Skipped by many travelers, or only visited for a short time, Ecuador has a lot to offer to travelers: from mountains to coast to jungle. Don’t be fooled by its size: you’ll likely want to spend a lot more time in Ecuador than originally planned. Check out this Ultimate Backpacker Guide to Ecuador for inspiration!
Even though Ecuador is a small country, the climate varies greatly. The Amazon is hot and humid, it gets cold in the mountains and at the coast it’s generally nice and warm. So make sure to pack enough clothes.
The guide below will help you plan your backpacking itinerary and follows a route from north to south. The described places are color coded as a must-visit, highly recommended and if time permits.
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Traveling Ecuador - Tips & Tricks
Currency: Ecuador uses USD, making using their currency very easy. No complicated calculations with large numbers to figure out how much things actually cost. The downside of them using the USD is that it’s making things a little more expensive. It’s rather easy to to just round things up to a dollar.
Transport: It’s super easy to get around Ecuador. There is generally only one terminal where all busses depart from and plenty of people pointing you in the right direction. Transport is rather cheap in Ecuador, with prices generally ranging from 1-2 USD per hour of traveltime.
ATMs: Banco Internacional was free for me (Mastercard – EUR).
Food: The main typical food is rice with legumes, salad, and meat or fish. Pretty similar to other countries in the area. Besides street food, the most economical lunch is a ‘menu del dia’ (menu of the day) which typically includes a starter, a main dish, and a drink. More known to Peru, ceviche is a popular dish in Ecuador as well. Fresh vegetables are not that common, but you’ll find fruits and juices for your daily vitamin fix everywhere.
Quito and the North
Otavalo
Otavalo is famous for its market, which is the biggest on Saturdays. There is a market every day however, with the second biggest market day being a Wednesday. During the week the market is more focused on tourists, so you’ll be able to buy your souvenirs here every day of the week. On Saturday the market spreads from the square to the streets around it and you’ll be able to find just about anything here. From the typical souvenirs to food and from clothes to toiletries. If traveling overland from Colombia it could be worth it to make a stop here on the way to Quito. If not, or if short on time, Otavalo is easily visited on a day trip from Quito as well. There are some places to visit around Otavalo if you’re staying for a night or two, but the main draw here really is the market.
Quito
Colorful Quito is a great place to spend a few days. One of my favorite things to do in cities are tip-based free walking tours. To make the most out of your time here, join one on your first day to really get a feel for the city.
For great views of the city climb the towers of the Basílica del Voto
If you love hiking, are well acclimatized and have the proper clothing, climbing the volcano Pichincha is a great day trip from Quito. Simply take the cable car (named TelefériQo) to the viewpoint Cruz Loma and follow the signs. Not up for such a hike? Just take the TelefériQo up to Cruz Loma and enjoy the views from there.
La Mitad del Mundo
Also not to be missed, is the equator at Mitad del Mundo. Yes, it’s quirky and yes it’s super touristy. But if you’re that close, how can you not? Just be aware that the monument is actually not quite build on the equator, so after snapping a quick pic at the monument, head to the museum that is built on the actual equator for some fun experiments.
La Mitad del Mundo is an easy (city)bus ride away. Shuttles are available as well if you’re feeling lazy.
Hostel recommendation: I can absolutely recommend the Secret Garden. I heard a lot about this hostel and it did not disappoint. You get a nice view from the rooftop and the atmosphere is very chill and social. The rooftop closes at a reasonable hour and they organize transport to the party when the rooftop closes for who’s not ready to go to bed yet. The only downside is that they don’t have a kitchen, but the dinners aren’t too expensive and delicious.
Getting from Otavalo to Quito – There is a direct bus that will take you to Quito in about 2-3 hours, arriving at the North terminal (Carcelén).
Mindo
I found Mindo very disappointing… I was told it was like a non-touristy Baños, but I found there wasn’t nearly as much to do as in Baños. Also, most things require a fee which did not seem worth it to me.
Mindo is famous for bird watching. I found the bird-watching tours rather expensive, but do check them out if you’re into this. If not, you can also wander around paths yourself early in the morning and you’ll come across some birds as well.
