Ecuador means “equator,” and no visit to this Latin American jewel is complete without a visit to Mitad del Mundo, the famous point near Quito dividing the two hemispheres. But the glories of Ecuador go far beyond your GPS. Native Indian markets, a corridor of active volcanoes, Amazonian rainforests, the oldest Spanish colonial churches in the Americas, wildlife preserves on the Galapagos Islands, as well as the vibrant coastal culture of Guayaquil, the country’s main port: all of this combines to make this small Andean nation one of South America’s—no, the world’s—most beautiful places. Experience it by land or sea with one of our Ecuador Tours.
Ecuador Tours
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Quito and 4 Day Manatee Amazon Explorer Cruise
7 Days/6 Nights from $2,619
Explore Ecuador’s Amazon Basin on this four day cruise aboard the Manatee Amazon Explorer. Starting in Quito, enjoy a city tour and visit to the…
Quito and 4 Day Coral I & II Cruise – North/Central Galapagos Islands
7 Days/6 Nights from $2,629
Discover the wildlife and landscapes of the North/Central Galapagos Islands while traveling aboard the Coral I & II. Beginning in Quito, you will have a…
Quito and 4 Day Coral I & II Cruise – Eastern Galapagos Islands
7 Days/6 Nights from $2,629
Discover the wildlife and landscapes of the Eastern Galapagos Islands while traveling aboard the Coral I & II. Beginning in Quito, you will have…
Quito and 4 Day Galapagos Legend Cruise – Eastern Islands
7 Days/6 Nights from $2,699
Experience Quito and the Eastern Galapagos Islands on this wondrous tour of Ecuador. In Quito, the country’s capital and a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site…
Quito and 4 Day Galapagos Legend Cruise – Northern Islands
7 Days/6 Nights from $2,699
Experience Quito and the Northern Galapagos Islands on this wondrous tour of Ecuador. In Quito, the country’s capital and a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site…
Quito and 4 Day Finch Bay Galapagos Hotel
7 Days/6 Nights from $3,139
Discover the endemic wildlife and volcanic landscapes of the Galapagos Islands on this tour. With the Finch Bay Galapagos Hotel as your base for four…
Quito and 5 Day Manatee Amazon Explorer Cruise
8 Days/7 Nights from $3,139
Explore Ecuador’s Amazon Basin on this five day cruise aboard the Manatee Amazon Explorer. Starting in Quito, enjoy a city tour and visit to the…
Otavalo, Chaski Route Train, and 4 Day Galapagos Legend Cruise
9 Days/8 Nights from $3,229
This popular tour begins in Quito, the first city to be included on UNESCO’s World Cultural Heritage list due to its art and architecture. It…
Quito and 4 Day Anakonda Amazon Cruise
7 Days/6 Nights from $3,279
Experience the Ecuadorian Amazon on this four day cruise aboard the luxurious Anakonda. Starting in Quito, you will have a city tour and then visit…
5 Best Ecuador Tours for 2022-23
| Tour Name | Price | Duration | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Quito and 4 Day Manatee Amazon Explorer Cruise | $2,619 | 7 Days | Explore Ecuador’s Amazon Basin on this four day cruise aboard the Manatee Amazon Explorer. Starting in Quito, enjoy a city tour and visit to the… |
| Quito and 5 Day Anakonda Cruise | $3,919 | 8 Days | Experience the Ecuadorian Amazon on this five day cruise aboard the luxurious Anakonda. Starting in Quito, you will have a city tour and then visit… |
| Quito and 5 Day Finch Bay Galapagos Hotel | $3,929 | 8 Days | Discover the endemic wildlife and volcanic landscapes of the Galapagos Islands on this tour. With the Finch Bay Galapagos Hotel as your base for five… |
| Galapagos, Machu Picchu, and the Amazon | $5,329 | 16 Days | Galapagos, Machu Picchu, and the Peruvian Amazon are three of the most popular destinations in South America. Your tour will begin in Quito, which has… |
| Luxury Galapagos and the Amazon | $7,319 | 12 Days | Embark on this journey to explore the Galapagos Islands and Ecuador’s Amazon Basin. The tour begins with a city tour of Quito and excursion to… |
Ecuador Tour Information
When is the best time to travel to Ecuador?
Due to its mild climate, Ecuador is a year-round destination. High season is mid-December through January and June through August. See all Ecuador FAQ.
The Best Places to Visit in Ecuador
Ecuador means “Equator,” and when you visit, you’ll doubtless end up snapping selfies at Mitad del Mundo, the huge tourist complex through which (supposedly) the Big Line itself passes. Geographic abstractions apart, however, this small Andean nation blows nearly everyone who visits it away with its sheer diversity. Soaring cordilleras, smoking volcanoes, lush rainforests: South America’s second-smallest Spanish-speaking country crams bewildering territorial variety into a package the size of Nevada. No wonder choosing the best places to visit in Ecuador can be so challenging.
