Top things to do in Ecuador in 12 days

Discover Top Things To Do in Ecuador in 12 days

Note: A Galapagos Transit Card fee of US$20 must be purchased at Guayaquil or Quito airport before departure. Additionally, a US$100 park fee (cash only) must be paid upon arriving in the Galapagos Islands.

Day 1: Galapagos – Puerto Ayora

After arriving from Quito’s airport on the mainland to the Galapagos’ Baltra airport I took a taxi to Puerto Ayora. This was going to be my home base for the following days on the islands.

My Galapagos adventure started by walking the 2.5 km paved trail leading to the white-sandy beach of Tortuga Bay. Here I saw the famous Galapagos marine iguanas sunbathing on the rocks. As I strolled along the beach I could also spot several Hawksbillgreen sea turtles swimming in the shallow waters. 

The day ended with a stroll through Puerto Ayora, where several seals slept peacefully on benches in town.

Day 2: Galapagos – Diving

We went scuba diving to the islands of Seymour, Mosquera, and Gordon Rocks. Once we got to 25 meters of depth the water got really cold. I forgot all about the cold when I took in the amount of sea life on display. During the dive, I saw Hawksbill turtles, hammerhead sharks, Galapagos sharks, and eagle rays. I also saw some smaller trumpet fish, blue-colored starfish, and garden eels sticking their heads out of the sand.

The best part of the dive was this playful sea lion that kept playing with us. He would grab our attention by trying to steal our regulators and nibbling on our flippers. From the boat, we also spotted several manta rays. 

Day 2.5: Visit the Darwin Research Center

Upon returning to Puerto Ayora I visited the Darwin Research Center. Here we learned about the story of Lonesome George, a male Pinta tortoise and the last of his kind. This 101-year-old tortoise passed away in 2012 and now remains a symbol of conservation efforts around the world.

After dinner, I strolled along the harbor where baby blacktip sharks were swimming in the water underneath the piers.

Day 3: Galapagos – Volcanoes & Craters

On the third day, I visited Los Gemelos Craters, two pit craters in the highlands of Isla Santa Cruz. I walked the trails along these impressive volcanic craters. As the fog set down, in the distance you could admire the vegetation that had been growing over millennia.

Afterward, I visited el Rancho Chato one of three ecological reserves on the island home to the giant Galapagos tortoises. Three species of giant Galapagos tortoises have been extinct for some time. As part of additional conservation efforts, research centers have designated specific areas for them to live in their natural habitat.

The final sight to see in Santa Cruz is the lava tube tunnels. These tunnels are visually impressive and the story of their formation is interesting too.

“Las Grietas” are also not to be missed. These volcanic fractures, where both sea and rainwater mix, create an ideal environment to refresh and relax. To reach them you will have to take a short 5-minute water taxi from the municipal dock of Santa Cruz. If you bring snorkels you can see the impressive underwater rock formations. There are also several viewpoints along the way, ideal for a photo of Las Grietas from above.

Note: I joined a group of friends and spent 8 days diving around the islands of Bartholomew, Wolf, and Darwin.

Read more about my experience during the 8-day liveaboard.

Day 4: Guayaquil

After our 8 day liveaboard experience, we flew back to mainland Ecuador. Our tour started in Guayaquil. Our first stop was El Parque de las Iguanas, a plaza filled as you could have guessed, iguanas! Afterward, we strolled along the beautiful boardwalk of El Malecón, which extends along the Río Guayas.

Our hotel, Hello! Las Peñas Siglo XXI B&B was located in the colonial district of Las Peñas. A hillside neighborhood, known for its cobbled, colorful streets. From here we enjoyed great views of the Cerro Santa Ana and the city’s iconic lighthouse.

In the morning we went to see “the ecological tree”. A vibrant and colorful mural painted on 222 steps, depicts animals of the Ecuadorian Amazon, such as monkeys and jaguars. 

Note: The ecological tree is located in a part of Guayaquil that can be dangerous for tourists.

Day 5: IngaPirca – Ruins Of The Inca

A 3-and-a-half-hour drive from Guayaquil lies the foundations of Ingapirca. These ruins are known as the “Machu Picchu of Ecuador”. In Kichwa, Ingapirca means “wall of the Inca“. These remaining ruins once formed an ancient fortress of several tribal groups that made up the Cañari and Inca cultures.

