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Church and city at sunset with mountains

Ecuador travel guide

Mountain cities, small towns and a coast in one trip, best timed for August

Best: Aug

Photo: MARXCINE / Pixabay

Capital
Quito
Language
Spanish
Currency
United States dollar (USD)
Time zone
UTC-06:00, UTC-05:00
Plugs
Type A, B · 120 V
Driving
On the right
Emergency
911

Why visit Ecuador

Ecuador suits independent travellers who want several different places in one trip: the capital Quito, Cuenca, Otavalo and the coastal town of Puerto Ayora. It uses the US dollar, so many visitors can skip currency exchange. August is the best month for the country as a whole and for Quito. The honest limitation is that the ideal window is short. Outside August you plan around the weather, and some places follow their own calendar. Banos, for example, is best in January and February.

  • Plan around August

    August is the best month for Ecuador as a whole. It is also the top month for Quito, the capital, and for Cayambe. If you can only choose one month, choose August and base your route on these highland stops.

  • A second window in Baños

    Baños has a different best season: January and February. That gives you a reason to visit outside August. It also suits travellers who cannot take a summer break. Check conditions for other places before you add them to a trip in these months.

  • Cities of very different sizes

    Guayaquil has 2650288 people, Cuenca has 361524 and Otavalo has 41718. In one country you can move from a large city to a mid-sized one to a small town. This lets you choose the pace of your trip.

  • Coast and highland in one trip

    Puerto Ayora is the only coastal town in our list, with 12696 people. Guano, inland, is at its best in August and September. Ecuador covers 276841 km², so you can combine the coast and inland towns on the same trip.

  • Easy practical setup

    Ecuador uses the United States dollar, so many visitors do not need to change money. Plugs are types A and B at 120 V. Spanish is the official language, cars drive on the right, and the emergency number is 911.

Is Ecuador right for you?

Great for

  • Travellers who dislike heat: Quito's daytime highs stay between 16 and 19°C all year.
  • Dry-season trips in July to September, when Quito gets 72 to 104 mm of rain a month.
  • US travellers: Ecuador uses the US dollar, with type A and B plugs at 120 V.
  • City hoppers wanting variety: Quito, Cuenca, Otavalo and Banos, with Banos best in January and February.
  • Spanish speakers or learners, since Spanish is the main language.

Less ideal for

  • Trips fixed on October to May: Quito sees rain on 24 to 29 days a month.
  • Quito in March, the wettest month, with 517 mm of rain.
  • Warm-weather seekers based in Quito: nights drop to about 7 to 8°C.

Ecuador right now: October

6.9/10
Avg high
18°C
Avg low
8°C
Rain days
26

Averages for Quito.

Weather by month

In Quito, the best time to go is July to September, and August is best: only 72 mm of rain over about 12 days, with highs near 18°C and 10.9 hours of sun. Avoid March and April if you can, as rain falls on 28 to 29 days and March gets 517 mm, though highs stay between 16 and 19°C all year.

Average highs and lows in Quito by month January: high 16°C, low 8°C , 24 rain days . February: high 17°C, low 9°C , 26 rain days . March: high 16°C, low 8°C , 29 rain days . April: high 17°C, low 8°C , 28 rain days . May: high 17°C, low 8°C , 25 rain days . June: high 17°C, low 7°C , 19 rain days . July: high 17°C, low 7°C , 13 rain days . August: high 18°C, low 7°C , 12 rain days . September: high 19°C, low 7°C , 15 rain days . October: high 18°C, low 8°C , 26 rain days . November: high 17°C, low 8°C , 27 rain days . December: high 17°C, low 8°C , 27 rain days . 16°C 8°C JAN 24d 17°C 9°C FEB 26d 16°C 8°C MAR 29d 17°C 8°C APR 28d 17°C 8°C MAY 25d 17°C 7°C JUN 19d 17°C 7°C JUL 13d 18°C 7°C AUG 12d 19°C 7°C SEP 15d 18°C 8°C OCT 26d 17°C 8°C NOV 27d 17°C 8°C DEC 27d
Best months Other months (low–high) Nd = rain days

Quito · averages 2015–2024

Best time to visit Ecuador: month-by-month weather →

Ecuador's climate regions

The weather varies across the country; each region has its own best months.

  • Quito and northern highlands

    Quito, Cayambe

    Mild all year, with highs of about 17°C in January and 17.4°C in July. Rain falls on about 276 days a year, so expect showers in any month. August is the best month to go.

    Best: Aug

  • Baños

    Banos

    The warmest region, with highs of 21.2°C in January and 19.6°C in July. It is also the wettest, with rain on about 327 days a year. January and February are the best months.

    Best: Jan, Feb

  • Guano and central highlands

    Guano

    The driest region, with rain on about 193 days a year. Highs reach 19.6°C in January and 17.7°C in July. August and September are the best months to visit.

    Best: Aug, Sep

Where to go in Ecuador

City guides with their own best months and weather.

Sample itineraries

7 days

One week: Quito, Otavalo and Cayambe

  1. Day 1–3

    Quito

    Start in Quito, the capital. Our data rates August as its best month, so plan this route for August if you can. Use these first days to settle in before moving on.

  2. Day 4–5

    Otavalo

    Move on to Otavalo, a small town of about 41,718 people. It is a calmer base after the capital. Take your time and explore at your own pace.

  3. Day 6–7

    Cayambe

    End in Cayambe, which also has August as its best month. That makes this whole week a good fit for an August trip. At other times of year, check local conditions before you commit.