You can also hike to the Tarabita cable car, or take a taxi if you’re not up for walking. Take the cable car across the valley and walk to a couple of waterfalls on the other side. It makes for a nice day out. This is the only thing we end up doing in Mindo in the end. We spend the rest of our time chilling at the hostel watching the hummingbirds, which was nice as well.
Getting from Quito to Mindo – Daily busses leave from the Ofelia Terminal. The busses going to Mindo are not so frequent, so make sure to check the current schedule beforehand. According to my latest information, the last bus leaves at 4 pm.
Central Ecuador
Cotopaxi Volcano
Cotopaxi is a volcano south of Quito. If you’re staying at the Secret Garden in Quito, you’ll likely stay at the Secret Garden in Cotopaxi as well. This hostel is located in the middle of nowhere, offering an awesome experience. The hostel really is amazing, so if you have the time and it fits your budget (it’s not that cheap, but includes a LOT of food) it’s well worth staying at least a night. There is a package deal if staying two though or you can camp if you have your own tent. The hostel is very homely, offers beautiful views over the volcano (on clear days) and a jacuzzi. And yes, you can enjoy the views from the jacuzzi. 😉
If staying at the Secret Garden Cotopaxi doesn’t fit your plans, you can also do the tour from Latacunga, for around the same price (a tour to the volcano is not included with your stay at the Secret Garden).
Getting from Quito to Cotopaxi – Take the shuttle from the Secret Garden hostel. You can take the shuttle even if you’re not staying at their Quito hostel. It’s technically possible to get to the hostel by public transport as well, but it’s quite a hassle and involves a long walk. Taking the shuttle will really make your life a lot easier!
Getting from Baños/Latagunga to Cotopaxi – Take a bus to Machachi from where their shuttle will pick you up at around 11 am. It is also possible to take a bus from Machachi, but busses are infrequent and you’ll need to walk about 3k from where they drop you off to the hostel. So the shuttle really is a lot easier.
The Quilotoa loop - Latacunga
The Quilotoa loop is a loop partly done by bus and partly on foot. The highlight of the trip is the Quilotoa crater and it’s possible to just visit on a day trip. Taking the 3-day hike will lead you through stunning landscapes however and is definitely worth it.
There really isn’t anything special to do in Latacunga, so one night here is enough. Just give yourself a couple of hours to prepare for your hike and leave the next day. The most popular hostel is Hostal Café Tiana. It’s not bad, but I was a little disappointed with it. I had higher expectations of the most popular hostel in town. The cheapest dorm is in the basement and it’s overall very cold in the hostel. So don’t be affraid to look at other options.
The Quilotoa loop in 3 days: The most popular itinerary
Day 1: Leave your luggage at the bag storage in the hostel and take a bus from Latacunga to Sigchos. If you haven’t brought a packed lunch from Latacunga, pick some food up here. Then start walking to Isinliví. Most people stay at hostel Lulu Llama, which I couldn’t recommend enough. The mountain lodge has a beautiful view, a small spa with a sauna and whirlpool. There are free yoga lessons in the morning and evening as well. I’d recommend taking an early bus in the morning to arrive early and enjoy the afternoon at this amazing place! It’s advisable to book your space ahead, although it seems like they keep a few beds for walk-ins.
Day 2: Work up your appetite with a yoga class before breakfast and get ready for your walk to Chugchilán. The most popular accommodation here is Hostal Cloud Forest. It isn’t quite Lulu Llama, but not a bad place either. The walk isn’t hard and not too long so no need to rush in the morning. You’ll have plenty of time to enjoy a beer at the hostel.
Budget Tip: If the packed lunch at Lulu Llama seems a bit expensive, pick up a couple of sandwiches from the convenience store.
Day 3: You’ll have two options for your walk today, the extreme one and the easier one. I recommend taking the extreme one, which really isn’t that extreme. There are just two small landslides where you need to be careful with your next two steps, but that’s all. Other than that the path is great and the views awesome. The other route follows the road a lot more. When you get to the crater you’ll have two options: the long way around and the shorter way. I took the longer one as I had time and wanted to enjoy the views as long as I could, but you’ll have plenty to see at the short loop as well.
