Pass The Passport

Places / South America

Ecuador

Visited

At a glance

Region
South America
Capital
Quito
Population
18.3 million (2025)
Area
276,841 km²
Languages
Spanish
Currency
United States dollar (USD)
Drives on the
right
Calling code
+593
Visited: Ecuador

Country visited City visited Still to go Click a pin or country to read more. Zoom with + and −, a double-click or a pinch.

Before you go

Overview

Ecuador sits on the equator, which gives the country its name. Its four regions are the Pacific coast, the Andes, the Amazon and the Galápagos Islands.

History

The area was part of the Inca Empire before Spanish conquest in the 1530s. Ecuador became independent in 1830.

Food & culture

Ceviche, locro de papa (potato soup), encebollado and roast cuy (guinea pig) are traditional.

Wildlife

The Galápagos Islands have giant tortoises, marine iguanas and blue-footed boobies found nowhere else.

Festivals & events

Inti Raymi, the Inca festival of the sun, is celebrated around the June solstice, and Carnival is popular nationwide.

Things to see

The Galápagos Islands, Quito's old town, the Cotopaxi volcano, Baños and the Amazon around Yasuní.

Interesting facts

Because of the Earth's bulge, the summit of Chimborazo is the farthest point from the Earth's centre.

City guides

Cities & towns I’ve visited

Famous hikes in Ecuador

Quilotoa Loop

Distance
About 40 km
Time
3 to 4 days
Best time
June to September

How to do it: Walk village to village through the Andes, ending at the turquoise crater lake of Quilotoa. Hostels along the way make it easy to do on your own.

UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Ecuador

3 of 5 visited. See every site I've been to.

My videos from Ecuador

  • Dolphins riding the bow in the Galápagos
    Galápagos Islands, Ecuador

  • Snorkelling with turtles in the Galápagos
    Galápagos Islands, Ecuador

  • Green turtle, Galápagos
    Galápagos Islands, Ecuador

  • Marine iguana, Galápagos
    Galápagos Islands, Ecuador

My photos from Ecuador

April 2016 Overlanding South America - Tucan

Teleferico Quito-Ecuador, Isabela, Santa Cruz, Highland View Galapagos, Galápagos Islands, Quito

Whole trip gallery
  • A golden Galápagos land iguana basking on volcanic ground
  • A man in a dark jacket on a mountainside with the city of Quito spread out below.
  • A man leaning on a wooden rail at a viewpoint high above the city of Quito.
  • A man sitting on black lava rocks surrounded by dozens of marine iguanas.
  • A man sitting on volcanic rocks next to a sleeping sea lion.
  • A smiling man taking a selfie with a sea lion lying on the rocks behind him.
  • A man on all fours wearing an empty giant tortoise shell on his back.
  • A man crouching on grass near a pond with a giant tortoise grazing beside him.
  • An ornate domed building in Quito's old town.
  • A bright red Sally Lightfoot crab on black volcanic rock.

Plan your trip to Ecuador

Some of these are affiliate links: if you book through them I may earn a small commission, at no extra cost to you. More about this.

Neighbours

Bucket List goals in Ecuador