And Journey to the Middle of the World
Getting to Ecuador is remarkably easy thanks to its two well-connected international airports: Quito‘s Mariscal Sucre International Airport (UIO) and Guayaquil’s José Joaquín de Olmedo International Airport (GYE).
Each of these airports offers several daily flights to and from destinations in Europe, North and South America. Additionally, these same airports serve as a gateway to the Galapagos Islands and as a connecting hub to other regional destinations.
Did you know? Quito’s award-winning Mariscal Sucre International Airport is one of the busiest airports in Latin America?
• Quito: One of the first UNESCO Cultural World Heritage Sites houses the most well-preserved historic quarter in South America. Andean traditions and modern urban lifestyle overlap in a city cradled by mountains, filled with culture and biodiversity. Immerse yourself in the city’s rich history and vibrant city life, or experience nature like never before in any of the surrounding areas.
• Guayaquil: The Pearl of the Pacific offers adventure, gastronomy, and relaxation. As Ecuador’s main port city, Guayaquil and the surrounding areas thrive on coastal tourism. Visitors can enjoy all types of sporting and beach activities, explore the region’s tropical biodiversity, or enjoy a rich culture of music and dance.
• Cuenca: A charming town in the Southern Highlands, the third largest city in Ecuador appeals to nationals and foreigners alike with a cultural atmosphere brimming with artistic expression. The city’s ideal location grants easy access to visitor favorites, such as, El Cajas National Park and the Inca ruins of Ingapirca.
Visitors will be delighted to find that Ecuador’s weather patterns are surprisingly temperate and consistent, which makes the entire country a year-round destination. This means there is no best time to visit Ecuador because the answer simply is: always! “Extreme” weather variations do not exist here, and the only two seasons—if one can call them that—are the slightly drier and mildly wetter parts of the year.
Due to the dynamic terrain and varied altitudes on mainland Ecuador, there is a noticeable difference in weather patterns between regions that is worth noting.
MAX
COAST
86°F / 30°C
MIN
66°F / 19°C
JAN TO APR
MAY TO DEC
MAX
HIGHLANDS
70°F / 21°C
MIN
46°F / 8°C
JUN TO SEP
Drier season
OCT TO MAY
MAX
AMAZON
90°F / 32°C
MIN
60°F / 16°C
JAN TO MAR
APR TO SEP
MAX
GALAPAGOS
84°F / 29°C
MIN
73°F / 23°C
DEC THROUGHT MAY
JUN THROUGHT NOV
Inside Ecuador, you can take a journey through any of its four regions: Highlands (Sierra), Coast, Amazon, and Galapagos.
All of these regions exhibit their own unique share of landscapes, culture, gastronomy, flora, and fauna. They all make for the perfect amalgamation of what establishes Ecuador as one of the most desirable destinations for travelers worldwide, from its beaches to its mountains and lowland jungles.
As one of the first cities in the world to be named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1978, Ecuador’s capital has a setting that few cities can match. It is an urban jewel of 16th- and 17th-century churches, monasteries, plazas, and mansions; not to mention, Quito’s cultural side offers a wide array of museums, boutiques, and stylish restaurants. For nature lovers, the city also has fantastic options over by the cloud forests of the Mashpi Reserve.
In the northernmost part of the Metropolitan District of Quito, there lies the Middle of the World site, where the famed Monument to the Equator attracts those who want to step on both hemispheres at the same time. Complete with the Ethnographic Museum Middle of the Earth and the Intiñan Solar Museum, the Middle of the World City is an unmissable visitor site for travelers staying in Quito.
Famed for its crafts—including ceramics, jewelry, and embroidery—and home of the famous yet misnamed “Panama” hat, Cuenca astounds with its magnificent array of landscapes and architecture. Beyond the city, charming towns will entice those who appreciate filigree silverwork, colorful markets, and orchids; while El Cajas National Park attracts those that seek a closer connection with nature and birds. This UNESCO World Heritage Site is a favorite destination for expats from all over the world.
