16 Days in Ecuador - 5 Unique Itinerary Ideas

Itinerary #1: Ecuador's Cities, Highlands & Cloud Forests

This classic itinerary, exploring Ecuador's cities, highlands, and cloud forests, is perfect for first-time travelers. You'll walk Quito's colonial streets, discover Cotopaxi's highlands, admire Cuenca's historic colonial landmarks, and stroll the Malecón in the colorful port city of Guayaquil. Additional highlights include visiting ancient ruins, hiking around the Quilotoa Lagoon, meeting Indigenous Kichwa communities, wandering the cloud forests of Mindo, and learning how to prepare traditional Ecuadorian cuisine.

Welcome to Ecuador! Ease into your arrival to Quito with a stroll amid colorful flowers and ponds in Jardín Botánico before taking Day 2 to cover its historic center, savoring empanadas de viento (savory pastries) in a cooking class, and visiting the equator at Mitad del Mundo (Middle of the World). For the next two days, you'll day trip first to Otavalo in the highlands to see Lake Cuicocha and learn traditional Andean cooking, and second to the Mindo cloud forest to taste coffee and chocolate. Head south to hike and horseback ride in Cotopaxi National Park, trek around Quilotoa Lagoon, spend the night in Baños, and marvel at nearby El Pailón del Diablo.

Drive to Archidona on Day 8, where your guide will point out endemic wildlife and medicinal plants on a rainforest hike, followed by another jungle trek to the Golondrinas waterfall and a visit to a guayusa (Amazonian holly tree) plantation and factory and a Kichwa community. After unwinding at Papallacta hot springs, return to Quito for two more nights displayed at Vivarium de Quito. Then, fly to Cuenca for a historic city tour and a trip to the countryside to visit an orchid farm. Admire the stonework at the Ingapirca ruins, and on your final full day, relish a hike in El Cajas National Park before wrapping up with a city tour of Guayaquil. Learn more

Itinerary #2: Adventure Through the Andes, Southern Ecuador & the Coast

Pick up the pace on this alternative highlights itinerary that includes adventures along the coast and around the south of Ecuador in addition to the highlands. Spend time in historic cities like Quito, Cuenca, and Guayaquil, and enjoy the ample outdoor activities such as hiking in national parks, visiting pre-Inca ruins, and soaking in hot springs. Experience Ecuador's coastal beauty with activities like surfing, whale watching, and beachcombing in Puerto Lopez, and dive into the cultural highlights of Loja and learn about endemic exotic wildlife in Podocarpus National Park in the country's south.

In Quito, Ecuador's capital, visit the Museo Casa de la Cultura in the city's historic center. Admire the stone carvings of Iglesia La Compañía and wander the 16th-century Iglesia San Francisco before visiting the equator and planetarium and engaging in an Ecuadorian cooking class. Then, venture to Antisana National Park in the highlands for a hike and cycling through Cotopaxi National Park. Relaxation awaits in Baños de Agua Santa with its scenic waterfall route and therapeutic hot springs. Chimborazo, Ecuador's tallest peak, provides another invigorating hike before you head to the impressive Inca and Cañari Ingapirca ruins.

Continue to historic Cuenca on Day 7 before discovering the Azuay countryside villages, where you'll see a silversmith, an orchid farm, and traditional handicrafts. Then, explore the mountain town of southern Loja, followed by a wildlife hike in Podocarpus National Park. Back in Cuenca, take a pottery class, then head out toward the coast, stopping for a hike in El Cajas National Park and a surf lesson in Puerto Lopez. An exciting boat tour to Isla de la Plata involves snorkeling, spotting marine life, and potentially whale watching. After a stop at Los Frailes Beach, return to Guayaquil for a city tour and spot iguanas at Seminario Park. Learn more

Itinerary #3: Culture, Nature & Wildlife in Ecuador: From the Pacific to the Highlands & Into the Amazon

With this fast-paced itinerary, you'll experience the best of Ecuador's culture, nature, and wildlife from the Pacific coast to the highlands and deep into the Amazon jungle. You'll start by seeing exotic birds and monkeys in the wetlands around Guayaquil, go to the legendary surf beaches along the coast, hike around the crater lakes and volcanoes in the highlands, and explore the verdant Amazon rainforest by foot and canoe. Along the way, enjoy encounters with local wildlife, learn about traditional Indigenous cultures, and visit historical landmarks in Quito and Cuenca.

