Ecuador is a small country in size but rich in all gems that a country can offer. The country is renowned for the best preserved UNESCO Heritage Sites in Latin America,  Amazon rainforest, Andean peaks, the world’s highest active volcano Cotopaxi, vast grey sand beaches, fascinating wildlife and biodiversity, and last but not least genuinely warm people who are proud of their beautiful country.

Visiting Ecuador was a highlight among our journeys in South America. We travelled three weeks in Ecuador and easily could have spent several more weeks in this wonderful country.

Ecuador is our favourite country in South America because the country is very authentic (it hasn’t been hit by the mass tourism so far) and the local people are incredibly welcoming and friendly.

And there really are so many amazing things to do in Ecuador, so you will never get bored.

If you ever travel to Ecuador, don’t miss these fabulous places that we consider as the very best of Ecuador.

 

7 of the best things to do in Ecuador

 

Exploring the architectural gems of Quito

San Francisco de Quito, the capital of Ecuador, was founded in the 16th century on the ruins of an ancient Inca city. The town is set among glorious peaks of the Andes at an altitude of 2800 metres.

When we arrived to Quito, we were amazed to find out how many magnificent historical buildings are spread out in the Old city, the best preserved UNESCO Heritage Site in Latin America. We loved La Basilica church and La Cathedral church the most.

La Basilica church

The work started in 1892 and it took more than 100 hundred years to build the majestic cathedral. It’s the biggest gothic basilica in Latin America. The windows are worth a close look.

We loved this monumental cathedral and the panoramic view of Quito from the top was just astonishing.

 

 

We went to La Mitad del Mundo, the point where the equator passes through Ecuador, too.

La Mitad del Mundo is situated 23 kilometres north of Quito by San Antonio de Pichincha and it’s reachable by bus from Quito.

The line lies between the southern and the northern hemisphere and gives Ecuador its name.

 

We also visited the Ethnography Museum and the Planetarium that are located in the complex. The Ethnography Museum features photos of the tribe people who lived and in small numbers have continued their traditions in the Amazon until today.

 

Hiking around Laguna Quilotoa

Laguna Quilotoa is an impressive volcanic lake situated at an altitude of 3900 metres, offering stunning views of the emerald lake, surrounding mountains and the snow capped peak volcano Cotopaxi in the distance.

The day we spent by Laguna Quilotoa was one of our best days in Ecuador. Everything was perfect; the lake was incredibly gorgeous, the sun was shining all day and we met a friendly lady and her children at the top. We walked around the lake and then took the path leading down to the lake. We were tempted to have a swim in the beautiful lake, but the water was too cold.

 

 

How to get to Quilotoa: Take one of the frequent buses in Quito at the terminal Quitumbe to Latacunga. It takes about one hour. Then go by bus to Quilotoa. If there’s none, catch a bus to Chugchilan via Zumbahua at 12 a.m. and then a truck to Quilotoa. In Quilotoa you will find some basic accommodation if you want to stay overnight.

 

Climbing Cotopaxi Volcano

Situated 50 km south of Quito in the Andes, Cotopaxi is one of the most active volcanos in Ecuador and the highest active volcano in the world. It’s a part of a chain of volcanos called Pacific Ring of Fire, and with the height of 5897 meters it’s one of the highest volcanos in the world. In the past, it was considered by indigenous people as a Sacred Mountain that sent rain and consequently good harvest. It’s said that gods used to live at its summit.

The most severe eruption occurred in 1768, destroying the colonial town of Latacunga.

We climbed Cotopaxi with a guide from an agency in Quito. It has been one of a very few cases when we took a tour. Otherwise it would have been very difficult to get to Cotopaxi without our own vehicle. The trek was challenging because of the steep terrain, the high altitude and the cold weather in the second half of the hike.

It was fantastic to climb Cotopaxi and admire its beauty from the distance several hours later.

Climbing Cotopaxi volcano is definitely one of the best exciting things to do in Ecuador. We love climbing volcanoes! If you are a fan of hiking and climbing too, you might want to check out our post Hiking the Tongariro Crossing in New Zealand too.

Tip: Do your research on TripAdvisor and look for a travel agent in Quito that has only genuine positive references. Check well if people who wrote the positive review also have given several other reviews (for example hotels, other tour agencies, etc…) so that you can trust this reference. Unfortunately we can’t recommend the agency that we hiked Cotopaxi with.

