Wondering how you get there? Read our guide to flights to Ecuador from the UK, with routes, flight times and what a return costs in 2026.
EQUATOR · VOLCANOES · AMAZON
Ecuador & Galápagos Holidays
Volcanoes, Cloud Forests & the Equator
South America
Tailor-made or small group
WHAT TO SEE
Ecuador highlights
Cotopaxi
Stand at the foot of Cotopaxi, one of the highest active volcanoes on Earth
Old Quito
Explore Quito's UNESCO-listed colonial old town, the best-preserved in South America
Mindo cloud forest
Spot 500+ bird species in the cloud forests of Mindo
The Quilotoa Loop
Trek the Quilotoa Loop through indigenous villages to a turquoise crater lake
Yasuní and the Amazon
Visit the Amazon rainforest and stay in eco-lodges deep in Yasuní National Park
Otavalo market
Browse the largest indigenous market in South America at Otavalo
Holidays in Ecuador
Ecuador
Ecuador Small Group Tour — Volcanoes, Ingapirca and Cuenca
8 days / 7 nightsEasy to ModerateSmall group, maximum 15
From£2,199
ATOL protected
Ecuador
Ecuador & Galápagos Grand Tour: Amazon, Andes & Islands
12 days / 11 nightsEasy to ModerateSmall group, maximum 16
From£4,299
ATOL protected
Ecuador
Tailor-Made
Ecuador & Galápagos Journey: Quito & Santa Cruz
9 daysEasy to ModeratePrivate to 2 or more travellers
From£4,399
ATOL protected
Ecuador
Tailor-Made
Haciendas of Ecuador: Otavalo, Papallacta & Cotopaxi
6 daysEasy to ModeratePrivate to 2 or more travellers
From£1,999
ATOL protected
Ecuador
Tailor-Made
Ecuador Amazon & Andes: Quito, Otavalo & the Jungle
8 daysEasy to ModeratePrivate to 2 or more travellers
From£2,399
ATOL protected
Ecuador
Tailor-Made
Ecuador Volcano Avenue Adventure
13 daysChallengingPrivate to 2 or more travellers
From£3,699
ATOL protectedPrefer fixed dates and a small group? See all our small group tours
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Watch the holiday
Ecuador and the Galápagos in twelve days
Read the video script
Imagine snorkelling with curious sea lions, swimming with penguins, and if you are lucky, spotting white-tip reef sharks. And that is only how this grand journey ends. Visit Ecuador and the Galápagos with Travelfab. Start your adventure high in the Andes, in the historic heart of Quito. Browse the colourful Otavalo market, before standing with one foot in each hemisphere, right at the equator. Drop deep into the Amazon, to craft chocolate alongside a Quichua community. Ride the waterfall road to the thunderous Pailón del Diablo, and meet wild vicuñas roaming beneath Chimborazo. Walk the ancient Inca walls of Ingapirca, and wander Cuenca, where Panama hats are really made. Then fly out to the legendary Galápagos Islands. See sea lions sleeping in town, giant tortoises roaming free in the highlands, and dive into that incredible snorkelling we promised you. Experience this beautiful country in twelve days, guided by an English-speaking expert all the way. We offer set dates through 2027, with flights included and full ATOL protection. Prefer a custom itinerary? Our UK team is ready to tailor-make your journey, for any length of time. Plan your trip at travelfab.co.uk.
When to go
The best time to visit Ecuador
June to September
The driest months in the highlands and the best time for trekking, though any month can bring clear days.
January to May
The warm season in the Galápagos, with calmer seas and better snorkelling. The coast is warmest from December to May.
All year in the Amazon
Hot and rainy all year, with a little less rain from November to February.
Where to go
The best places to visit in Ecuador
Tailor-made Ecuador and Galápagos holidays from the UK: the Avenue of the Volcanoes, cloud forest alive with hummingbirds, an Amazon lodge, and the islands themselves if you have the time. We book your flights, haciendas, guides and transfers together on one ATOL protected booking, and the pace is yours. Prices start from £1,999 per person including flights for six days in the haciendas of the Andes, from £2,399 for eight days of Andes and Amazon, from £4,399 for nine days of Quito and the Galápagos, and from £5,399 for ten days pairing the Galápagos with Machu Picchu. Or tell us what you have in mind and we will build the trip around you.
