Ecuador is a safe destination to travel to.Trips to mainland Ecuador take you to popular tourist destinations that are safe for travelers. We recommend staying vigilant in busy areas as, though uncommon, pickpocketing and petty crime can occur. Luxury cruises around the Galapagos Islands are very safe and led by experienced captains and crews.

Laguna de Cuicocha in Andean Highlands region of Ecuador.

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Ecuador Tours & Vacations

Q: What is Ecuador known for?

Home to an array of unique wildlife inhabiting the Amazon Rainforest and the Galapagos Islands, Ecuador is famous for being one of the world’s most biodiverse destinations and a sensational place for luxury cruises. You can search for endemic animals and birds on tours of the rainforest or retreat to the Galapagos Islands' best beaches on luxurious cruises from mainland Ecuador.

Q: Where are the Galapagos Islands?

The Galapagos Islands is a volcanic archipelago off Ecuador’s coast in the Pacific Ocean. You can get to the islands by luxurious private charter and enjoy Galapagos Islands vacations in style.

Q: What else should I know about how to plan a trip to Ecuador?

Explore more information in our frequently asked questions about planning a trip to Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands and inspiration in our Ecuador and Galapagos Islands travel guide.

The flourishing wildlife oasis of the Galapagos Islands makes up a fascinating part of Ecuador’s experience, but the mainland country also offers a unique opportunity for cultural exploration and uncovering an off-the-beaten-path destination. Consult our experts and explore how a custom Ecuador tour will be a trip to remember.

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Explore Our Trip Ideas

Let these itineraries inspire your personalized travel experience

7 Day Trip IdeaFrom $2,600

Spellbinding Volcano Tour of Ecuador

Quito, Andes Mountains, Cotopaxi, Baños, Riobamba +2 more

10 Day Trip IdeaFrom $8,600

Discover Ecuador's Diversity: Quito, Galápagos Islands, and Chocó Cloud Forest in 10 Days

Quito, Galápagos Islands, Chocó Cloud Forest

14 Day Trip IdeaFrom $12,500

14-Day Adventure in the Ecuador Amazon Rainforest & Across the Galápagos Islands

Quito, Archidona, Puerto Ayora, Galápagos Islands

Sundeck on the Luxury Yatch M/Y Kontiki Wayra

8 Day Trip IdeaFrom $13,100

Luxury Coastal Cruise in Ecuador

Guayaquil, Puerto Bolívar, Naranjito, Playas, El Morro +4 more

Blue-footed boobies in the Galapagos in Ecuador

12 Day Trip IdeaFrom $14,700

Best of Ecuador, Peru & the Galapagos Islands Tour

Lima, Cuzco, Sacred Valley, Machu Picchu, Quito +1 more

The Galapagos in Ecuador. Photo courtesy: MY Kontiki Wayra

13 Day Trip IdeaFrom $15,900

The Grand Galapagos Honeymoon & Yacht Cruise

Santa Cruz Island, North Seymour Island, Bartolome Island, Fernandina Island, Isabela Island +4 more

1.Share Your Travel Dreams
Zicasso specializes in custom tours, vacations, and safaris tailored to your interests and preferences. From private African safaris to culinary experiences in Europe, submit a trip request to share your ideas and travel style.
2.Meet Your Travel Specialists
To ensure a personalized experience, we'll carefully handpick and introduce you to two of our top travel specialists, each with unsurpassed destination knowledge and local insight aligned to your luxury travel dreams.
3.Design Your Perfect Journey
Compare the expertise of two specialists with itineraries crafted exclusively for you. You can refine these further and choose your preferred proposal. Our unique process ensures a more creative, personalized, and expertly crafted trip.

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Sea lions cuddling on a beach in the Galapagos Islands, Ecuador

13 Day Trip IdeaFrom $15,900

Luxury Tour of Galapagos Islands & Ecuador

Quito, Galapagos Islands, Zuleta

View of Cuicocha Crater Lake at Cotacachi-Cayapas Ecological Reserve.

12 Day Trip IdeaFrom $14,700

Best of Ecuador & Galapagos Islands Tour

Quito, Pinchinca Volcano, Santa Cruz Island, Tortoise Reserve, Santa Fe Island +9 more

Luxury yacht in the bay a San Cristobol, Galapagos

16 Day Trip IdeaFrom $19,600

 VIP Galapagos Small Boat Tour: Cruising in Luxury

Quito, Galapagos Islands

Scuba diving with wales in the Galapagos, Ecuador

12 Day Trip IdeaFrom $14,700

Multisport Outdoors Adventure in Ecuador and Galapagos Tour

Quito, Pichincha Volcano, Otavalo, Cuicocha Crater Lake, Cotacachi Volcano +14 more

Giant tortoise crossing a dirt road through the jungle trees in the Galapagos, Ecuador

12 Day Trip IdeaFrom $14,700

Exclusive Land Based Tour of Galapagos Islands

Quito, Mindo, Galapagos Islands, Santa Cruz

Sea lions basking on the beach, Galapagos, Ecuador

11 Day Trip IdeaFrom $13,500

Galapagos Tour for Solo Travelers: Island Hopping & Cruise

Guayaquil, Galapagos Islands, Baltra Island, Santa Cruz Island, Isabela Island +6 more

Popular Ecuador Travel Styles

Sea turtle in the Galapagos Islands, Ecuador

Luxury

Galapagos Islands for Seniors

Small ship at Kicker Rock in the Galapagos Islands, Ecuador

Luxury Galapagos Cruises

Volcanic landscape with cruise ship anchored in sullivan bay at Santiago Island, Galapagos, Ecuador

Galapagos Cruises for Seniors

Travel Tips for Your Ecuador Trip

When is the best time to visit Ecuador?