The Imbabura province is home to a most favorite destination among Ecuadorians and visitors alike: Otavalo. This city holds the most popular market in Ecuador. Each Saturday, thousands of locals and tourists converge at the plaza in the center of Otavalo to shop for some of the most beautiful textiles, handicrafts, leather goods, and jewelry around! This market is known for the experience it offers. In between trying their hand at haggling, visitors can enjoy the lively music and dance performances of local Otavaleños.
The list of things to do in Ecuador is as varied and eclectic as the regions it is home to. As a result, you will be able to enjoy several options when it comes to partaking in fun, exciting, and insightful activities.
Nestled amid the Andes Highlands, the capital of Quito’s historic center—a UNESCO World Heritage Site—is home to the ornate Church of the Society of Jesus; delightful cafés, shops, plazas, and museums; and the award-winning Casa Gangotena Boutique Hotel. The Teleferico gondola offers visitors incredible views from atop the mighty Pichincha while the Guayasamín Museum celebrates Ecuador’s most famous artist. Nearby, the Sangolquí Market offers a culinary experience like no other.
The Andes Mountains run through Ecuador and include numerous snow-capped peaks. Several of these mountains are active or inactive volcanoes with elevations over 11,500 feet (3,505 meters) above sea level. This paradise for highland afficionados is also referred to as the Avenue of the Volcanoes. Notable among these are: Chimborazo (whose summit is the furthest point from the Earth’s center), Cotopaxi (the world’s highest active volcano), Cayambe, Antisana, and Quilotoa (a giant, oft-photographed crater lagoon).
The Sierra Region of the Ecuadorian Andes includes the Avenue of the Volcanoes and its surrounding valleys, lakes, and highlands. Interspersed among these are popular destinations like Otavalo (known for its artisanal market), the picturesque San Pablo Lake below Imbabura Volcano, and Cuenca, Ecuador’s third largest city and home to many foreign ex-pats. The hot springs and waterfalls of Baños de Agua Santa and the rainforests of the Andean Choco also feature.
Much of Ecuador’s Pacific Coast extends along one side of Manabí Province. Here, you’ll find the modern city of Manta (a popular vacation destination), plenty of surfside towns like Puerto Cayo, and the majestic Machalilla National Park, home to the country’s best beach, Los Frailes. Manabi-style cuisine is popular throughout the country (just try the ceviche!), and neighboring Guayas Province is an important agricultural center and home to Guayaquil—the most important port in Ecuador.
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| START DATE | FESTIVITY | DESCRIPTION |
|---|---|---|
| January 1 | New Year | Ecuadorians bring in the New Year with dances, costumes, masked parties, and burning effigies on the street. |
| February Varies by year | Carnival | The exact date of Carnival celebrations depends on the day that Passover falls on each year. Many cities and towns celebrate with parades, dances, and art. Throughout the country, throwing water balloons and shooting silly string at each other (even strangers!) is highly popular, so watch out! |
| March/April Varies by year | Holy Week | Holy Week begins on Palm Sunday. In Ecuador, the passion and death of Christ are commemorated with church congregations and street processions in major cities and towns throughout the country. In Quito, the biggest procession is Jesús del Gran Poder (Jesus of Great Power), which happens on Good Friday. |
| April 12 | Cuenca Foundation Day | Filled with fireworks, artistic presentations, energetic celebrations, and many other activities, Cuenca commemorates its founding day with boastful pride that everyone is welcome to join in on. |
| May 1 | Labor Day | Parades throughout the streets of certain major cities and towns. |
| May 24 | Battle of Pichincha | The Battle of Pichincha (1822) finalized Ecuador’s independence from Spain. It is a moment in history that is celebrated with cultural parades and activities. |
| June Varies by year | Corpus Christi | The most important celebration of the Central Highlands. Style of celebrations will vary depending on where it is held. For example, in Salasaca it is celebrated with music and dancing. The dancers get dressed in spectacularly embroidered suits, paper mache masks, and hats adorned with shiny ribbons and feathers. |