AVENUE OF VOLCANOES
The Avenue of Volcanoes
Alexander von Humboldt named it in 1802. Two parallel chains of mountains run north-south across central Ecuador, each studded with snow-capped volcanic cones, eleven of them rising above 5,000m, several still venting steam. The most photographed is Cotopaxi (5,897m), an almost perfect cone visible from Quito on clear days. The most extraordinary is Chimborazo (6,263m), whose summit, because of the Earth's equatorial bulge, is the farthest point from the centre of the planet, further out than Everest itself.
Trekking and riding range from gentle hacienda walks at 3,000m to serious alpine ascents. The Quilotoa Loop, a five-day circuit through indigenous Andean villages to a turquoise crater lake, is the classic mid-difficulty walk. Day-rides on Cotopaxi's wildflower-strewn northern flank suit non-trekkers; technical glacier climbs on Cayambe and Chimborazo suit the serious. Old converted haciendas, colonial farms with fireplaces, libraries and stables, make the perfect base.
Most UK travellers spend two to three nights on the Avenue, slotted between Quito as cultural arrival and a Galápagos or Amazon extension. Altitude matters: Quito sits at 2,850m, the haciendas higher still, so plan the first 48 hours gently, short walks, light meals, no alcohol, and the Andes reveal themselves at their own pace.
CLOUD CANOPY
Where the cloud forest lives
Ecuador's cloud forests, the misty band between the Andes and the lowlands, are among the most biodiverse habitats on the planet. Mindo, two hours from Quito, has more than 500 bird species, dozens of hummingbirds among them, and the Andean cock-of-the-rock displays at dawn a short walk from the lodges.
The Amazon basin in eastern Ecuador, the Oriente, is explored from comfortable eco-lodges. Yasuní National Park, a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, holds more tree species per hectare than anywhere else on Earth, and guided days out take in Kichwa communities, medicinal plants and wildlife from pink river dolphins to anacondas.
COLONIAL CAPITAL
Quito's colonial heart
Quito, Ecuador's capital, sits in a narrow valley at 2,850 metres, ringed by volcanoes. Its colonial old town was on the first UNESCO World Heritage list in 1978, alongside Kraków, and UNESCO still calls it the best-preserved, least altered historic centre in Latin America: churches, convents and plazas built from the 16th century on, and all walkable in a morning.
The highland markets are the other draw. Otavalo, north of Quito, holds the largest indigenous market in South America, where Kichwa weavers sell textiles made the way their grandparents made them. Baños, under the active Tungurahua volcano, is the adventure town: bridge swings, waterfall trails, and the Swing at the End of the World at Casa del Árbol, hanging out over the valley.
BETWEEN PLACES
Quito, then Cuenca
TAILOR-MADE TWIN-CENTRE
Pair Ecuador with Peru
For travellers who came for Galápagos wildlife and the Andean Avenue, the natural extension south is five nights in Peru. Cusco's Inca-built lanes, the Sacred Valley's hacienda hotels, and a dawn arrival at Machu Picchu round out a two-country, ten-day itinerary that uses Ecuador's compact geography for the first half and Peru's archaeological depth for the second.
Travelfab's Galápagos & Machu Picchu, Andes Twin-Centre Holiday is a fully tailor-made 10-day trip covering Quito, Santa Cruz, Cusco, the Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu. From £5,399pp including international flights, internal flights between Quito and Lima/Cusco, transfers, central hotels and guided tours. ATOL protected and tailored to your dates.
Ready when you are.
We'll tailor the itinerary to your dates, pace and budget, no fixed departures, no group-tour compromises.
Practical answers
Know before you go to Ecuador
Getting there
One change, 15 to 17 hours
There is no direct flight from the UK. Most routes change once, in Madrid, Amsterdam or Bogota, and take around 15 to 17 hours in total to Quito. We book your flights with the trip, so the whole holiday is ATOL protected.
Language
Spanish
Spanish, with Kichwa spoken in the highlands and the Amazon. English is usual in Quito and Guayaquil hotels, on Galapagos boats and with guides.
Money
US dollars
The US dollar. Ecuador has used it since 2000, so no exchange is needed if you carry dollars. Cards work in hotels and better restaurants, but small notes and coins are essential in markets, taxis and towns. ATMs are common in cities; the Galapagos has a few in Puerto Ayora and San Cristobal.
