QUITO, ECUADOR

Ecuador’s capital sits at a commanding 9,350 feet (2,850m) above sea level, making it the second-highest capital city on the planet. It’s a city that is both walkable and spread out with a healthy mix of old and new. Quito’s historic city center is arguably the best-preserved in all of Latin America, while a visit to the La Floresta neighborhood will be full of street art, coffee shops, and locally-owned restaurants. If you’re looking for a city to begin your Ecuadorian adventures, look no further! Not only is Quito surrounded by heaps of nature and gorgeous hikes, but it also has direct flights to Galápagos!

Attractions:

  • Historic City Center: As I mentioned above, Quito’s city center is among the least-altered in all of Latin America. Start with a visit to the main square, particularly Plaza Grande. Next, be sure to check out Basílica del Voto Nacional, the largest neo-Gothic basilica in the Americas. Climb to the top for the best view of Quito and on your way down, you will be greeted with beautiful stained glass! Don’t forget to have a beer up top! It is open from 9am-5pm; entrance costs $3. Be sure to also visit Iglesia & Convento de Santo Domingo (specifically the private priests’ dining room) and Iglesia de la Compañía de Jesús. I highly recommend Free Walking Tour Quito as a great way to see the city!

  • Mitad del Mundo: Does being in the middle of the world and walking along the equator sound fun to you? If so, you have come to the right place! There are plenty of tours running here daily since it’s just 45 minutes from Quito; most hostels offer them for $10. Mitad del Mundo is open everyday from 9am-5pm and costs $5 to enter. The guided tour allows you to try different demonstrations, such as balancing an egg on a nail, seeing how toilets flush on each side of the line, and walking along the actual equator. Enjoy!

  • Hiking: To say Ecuador has the best volcanic hiking in the world may sound like a stretch, but it’s really hard to disagree with. The best part is that most of the hikes are accessible from Quito! Due to the elevation, I recommend acclimatizing for a day or two before attempting any of the following hikes. The altitudes are no joke! The three main hikes are: Chimborazo, Cotopaxi, and Rucu Pichincha. Chimborazo & Cotopaxi should be done with a guide although it is not necessary for extremely experienced mountaineers. Rucu Pichincha can be done on your own.

    • Chimborazo: A fun fact about Chimborazo is that its summit is the closest point on the planet to the sun. In other words, the tip of Chimborazo is the furthest point from the center of the Earth. That’s right, further than Mount Everest! The summit sits at a towering 20,548 feet (6,263m). A guided trek spans across two days (9-12 hours) and costs $375, which includes gear, accommodation, transport, and meals. It is a non-technical climb, meaning you reach extremely high altitudes without having to encounter sheer vertical walls requiring technical skills, such as ice climbing.

    • Cotopaxi: Similar to Cotopaxi, this hike requires hiking in some serious elevation (19,347 feet or 5,897m). It is the world’s highest active volcano and regarded as a more scenic hike than Chimborazo. A guided trek spans across two days (8-10 hours) and costs $300, which includes gear, accommodation, transport, and meals.

    • Rucu Pichincha: To get to the trailhead from Quito, you must take a 30-minute taxi (or bus) to the TeleferiQo. The ride up is 10 minutes and costs $8.50. It is open Monday-Friday from 9:30am-6:00pm and from 8:00am-7:00pm on weekends. From here, the hike to the top is 3-4 hours round-trip. The hardest part of this trek is the altitude, the hike itself isn’t too challenging if you’re a regular hiker. I recommend downloading the map on Maps.me before hiking as the trail isn’t well-marked, but I’d be surprised if you didn’t run into any other hikers!

  • Day Trips: Otavalo and Mindo are two small towns in Northern Ecuador, both easily accessible by 2-hour buses from Quito. Otavalo is well-known for its huge market in which indigenous townspeople sell colorful textiles and art. Some say its the largest outdoor market in South America! If you choose to make the trip, I recommend going on Saturday or Wednesday as they’re the busiest days. Mindo, on the other hand, is in the middle of the Ecuadorian cloud forest. Here, you will find a jungle paradise with plenty of hiking trails, beautiful birds, and delicious chocolate! You can easily spend a few nights here.

  • Other places to check out include: El Panecillo, Parque Metropolitano, Capillo de Hombre, and Itchimbia.

Accommodation:

  • Hotel - Vista del Angel: Located two blocks from Basílica del Voto Nacional, this gorgeous hotel serves as a perfect homebase for your stay in Quito. As the name suggests, the view is beautiful and the third floor has a fantastic restaurant. The rooms are spacious, there are plenty of relaxing common areas, and the staff is extremely accommodating!

  • Hostel - Secret Garden: This hostel is great for meeting fellow travelers. The rooftop serves as both a rooftop bar and restaurant. Working remotely can be done easily from up here. Walking tours and excursions are easily accessible via reception. The only downside is that there is no kitchen to cook for yourself. Outside of that, this hostel is perfect!

Transportation:

There are many different bus stations across Quito. Be sure to confirm which station you will be leaving from before starting your journey, as each station serves a different region of the country.

  • Otavalo is 2 hours by bus from Quito and costs $3.10; buses depart from Carcelén Station every 20-30 minutes. By taxi, Carcelén Station is 35-45 minutes from Central Quito ($6-$10). By public bus, it will take 60-90 minutes and cost $0.25.

  • Mindo is 2 hours by bus from Quito and costs $3.10; buses depart from Ofelia Station roughly every hour. By taxi, Ofelia Station is 30-40 minutes from Central Quito ($6-$10). By public bus, it will take 60-90 minutes and cost $0.25.

  • The Galápagos Islands are 2 hours by airplane from Quito. Round-trip flights cost $100-$250 depending on the time of year and how far in advance you book. Direct flights can be found from Quito (as well as flights that connect in Guayaquil). Note that there are two airports on Galápagos; one on Santa Cruz (GPS) and one on San Cristóbal (SCY).

  • Baños (de Agua Santa) is 4 hours by bus from Quito and costs $5; buses depart from Quitumbe Station every 15-30 minutes. By taxi, Quitumbe Station is 45-60 minutes from Central Quito ($8-$12). By public bus, it will take 60-90 minutes and cost $0.35.

  • Guayaquil is 8-9 hours by bus from Quito and costs $12; buses depart from Quitumbe Station roughly every hour. By taxi, Quitumbe Station is 45-60 minutes from Central Quito ($8-$12). By public bus, it will take 60-90 minutes and cost $0.35.

  • Cuenca is 9-10 hours by bus from Quito and costs $14; buses depart from Quitumbe Station roughly every hour. By taxi, Quitumbe Station is 45-60 minutes from Central Quito ($8-$12). By public bus, it will take 60-90 minutes and cost $0.35.

  • Montañita is 10-12 hours by bus from Quito (via Guayaquil) and costs $20; buses depart from Quitumbe Station roughly every hour. By taxi, Quitumbe Station is 45-60 minutes from Central Quito ($8-$12). By public bus, it will take 60-90 minutes and cost $0.35.

Mariscal Sucre Quito International Airport (UIO) is 36km (22 miles) from the city center and accessible via bus or taxi.

  • Airport Bus: The AeroBus ride is 60 minutes and costs $8. Buses run every 30 minutes Monday-Friday from 3:30am-11:30pm and every 60 minutes on weekends from 4:00am-10:30pm.

  • Taxi: The ride is 45 minutes and costs $25-$35 depending on the time of day.

Thank you Alejandro Vasquez for the amazing shot of Cotopaxi!