Things to Do in Ecuador

Ecuador is the smallest Andean country and the most efficient: Amazon rainforest, 5,000-metre volcanoes, colonial cities, cloud forest and Pacific coast are all within a few hours of each other, with the Galápagos offshore.

Our placements are in Quito, the high-altitude capital with the best-preserved colonial centre in Latin America, and Puyo on the edge of the Amazon basin.

The best things to do in Ecuador

1. Quito old town

A UNESCO World Heritage site and the first ever listed. La Compañía is a baroque church lined with gold leaf, San Francisco is the oldest colonial complex on the continent, and the Basílica del Voto Nacional lets you climb its towers on open ladders for a view over the whole valley. El Panecillo’s winged Virgin watches over it all.

2. The Amazon at Puyo and Tena

Where the Andes drop into the rainforest. Puyo, one of our placement bases, is a gateway to indigenous Kichwa communities, animal rescue centres and jungle walks. Further in, lodges on the Napo river offer canoe trips, night walks and clay licks where parrots gather at dawn.

3. Cotopaxi

One of the world’s highest active volcanoes at 5,897 metres, a near-perfect snow cone visible from Quito on a clear day. The national park around it can be visited on a day trip — hiking to the refuge at 4,800 metres, mountain biking down, or riding across the páramo.

4. Baños

An adventure town in a gorge below the active Tungurahua volcano. Thermal baths, canyoning, the Ruta de las Cascadas waterfall route by bike, and the Casa del Árbol swing that launches you out over the valley. Three hours from Quito and the standard volunteer weekend.

5. Quilotoa

A brilliant turquoise crater lake in a collapsed volcano, at 3,900 metres. Walk down to the water in half an hour, considerably longer back up, or take the multi-day Quilotoa Loop between indigenous villages through the highlands.

6. Otavalo and the Galápagos

Otavalo hosts the largest indigenous craft market in South America every Saturday, two hours north of Quito. And if the budget stretches, the Galápagos are a two-hour flight — the wildlife encounters there are unlike anywhere else on earth.

When to visit Ecuador

Ecuador sits on the equator, so temperature depends on altitude rather than season. In the highlands, June to September is the driest and sunniest. The Amazon is wet year-round, with the heaviest rain around April to July. Quito is at 2,850 metres and cool all year — bring layers whatever the month.

Getting around

Buses are cheap, frequent and reach everywhere; the terminals in Quito serve the whole country. For the Amazon, a bus to Puyo or Tena then onward transfer is standard. Domestic flights only really matter for the Galápagos and the far coast. Within Quito, use ride-hailing rather than street taxis.

Seeing Ecuador as a volunteer

Quito placements are within a few hours of the volcanoes, the market towns and the jungle. Our Ecuador placements are based in Quito and Puyo, include accommodation, meals, airport pickup and 24/7 in-country support, and leave evenings and weekends free — which is exactly when most of this list gets ticked off. See volunteer programs in Ecuador for live prices and dates, or read our complete guide to volunteering in Ecuador for costs, visas and safety.

Ecuador travel FAQs

Photo: David Adam Kess / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)