10 days

Ten days: Guayaquil, Puerto Ayora, Cuenca, Quito

  1. Day 1–2

    Guayaquil

    Begin in Guayaquil, the largest city on this route with 2,650,288 people. Use this short stay to rest and get your bearings before the next leg.

  2. Day 3–6

    Puerto Ayora

    Head to Puerto Ayora, a coastal town of 12,696 people and the only stop by the sea on this route. Give it the longest stay of the trip.

  3. Day 7–8

    Cuenca

    Continue to Cuenca, a mid-sized city of 361,524 people. It suits a slower pace after the coast and before the final stop.

  4. Day 9–10

    Quito

    Finish in Quito, the capital. August is its best month in our data, so an August trip lets you end on a high. End the trip here.

Where to stay

One good base in each main city and who it suits.

Centro Histórico

Quito

Good for first-timers, history, architecture

Quito's colonial old town has churches, plazas and restored houses within walking distance of each other. Staying here puts the main sights on your doorstep. Many streets go quiet after dark, and the steep hills feel hard at Quito's high altitude.

Centro

Banos

Good for first-timers, walkers, budget travellers

The flat grid of streets around the Basílica and the central park holds most cafés, tour agencies and bike-hire shops, so you can walk almost everywhere. It is the easiest base for booking day trips and catching buses. The drawback is street noise from traffic, church bells and late-night groups.

Centro

Cayambe

Good for first-timers, short stays, no car

The town centre around the main square and church is the easiest base, with bakeries selling the local bizcochos, shops, places to eat and buses to Quito and Otavalo close by. Most visitors can walk to everything they need here. The Panamericana highway runs through town, so rooms near the main roads can get traffic noise.

La Matriz

Guano

Good for first-timers, shoppers, short stays

This is the historic centre around the main square, where most of Guano's rug and leather workshops, cafés and food stalls are found. You can walk to the old church ruins and the town's main sights. Weekends bring day-trippers from Riobamba, so the streets get busier and louder then.

Food to try in Ecuador

Encebollado

A fish soup made with tuna, cassava and pickled red onion. It is a breakfast dish, most common on the coast, and many Ecuadorians eat it after a late night.

Ceviche de camarón

Shrimp in a citrus and tomato juice, served with popcorn or plantain chips. Ecuadorian ceviche is soupier than the Peruvian kind. Look for it in coastal towns, often at lunchtime.

Locro de papa

A thick potato soup with cheese, usually topped with avocado. It is a highland dish, common in Quito, and makes a warming lunch on cool mountain days.

Llapingachos

Fried potato patties filled with cheese. They are served with peanut sauce, a fried egg, sausage or salad. You will find them in highland markets and small local restaurants.

Fanesca

A rich soup of grains, beans and salt cod. Families eat it during Holy Week before Easter. You will rarely find it at other times of the year.

Canelazo

A hot drink of cinnamon, sugar and fruit juice, often mixed with sugar cane spirit. People drink it on cold highland evenings and at street festivals in Quito.

Know before you go

  • Plugs and voltage: Sockets take plug types A and B, and the supply is 120 V. If your plugs or devices are made for other systems, bring an adapter and check your chargers accept 120 V.
  • Currency: Ecuador uses the United States dollar (USD) as its official currency. If you come from the US, you do not need to change money. Other visitors should plan how to get US dollars.
  • Language: Spanish is the official language. Learn a few basic phrases before you go. They help with transport, shops and small places where staff may not speak English.
  • Emergency number: Call 911 in an emergency. Save it in your phone before you arrive, along with your accommodation address.
  • Driving side: Traffic drives on the right. If you come from a country that drives on the left, take extra care at junctions and roundabouts for the first few days.
  • Calling code: The country calling code is +593. Use it when you share an Ecuadorian number with people abroad, or when you save local contacts in your phone.
  • Time zones: Ecuador uses UTC-05:00 and UTC-06:00. Check which one applies to each place on your route, so flight and tour times do not catch you out.

Ecuador: frequently asked questions

When is the best time to visit Ecuador?

August is the best month to visit Ecuador. It gets our top score of 7.5. Every other month is rated good, from 6.6 to 7.2. In Quito, August has only 72 mm of rain over 12.3 rain days, 10.9 hours of sun a day and highs of 18.4°C. These figures are Quito averages for 2015–2024. Other places differ: Baños scores best in January and February.

Is Ecuador good to visit in March?

You can go in March, but it is the wettest month in Quito. March has the lowest score of the year, 6.6. Quito gets 517 mm of rain on 28.9 days on average, so expect rain almost every day. If you want drier weather, choose July, August or September. Those months get 72 to 104 mm of rain.

How cold does it get in Quito?

Quito is cool all year, and nights are cold. Average lows range from 6.9°C in July to 8.6°C in February. Daytime highs stay between 16.3°C and 18.9°C in every month. The dry months of July and August have the coldest nights, at 6.9°C and 7°C. Pack warm layers and a jacket whenever you go.

What currency is used in Ecuador?

Ecuador uses the United States dollar (USD) as its currency. If you come from the United States, you do not need to change money. Other visitors should bring or withdraw US dollars. The main language is Spanish, so it helps to learn a few basic phrases before you go.

What plugs and voltage does Ecuador use?

Ecuador uses plug types A and B, with a voltage of 120 V. These are the same flat-pin plugs used in North America. Visitors from countries with other plugs need an adapter. Check that your devices work at 120 V. If they do not, you will also need a voltage converter.

What is the emergency number in Ecuador?

The emergency number in Ecuador is 911. The country calling code is +593. Traffic drives on the right. Ecuador has 2 time zones, UTC-05:00 and UTC-06:00, so check local time if you travel between different parts of the country.

Similar destinations

Countries with a year of weather much like Ecuador.