馃悽 Ecuador

Official government travel advice

Advice changes quickly. Check it before you travel and again before you leave.

Costs

Prices here are about 43% of US prices (World Bank, 2025). This compares a country's overall prices, not the cost of a trip.

Practical information

Entry

What visa rules apply is a matter of passport, and the official site below gives details. Check with an embassy or the Ecuadorian foreign ministry before booking. Take a return ticket, hotel details, proof of funds and a passport with 6 months of validity. Extra rules cover the Galapagos Islands. These are reported to include about USD 20 for a Transit Control Card, an entry fee for the national park charged separately, and a shorter permitted stay (reported as 60 days). Details are on the Galapagos National Park site, or ask your operator.

Culture and safety - take note

Ecuadorians come across as polite and formal, and the usual greeting is a handshake or a kiss on the cheek. Quito sits at about 2,850 m, so spend the first day resting and drinking water. Some regions and cities have seen safety turn into a concern. Before travelling, read other advisories along with the travel advice issued by your own government. On the ground, keep valuables hidden, rely on official taxis or apps and do not walk at night. The park rules in the Galapagos are to be followed strictly. Visitors should remain on the trails, stay at a distance from animals, never touch them or feed them, and remove nothing at all, shells and sand included. A licensed operator should be used for visits to the Amazon, and a doctor can advise on yellow fever and malaria. When no service charge is included, tip about 10%. Halal food is limited.

Emergency

911 for all emergencies.

Good to know

US dollars and cards

The US dollar is the currency of Ecuador, and Canadian advice says many businesses accept credit cards. It advises against carrying large amounts of cash and recommends using ATMs in well-lit public areas or inside a bank or business. UK advice says cards and travellers' cheques are generally accepted only in cities.

Local laws and customs

Drugs, politics and ID

Canadian advice says drug penalties in Ecuador are severe and drivers can be held responsible for drugs hidden in passengers' luggage. Foreigners are barred from political activity and may be detained for joining demonstrations. UK advice says ID must be carried by law, and warns that traditional hallucinogens such as ayahuasca and San Pedro, sold to tourists, often contain DMT and have caused serious illness and deaths.

Taxis and scams

Registered taxis in Ecuador

Unregistered taxis raise the risk of crime and taxi apps are unregulated in Ecuador, so UK advice is to arrange taxis through your hotel or a known radio-dispatched service. In Quito, ride in a yellow registered taxi and make sure the driver resets the meter; if a taxi is called for you, agree a price first. Canadian advice says official taxis have orange plates.

Fake bus inspectors and touts

In some Quito bus stations, criminals can pose as uniformed bus inspectors and insist that luggage goes overhead so an accomplice can take it later, UK advice says; there is no need to do this. It also warns of unauthorised intermediaries, called enganchadores, who offer cheap hotels or tour deals. Canadian advice covers card-reader tampering.

Who can help

un agency

International Organization for Migration (IOM) Ecuador

Helps with: The UN migration agency in Ecuador. It works to protect people on the move, supports lasting solutions to displacement, and does emergency preparedness work with government and partners.

Who qualifies: Migrants and displaced people in Ecuador, and government or other partners. It is not a help service for ordinary tourists.

Phone: +593 2 393 4400

Address: Julio Alarc贸n Ayala E5A y Alfonso Pereira, Edificio Zaigen, piso 12, Quito, Ecuador

Official website

Source 路 checked 2026-11-04

local government

Emergency number 911 (police, ambulance and fire)

Helps with: Reaches the police, ambulance and fire services in Ecuador. The number comes from UK government travel advice.

Who qualifies: Anyone in the country, including visitors, can call this number.

Phone: 911

Source 路 checked 2026-11-04

Cities and places

Gal谩pagos Islands Gal谩pagos IslandsOn these volcanic islands, blue-footed boobies, marine iguanas, sea lions and giant tortoises can all be watched at close range.Photo: Diego Delso, CC BY-SA 4.0 Quito QuitoA UNESCO-listed colonial old town, churches filled with gold and the equator monument named Middle of the World stand in this high Andean capital.Photo: Asamblea Nacional del Ecuador, CC BY-SA 2.0 Guayaquil GuayaquilColourful Las Pe帽as and the riverside promenade called Malec贸n 2000 lie in this Pacific port and largest city, a gateway for flights to the Gal谩pagos.Photo: Padaguan, CC BY-SA 3.0 Cuenca CuencaIn the southern Andes, this graceful UNESCO-listed colonial city is known for Panama-hat workshops, rivers and a blue-domed cathedral.Photo: Claussmoon, CC BY-SA 3.0 Ba帽os Ba帽osBelow Tungurahua volcano, this adventure town is known for canyoning, hot springs, waterfalls and a "swing at the end of the world".Photo: Eddyl, CC BY-SA 3.0 Ecuadorian Amazon (Cuyabeno and Yasun铆) Ecuadorian Amazon (Cuyabeno and Yasun铆)Reached by river, rainforest lodges offer canoe trips, parrots, monkeys and visits to Indigenous communities.Photo: Diego Tirira from Quito, Ecuador, CC BY-SA 2.0

City selection based on: Ecuador official arrival figures by province, UNESCO listings and Ecuadorian media destination rankings

Festivals and events

festival

Fiestas de Quito

28 Nov - 6 Dec 2026 路 Quito

Music and parades feature in this festival of the city.

nature

Galapagos warm season

around Dec 2026 - May 2027 路 Galapagos

Islands are green, the water is warm and the seas are calm.

festival

Fiestas de Quito

28 Nov - 6 Dec 2027 路 Quito

Music and parades feature in this festival of the city.

nature

Galapagos warm season

around Dec 2027 - May 2028 路 Galapagos

Islands are green, the water is warm and the seas are calm.