No need to rush too much today, but you don’t want to leave too late either as the busses back to Latacunga are limited. Ask your accommodation in Chugchilán for the up-to-date schedule. It’s possible to stay overnight in Quilotoa as well, but as it doesn’t have anything to offer. Accommodation is also rather expensive and not nearly as nice as Lulu Llama and Cloud Forest (yes, you will get spoiled). I recommend taking the bus back to Latacunga if you can. If you do end up staying for the night, or arrive super early, you have the option to kayak in the crater. It did seems like a fun thing to do, until we arrived. It was really cold and rainy and did not seem like that much fun anymore. If you’re luckier with the weather it might be worth it though!
Getting from the Secret Garden Cotopaxi to Latacunga – Take their shuttle to Machachi, from where you can take a bus to the Latacunga terminal.
Getting from Quito to Latacunga– There are frequent, direct busses leaving from the South (Quitumbe) Terminal.
Baños
There is a lot to do in Baños, or Baños de Agua Santa in full, so plan a few days here if you can. Baños is famous for the hot springs. This is also where the town got its name from: Baños means baths. But there is more to Baños than just hot springs. You can go hiking, biking or rafting for example. It’s even possible to do a day trip to the jungle as it’s very close! Don’t expect a deep-amazonian experience, but if you won’t be heading deeper into the jungle or you just can’t get enough, it’s a good way to at least see a little bit of it.
Papacho’s a really nice hostel. It’s not a party hostel, but does have a very social set-up. It’s a great place to meet people and head out on adventures together. If you’re looking to party, check out Erupcion instead.
Hot Springs
Termas de la Virgen is right in town and the cheapest. They’re not the prettiest of all, but make for an excellent quick dip after one of many activities that Baños has to offer. El Salado is a little out of town, but still within walking distance. It’s about 1 USD more and not as busy as La Virgin. If you’re not up for a 30-minute walk, take a taxi. You probably won’t find any outside when heading back to Baños, so either grab a number beforehand or ask the staff to call you one when you’re ready to leave.
Other things to do in Baños
I definitely recommend going rafting and doing the bike ride along the waterfalls. Plenty of agencies around town offer rafting tours and/or rent bikes. Ask around and compare prices.
On the bike ride, you’ll pass waterfalls where you can go for a swim, so don’t forget your bathers. Note that from Baños, the road goes mainly all downhill, making the ride super easy. On your way back you can do the hardcore thing and cycle all the way back up, or do the common thing and get a ride back with a truck. They have space for your bike as well, don’t worry!
If you’re loving Baños and staying for a little longer, the viewpoints make for nice and easy hikes. One of your options is the famous swing at la casa del Arbol. Be prepared to line up if you want your Insta-pic.
Getting from Latagunga to Baños – There are no direct busses, but you can change in one of the bigger towns on the way like Ambato.
Getting from Quito to Baños – There are frequent and direct busses leaving from the South (Quitumbe) Terminal.
The Coast
Puerto Lopez
Puerto Lopez might not have the best beach in the area and the town isn’t the prettiest either, it’s still worth a stop. You can also stay in a nearby town like Olon or Montañita and do day trips from there, but staying in Puerto Lopez just makes things a little easier.
In season (June to October) the whales are in the area and there are plenty of whale watching tours going every day. You can do a trip just to see the whales, or combine it with a trip to the Islas de la Plata, also called the poor man’s Galapagos. It’s not quite like the Galapagos, but you’ll see plenty of birds here, including the famous Blue-footed Booby. When it’s whale season all tours to the islands will include whale watching as well.
Parque Nacional Machalilla does have some pretty beaches. It’s just a short bus ride away and you can walk to different beaches and viewpoints. It’s a great way to spend the day.
Pro-tip: If you have access to a kitchen at your accommodation, be sure to pick up some fresh fish from the market on the beach.
Getting from Baños to Puerto Lopez – There are no direct busses going and you’ll need to make two changes. Which route is the most convenient will depend on the connections at the time of the day. The easiest way is to just let the people in the terminal know where you want to end up and they will recommend you where to change. In my case I took a bus from Baños to Riobamba, from Riobamba to Guayaquil and from Guayaquil to Puerto Lopez via Jipijapa.
Olon
If you’re a surfer, this is your place. If not and short on time, this could be a place to skip. The beach here is nicer than the one in Puerto Lopez (but doesn’t come near to the ones in Machalilla). It doesn’t offer much more than that though. It’s a very small and chill town. If you prefer a more happening place with lots of nightlife, you might prefer to stay in Montañita instead. Montañita is only 15 minutes away by taxi, so it’s very easy to travel between the two. If you prefer a quieter place and be able to head to the party if you feel like it, stay in Olon. Olon is more expensive than Montañita, but for me, it was definitely worth it.