| June Varies by year | Fiesta de San Pedro y San Pablo | In certain communities of the Imbabura Province (Cotacachi and Cayambe), this festivity is celebrated with dances, parades, bonfires, and special ceremonies. |
| July 23-25 | Foundation of Guayaquil | A celebration that is marked by dancing on the streets, special parades, and concerts. Cultural exhibitions pertaining to art and activities are also organized. |
| August 10 | Independence Day (Ecuador) | A national festivity that commemorates the Independence of Ecuador (1809). Military and school parades are traditionally held on this day. |
| September 23-24 | Virgen de la Merced (Virgin of La Merced) | Held in honor of "Our Lady of Mercy." Celebrated with masks, dances, traditional bands, fireworks, special congregations, and folkloric festivals. |
| October 9-12 | Independence Day (Guayaquil) | Guayaquil's independence is commemorated with fairs, concerts, dances, parades, exhibitions, and numerous other activities. |
| October 12 | Columbus Day | Commemoration of Columbus's arrival in America. |
| November 2 | All Souls Day | All Souls Day in Ecuador is held in commemoration of loved ones that have passed away. As a result, you will often see that cemeteries are filled with plenty of visitors. Indigenous communities tend to arrive with lots of food that they will often be seen sharing with the rest of their family beside the tombstone of their lost one. Guagua de pan (bread dolls) and colada morada (a sweet, spiced-berry and purple-corn beverage) are readily sold throughout major cities as part of this holiday. |
| November 3 | Independence Day (Cuenca) | Cultural processions, dances, and other activities are held. |
| November 21 | Virgen del Quinche (Virgin of Quinche) | Religious ceremonies, processions, and commercial fairs are held in honor of the Virgin of Quinche. |
| December 1-6 | Foundation of Quito | Parades, free concerts, cultural shows, and dances are widely seen throughout the capital city. |
| December 25 | Christmas | Nativity scenes are displayed in churches. Families and friends get together to read "Novenas." |
| December 31 | New Year's Eve | The "old year" ends with the burning of effigies which usually symbolize politicians or celebrities. A more unusual feature of this holiday is that men will be seen dressed up as women, dancing on the street and asking for money from those that pass them by. |
This small, secret rooftop of the restored Casa Gangotena mansion peers over Plaza San Francisco in the center of Quito’s colonial Old Town, the world’s first UNESCO World Heritage Site. Order a Cedrón Spritz, a refreshing mix of rum, lemon, sparkling wine, and fresh lemon verbena (cedrón) syrup and leaf, then revel in the mesmerizing, real-time montage of daily life in Ecuador’s capital as it parades past.
A Font of information, Klaus has spent decades in the field, leading tours in the Amazon, Andes and Galapagos Islands. He hung up his guiding boots a few years back and now creates itineraries for the tour operator, Metropolitan Touring. Adrift in the Pacific Ocean, hundreds of miles from mainland South America, Galapagos is one of the most biodiverse locales on Earth.
Santa Cruz II is a replacement for the much-loved Santa Cruz, which plied the waters of the Galapagos for 36 years. It is not a new ship; it was built in 2002 and sailed as Mare Australis under the Australis cruise brand, operating expedition cruises around Cape Horn and to Antarctica. Metropolitan Touring bought the ship in 2015 and completely refurbished it, launching it as Santa Cruz II in October 2015.
When this modern, minimalist, glass-walled jungle lodge opened in 2012, it changed the accommodation game in South America. Arquitect Alfredo Ribadeneira’s “protective cocoon” would impress in a modern city; in the depths of an Andean cloudforest, it is wild, audacious and beautiful. Though only 70 miles from Quito, Maspi Lodge sits in splendid isolation, perched on a cliff at the end of an unsealed road.
Itinerario de 5 días / 4 noches: Basado en la tarifa regular (4214 USD + impuestos por persona)
Itinerario de 7 días / 6 noches: Basado en la tarifa regular (5672 USD + impuestos por persona)
No reembolsable. Aplica únicamente para residentes ecuatorianos en nuevas reservas directas realizadas, hasta el 30 de junio del 2022, con un ejecutivo de ventas del hotel. Válido para estadías hasta el 31 de agosto de 2022. No puede ser combinada con otros descuentos, promociones u ofertas. El descuento no aplica para otros servicios. El precio no incluye recargo de combustible de $20 por noche de crucero.
