Practical information Ecuador

French, Belgian, Swiss and Canadian nationals do not need a visa for a tourist stay of less than 90 days. A free entry stamp is affixed upon arrival at Mariscal Sucre Airport in Quito or José Joaquín de Olmedo in Guayaquil. Your passport must be valid for at least 6 months after the date of entry and have a blank page. Authorities may request an exit ticket and proof of accommodation, although checks are rare. For longer stays or volunteer work, a specific visa application must be made at the consulate before departure. Our team in Quito will provide you with a proof of accommodation if necessary.

No vaccines are mandatory to enter from Europe. Yellow fever becomes required if you arrive from an endemic country (Peru, Colombia, Amazon Brazil). We recommend being up to date on DTP, measles, and planning for hepatitis A and B, typhoid for longer stays or rural areas. For lowland Amazon (Yasuní, Cuyabeno, below 1,500 m), antimalarial treatment and serious mosquito prevention against dengue are advised. Above 2,500 meters, malaria risk is zero. A consultation at an international vaccination center 4 to 6 weeks before departure allows you to adjust according to your specific itinerary.

Excluding international flights, budget 60 to 90 USD per day per person in comfort category on the mainland: accommodation in hostels or 3-star hotels, meals in local restaurants, transport by bus or shared private car. A night in Quito at a charming hotel runs around 70 USD, a full almuerzo 4 to 6 USD, a ceviche on the coast 8 to 10 USD. The Galápagos changes the equation: between the flight (400 USD), park entrance fee (200 USD), transit card (20 USD) and cruises or daily excursions, budget 250 to 400 USD per day on the archipelago. A 15-day trip combining the mainland and Galápagos typically ranges between 3,500 and 5,000 USD per person.

Ecuador can be visited year-round thanks to its position on the equator. For the Andes and volcano hikes, the dry season from June to September offers the clearest skies, with cold nights at high altitude. The Pacific coast is best enjoyed from December to May, paradoxically the humid season but also the sunniest and warmest. Humpback whale watching off Puerto López runs from June to October. The Amazon remains humid year-round, with heavier rainfall from June to August and lower water levels (and thus more beaches) from December to March. The Galápagos can be visited continuously, with calmer seas from December to May.

Since the country is compact (roughly the size of Great Britain), distances remain reasonable. Domestic flights connect Quito and Guayaquil to the Galápagos (2 hours), to Coca for the northern Amazon (30 minutes) and to Cuenca (45 minutes), for USD 50 to 200 depending on the destination. Long-distance buses are reliable, frequent and affordable (around USD 1 per hour of travel), with companies like Flota Imbabura or Cooperativa Loja. For flexible Andean itineraries, we organize private transfers with English-speaking drivers, more comfortable on winding mountain roads. Car rental is possible but less common: local driving requires caution and some access points require a 4x4.

Ecuador remains generally safe for travelers on classic tourist routes: the Andes, the Amazon, the Galápagos, and Cuenca. As in other parts of Latin America, petty theft exists in urban centers and bus terminals: we advise against displaying expensive equipment, and recommend using official taxis or apps like Cabify in Quito and Guayaquil. Certain neighborhoods in Guayaquil and Esmeraldas have experienced increased insecurity since 2022, and we systematically avoid them. The border area with Colombia (northern Sucumbíos province and northern Esmeraldas) is not recommended. Our team in Quito will provide you with a practical information sheet upon arrival, including emergency contacts and safety tips tailored to your itinerary.