Quito

Ecuador & Galapagos Islands Quito

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Quito

When is the best time to visit Quito?

The capital is an all-year destination. Lying at 2,850m on the Equator, Quito has a year round spring-like climate.  Most days have a sunny morning but there may be rain in the afternoon. Feb-Mar are the wettest months, Jul the driest.

For more detailed information visit our When To Go section.

What language is spoken in Quito?

The main language spoken in Quito is Spanish.

What currency will I need in Quito?

The US dollar is the main currency used in Quito. Notes can be withdrawn from the many ATMs using a UK credit or debit card.

What is the time difference between Quito and the UK?

The time difference between Quito and the UK is GMT -5 hrs.

What places combine well with Quito?

A visit to Otavalo market in the northern highlands, 58km (1-2hrs by road); the bird-filled cloud forest in the Mindo region, 100km (1hr 40mins by road); the Avenue of the Volcanoes, 77km (2hrs by road); the Galapagos Islands, (2-3hrs by air).

How do you get to Quito from the UK?

Average flight time is 15 hrs. There are no direct flights from the UK to Ecuador, popular routes to Quito involve a change of plane in Amsterdam, Paris or Madrid.

What are the festivals, cultural and sporting events in Quito?

Dia de Quito: Quito, 6 Dec. The city’s own festival is actually celebrated from 1st Dec, with parades, street music and bullfights, right up until the fiesta’s climax on 6th. It can be quite boisterous.

If you still have questions, please contact us and one of our Travel Experts will be happy to help.

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Meet our team

Real Latin american experts

  • Hannah
    Hannah Waterhouse - Travel Expert

    Hannah had an early introduction to Latin America when her family moved to Ecuador and she returned to study in Buenos Aires for a year before backpacking across the continent.

  • Maggie
    Maggie Wilson - Travel Expert

    Maggie visited Latin America on her first backpacking trip when she was 19. Since then, she has taken every opportunity to travel, and has managed to explore a lot of the region in subsequent trips.

  • Heloise
    Heloise Buxton - Travel Expert

    Heloise started her Latin American journey as an exchange student in Santiago, Chile. With extended summer holidays this was the perfect opportunity to backpack through Bolivia, Peru, Argentina and Brazil.

  • Rosie profile
    Rosie Kay - Travel Expert

    During a career break, Rosie embarked on an unforgettable year-long backpacking trip across Latin America. Now back in the UK, she is excited to share her knowledge and experiences with others, helping them discover her favourite place in the world.

  • Chris
    Chris Rendell-Dunn - Travel Expert

    Anglo-Peruvian Chris grew up in Lima and spent much of his adult life in between London and Cusco as a tour leader, before settling permanently in our London-based Tailor-made and Group Tours sales team.

  • Kathryn
    Kathryn Rhodes - Travel Expert

    Kathryn backpacked across Argentina, Chile, Bolivia and Peru before joining us. She has a degree in Philosophy and French and is a keen netball player.

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