Plugs
Type A and B, 120 V
Type A and type B plugs, the flat two-pin and three-pin US style, at 120 V and 60 Hz. UK devices need a UK-to-US adapter. Chargers are dual voltage; a UK hairdryer is not.
Phone and internet
An eSIM is easiest
Buy an eSIM before you leave or a local SIM from the main operators at Quito or Guayaquil airport (check which desks are open when you land). 4G is good in cities and along the Avenue of the Volcanoes; in the Amazon and on Galapagos boats expect little or none. Hotels and haciendas have wifi.
Time zone
5 hours behind the UK
Ecuador Time, UTC minus 5, on the mainland and Galapagos Time, UTC minus 6, on the islands, with no daylight saving. The mainland is 5 hours behind the UK in winter and 6 in summer; the Galapagos are one hour further back.
Tap water
No, drink bottled water
No. Do not drink tap water on the mainland; use bottled or filtered water. On Galapagos boats and in good lodges filtered water is provided, and refilling a bottle is encouraged to cut plastic.
Tipping
About 10 percent in restaurants
Tipping is appreciated. About 10 percent in restaurants if not included, USD 5 to 10 per person per day for guides and drivers on the mainland, and on a Galapagos cruise a suggested USD 15 to 25 per guest per day shared between guide and crew, which we will set out in your itinerary.
Visa and entry
No visa for up to 90 days
UK passport holders can currently visit Ecuador for tourism without a visa for up to 90 days. The Galapagos also need a transit card (USD 20) and the national park fee (USD 200 per adult). If you connect through the US you also need an ESTA. Check gov.uk before you book and again before you fly.
Health and vaccinations
Check 4 to 6 weeks before
TravelHealthPro, the UK travel health service, recommends hepatitis A for most visitors and says routine jabs, tetanus included, should be up to date. Yellow fever vaccination is recommended for the Amazon and Esmeraldas province, and not for Quito, Guayaquil, the Galapagos or the Andes above 2,300 m. It lists a yellow fever certificate only for arrivals from Brazil, Uganda or the Democratic Republic of the Congo, so changing planes in Bogota or Madrid does not need one. See your GP or a travel nurse 4 to 6 weeks before you go.
These answers are a guide as of 2026. Entry rules change, so check the UK government travel advice for Ecuador before you book and again before you fly. For vaccinations, TravelHealthPro's Ecuador page has the full advice.
Which eSIM should I buy for Ecuador?
An eSIM gets your phone online as soon as you land. You buy it online, install it at home on wifi and switch it on when you arrive. Most phones from the last few years take one: if yours does, its settings will offer "Add eSIM". All three below work in Ecuador; where they differ is how you pay for data.
Best for set data
Airalo
Airalo has the widest choice of plan sizes and a Latin America plan if you are visiting more than one country. When we checked, it was usually the cheapest for a set amount of data, such as 10 GB.
Best for a laptop
Saily
Saily is priced close to Airalo, the app is simple, and it puts no limit on hotspot use, so it is a good pick if you need to connect a laptop. Our code TRAVELFAB takes 10 percent off.
Best for unlimited
Holafly
Holafly sells unlimited data only, priced by the number of days, so you never have to keep an eye on it. Sharing it as a hotspot is capped at 1 GB a day. Our code TRAVELFAB takes 5 percent off.
For maps, WhatsApp and photos, 5 GB is plenty for two weeks, and a set amount of data is the cheaper way to buy it. For video calls or working on the road, go unlimited.
We may earn a small commission if you buy through these links. It never adds to your price, and it does not change which one we suggest.
Before you book
Your Ecuador holiday questions
UK citizens do not need a visa for tourist visits of up to 90 days. Your passport must be valid for at least six months beyond your entry date. No vaccinations are compulsory, but yellow fever vaccination is strongly recommended if visiting the Amazon region. Proof of yellow fever vaccination may be required for onward travel to some countries.
Ecuador has no distinct seasons, weather varies by altitude rather than time of year. The highlands are driest from June to September, though any month can offer clear days. The Amazon is hot and rainy year-round, with slightly less rain from November to February. The coast is warmest from December to May. For the Galápagos, the warm season (January to May) has calmer seas and better snorkelling, while the cool season (June to November) has more wildlife activity. Visit in June-September for the best highland trekking conditions.
