Andean volcanoes, cloud forest and Amazon rainforest within a day of each other, with Quito's colonial centre at the heart.
Ecuador is small enough that the Andes, cloud forest and Amazon are hours apart, not days. Quito sits at 2,850 metres in a valley of volcanoes; two hours west, the road drops into the Mindo cloud forest; a 35-minute flight east reaches the Napo river and the edge of Yasuní National Park.
It suits birdwatchers, walkers and families who want variety without long transfers, and pairs naturally with the Galapagos.
The honest caveat is safety on the coast. The FCDO advises against all but essential travel to several coastal provinces, including Guayas around Guayaquil, so our routes keep to Quito, the highlands and the Amazon.
The experiences we plan most often, with the months they are at their best.
Quito's historic centre is large and well preserved: the gilded interior of La Compañía, the vast convent of San Francisco and steep lanes of balconied houses. Walk it with a guide, then ride the TelefériQo cable car up Pichincha for the view.
Cotopaxi's near-perfect cone rises to 5,897 metres above open páramo grassland. Stay on an old hacienda at the park's edge, ride with local chagras and walk around Limpiopungo lagoon early, when the volcano is clearest. Nights are cold.
West of Quito, the Chocó Andino drops through moss-hung cloud forest full of birds, orchids and butterflies. Lodges around Mindo keep feeders where dozens of hummingbird species visit through the day. Go out with a birding guide at dawn, then walk to waterfalls in the afternoon. Showers are likely in any month.
Fly from Quito to Coca, then travel down the Napo by motorised canoe to lodges on the forest lakes near Yasuní National Park. Guides lead dawn visits to parrot clay licks, canopy towers and paddles through blackwater creeks for giant otters. Three nights is right.
Two hours north of Quito, Otavalo's Plaza de los Ponchos fills with woven textiles and Kichwa traders, busiest on Saturdays. Pair it with a walk around Cuicocha, a crater lake below Cotacachi volcano, and a night at a hacienda in Imbabura.
On the road east from Quito towards the Amazon, Papallacta has hot pools fed by volcanic springs, set among high moorland. A soak here breaks the drive or rests tired legs after walking, and the surrounding páramo is good for birds.
In Quito, stay in the historic centre, where restored colonial houses put you on the squares. In the highlands, choose working haciendas near Cotopaxi and Imbabura. In the Amazon, pick a lodge on a forest lake away from the main river.
We match each trip in Ecuador to hotels, lodges and villas chosen for the way you travel. Tell us what matters and a specialist will suggest two or three that fit.
Ask for hotel suggestionsThe highlands have two seasons. From June to September it is dry, with clear mornings, sun strong at altitude and cold nights; July and August are the most reliable. From October to May afternoon rain is common, heaviest in March and April, though mornings are often bright.
The Amazon is wet all year and the difference between months is small; the least rainy spell is roughly November to March. The cloud forest is misty and green in every month.
Quito's colonial centre, cloud forest at Mindo, a hacienda below Cotopaxi and three nights on the Napo river, with an easy link on to the Galapagos. 9 nights.
Arrive in the evening and stay in the historic centre. A slow first day with a guided walk around the old squares and churches.
Drive two hours west and downhill into the Chocó Andino. Dawn birding with a guide, hummingbird feeders and walks to waterfalls.
Drive south along the Avenue of the Volcanoes to a hacienda. Ride in the national park and walk at Limpiopungo lagoon.
Fly from Quito to Coca and continue by canoe to a lodge on a forest lake. Clay licks, a canopy tower and night walks with a naturalist guide.
Canoe and flight back to Quito to connect with the evening flight to Europe, or fly on to the Galapagos for a longer trip.
Practical notes checked against their sources. For entry and safety, the FCDO advice for Ecuador (opens in a new tab) is always the authority.
There are no direct flights from London. KLM flies via Amsterdam and Iberia via Madrid to Quito, about 15 hours in total. Quito to Coca, for the Amazon lodges, is then a flight of about 35 minutes.
UK passport holders can currently visit Ecuador without a visa. Read the FCDO entry requirements (opens in a new tab) before you book.
The FCDO advises against all but essential travel to several coastal provinces and to areas near the Colombian border, and has recently reported states of emergency in some provinces. Read the full FCDO travel advice (opens in a new tab) before you commit.
Read the FCDO entry requirements for Ecuador (opens in a new tab)
Quito is at about 2,850 metres and Cotopaxi is higher, so plan an easy first day and drink plenty of water. The equatorial sun is strong at altitude.
Check TravelHealthPro (opens in a new tab) and the FCDO health page well before you travel, as advice differs between the highlands and the Amazon.
Ecuador has used the US dollar since 2000, alongside its own coins. Cards work in city hotels and restaurants; carry small notes for markets, as large bills can be hard to change.
Mobile coverage and hotel Wi-Fi are good in Quito and the larger towns. Some Amazon lodges now offer internet in rooms, but expect gaps in the cloud forest and on the rivers.
Tipping is normal for good service. Around 10% is usual in restaurants, but check the bill first, as many add a service charge. Guides, drivers and lodge staff are usually tipped at the end of a stay.
Yes, and it makes the logistics easier. There are daily flights from Quito to the islands, so a few days in the Andes, cloud forest or Amazon fits naturally before the islands. Four or five nights covers Quito and one other region; eight or nine lets you add both the Amazon and a hacienda near Cotopaxi.
June to September, when the highlands are driest and the volcanoes clearest; July and August are the most reliable. The Amazon and cloud forest are wet all year, so they work in any month. From October to May, expect afternoon rain in Quito and the Andes but bright mornings and fewer visitors.
Most people notice it. Quito sits at about 2,850 metres, so expect some breathlessness on stairs and hills for the first day or two. Plan an easy first day, drink plenty of water and go light on alcohol. Starting in Mindo, which is lower, also helps.
It depends on where you go, so read the FCDO travel advice before booking. It currently advises against all but essential travel to several coastal provinces, including Guayas around Guayaquil, and to areas near the Colombian border. Our trips keep to Quito, the highlands, the cloud forest and the Amazon, with private drivers and guides.
Tell us a little and a specialist will reply with ideas, dates that work and a price. Best months: July to September.
Volcanic islands where sea lions, iguanas and boobies ignore you entirely, seen from a small ship with a naturalist guide.
Inca stonework in the high Andes, Machu Picchu at dawn and Amazon rainforest, all within a short flight of Cusco.
Volcano, cloud forest, turtle beach and whale coast in one small country, with a lodge in each that puts you in the forest.
