Places to visit in Ecuador & Galapagos Islands

Discover our guide to the most exciting, memorable and inspiring places to visit.

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Andes to Amazon

Between the Andes and the Amazon is a rugged area of misty mountains and steep valleys smothered in cloud forest and punctuated with thermal pools, waterfalls and silvery streams.

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Avenue of the Volcano

Avenue of the Volcanoes

The aptly named Avenue of the Volcanoes is flanked by eight dizzyingly-high snowy mountains striding south of Quito down the Andean spine.

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Cuenca

Cuenca

This quintessential Spanish colonial city has cobbled streets, leafy plazas, baroque churches and a particularly beautiful pale-stoned centre.

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Galapagos Islands

The misty volcanic islands of twisted lava and sparkling sandy coves shelter an array of trusting bird and reptile species, not to mention undersea marine animals.

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Guayaquil

Guayaquil

Ecuador’s largest city is a commercial and cultural centre, boasting charming plazas, boulevards and a waterside promenade.

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Mindo Cloud Forest

Mindo and the cloud forest

Misty forests and abundant waterfalls shelter delicate orchids, a plethora of butterflies and 450 species of tropical birds.

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Otavalo

Otavalo and the northern highlands

The upland town of Otavalo is world-famous for its huge livestock, vegetable and textile market, and is surrounded by snow-tipped volcanoes, lake-filled craters and rolling hills.

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Isla de la Plata

Pacific coast

The northern Pacific lowlands of Ecuador have a gentle landscape of tropical agriculture, forest and warm-water bays.

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Quito

Quito

Ecuador’s volcano-flanked capital stands at 2,850m in the highland valley, boasting a beautifully restored historic centre and contrasting modern quarters with gleaming skyscrapers.

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The Ecuadorian Amazon

Occupying half the country, the Ecuadorian Amazon is a true wilderness of exuberant rainforest and remote indigenous communities.

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Papagaio

Your edit for Latin American inspiration

Our exciting range of articles on Latin America explore everything from iconic destinations and lesser-known cultural gems to delicious traditional recipes. You’ll also find exclusive travel tips, first-hand client reviews and the chance to get your personal questions answered by our travel experts.

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Bartolome, Galápagos

Meet our team

Real Latin american experts

  • Mary
    Mary Anne Nelson - Travel Expert

    Born in the Atacama Desert in northern Chile, Mary’s insider knowledge and dry sense of humour make her a highly valued member of the Tailor-made Holidays and Group Tour sales team.

  • Carrie
    Carrie Gallagher - Travel Expert

    A former JLA tour leader, Carrie brings a wealth of on-the-ground experience to our London-based Tailor-made and Group Tours department.

  • Millie
    Millie Davies - Travel Expert

    Having caught the travel bug as a child, Millie has travelled all over Latin America before making her home in Buenos Aires for 3 years.

  • Lina
    Lina Fuller - Travel Expert

    Lina's passion for the continent where she was born really took off when she moved to Córdoba (Argentina) to study, spending the holidays travelling between Argentina and her native Colombia.

  • Ben
    Ben Line - Travel Expert

    Ben fell in love with Latin America on a six month backpacking trip from Colombia to Mexico in 1995. Since then he has explored most of South America, including living in Peru for a year. He is now Head of Sales.

  • Juliet
    Juliet Ellwood - Travel Expert

    After graduating with a degree in Anthropology and History and having been fascinated by Latin America since childhood by the book featuring photos of Nazca, Juliet first visited the region in 2003. Since then, Juliet has visited the majority of countries in Latin America but has particularly extensive experience with Peru, a country she loves for many reasons but not least, its incredible archaeological richness and delicious food!

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