Surprisingly, the best time to visit Ecuador for a coastal trip or Galapagos cruise is during the rainy season months from December to May.

Ecuador’s rainy season brings pleasant warm temperatures, and while showers are frequent, they do not last long. The waters are also calmer during these months, allowing travelers to enjoy snorkeling and watersports.

While the rainy season is a popular time to visit the coast, the cooler dry season, from June through November, is excellent for hiking. When you go will depend on what you wish to do, and our guide on the best time to visit Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands can help you find the right time for your trip.

Where should I visit in Ecuador?

From the Andean city of Quito to the famous Galapagos Islands like Santa Cruz and the lush Amazon Rainforest, there is a wide variety of destinations to explore on your trip to Ecuador. Here are some of the best places to visit in Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands:

Quito: Nestled high in the majestic Andes, Quito is an exquisite Ecuadorian city that effortlessly combines towering peaks, lush greenery, modernity, and timeless architectural wonders. Known for its vibrant culture, Quito delights visitors with bustling marketplaces, tantalizing glimpses of shamanic healers, skilled traditional hatmakers, and enchanting cobblestone lanes.
Santa Cruz Island: Santa Cruz Island stands out with its unique environment and abundant natural wonders. Discover the island's dynamic and immersive beauty, from the colossal lava craters to the breathtaking expanse of pristine white sands and crystal-clear waters.
The Amazon Rainforest: Ecuador's Amazon rainforest is a one-of-a-kind destination for nature lovers. Filled with astounding biodiversity and untouched wilderness, you can venture deep into the lush green jungle to see exotic birds and follow the calls of howler monkeys.

What should I do in Ecuador?

Discover Ecuador’s diversity of wildlife and landscapes on trips that highlight the natural beauty. You can snorkel crystal clear waters, cruise around the Galapagos Islands, and admire the country’s rich culture. These are a few of the top things to do in Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands:

Search for unique wildlife in the Amazon Rainforest or along the coastline
Explore Ecuadorian flavors on a local food tour or gourmet cooking class
Hike or walk across the sweeping landscapes to discover diverse ecosystems
Set sail across the Galapagos Islands on a private charter
Snorkel or scuba dive to see magnificent marine life beneath the water’s surface

What is Ecuador known for?

Is Ecuador safe?

Where are the Galapagos Islands?

What are your most popular Ecuador itineraries?

Showcasing the highlights of the mainland or the gorgeous Galapagos Islands, the best Ecuador itinerary combines wildlife adventure with coastal relaxation. Here is a selection of our most popular itineraries with excellent routing for your trip:

Our Spellbinding Volcano Tour of Ecuador shows you the best of mainland Ecuador, from Quito to Cotopaxi, Riobamba, and Cuenca.
Discover Ecuador's Diversity: Quito, Galápagos Islands, and Chocó Cloud Forest in 10 Days on our trip that combines days in Quito with a luxurious island cruise and forest adventure.

Our 14-Day Adventure in the Ecuador Amazon Rainforest & Across the Galápagos Islands highlights the incredible biodiversity of the famous rainforest and archipelago.

What else should I know about how to plan a trip to Ecuador?

4.9

Reviews of Zicasso's Ecuador Tours & Vacations

Based on 135 verified traveler reviews.

Galapagos / Ecuador Travel Review: Quito, Cotopaxi, Cloud Forest, Local Cuisine, 10-Day Tour

We had a very nice trip to Quito, Ecuador, and the Galapagos Islands. The people in Quito were very friendly and we felt very safe. We were initially concerned based on what we saw in the media, but Zicasso's travel agency checked with the hotel and guides, and said all was fine. We are glad we listened and went on the trip.

Our guide was excellent and we spent four days touring around Quito, Cotopaxi, the cloud forest, and Otavalo Market. Then we flew to Galapagos and went on a four-night cruise. It was an amazing experience seeing sea turtles, sea lions, penguins, sharks, and giant tortoises. The landscapes were beautiful and we got some great pictures on our nature walks. The crew and guide in the Galapagos were top-notch. The meals on the boat were fabulous as well. Make sure you are physically able to do long walks, sometimes on rough terrain, and go snorkeling, as they kept us busy multiple times per day. We highly recommend visiting Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands.