Ecuador uses the US Dollar as its official currency. This makes budgeting simple for international visitors. ATMs are available in cities but less common in rural areas, carry cash for markets, Amazon lodges, and small towns. Credit cards are accepted in most hotels and restaurants. Ecuador is generally affordable compared to neighbouring countries.
There are no direct flights from the UK to Ecuador. Common connections go through Madrid, Amsterdam, or US hubs (Houston, Miami) to Quito's Mariscal Sucre Airport or Guayaquil's José Joaquín de Olmedo Airport. Flight time is approximately 13-16 hours including connections. Quito is the usual gateway for the highlands and Amazon; Guayaquil for the coast and Galápagos.
Quito sits at 2,850m, altitude sickness can affect visitors on arrival. Take your first day easy, stay hydrated, and avoid alcohol for the first 24 hours. The Amazon lowlands are hot and humid, bring insect repellent with DEET and long-sleeved clothing. Travel insurance with medical coverage is essential, especially for trekking and Amazon visits. Tap water should not be drunk, stick to bottled water.
Ecuador is compact, so distances are manageable. Comfortable tourist buses connect Quito to major destinations (3-4 hours to Otavalo, 5-6 hours to Baños). Domestic flights to the Galápagos depart from Quito or Guayaquil. For the Amazon, you'll fly to Coca or Lago Agrio then travel by motorised canoe to jungle lodges. In cities, taxis are cheap and Uber operates in Quito and Guayaquil.
Our Ecuador holidays start from £1,999 per person for six days in the haciendas of the Andes including international flights, and from £2,399 for eight days of Andes and Amazon. Nine days of Quito and the Galápagos start from £4,399, pairing the Galápagos with Machu Picchu from £5,399 for ten days, and a Galápagos expedition cruise with flights from £6,299. Every price includes flights from the UK and is ATOL protected. If your budget is fixed, tell us and we will shape the trip around it.
International flights from the UK, booked and ATOL protected together with everything on the ground. Private transfers between regions, hand-picked haciendas and lodges, guided days in the volcanoes, the cloud forest and the Amazon, a route paced for the altitude in Quito and the Andes, and a named contact in the UK before and during your trip. Flights to the Galápagos are built in when the islands are part of your route.
Quito, the Andes, the Amazon lodges and the Galápagos are where our Ecuador holidays go, and they are outside the areas the FCDO warns about. The FCDO currently advises against all but essential travel to the coastal provinces, including Guayas, where Guayaquil is, and to areas within 20km of the Colombian border. Changing planes airside at Guayaquil airport is not affected. Where one of our routes passes through Guayaquil, we talk it through with you before you book. Pickpocketing is common in the old town of Quito, so keep bags and phones close. Security rules can change quickly, so read the FCDO advice for Ecuador before you book and again before you fly.
Buy travel insurance as soon as you book your holiday, and make sure it covers every stop on your route, the Galápagos and any nights on a boat included, and any medical conditions you have. Whichever insurer you are looking at, battleface included, ask them to confirm that in writing before you buy. We are not insurance advisers, so we cannot tell you which policy to choose.
Real reviews
What our customers say
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They organised excellent accommodation and transfers from airport to destination and between destinations which was seamless and gave us peace of mind for our trip. We stayed in the nicest casa particular in Havana right on the outskirts of the major hustle of the old town but within walking distance to every site and lots of lovely restaurants. Our hotel in Varadero had 5 a la carte restaurants which were delicious and wonderful beaches! Would definitely go back to Cuba and use TravelFab again.
Annabelle
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Excellent service. Fabien responded to all our queries promptly and efficiently and was always willing to spend time talking to us. The itinerary was well-considered and well-organised with an adequate amount of time in each location. Locations were varied and interesting. The service provided by the B&B owners was good to outstanding. The organisation of the coach services for transfers from one destination to another was super with comfortable journeys in clean, air-conditioned coaches. Thanks, TravelFab!
David
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I was very impressed with Fabian's dedication, patience and professionalism in organising a group of 8 young persons (over 60's) to get to Cuba. The whole experience has been a very positive one. Despite having to relocate to another hotel at the last minute, that change over went very smoothly. Our accommodations were excellent. We will definitely book with TravelFab again. Thank you!
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Tailor-made · ATOL 10898
Plan your tailor-made Ecuador trip
Tell us when you want to travel, who with, and roughly what budget you have in mind. A Latin America specialist replies within one working day with a bespoke proposal.
Plan a tailor-made Ecuador trip