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Ecuador
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Postcard-pretty town centers, waves splashing white-sand beaches, Kichwa villages, Amazonian rainforest and the breathtaking Andes: a dazzling array of wonders is squeezed into compact Ecuador.
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Must-see attractions
Isla San Cristóbal (Chatham)
About an hour’s boat ride northeast of Puerto Baquerizo Moreno is León Dormido (Kicker Rock), so named because of its resemblance to a sleeping lion. León…
Isla Santa Cruz (Indefatigable)
South of Santa Rosa is El Chato Tortoise Reserve, where you can observe giant tortoises in the wild. When these virtually catatonic, prehistoric-looking…
Puerto Ayora
The first of its kind in the world, this museum uses augmented reality to showcase a permanent exhibition of 55 pre-Columbian artifacts. The ancient…
The Galápagos Islands
The summit of this volcano (1097m) is famous for its 7km-wide caldera and steaming fumaroles. Hundreds of giant tortoises can be seen here, especially…
Iglesia de la Compañía de Jesús
Quito
Capped by green-and-gold domes, La Compañía de Jesús is Quito’s most ornate church and a standout among the baroque splendors of the Old Town. Free guided…
Museo del Banco Central ‘Pumapungo’
Cuenca
One of Ecuador's most significant museums, Pumapungo houses great modern art downstairs, but the highlight is on the 2nd floor. Here begins a…
Quito
For spectacular views over Quito’s mountainous landscape, hop aboard this sky tram, one of the world's highest aerial lifts, that takes passengers on a 2…
Quito
In the former home of the legendary painter Oswaldo Guayasamín (1919–99), this wonderful museum houses the most complete collection of the artist's work…
Attractions
Top picks from our travel experts
Southern Highlands
This national park fills in much of the triangle between Loja, Zamora and Vilcabamba, as well as a huge swath to the southeast. Because altitude ranges so…
Reserva de Producción Faunística Cuyabeno
The Oriente
This beautiful reserve is a unique flooded rainforest covering 6034 sq km around Río Cuyabeno. Seasonally inundated with water, the flooded forest…
Reserva de Producción de Fauna Chimborazo
Central Highlands
Volcán Chimborazo and Volcán Carihuairazo are both within the Reserva de Producción de Fauna Chimborazo. It is called a ‘fauna-production reserve’ because…
Southern Highlands
Ecuador’s best-preserved archaeological site, Ingapirca, with its semi-intact temple, grazing llamas and open fields, is definitely worth a stopover if…
Ruta Spondylus
Preserving isolated beaches, coral formations, two offshore islands, tropical dry forest, coastal cloud forest, archaeological sites and 200 sq km of…
The Oriente
Yasuní is Ecuador’s biggest mainland park at 9820 sq km, boasting all manner of terrain from marshes to rivers to tropical rainforest. A Unesco Biosphere…
Central Highlands
This 2710-sq-km national park contains three of Ecuador’s most magnificent volcanoes – the mightily active Sangay, the remittently active Tungurahua and…
The Quilotoa Loop
About 14km north of Zumbahua, the famous volcanic-crater lake of Laguna Quilotoa is a gasp-inducing sight. A lookout on the precipitous crater rim offers…
The Oriente
Squirrel monkeys cavort above the walkways at highly rated Jamu lodge, where the jungle feels close at hand. Dugout-canoe trips, walks through swamps knee…
Central Highlands
The centerpiece of Ecuador's most popular national park is the snowcapped and downright picture-perfect Volcán Cotopaxi. At 5897m, it's Ecuador's second…
Southern Highlands
Only 30km west of Cuenca, Parque Nacional Cajas encompasses 2854 sq km of golden moor-like páramo (high-altitude grassland) dotted with hundreds of chilly…
Vilcabamba
The small Tapichalaca Reserve, 75km south of Vilcabamba, protects one of Ecuador’s most rare and endangered birds, the jocotoco antpitta (Grallaria…
Planning Tools
Expert guidance to help you plan your trip
Best Things to Do
Ecuador offers some of the most incredible outdoor experiences on earth. From the Amazon and the Andes to the Galápagos, here are the top things to do.
Read articleThings to Know
These insider tips on health, safety and etiquette will help you make the most out of your trip to Ecuador.
Read articleTransportation
Andean peaks and rainforests are formidable obstacles to travel in Ecuador. Here's how to explore the country without breaking the bank or your spirit.
Read articleVisa Requirements
Don't miss out on the magnificent attractions Ecuador has to offer because of a little paperwork. Here's everything you need to know about visas.
Read articleMoney and Costs
It may be more expensive than its South American neighbors but that doesn't mean you can't visit Ecuador on a budget. Here's what you need to know.
Read articleTraveling with Kids
From exploring Unesco World Heritage sites to discovering endemic wildlife, here’s our list of things to do with kids in Ecuador.
Read articleBest Road Trips
Don't let Ecuador's modest size fool you – its scope of stunning landscapes makes it the perfect road trip destination. Here are five of our favorites.
Read articlePlan with a local
Articles
Latest stories from Ecuador
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Accessible TravelHow to get around Ecuador, from mountain roads to the Galápagos IslandsSep 29, 2023 • 5 min read
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