Top 15 Experiences
- Explore the Galápagos Islands — Admire giant tortoises up close, snorkel with sea lions, and watch blue-footed boobies perform their courtship dance. The ultimate experience in Ecuador. → Chap. Galápagos
- Stroll through Quito's Old Town — Wander through the first UNESCO World Heritage Site: gold-adorned churches, imposing plazas, and panoramic views from 2,850 meters high. → Chap. Quito
- Climb Cotopaxi — One of the highest active volcanoes in the world (5,897 m) with its perfect cone shape and glacier at the summit. The Refugio hut at 4,864 m is the starting point. → Chap. Quito & Highlands
- Stay overnight in the Amazon Rainforest — Wake up in a jungle lodge in the midst of the world's most biodiverse forest, watch parrots, and fall asleep under the tropical starry sky. → Chap. Amazon
- Visit the Otavalo Market — The most famous indigenous market in South America: handwoven textiles, colorful ponchos, jewelry, and a firework of colors. Especially large every Saturday. → Chap. Quito & Highlands
- The Swing at the End of the World — Swing over the abyss in Baños de Agua Santa, with the smoking Tungurahua volcano in the background. One of the most iconic travel photos in South America. → Chap. Quito & Highlands
- Watch Humpback Whales — From June to September, thousands of humpback whales pass by the coast of Ecuador. Puerto López is the best starting point for boat tours. → Chap. Coast
- Stand on the Equator — With one foot in the northern and one in the southern hemisphere — the Mitad del Mundo monument north of Quito makes it possible. → Chap. Quito & Highlands
- Travel the Avenue of the Volcanoes — Drive along Humboldt's "Avenue of the Volcanoes" with over 30 active and extinct volcanoes, from Quito to Riobamba. → Chap. Quito & Highlands
- Eat Ceviche on the Coast — Ecuadorian ceviche is different from Peruvian — with tomato sauce and green plantain. Best enjoyed fresh in a fishing village. → Chap. Coast
- Marvel at the Quilotoa Lagoon — An emerald green crater lake at 3,914 m altitude, nestled in an extinct volcano. The Quilotoa Loop is one of the most beautiful multi-day hikes in Ecuador. → Chap. Quito & Highlands
- Surf in Montañita — Ecuador's most famous surf spot on the Pacific coast: perfect waves, hippie vibe, and legendary sunsets. → Chap. Coast
- Conquer Chimborazo — Ecuador's highest mountain (6,263 m) is the point on the earth's surface furthest from the center of the earth — even further than the summit of Mount Everest. → Chap. Quito & Highlands
- Chocolate from Bean to Bar — Ecuador produces the best cocoa in the world (Cacao Nacional Fino de Aroma). Chocolate tours in Mindo or Tena take you from the bean to the finished bar. → Chap. Understand
- Float over Gorges in a Tarabita — Glide over the deep gorge of the Río Pastaza in an open cable car gondola — an unforgettable experience in Baños. → Chap. Quito & Highlands
