Ecuador Travel Guide
Essential travel information — emergency numbers, safety, currency, visas, customs and getting around.
Ecuador's safety situation has deteriorated significantly since 2023-2024 due to cartel-related violence and organized crime, particularly in coastal provinces. The country declared internal armed conflict in January 2024. That said, the main tourist circuits — Quito's historic center, Cuenca, the Andean highlands, the Galapagos Islands, and the Amazon eco-lodges — remain commonly visited with sensible precautions. Petty crime (pickpocketing, bag snatching) is common in cities and on buses. Violence is concentrated in specific high-risk areas, mostly away from typical tourist routes.
United States Dollar (USD)
Types A and B; 120 V, 60 Hz (the same standard as the United States)
Tipping is appreciated but modest. Upscale restaurants often add a 10% service charge to the bill; if so, an extra small tip is optional. Where no service charge applies, leaving around 10% is generous. Round up for taxis (though tipping is not expected), tip guides and porters a few dollars, and tip Galapagos cruise crew/guides more substantially per the cruise's suggested guidelines.
The main mobile operators are Claro, Movistar, and CNT. Prepaid SIM cards are inexpensive and sold at operator stores, airports, and many shops; you'll typically need your passport to register. Claro generally has the widest coverage including more remote and Amazon areas. eSIMs (via providers like Airalalo or your operator) are a convenient alternative. Coverage is good in cities and the highlands but patchy in the deep Amazon and parts of the Galapagos.
Most travelers (including citizens of the US, EU, UK, Canada, Australia, and many others) can enter Ecuador visa-free as tourists for up to 90 days within a 12-month period; extensions or a second 90-day period may be requested for a fee. A passport valid for at least 6 months is required. The Galapagos Islands require a separate Transit Control Card (TCT) and an Ingala migration registration, plus payment of a national park entrance fee on arrival. Always confirm current requirements with an official Ecuadorian consulate before travel.
Right
Cities have extensive, inexpensive bus networks. Quito has the Trolebus and Ecovia bus rapid transit lines plus the modern Quito Metro; Guayaquil has the Metrovia BRT system. Buses are cheap (often around USD 0.30-0.35) but can be crowded and are a hotspot for pickpockets, so keep bags in front of you and avoid displaying valuables.
Uber, Cabify, InDrive (inDriver)
Long-distance buses are the backbone of intercity travel — frequent, very cheap, and reaching nearly every town, departing from each city's terminal terrestre. Comfort and safety vary, so choose reputable companies, travel by day on key routes where possible, and watch your belongings. Domestic flights (LATAM, Avianca, and others) connect Quito, Guayaquil, Cuenca, and other cities quickly and are the way to reach the Galapagos (via Baltra or San Cristobal). Ecuador's small size means many highland destinations are only a few hours apart by road.
- • Greetings matter: a handshake is standard for first meetings, while friends and women often greet with a single kiss on the right cheek. Use titles like Señor, Señora, and Don/Doña with older people to show respect.
- • Ecuadorians often run on a relaxed sense of time socially ('la hora ecuatoriana'), so don't be surprised if social events start late; business meetings, however, are expected to be punctual.
- • Indigenous culture is a living part of daily life, especially in the highlands. Always ask permission before photographing Indigenous people, their children, or markets, and expect some to decline or request a small payment.
- • Family and community are central. Sharing food is an important gesture; if invited to a home, accepting offered food and drink is polite, and bringing a small gift (sweets, flowers, or something from your country) is appreciated.
- • Dress and behave modestly in churches and rural villages; Ecuador is largely Catholic and conservative outside cosmopolitan zones. Cover shoulders and knees when entering churches.
- • Bargaining is expected at artisan and produce markets (such as Otavalo), but do it good-naturedly; haggling is not appropriate in established shops, restaurants, or supermarkets.
Dress is generally casual but neat. In the Andean highlands (Quito, Cuenca, Otavalo), pack layers — days can be mild and nights cold, and weather shifts fast. On the coast and in the Amazon, light, breathable clothing plus rain gear and insect repellent are essential. Smart-casual is expected in upscale restaurants and business settings. Modest clothing is appropriate when visiting churches and rural Indigenous communities.
Ecuador is predominantly Roman Catholic, with growing Protestant/evangelical communities and Indigenous spiritual traditions often blended with Catholic practice. Dress modestly in churches (cover shoulders and knees), remove hats, keep your voice low, and avoid walking in front of people praying or taking flash photos during Mass. Religious festivals and processions are taken seriously; observe respectfully rather than treating them as mere spectacle.
Football (soccer) — Football is by far the national passion. The men's national team (La Tri) qualifying for the World Cup brings the country to a standstill, and club rivalries — especially Barcelona SC and Emelec from Guayaquil, and LDU Quito (Liga de Quito) — are fierce. Beyond football, Ecuador punches above its weight in cycling: Richard Carapaz became a national hero by winning the 2019 Giro d'Italia and Olympic road race gold in 2021, sparking a cycling boom. Ecuavoley, a uniquely Ecuadorian three-a-side version of volleyball with a high net, is played in parks and streets across the country. The Andes and coast also draw climbers, trekkers, surfers, and white-water rafters.
Late February / early March (movable, before Lent)
Carnaval
A boisterous nationwide pre-Lenten celebration famous for water and foam fights — expect to get soaked with water balloons and spray foam (carioca). The town of Guaranda holds one of the country's most celebrated Carnaval parades, and Ambato hosts its Fiesta de las Flores y las Frutas (Festival of Flowers and Fruits) around the same time.
First week of December
Fiestas de Quito (Foundation of Quito)
Quito celebrates the Spanish founding of the city (December 6) with weeks of festivities: bullfight-season concerts, open-air parties, traditional chiva party buses, music, and the crowning of the Reina de Quito. The city is at its most festive and crowded.
June 24 and surrounding days (June solstice)
Inti Raymi
The Indigenous Festival of the Sun marking the solstice and harvest, celebrated across the Andean highlands — especially vibrant in and around Otavalo, Cotacachi, and Cayambe — with traditional music, dancing, ritual bathing, and elaborate costumes rooted in Kichwa heritage.
November 2
Día de los Difuntos (Day of the Dead)
Families honor deceased loved ones by visiting cemeteries with flowers and food. It is traditional to share colada morada (a warm spiced purple-corn and berry drink) and guaguas de pan (sweet bread shaped like babies), a deeply rooted custom blending Indigenous and Catholic traditions.