Ecuador may be small in size but it is anything but boring. Named for the Equator, which runs through the country, this small Andean country is full of adventure!
There’s a reason that it served as inspiration for Darwin’s theory of evolution, after all. And although it is primarily known for the Galapagos Islands, the country is full of biodiversity, beautiful architecture, lush greenery, markets galore, and volcanoes almost everywhere you look.
This guide will focus on mainland Ecuador! If you want our full Ecuador/Galapagos itinerary – check it out here!
Ecuador at a glance | What to expect
Altitude: Quito is the second-highest capital city in the world. With an altitude of 2 850 mt / 9 350,4 ft above sea level. Make sure you are drinking tons of water, but you will usually get out of breath a little quicker than normal, and might get a headache for your first day or so.
Language: The official language of Ecuador is Spanish.
Currency: The currency in Ecuador is the US dollar. Note: Cash is highly preferred, so make sure you have small bills ready.
Weather: January through May is the coolest and wettest part of the year, and you can expect bigger crowds in the Galapagos in January as it coincides with school break and the ocean conditions are ideal. June through September are the driest and warmest months of the year. Because of this, the tourist demand rises, bringing the prices up.
Note: We went end of December-early January and on the mainland weather was in the high 60’s-70’s.
Food and Drink | Ecuador is a small country but its food is so diverse. The geography of Ecuador determines what people eat in different parts of the country. In the Andes, Ecuadorian food is full of pork and root vegetables like yuca. Here are a few must try dishes:
- Tortilla con papas y queso: small patties of grated potato, cheese and seasoning that are fried.
- Plantains: Yellow plantains are ripe and when they’re fried, they’re soft and sweet. Green plantains aren’t ripe, so when they’re fried, they are much crispier.
- Cuy (Guinea Pig): Considered a delicacy. If you are feeling adventurous, it is definitely something you should do at least once.
- Potatoes: With over 500 variations, try potatoes in all forms!
- Ceviche: Most commonly shrimp, fish, lobster, octopus, crab, oyster, or sometimes a mix of one or more of those.
- Fritada: Fried pork bites that are crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside.
- Aji: This is a salsa-type condiment that goes on everything. Sometimes it’s spicy, other times milder. Everywhere makes it differently, but try it every place you go.
- Empanadas: The most common fillings are cheese, chorizo, mushrooms, chicken, turkey, beef, and veggies. These are a very popular street food in Ecuador.
- Soup: You are commonly served 3 courses, and the first one is always soup. Don’t skip it!
- Chocolate: Ecuadorian chocolate has been rated as the best in the world.Try unique flavors like rose, lemongrass, chile, coffee, or even Guayusa – a chocolate bar that mixes decadent cacao with a famous Amazonian tea.
We used Kensington Tours to help iron out the details of our trip and to ensure we have a seamless vacation without any worries. This is our 2nd time using Kensington and I highly recommend them for planning bigger trips! Our guides were AMAZING, we got to plan our itinerary exactly how we wanted, the service was 10/10 and they worried about all of the extra stressors so we could just show up and enjoy our vacation!
Where To Stay
During our stay in Ecuador we stayed at 3 different hotels. We enjoyed our stays at each of them and would recommend!
Hotel Mama Cuchara: Great location in the Old Town Quito. Super cool art installments/designs. Rooftop bar with city view.
Hotel Luna Volcan: Baños. Hot springs that overlook villages. We loved our spa experience – massages, volcanic rock scrub, rose pedal bath. Beautiful grounds that are on the side of the mountain.
Hacienda Jimenita – Located about 20 minutes from Quito airport. Old 1800’s Hacienda. Great restaurant on property, lots of trails around property for hiking/exploring. Offers cooking classes. Really unique room and charm! My favorite hotel of the trip!
What To Do
Quito
- Yumbos Chocolate – Ecuador is known for their chocolate, so of course we had to do a tasting. We got to learn about the process of how they make their chocolate, and then the best part – TASTE it! We got to try 7 different kinds, as well as hot chocolate and probably the best brownie I have ever had!
- Equator – Ecuador is named based on the fact that the equator runs right through it. We spent a couple hours at the Middle of the Earth, 00″00″00″. We did experiments on that Ecuador, such as balancing an egg on a nail, seeing how water spins depending which side of the equator you are on, and walking in a straight line with your eyes closed. It was all super fascinating!