1. The Galapagos Islands
Ecuador’s top attraction needs no introduction. Ever since Charles Darwin first visited in 1835, this isolated archipelago has been renowned for its pristine wildlife and volcanic landscapes. Today, cruise ships and dinghies let you meet the uncowed animals up close, while the Galapagos’ sustainable infrastructure…
2. Quito
The first city on UNESCO’s list of World Heritage sites, Ecuador’s gorgeous capital has been called the “Florence of the Andes” for its stunning baroque churches. But Quito is more than gold-plated cupolas and colonial convents. The city’s TelefériQo ski lift whisks visitors up the towering slopes of Mt. Pichincha…
3. Otavalo
Otavalo’s weaving traditions date back centuries, well before the time of the Incas. Today, however, its Saturday market is chaotically modern, full of peasant blouses, scarves, fruits, alpaca sweaters, Andean flutes, hammocks, tagua-nut jewelry, and ponchos. Many of the artisans’ workshops are on site…
4. The Ecuadorian Amazon
Unbeknownst to many, Ecuador is an Amazon country, and the activities on tap in its nearly 40,000 square miles of rainforest called El Oriente are near infinite. Curious about indigenous medicines? Visits with the Tagaeri and Taromenane tribes are available. Want to see pink dolphins? Riverboat cruises…
5. Cuenca
“Cuenca the beautiful”: this jewel of an Andean town more than lives up to its moniker. Cobbled streets, historic churches, and perfect weather make for an aesthetic experience that’s unrivaled—and a UNESCO World Heritage site to boot. In the market for a Panama hat? Don’t buy that Caribbean ticket just yet…
6. Baños
Addicted to adrenalin? Baños will give you your fix. Situated at the base of the Tungurahua Volcano, at the gateway to the Amazon, this popular town is a jumping-off point for paragliding, ATV riding, canyoning, zip-lining, rafting, you name it. There are also jungle odysseys and cable-car flyovers of the local waterfalls…
7. Guayaquil
Ecuador’s biggest city is rapidly becoming its most dynamic. Recently refurbished, the cosmopolitan port lures strollers, foodies, and pleasure-seekers with its mile-long Malecón 2000, a waterfront promenade full of museums, shops, and restaurants. At night, head to lovely Cerro Santa Ana, where the hillside streets…
Ecuador Travel Articles
Ecuadorian Food: A Boom Waiting To Happen?
It’s Holy Week in Quito, and that means Alberto Alava is looking serious. The dark, mustachioed chef has his cap tilted back, concentrating intently on his work. That work includes peeling a multitude of different grains (including fava beans and chochos, a thick-skinned legume typical of the Andes),…
In Ecuador’s Avenue Of The Volcanoes, Hiking Through A Ring Of Fire
I’m standing on the brink—the very brink—of the volcano’s crater. Below me, in the carbon-rich lake, dark patches streak the green waters, which glisten with minerals. A lone sheep grazes nearby, impervious to the keening wind. Overhead, smokelike clouds, moving in off the late-afternoon peaks…
The Galapagos Islands
The Main Galapagos Islands and Visitor Sites
Marine iguanas that skitter up to you on seaside rocks, eyes darting. Frigatebirds, their crimson pouches inflating as they roost in bushes. Whitetip reef sharks, gliding past you as you snorkel in calm waters. Sound inspiring? It was to Charles Darwin, whose awe at the boldness of the Galapagos Islands’ wildlife…
Baltra Island / Bartolomé Island / Chinese Hat Islet / Eden Islet / Española Island / Fernandina Island / Floreana Island / Genovesa Island / Isabela Island / Mosquera Islet / North Seymour Island / Rábida Island / San Cristóbal Island / Santa Cruz Island / Santa Fe Island / Santiago Island / South Plaza Island
Galapagos Wildlife: 15 Iconic Species
Darwin was the first to recognize it: Galapagos wildlife is one of the true wonders of our planet. Blue-footed boobies and giant tortoises, sea lions and magnificent frigatebirds: the islands in this archipelago are aswarm with astounding species, many found nowhere else on Earth. Walking in their midst, one catches a glimpse…
American Flamingo / Blue-Footed Booby / Flightless Cormorant / Frigatebirds: Great and Magnificent / Galapagos Fur Seal / Galapagos Giant Tortoise / Galapagos Hawk / Galapagos Penguin / Galapagos Sea Lion / Land Iguana / Marine Iguana / Nazca Booby / Red-Footed Booby / Santa Fe Land Iguana / Waved Albatross