Getting from Puerto Lopez to Olon – There are regular busses every 15-20min passing by the main street in Puerto Lopez, so no need to go to the terminal. Just make sure you’re waiving one down from a bus stop, as they won’t stop otherwise.
Montañita
If beach towns that soley exist for partying tourists are your place, you’ll love Montanita. If not, it still makes for a good night out to check out what the fuzz is all about, but don’t plan too much time here. I stayed for one night after Olon, with a friend I made there. It was good fun for a night, but we were also very happy to leave the next day.
Walking around during the day we noticed that everyone is just kind of hanging out waiting for the party to start again. If the beach would have been nice at least, that would have made for a good pastime, but unfortunately, that is not the case. As Montañita is only 15min away by taxi you can also decide to stay in Olon instead, and just head over to Montanita for the nightlife if you feel like it.
Getting from Olon to Montanita – As it’s so close, the easiest way is to take a taxi. It’s also possible to take a bus.
Getting from Puerto Lopez to Montanita – There are regular busses every 15-20min passing by the main street in Puerto Lopez, so no need to go to the terminal. Just make sure you’re waiving one down from a bus stop, as they won’t stop otherwise.
The South
Cuenca
Cuenca is a pretty and calm city in the south of Ecuador. As with (almost) all cities, I recommend to take a free walking tour on your first day here. The city also has a green area along the river leading from the center to Parque el Paraíso, which makes for a nice stroll.
Love musea? Museo Pumpaponga is interesting and free! It has exhibitions about local cultures and open air Inca ruins. They’re not quite Machu Picchu, but still cool.
Spend at least a day in the beautiful Cajas as well, this national park is not to be missed. It’s possible to do multiple day hikes, but day trips are more common. Take a bus from the terminal in Cuenca and ask them to drop you off at Cajas. When you arrive at the park, speak to the staff and pick a route.
Got a day to spare and looking for something to do? Take a bus to Ingapirca. These Inca ruins might not be the most impressive of all, but it makes for a nice day out. Guides (in Spanish) are included with the entry and after the guided tour you’ll have time to wander around on your own. Busses are irregular, so make sure to check the current schedule beforehand.
Getting from Montanita/Olon to Cuenca – There are no direct busses, but you can get here via Guayaquil.
Vilcabamba
Most people who visit Vilcabamba come here to relax for some time at the Izhcayluma ecolodge. My original plan was actually to stay in Loja, to visit Podocarpus national park, and take the bus from there to Peru. I found that Loja doesn’t offer much to tourists however, not even accommodation. So I decided to head to Vilcabamba instead which I actually really enjoyed.
Vilcabamba seems to be a magnet for hippies and retired gringos, and offers a nice mix of friendly people from all over the place. This also comes to show in the restaurants, lots of options for delicious food as well. If you’re staying at Izhcayluma you might not spend time in town though.
Vilcabamba offers some nice and easy hikes, like Rumi Wilco, Podocarpus national park (the drier, mountainous side), and Cerro Mandango. If you want to visit the jungle side of Podocarpus, take a bus to Loja and from there to Zamora. Then either walk to the entrance of the park or take a taxi. From the entrance, you can walk to a free campsite. There are a few waterfalls very close by that are easy to visit the same afternoon or the next day before heading back to Vilcabamba or on to your next destination.
Getting from Cuenca/Guayaquil to Vilcabamba – Take a bus to Loja and from here you can take a bus to Vilcabamba with Vilcabambaturis. Note that the last bus going to Vilcabamba leaves at approximately 20:45 according to my last knowledge. Do double check the current schedule if you’re arriving in the evening.
Other places to visit
The big one that I left out on this trip is the Galapagos. I would have absolutely loved to go, but even going on a budget is pricy… So I had to miss out on this one for now. Another one is the Amazon. I chose to go from Iquitos in Peru, as I thought it would be cheaper but there are good deals from Quito. Check it out as I heard good things about Ecuador’s part of the Amazon! A little less touristy and better preserved.
This was The Ultimate Backpacker Guide to Ecuador
