericana highway much more pleasant than during rainy months when fog reduces visibility. The market itself sprawls across several plazas, with the Plaza de Ponchos focusing on textiles and handicrafts. What tourists often miss is the animal market starting at 5am on the outskirts - it's not particularly comfortable watching livestock trading, but it's where you see actual highland commerce rather than the tourist-focused handicraft section. August coincides with harvest season, so you'll find better produce variety and the surrounding countryside looks notably greener than by November.
Mindo cloud forest birdwatching and nature activities
August falls in Mindo's drier season, though cloud forest means you'll still get afternoon mist and occasional showers - it's just less muddy than March-May. This is prime time for birdwatching, with over 450 species recorded in the area and several endemic species like the Andean cock-of-the-rock performing their breeding displays. The zipline canopy tours work better in August's clearer weather, and the butterfly farms have peak populations. It's genuinely cooler here at 1,250m (4,101ft) than you'd expect - mornings start around 15°C (59°F) - which makes hiking the forest trails comfortable rather than sweaty.
Quilotoa Loop highland village trekking
The Quilotoa crater lake looks absolutely stunning in August's clear weather - that turquoise water against the 3,914m (12,841ft) crater rim photographs best in morning light before clouds move in. The multi-day Quilotoa Loop trek connecting indigenous villages like Chugchilán, Isinliví, and Tigua works well this month because trails are dry and firm rather than the muddy slogs they become in rainy season. You're hiking at serious altitude though - villages sit between 3,200-3,900m (10,499-12,795ft) - so acclimatize in Quito first. The communities here are genuinely indigenous Kichwa, not tourist reconstructions, and homestays provide income directly to families.
August Events & Festivals
Quito Independence Day celebrations (Fiestas de Quito)
August 6-10 marks Quito's official independence from Spain in 1809, though the celebrations stretch the entire week before and after. The city goes all-out with street festivals in every neighborhood, traditional bullfights in Plaza de Toros (controversial and increasingly protested by animal rights groups), open-air concerts in colonial plazas, and the famous Calle 40 street festival. What makes this special is it's genuinely for locals rather than tourists - families camp out spots along parade routes, neighborhoods compete in traditional games, and you'll see traditional foods like hornado (roasted pork) and empanadas sold from street carts. The historic center becomes pedestrian-only for the week.
Virgin of El Cisne pilgrimage arrival in Loja
Not exactly in August but worth knowing if you're in southern Ecuador late July through early August - thousands of pilgrims walk 70km (43 miles) from El Cisne to Loja carrying a statue of the Virgin Mary, arriving in Loja on August 20th. The procession itself happens throughout August with the statue visiting different churches. It's one of Ecuador's most important religious events and genuinely moving to witness, though Loja gets packed with pilgrims and accommodation becomes scarce around August 15-25.