 

 

Immersing yourself in the local culture in Saquisilli

In Saquisilli, two hours south of Quito, we found a vibrant local market where the only foreigners where us.

Every Thursday, hundreds of indigenous people come from the mountains to sell their products such as fruits, vegetables, eggs,  herbs, pots, and also animals – alpacas, sheep, cows, donkeys, pigs and chickens.

The smell in the market was very authentic. 🙂

We tasted delicious traditional dishes on the market; we liked all the tasty potato meals the most, and stayed there for hours watching the colourful lively market.

 

Visiting UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Cuenca

Charming Cuenca was founded by the Spanish on ruins of Inca city called Tomebamba in 1540. The town is surrounded by scenic mountains and boasts rich history and amazing architecture.

The historic centre, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, surprised us by massive rotundas, beautiful Catholic churches and pretty cobblestone streets.

 

 

We loved all the main churches and buildings, such as San Sebastian church on the plaza of San Sebastian; the carved door was magnificent.

The Cathedral of Immaculate Conception, also called the New Cathedral, had blue tiled domes, two towers, stained glass windows, gold leaves altar piece and pillars covered with pink marble. It’s one of the biggest architectural works in Ecuador.

El Barranco was one of the most gorgeous place in Cuenca; it surprised us by the picturesque houses hanging down on the green slopes along the Tomebamba river.

Local women still wash their colourful  clothes and dry them in the sun by the river.

There’s a daily market on Plaza Civica where lovely crafts and clothes are sold.

The famous straw Panama hats are made in Cuenca. They are called Panama hats because they were exported via Panama in the past.

How to get there: you can get to Cuenca by buses from everywhere; from Quito take a bus at the main terminal, it takes 8-10 hours.

 

 

Relaxing on the beach in Mompiche

Mompiche is a vast grey sand beach surrounded by lush green rainforest, situated by a nice fishing village with the same name. It’s set south of the town of Esmeraldas, 300 km north west of Quito.

Mompiche was a very pleasant place to have a rest and talk to friendly locals at the end of our journey through Ecuador.

How to get there: take a bus from Quito via Esmeraldas.

 

 

Jungle trekking in Misahualli

Misahualli, a small busy port at the confluence of rivers Misahualli and Napo, is surrounded by vast pristine rainforest with abundant wildlife. The forest used to be endless but sadly, oil companies have started the reforestation.

Misahualli is a good spot for exploring fabulous nature of Ecuador; dip in the river, hike in the jungle, swim under gorgeous waterfalls and in natural pools on the Rio Latas and go down the rivers by a canoe.

Tips: some of these activities can be done with a guide. A good independent trek leads to the waterfalls on the Rio Latas. Take a bus going to Puerto Napo from the main square and get off at “las cascadas” (ask the driver).

We were staying just by the river in a simple cottage. Be aware of cheeky monkeys! They are everywhere and take everything.

 

The monkeys felt home at our veranda, drinking water and milk that we left there. Once we even watched them putting our sunscreen on each other! They watched people and then imitated them.

 

Some visitors might want to experience staying with local “tribes”. We really wanted to meet a real shaman while travelling in Latin America. We thought that we could find one in Misahualli.

But after talking to some local people who we trust, we realised that it wasn’t possible to find what we had been looking for.

We could have visited “the tribes”, the locals who still live in a jungle. But we knew that they put off jeans and hid mobile phones before tourists arrive. That really wasn’t the experience we had been longing for.

A local friend of ours said: “Do you want to see an indigenous man in a jungle? Give me a second – I will take off my clothes and jump into the bush!” 🙂

We were also told stories about foreigners who went to the jungle on their own to search for tribes and shamans, and they never came back. Either they live with the tribes which we would like to believe, or were killed by them or eaten the wild animals.

 

Now, let’s talk about something positive. 🙂

Did you know that …?

Ecuador is home to ten mountain peaks over 5000 metres.

The peak of Mount Chimborazo (6268 m) is the furthest point from the centre of the Earth and closest to the Sun.

In Ecuador, you can find more than 1600 species of birds and 4 100 species of orchid with the world’s smallest one measuring 2, 1 mm.

Ecuador exports more bananas than any other country in the world.

Have you been to Ecuador?

What would you say that are the best things to do in Ecuador?

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