What to see, where to stay and the best time to visit Guano, Ecuador.
Photo: MonikaP / Pixabay
Guano is a small town in the highlands of Ecuador, known for its leather shops and carpet workshops rather than big sights. It's a good base for a slow, low-key visit: wander the main square and Matriz church, browse the leather stalls, and try the local Cholas de Guano bakeries. For dry weather, aim for August or September. Outside town, the Los Elenes spring pools make for a relaxed half-day trip.
One day is enough to cover the town centre, museum, leather shops and carpet workshops, with time left for a trip to the Los Elenes pools.
La Matriz
This small museum sits next to the church ruins. It holds local archaeological finds and the well-known mummified remains of a friar found in the ruins. Visiting it together with the ruins makes the most sense.
La Matriz
A short climb up this hill leads to a huge stone head carved into the rock. It honours Toctesol, a local Indigenous leader. On clear days the top gives wide views over the town and the surrounding Andes.
Town centre
Guano is known across Ecuador for its leather goods. Many small shops along the central streets sell jackets, shoes, bags and belts, often made in workshops on site. It is a good place to watch craftspeople at work and buy direct.
Town centre
The town has a long tradition of hand-knotted wool carpets. Some workshops let visitors see the looms and the knotting process. Ask in town which workshops are open to visitors.
Town centre
The central square is the heart of town life, with a garden, benches and the main parish church. It is a calm spot to start a walk and find nearby shops and cafés.
Los Elenes
These pools are fed by natural mountain springs just outside the town centre. Local families come here to swim and relax, especially at weekends. Bring swimwear and expect cool mountain air outside the water.
Town centre
Guano is known for cholas, a round sweet bread filled with panela (unrefined cane sugar). Several bakeries in town sell them fresh. They make an easy snack between sights or a gift to take home.
Average weather and our month score, from 10 years of climate data.
| Month | High / low | Rain days | Sunshine | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 20°C / 11°C | 17 days (90 mm) | 9.6 h/day | 7.0/10 |
| February | 20°C / 11°C | 16 days (78 mm) | 9.7 h/day | 7.0/10 |
| March | 20°C / 11°C | 20 days (132 mm) | 9.1 h/day | 7.0/10 |
| April | 19°C / 11°C | 21 days (126 mm) | 9.2 h/day | 7.0/10 |
| May | 18°C / 11°C | 22 days (127 mm) | 9.3 h/day | 7.0/10 |
| June | 18°C / 10°C | 17 days (90 mm) | 9.0 h/day | 6.9/10 |
| July | 18°C / 10°C | 16 days (69 mm) | 9.0 h/day | 6.9/10 |
| Best month: August | 19°C / 9°C | 10 days (44 mm) | 9.7 h/day | 8.0/10 |
| Best month: September | 20°C / 10°C | 9 days (37 mm) | 10.0 h/day | 8.2/10 |
| October | 20°C / 10°C | 15 days (76 mm) | 10.1 h/day | 7.0/10 |
| November | 21°C / 11°C | 14 days (64 mm) | 10.1 h/day | 7.1/10 |
| December | 20°C / 11°C | 15 days (72 mm) | 10.0 h/day | 7.0/10 |
Highs reach 19.6°C with 16.5 rain days and 90mm of rain. Scores at 7, rated good, with mild but fairly wet conditions.
Highs of 20°C, 15.8 rain days and 78mm of rain make this a good month, scoring 7, slightly drier than January.
Highs drop to 19.6°C while rain picks up to 20.1 days and 132mm, the wettest month. Still rated good at 7.
Highs of 18.9°C with 20.6 rain days and 126mm of rain, tough for rain frequency. Scored 7, good.
The rainiest month by days: 21.9 rain days, 127mm, highs of 18.4°C. Still scores 7, good, so showers are brief.
Highs of 17.7°C, the coolest stretch begins, with 17.4 rain days and 90mm. Score 6.9, good.
Highs stay at 17.7°C with lower rain, 16.1 days and 69mm. Scored 6.9, good, a cooler but drier month.
Rain drops sharply to 10.2 days and 44mm, with highs of 18.8°C and 9.7 sun hours. Scores 8, the best month.
Driest month: only 9.1 rain days and 37mm, highs of 19.8°C and 10 sun hours. Top score of 8.2, best.
Highs rise to 20.2°C, rain returns to 15.4 days and 76mm, with 10.1 sun hours. Good month, scoring 7.
Highs of 20.8°C, the warmest average high, with 14.4 rain days and 64mm. Scores 7.1, good.
Highs of 20.1°C with 15.2 rain days and 72mm of rain, 10 sun hours. Rated good at 7, closing the year mild.
Climate averages 2015–2024 · Best time to visit Ecuador →
The best areas to base yourself and who each one suits.
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.
Good for couples, quiet, walkers
El Rosario is Guano's other urban parish. It is mostly residential and calmer than the square, but still close enough to walk into the centre. Some streets climb towards Lluishig hill, so expect slopes, and there are fewer places to eat after dark.
Good for families, nature, slow travel
This rural parish sits just outside the town, among fields with mountain views and a more village-like pace. It suits travellers who want space and fresh air while staying close to Guano. You will need a taxi or bus to reach the centre, and evening services can be limited.
Good for hikers, mountain trips, quiet
San Andrés is a farming parish on the road towards Chimborazo, so it works as a base for mountain trips. Days are peaceful and you get a feel for rural Andean life. It is far from the town's shops and restaurants, and nights at this altitude are cold, so bring warm layers.
These are fried potato patties stuffed with cheese, a staple across Ecuador's highlands including the Chimborazo region where Guano sits. Locals often serve them with fried egg, avocado and a peanut sauce.
A thick potato soup with cheese and avocado, common in Andean towns like Guano. It is a warming dish for the cool mountain evenings typical of this high-altitude area.
Roasted guinea pig is a traditional Andean dish eaten in highland Ecuador, often served whole at family gatherings or local markets in towns near Riobamba.
Slow-roasted pork, usually sold in markets and eaten with mote (hominy corn) and llapingachos. It's a common weekend market food across highland Ecuadorian towns.
A fermented corn drink traditional to Andean communities, sometimes offered during local festivals in the Chimborazo province surrounding Guano.
Yes, August is one of the best months to visit Guano. It scores 8 out of 10, the joint-highest rating of the year. August has only 10.2 rain days and 44 mm of rain, much drier than the rest of the year. Sun hours reach 9.7, and the high temperature sits at 18.8°C, so days are mild and dry.
September and August are the best months, both rated 8 or higher. September scores 8.2, the top mark, with just 9.1 rain days and 37 mm of rain, the driest month on record. Highs reach 19.8°C in September. These two months combine good sun hours (9.7–10) with the lowest rainfall of the year.
One full day is enough to see Guano's main sights. The attraction list includes short stops like the City Museum (1 hour), the Main Square (30–60 minutes), and the leather shops and carpet workshops (1–2 hours each). Add the Los Elenes spring pools for 2–3 hours, and a single day covers the town comfortably.
It depends on the month. Rain peaks from March to May, with May the wettest month at 21.9 rain days and 127 mm. The driest stretch is August and September, with rain days dropping to 10.2 and 9.1 and rainfall falling to 44 mm and 37 mm. Outside these two dry months, expect rain on roughly half the days.
Guano has mild, fairly stable temperatures year-round rather than true cold. Daytime highs range from 17.7°C in June and July to 20.8°C in November. Nighttime lows drop lowest in August and September, around 9.2–9.5°C. There's little seasonal swing, so pack layers for cool mornings and evenings regardless of when you visit.
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