Destination: Ecuador

LONELY PLANET'S OFFICIAL ITINERARY INFORMATION

Itinerary: Best of Ecuador

TWO OR THREE WEEKS / ANDES, GALÁPAGOS & AMAZON

This itinerary will take you from the historic streets of Ecuador’s capital, to the animal ‘fun park’ of the Galápagos, then from the rain forest and back into the Andean highlands all in about three weeks. Budget for a few flights, and save your shopping trip Otavalo until last so you won’t have to carry your purchases.



Ecuador is small, and flights are cheap, so you can cover a lot quickly; however if you’re planning any high-mountain hiking, allow a few days to acclimatize. Spend three days exploring the splendid colonial streets of Quito’s old town. If you haven’t set up a trip to the Amazon from home, do it now. Fly to the Galápagos for a fun-filled cruise around the islands. Back in Quito, swap planes and head to the Oriente for your Amazon visit. Return to Quito and head north to Otavalo for the Saturday market, one of South America’s biggest. With an extra week, return to Quito and take the bus south to Latacunga to spend a few days roaming the spectacular Quilotoa Loop. Sleep in Tigua or Chugchilán and visit the colorful Saturday market in Zumbahua or the Thursday market in Saquisilí . If you have time, book yourself into one of the haciendas around Parque Nacional Cotopaxi, which are great bases for summit attempts of the volcano and for horseback riding or hiking in the park. If colonial cities are more your style, fly round-trip to Cuenca instead, where you can wander the streets of Ecuador’s most picturesque city. If you have the time, allow for two daytrips: one to Parque Nacional Cajas and one to Ingapirca.