On a city tour, visit Seminario Park, the neo-Gothic Metropolitan Cathedral, and the iconic Malecón boardwalk in colorful Guayaquil. Continue to the Churute Mangrove Reserve, a haven for exotic wildlife, and head to laid-back Montañita surfing village. Stop at coastal Puerto López and Ayampe to surf and explore Machalilla National Park. Later, snorkel around Isla de la Plata's coral reefs on a boat tour. Afterward, spot llamas and hike in El Cajas National Park en route to Cuenca. There, you can wander the Ingapirca ruins. Hike the rim of Chimborazo volcano before driving to Baños de Agua Santa near the Amazonian basin.

On Day 8, take a short hike to admire Pailón del Diablo waterfall and then drive north to Quilotoa, a mountainside village, to explore Laguna Quilotoa crater lake. Next, you'll have three days in the Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve to spot tropical birds and nocturnal animals in the Amazon rainforest, interact with the Indigenous Siona people, and experience a sunrise forest walk before returning to Quito. You'll join a guided city tour and stroll La Ronda, full of cafés and eclectic shops. Then, drive to Otavalo, a mountain town, to peruse the colorful wares at the famous Otavalo Market and to check out the 50-foot (18 m) Peguche Waterfall. Learn more

Itinerary #4: Hiking & Culture in Ecuador: Volcanoes, Lakes & Ancient Ruins

Hikers and culture enthusiasts will enjoy this active itinerary, which includes volcano hikes, jungle excursions, and cultural experiences. You'll traverse the Andean Highlands, visit textile markets in historic cities, explore pre-Inca ruins at Ingapirca, and encounter monkeys, macaws, and more in the Amazon rainforest. Additional highlights include two days in the capital of Quito and the historic city of Cuenca, plus an exhilarating hike around Quilotoa Lagoon, a tour of Cotopaxi National Park, and canoe rides and nature hikes in the pristine Amazon forests at Yasuní National Park.

Begin in Ecuador's capital, Quito, with a walking tour of its historic center, one of the most well-preserved Spanish-colonial enclaves in the America, a cooking class, and a visit to touch the equator at the Middle of the World park. Then, hike amid páramo (alpine tundra) up the Rucu Pichincha and Pasochoa volcanoes before heading to Laguna de Cuicocha at the foot of Cotacachi volcano. Browse Otavalo Market next before setting out for Cotopaxi National Park in the highlands and admiring Quilotoa Lagoon. After hiking around the volcanic crater lake, drive to the town of Baños and enjoy a waterfall hike and hot springs.

Continue with a hike to Chimborazo volcano on Day 10 before heading to the Ingapirca ruins, one of Ecuador's most important archaeological sites. From there, visit Cuenca, a city known for its ancient landmarks and colonial history. After flying back to Quito, you'll be off to the Amazon basin, starting in Puerto Francisco de Orellana (also known as El Coca). A canoe trip will take you into Yasuní National Park, where, over the next few days, you'll visit the parrot clay licks, tour the Kichwa community of Añangu, hike in the rainforest, and ride a canoe along the waterways before returning to Quito. Learn more

Itinerary #5: Active Ecuador Highlands Adventure: From the Amazon to the Beach

This active highlands adventure combines highland, rainforest, and beach activities for an action-packed trip. Active travelers will enjoy trekking and horseback riding around Cotopaxi and cycling to highland waterfalls in Baños before trading the mountains for the Amazon and discovering Archidona's biodiversity. Additional highlights include coastal relaxation, diving, and kite surfing in Puerto López and spotting humpback whales and blue-footed boobies on a trip to Isla de la Plata.

Your adventure begins in Quito, where you'll explore its colonial center, one of the first UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Sites, and pre-Columbian art at the Museo Casa del Alabado before taking a cooking class featuring local dishes. Head to Cotopaxi National Park for a horseback ride through the Ecuadorian Andes. Afterward, hike around Laguna de Quilotoa, a crater lake, before driving to the charming town of Baños de Agua Santa. There, you'll rappel down waterfalls, soak in hot springs, and visit the Casa del Arbol treehouse before a waterfall cycling adventure.

Continue in Archidona, "Gateway to the Amazon," with hiking and caving in Gran Cañon del Jondachi jungle canyon and whitewater rafting through Llanganates National Park. Then, relax in volcanic waters at Papallacta hot springs before flying west to Puerto López on the Pacific Ocean, where you'll have beach time, dive with tropical fish, go kite-surfing in Manabí province, and take a boat tour to Isla de la Plata for snorkeling and whale watching. Afterward, return to Quito for an evening cocktail class and to see works by expressionist/cubist painter Oswaldo Guayasamín at Casa Museo Guayasamín. Learn more

More Great 16-Day Ecuador Itineraries

Looking for more inspiration for your trip to Ecuador? Check out these other 16-day Ecuador itineraries, with outdoor adventures, cultural trips, and best-of tours to hit the highlights.