A guided tour is included in the ticket price. Here I learned about the temple of the sun, an oval structure used both for rituals and astronomical purposes.

Note: The weather here is very unpredictable, so if you’re planning a visit, make sure to bring a rain jacket.

Day 6: Cuenca & Cajas National Park

When traveling to Cuenca, Ecuador’s most charming colonial city, a visit to Cajas National Park is a must. We went hiking around the national park and saw some awesome sights and lakes. It is truly a beautiful environment. This park and its 250 lagoons are the sources of most of Cuenca’s freshwater. It is high up and we reached the park’s highest point at 4,160 meters above sea level. The name Cajas comes from the native language Kichwa, meaning ‘cold place’ due to its altitude and climate.

Note: Unless you are well-acclimatized you can experience altitude sickness.

After our 2-hour hike, we returned to Cuenca to have lunch at Mercado 10 de Agosto. We then strolled around the historic center and visited the blue-dome rooftop of Catedral de la Inmaculada Concepción. As part of our Cuenca tour, we hopped on a guided tour city bus and visited the Mirador de Turi. From this lookout point, it is possible to see many of Cuenca’s churches, as well as the blue domes of the iconic cathedral.

Tip: Had an amazing dinner at Tiesto’s Cafe restaurant, where the chef-owner, offered us a tasting menu. The idea of the restaurant is to share the dishes in a ‘Tiesto’, plates made out of cooked-in clay. Every course is paired with either a wine or beer to complement the different flavors. During the dinner, I especially enjoyed how the chef painted a mockingbird surrounded by flowers on our plate and decorated it with brushes filled with different jams.

Day 7: Macas

We opted to stay in Macas, a small town located halfway between Cuenca and Baños de Agua Santa. A friend of mine recommended Macas Glamping. This hotel focuses on experiencing what it would be like to camp out in the middle of the jungle but with much more comfortable accommodations. Every room was decorated with a modern yet minimalist bedroom surrounded by glass on all sides, including the ceiling, to be able to look at the stars and the jungle all around. Before going to bed we sat around a bonfire with snacks and a glass of wine as we enjoyed the sounds of the jungle.

Day 8: El Puyo & Mirador De Indichuri

We visited the native community of El Puyo, to see how the natives in this part of Ecuador live. I was expecting a hike through a jungle, but instead, we crossed a bridge, and shortly after there were some teepee houses made from branches where a family lived. There were girls dressed in skirts made of leaves (imagine a Hawaiian grass skirt) with a beaded top. The family also owned some animals such as a tiny monkey, commonly known as Mono Chicho, a scarlet macaw, and a snake. They performed a traditional dance and explained certain aspects of their lives and way of living to us.

Our last stop was the viewpoint of Mirador de Indichuri, which offers a spectacular view of the start of the vast Amazon rainforest, the Puyo River, and the Volcan Sangay (one of the tallest volcanos in Ecuador). Indichuri means sons of the sun in Shuar. The Indichuris community also preserves a group of caves with old rock carvings of the sun and human faces marked at their entrances.

Day 9: Baños De Agua Santa

The Pailón del Diablo (Devil’s Cauldron) is a must-see when visiting Baños de Agua Santa. Two trails are leading up to this impressive waterfall. The first one is to access the waterfall from below and the second one offers a different viewpoint of the concrete staircase hacked into the cliff wall leading up to the waterfall. To get there you will cross multiple terrifying suspension bridges, which sway quite a lot, especially when there are lots of people on them.

For our second waterfall visit in La Ruta de las Cascadas (Highway of the Waterfalls), we took a cable car up to the best view of the Manto de la Novia waterfall (The Bride’s Veil), this tall waterfall gushes down into the jungle floor in a clear arc reminiscent of a bride’s white veil. We finished our tour of Baños de Agua Santa by visiting The Treehouse, at 2,617 meters. This picturesque treehouse comes fitted with a swing known as the swing of the end of the world, which makes for great photos.

On a clear day, you can see Volcan Tungurahua in the distance, unfortunately, we weren’t so lucky and by the time we arrived, it had gotten cloudy.

