Ecuador 12-Day Tours & Itineraries

Explore 9 trips designed by local kimkim specialists to get ideas for your trip to Ecuador.
See our itineraries below or read our guide to the best 12-day trips in Ecuador.
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Flamingoes in the Galapagos
Map of Gems of Peru & Ecuador: From Machu Picchu to the Galápagos Islands - 12 Days
Gems of Peru & Ecuador: From Machu Picchu to the Galápagos Islands - 12 Days

Revel in cultural highlights and natural wonders on this 12-day trip from Peru to Ecuador. Discover colonial history and Inca ruins in Lima and Cusco, then climb Rainbow Mountain and experience the mighty Machu Picchu. Cross the border to Quito, where you'll learn about Ecuadorian cuisine and stand at the equator's center. Finally, head to the Galápagos Islands, where you'll spend five glorious days observing intriguing wildlife and stunning scenery as you sail, swim, and snorkel.

Volcano in Ecuador
Map of Ecuador Cities & Volcanoes: Quito to Cotopaxi - 12 Days
Ecuador Cities & Volcanoes: Quito to Cotopaxi - 12 Days

Visit the cities and volcanoes of beautiful Ecuador on this 12-day adventure. Start in the nation's capital, exploring its well-preserved colonial center and other cultural highlights. Then, head out on a busy tour through small towns like Cotacachi, enjoying several indigenous markets and villages along the way. You will also check off wondrous volcanoes like Pasachoa and Cotopaxi, as well as the unique paramo ecosystem of Chimborazo. The final leg of the trip takes you to Ecuador's lovely third city, Cuenca, before going full circle and ending in Quito again.

Feel the freedom of the open road as you navigate through Ecuador
Map of Ecuador Road Trip From North to South: Quito, Cotopaxi & Baños - 12 Days
Ecuador Road Trip From North to South: Quito, Cotopaxi & Baños - 12 Days

Get ready for adventure as you drive through Ecuador from north to south, making your way from high-altitude Quito to coastal Guayaquil. With the freedom to go at your own pace, start where the world divides in Quito and explore the base of an active 19,347-foot (5,897 m) volcano at Cotopaxi National Park. Swing over the "End of the World" in Baños de Agua Santa, and walk through a city with four rivers in Cuenca, ending your trip in Guayaquil as you return to sea level.

Sunset on the beach in Ayampe
Map of Exploring Ecuador: Andes, Rainforest & Pacific Coast - 12 Days
Exploring Ecuador: Andes, Rainforest & Pacific Coast - 12 Days

This 12-day itinerary is a thrilling introduction to Ecuador's magnificent landscapes. Begin with sightseeing and a cooking class in Quito, then continue to the natural wonders of Baños and Cotopaxi National Park. Base yourself in Archidona, exploring waterfalls in the rainforest, before heading to the Pacific coast. Tour Guayaquil, learn to catch a wave in Ayampe, and visit a cocoa plantation to finish the adventure.

See the majestic birds and butterflies that are Ecuador natives
Map of Ecuador Exploration: Quito & Central Andes  - 12 Days
Ecuador Exploration: Quito & Central Andes - 12 Days

Discover Ecuador's high-altitude volcanic landscapes, vibrant markets, and urban energy on this 12-day tour. In Quito, ride a cable car for views above one of the highest cities in the world, and shop for essential ingredients to make the country's flavorful dishes. Hike around a volcano in Cotopaxi National Park and soak in mineral-rich waters and swing over "The End of the World" in Baños de Agua Santa. End with a chocolate tour in Mindo to take home a sweet Ecuador souvenir.

Boating in the Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve
Map of Outdoor Adventures in Ecuador: Quito, Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve & the Galápagos - 12 Days
Outdoor Adventures in Ecuador: Quito, Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve & the Galápagos - 12 Days

Featuring activities from cycling to hiking to snorkeling, this exciting 12-day itinerary is perfect for outdoor adventurers. Discover Quito on a bike tour, then soak in the hot springs of Papallacta. Hike and canoe in the rainforest in the Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve before catching a flight to the Galápagos Islands. Spot giant tortoises in the wild, snorkel with sea lions, and explore an uninhabited island to end the trip.

Soar over mountainsides on the "swing at the edge of the Earth" in Baños
Map of Ecuadorian Highlands & Amazon Rainforest Adventure - 12 Days
Ecuadorian Highlands & Amazon Rainforest Adventure - 12 Days

Discover the secrets of the Andes mountains and the Amazon rainforest on this 12-day adventure in Ecuador. Combining organized tours with independent exploration, halfway through the trip, you'll join a small group on a three-night rainforest escape to Itamandi Ecolodge. After jungle hikes, canoe rides, and Indigenous community visits, you'll walk among active volcanoes in the Andes, looking out for condors, wild horses, and alpacas at high-altitude lakes.

Spot rare birds like the plate-billed mountain toucan in Mindo's cloud forest
Map of Ecuador's Wildlife, Volcanoes & Rainforests - 12 Days
Ecuador's Wildlife, Volcanoes & Rainforests - 12 Days

Bird and nature lovers can observe wildlife like never before on this 12-day trip through the Ecuadorian Andes and Amazon. Start in Quito to learn about its rich culture, then head for fresher air in the bird-watching heaven of Mindo's cloud forests, where you'll hike and spot the most elusive feathered creatures in the rainforest. Cross the highlands to hike Cuicocha Lagoon and Cotopaxi National Park, then journey into the rainforest as you explore Archidona's canyons, rivers, and waterfalls.

Sail around iconic Kicker Rock in the Galápagos
Map of Discover Mainland Ecuador & the Galápagos Islands - 12 Days
Discover Mainland Ecuador & the Galápagos Islands - 12 Days

Welcome to the greatest show on Earth: the Galápagos Islands' showcase of incredible biodiversity. On this 12-day tour, a mix of guided activities and time to explore independently will help you get the most from this life-changing destination. Snorkel with sea lions, come face-to-face with giant tortoises, and cycle among marine iguanas. There's time on the mainland, too, where you'll get to know the Ecuadorian capital of Quito and take a day trip into the cloud forests of Mindo.

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