Ecuador & Galapagos Island Travel Review, Luxury Anniversary Trip, Santa Cruz Island, Sombrero Chino & Bartolome Islands, Quito

We traveled to Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands in celebration of our 25th wedding anniversary. It was a 10-day adventure planned and arranged in cooperation with the travel designer and this travel agency, and we had some of the best times of our lives on this trip.We spent several days in Quito, including a fantastic day trip to Cotopaxi National Park, and wewere six days cruising the Galapagos islands, including an extended 2-day stay on the island of Santa Cruz based at the magnificent secluded hotel.Our guide in Quito was just fantastic; warm, knowledgeable, enthusiastic and incredibly reliable. We saw and learned things we would never have experienced on our own, and an additional bonus was being greeted by a travel agency representative at the Quito Airport, who escorted us through customs in minutes!The cruise our travel designer arranged for us on the Santa Cruz ship was wonderful; great boat, great staff and a great group of naturalists guiding us around the islands. Our additional stay on Santa Cruz Island included a fantastic day trip to Bartolome and China Hat islands on a beautiful yacht, and a visit to a huge lava cave that was right on our hotel property! On the way back to Quito from the Galapagos, our guide drove us to a music store so that we could purchase a Churango, a plucked-string instrument popular in Ecuador and Bolivia, that my husband fell in love with while we were partying to the music of a local Cumbia band on the ship. That was special service, indeed.We can't say enough good things about the travel designer and his crew at this agency; this is the only company you want to deal with if you're planning a trip to the Galapagos. It's a true VIP experience, and one you'll never forget!!!!!

Peru, Galapagos / Ecuador Vacation Review: Lima, Amazon, Sacred Valley, Machu Picchu, Cusco, Quito

We just returned from a trip to Peru and the Galapagos Islands. We visited Lima, the Amazon, the Sacred Valley, Machu Picchu, and Cusco, with an overnight stay in Quito.

The Zicasso-recommended travel agency created the perfect itinerary for us. All of the transitioning from place to place was seamless, the hotels were beautiful, the recommendations for restaurants were great, and the guides we had were amazing. They were so enthusiastic and willing to share their knowledge about past and current history. We were so impressed with our travel agency that we are already considering our next journey with them.

Travel Review: Luxury Peru, Ecuador, & Galapagos Islands Tour, Quito, Cusco, Sacred Valley, Machu Picchu, Cooking Class

We had an unforgettable journey to Peru and Ecuador, thanks to our travel specialist. Every detail, experience and guide were exactly as we expected and beyond! Knowing and trusting that our travel specialist understood and designed a perfect experience, took away all the planning/travel anxieties — the details were already completed, booked and perfectly designed for a relaxing, memorable travel experience. We were immersed in Incan tradition and welcomed by a village outside of the Sacred Valley, explored the mystery and beauty of Machu Picchu, taken to the market in Cusco then learned to cook a Peruvian meal with Pisco sours, stepped on the equator in Quito, and finally saw amazing animals and touched the softest, whitest sand we’ve ever seen in the Galápagos Islands. The guides were so friendly and informative, the hotels were elegant and peaceful, and the cruise in the Galapagos was educational and relaxing. Thanks to our travel specialist, it was a trip that will be with us forever! We will highly recommend this travel company to anyone wanting to explore South America.

Review: Tour of Peru & The Galapagos Islands, Lima, Quito, Cuzco, Middle of the World Tour, Machu Picchu

Excellent airport/hotel pick-up and drop-off services, as well as ground transportation services. When we arrived at an airport or train station, there was always a person with a big sign that has our names and the company logo on it. Our flight from Lima to Quito was delayed by 5.5 hours (a night flight became a red-eye flight), and sure enough, when we exit the gate there was a tour guide waiting with a cup of hot coffee.

Because of the flight delay we were tired and decided not to do the day time Quito City exploring and Middle of the World tour. We asked if we can change the itinerary by moving the activities to the day when we return from the Galapagos Islands. Our travel agent and company agreed without any hesitation so we had one full day of rest at the hotel. After our enjoyable Galapagos Islands cruise trip, our guide took us to the Middle of the World and arranged a nice dinner at a restaurant by a volcano crater. Although it was rainy and turned dark so really no too much scenic view, our experience on the equator line of the Middle of the World park was truly amazing. We appreciate our guide's effort trying to show us as much as possible within a limited time frame.

Our Machu Picchu trip was also excellent. Our guide picked the right time to enter the site and on a path that took us the least energy to walk through the site. She also took us to some spots for pictures that had the least tourist traffic. Her stories about the site was so interesting and informative. Our next day's 2nd entrance to the site turned out a good decision by staying overnight at the small town by Machu Picchu. We were able to hike to the "Sun Gate" and had different views of Machu Picchu.

The guide was amazing. His knowledge about Cuzco and its surrounding points of interests made our Cuzco city tour so culture rich. The other guide was also worth mentioning, for his on-time pick-up/drop-off services with good explanation about the local neighborhood when we asked.

Travel Review: Galapagos Island & Ecuador, Quito City Tour, Snorkeling, Swimming with Marine Life

Excellent city tour of Quito. Knowledgeable guide in the Galápagos Islands. Great snorkeling. Then the coronavirus caused the second half of our trip to be cancelled. Didn’t get to go to the Amazon. Couldn’t even go see the land tortoises on our last day. At least we got out of Ecuador before they closed the border!