Day 10: Cotopaxi

For my last day together with the group I’d been traveling with for weeks, we stayed at the Secret Garden Cotopaxi. At a height of 3,515 meters, this remote hostel has a beautiful view of the Cotopaxi Volcano. In the afternoon we went for a 2-hour hike to a waterfall, the trail was a bit challenging as we had to climb over and hold on to rocks to continue onwards on all fours.

My favorite part of this place was the llamas roaming freely in the fields. One of my dreams has always been to get close to them, so I fed them banana peels and they kept coming back for more.

The hostel also had several dogs that would cuddle and sleep on the sofas. After dinner, we sat around the fireplace, while one of my friends played the guitar and the dogs gathered around to listen. This is one of the coziest places I have ever stayed in and I cannot recommend it enough. Before going to bed we used the jacuzzi to relax and round out the night.

Day 11: Quito

Almost approaching the end of my trip I made my way back to Quito. After arriving at the Secret Garden Hostel in Quito I went for a walk around the historic center when all of a sudden it started pouring down rain. I hid in a nearby cafe looking for something to keep me warm. I ordered hot chocolate and to my surprise, it was served with a side of cheese blocks to combine in the mug. When the rain stopped I walked along the still dripping street of the 7 crosses, while also visiting the different churches and admiring their gold-covered and art-filled interiors. As I walked back to the hotel I entered the Basilica del Voto Nacional in Quito, an impressive neogothic church reminiscent of ones you would find in Europe. It’s also the tallest church in Latin America. 

Day 11.5: La Mitad del Mundo

Afterward, I went to the teleferico’s viewpoint at 4,100 meters. The cable car rides each way take approximately 20 minutes. Once you reach the top of the hill, if you walk a short 5 minutes further you will see some swings that offer a full view of Quito sprawled out below your feet. In the afternoon we visited the famous monument of La Mitad del Mundo. This monument to the Earth’s equator is also a museum, where you can see different expositions highlighting the best of Ecuador through clothing displays, artifacts, and photographs. 

At night I went out with some friends from Quito to a famous street known as “La Ronda“. Before COVID-19, this narrow, cobblestone street used to fill up with patrons of the many bars, restaurants, and shops, but unfortunately, now only a few restaurants remain open.  

Tip: If you collect stamps from around the world, you may want to take your passport along with you when visiting the “La Mitad del Mundo” Monument.

Day 12: Quilotoa Lake

I booked a last-minute tour to Quilotoa Lake on a whim. This lake is a convenient day trip from Quito and I hopped onto a bus to take me there.

Upon arriving you have to hike towards the lake. The way down was quite easy in comparison to the way back up. Since we were at 3,800 meters, we had to make several stops along the way to catch our breaths in the thin air. The beautiful turquoise color of this volcanic-crater lake is due to mineral deposits. I spent some time here taking in the views and the calm of the lake before we headed back.

Before arriving at Quilotoa Lake we also stopped at a souvenir shop, where I tried the famous canelazo drink. There was also a friendly alpaca with whom I took several pictures.

During the drive back we were lucky enough to see the snowcapped peak of the Cotopaxi volcano without any clouds in the way as the sunset in the distance. According to the guide, it was quite unusual for the volcano to be that clear so late in the day, so he suggested we stop at a restaurant on the side of the road to enjoy the Andean landscape and take some pictures. Bonus points were that the restaurant had some friendly llamas outside. I could not imagine a better way to end my last day in Ecuador.

Did you Know

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Ecuador as your next holiday destination

Most people have probably heard about Ecuador for two reasons, first, the equator which runs through the country giving it its name, and second Ecuador’s fame as the home of the Galapagos Islands.

Nevertheless, for such a small country, in comparison to its South American neighbors, Ecuador offers plenty of opportunities for a one-stop trip filled with incredible experiences. From its historic links to the ancient Incas to breathtaking snow-capped volcanos, historic city centers, and colonial architecture, its captivating culture, food, and stunning wildlife. Visiting Ecuador brought me countless good times and pleasant surprises. I was completely immersed in Ecuador’s rich culture, beautiful landscapes, and idyllic way of life and I did not notice the days running by and my time in this corner of South America coming to an end. I can say without a doubt that Ecuador is a must-see destination for any adventure travelers and cannot wait to return to it myself one day.

Lots of love,
Julie