- Teleferico – 11,000 feet above sea level, take the cable car up to the best views of Quito. Hike around, there’s a swing at the top, and you can meet some fuzzy alpaca friends.
- Old Town – wander around the old town of Quito, visit the Cathedral, main square, and take in the culture.
Baños
- Canopy Zipline – a superman zipline over Baños de Agua Santa. Super fun and spikes your adrenaline!
- Manto de Novia waterfalls – hike to the waterfall, and see smaller ones on your way. You can hike all the way to the bottom of it (beware you will get wet), or you can hike to different viewpoints.
- Swing at the end of the earth – Located on top of a mountain, the swing offers a wonderful view between the mountains and the valley. It was truly the coolest experience and really got your adrenaline pumping! Pay $1 to get into the park, and there are a bunch of different swings, canopies and view points. Wait in line at the tree house to take a turn on the swing at the end of the earth!
Cotopaxi Volcano
Cotopaxi means neck of the moon in the indigenous language Quichua. It stands 5,897 m/19,347 ft. It is the 2nd tallest active volcano in Ecuador. It is about an hour and a half ride from Quito. We opted to hike around the lagoon which offered great views and nature. There is a whole national park that is worth exploring and you can find tons of different activities like hiking and horseback riding.
Rose Plantation
Did you know that 40% of the roses we get in the United States are from Ecuador? It was so cool to see the whole process start to finish and see all the stunning roses in SO many colors! There are so many different rose plantations to stop and visit. We got a tour of the greenhouses all the way through to the freezer where they hold them before shipping them out. We got to try rose liquor and try rose chocolate too!
Cooking Class
If you’ve been here for awhile, you know that we love taking a cooking class during our travels! Luckily, our hotel Hacienda Jimenita put one together for us. It was very fun! We made Ecuadorian potato soup, Fritadas (fried pork) with a corn puree, a traditional cocktail, and ended with cheese and sugar empanadas. It was a great time to learn more about the different foods that this country cherishes!
Otavalo
2 hours north of Quito you will find Otavalo, South America’s biggest market. Handmade crafts and textiles of incredible quality have helped make Otavalo a traveller’s destination. The Otavalo Market is authentic and dates back to pre-Incan times. Locals came to trade food, woven products and more. It is about 7 blocks big and you can spend hours strolling through finding tons of goodies. I got a hand woven purse, alpace beanie, placemats, and little alpaca figurine. Wednesday’s and Saturday’s are the biggest days, we were lucky to see it on a Wednesday!
Where To Eat
There were 2 notable restaurants that you need to try when you are in Quito! Since we were moving between places so much we ended up eating at our hotels some nights. In Baños, our hotel was carved into the side of a mountain with no access to any other restaurants, but our hotel restaurant was lovely! We also ended up eating at the restaurant at our Hacienda as well. But if you are traveling in other areas of Ecuador, our rule of thumb is to try to find where the locals go!
Somos
A female owned globally inspired restaurant where the vibes are 10/10! Chef Alejandra Espinoza was born and bred in Quito. After living in France for a few years, she returned home to open up Somos. From the decor, aesthetic, service, food and drinks it was all AMAZING! Quick run down of what we ordered: Chicken, Shrimp & Green Plantain, Corn & Cheese, and beef empanadas, Tortellini stuffed with plantains and a chicken stew sauce, Hot lava cake with popcorn ice cream. I HIGHLY recommend this restaurant in Quito!
Urko
A modernist gastro experience to celebrate the indigenous ancestral cycles and get creative with local cuisine. We got to indulge in the 8 course tasting menu (with a wine tasting for each course), and let me tell you it was the most incredible dining experience of my life. Everything was exquisite, beautiful, and some of the most interesting flavor combinations. If you are planning a trip to Quito, you NEED to eat at this restaurant. The caramelized onion potato foam was the most delicious thing I have ever tasted in my life!
Ecuador is WAY more than the Galapagos! I highly highly recommend spending a couple days on the mainland before hopping over to the islands if you are planning a trip! Ecuador is full of culture, charm, and the people are amazing!
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