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Exactly How to Plan An Epic 10 day Ecuador Itinerary

Waterfalls, volcanoes, and the incredible Amazon rainforest wait for you in Ecuador. While much of the tourist attention focuses on the incredible Galapagos Islands, Ecuador is diverse and beautiful and worth exploring. After months of research, we loved every minute of our time in Ecuador and put this 10 day Ecuador itinerary together based on our experience.

Below you can find a snapshot of our experience with an exact itinerary, general information to help plan your trip, where to stay and more. This 10 day Ecuador itinerary focuses on adventure travel and you can find suggestions at the bottom of the post for substitution or how to lengthen or shorten this Ecuador travel itinerary.

Highlights of this Ecuador Itinerary include:

  • Hiking the Quilotoa Loop (if you aren’t up for this 3 day hike you can find other suggestions below)
  • Zip Lining and Bike in Banos
  • Exploring history Quito
  • Seeing Pink dolphins, monkeys, sloths and more in the Amazon
  • Soaking in the Hot Springs of Papallacta
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Overview of Ecuador

Ecuador is one of the most northern countries in South America with a coastline bordering the Pacific Ocean. The country has 3 main regions: the lower lying coastal area that include the Galapogas Islands off the coast. The Andres Mountains that run north to south down the center, and the low lying Amazon rainforest covering the eastern 1/3 of the Ecuador.

This 10 day Ecuador itinerary starts and ends in Quito. You will spend the first part of your visit to Ecuador in the mountain and volcano region on the country exploring the Cotopaxi Region and Banos. Take an overnight bus to the Amazon rainforest and spend a few days looking for wildlife in the Amazon. Finish your itinerary with a day soaking in the hot springs of Papallacta before heading to the airport in Quito.

This itinerary includes a 3 days trek on the Quilotoa Loop. This is a long and excellent hike, but if you aren’t interested in the hike you can also book a few days in one of the mountain lodges in Cotopaxi. Spend your time hiking, horseback riding and more.

This itinerary includes some of the top places to visit in Ecuador, but if you have more time, it’s worth exploring the coast, Galapogas, Mindo Cloud Forest, and Cuanca.

10 day Ecuador Itinerary

Quick Look at this Itinerary for Ecuador

Arrive in Quito, spend the night and begin your itinerary the next day.

Day 1: Explore Quito and take a late day bus to Latacunga. Spend the night in Latacunga

Day 2: Catch and early bus: Quilotoa Loop Hike – Sigchos to Isinlivi. Spend the night in Isinlivi.

Day 3: Quilotoa Loop Hike – Isinlivi to Chugchilan. Spend the night in Chugchilan

Day 4: Quilotoa Loop Hike – Chugchilan to Quilotoa. Take the bus to Latacunga. Spend the night in Latacunga

Day 5: Early morning bus to Banos – explore town and try some adventure sports. Spend the night in Banos

Day 6: Zip Line then take the bus or bike the Ruta de las Cascadas. Overnight bus to Lago Agrio

Day 7: Start your Amazon Tour

Day 8: Amazon Tour

Day 9: Amazon Tour ends. Take the bus to Papallacta

Day 10: Hike in Papallacta and spend the afternoon at the hot springs. Take a taxi to the airport and head on your way.

Planning your own trip to Ecuador is perfectly doable, but takes time and effort to make it all come together.  One thing we considered when planning this trip was booking through a tour company.  If you are considering this route - a great way to search is through Travel Stride - you can search and compare multiple tour companies this way.

Map of 10 day Ecuador Itinerary

Details of Your Ecuador Itinerary

Arrive in Quito

This 10 itinerary Ecuador vacation assumes you will arrive in Quito and spend the night and be ready to start your itinerary the next morning. If you arrive early in the day, you can use this time to explore Quito. There are many major airline carriers that fly into Quito – we flew Delta.

The Quito airport is about a 45 minutes drive from the city. The best way to get into the city is to take a taxi or an Uber. It is also possible to take a bus depending on where you are staying.

See How we plan a trip

Day 2: Explore Quito

Spend the first day of your Ecuador itinerary exploring the town of Quito. The capital of Ecuador, Quito has a rich historic center. Start your morning here by walking the streets and stopping in some of the churches. Make sure you stop at:

  • Basilica del Voto Nacional
  • Plaza Grande
  • Iglesia Compañía de Jesús
  • Iglesia San Francisco
  • La Ronda

This will take a full half day and if you take your time, you can easily spend all day in this part of town. You can also take one of the free walking tours and if you have time in the afternoon, visit one of the areas in the other part of the city. Consider visiting Mitad del Mundo Monument or riding the Teleferiqo.

See Exactly how to Spend 1 Day in Quito.

In the afternoon, catch the bus to Latacunga. This town is not as interesting in Quito, so you may want to wait to late in the day to catch the bus. The bus runs frequently from the terminal just south of Quito. To get to this terminal you will need to take a local bus or get in a taxi. The bus ride to Latacunga is about 1.5 hours and it takes about 30 minutes to get from downtown to the south bus station in Quito.

The bus costs a few USD and was comfortable. Use extra caution in the Quito and Latacunga in the bus stations and on the bus as this is one of the most common areas for pick pockets in Ecuador. This itinerary involves frequent travel in the buses in Ecuador, but it is also possible to take taxis or book transport.

Spend the night in Latacunga. We stayed in Villa de Tacvnga Hotel. This hotel is right in town and about a 15 minute walk from the bus station with a large courtyard and views of Cotapaxi from the rooftop. Rooms are good and we especially liked our rooms on the upper floors the second night of our stay.

If you are looking for something less expensive, you can look into Hostel Tierra de Fuego.

We had a great dinner at Giardino restobar.

10 Day Ecuador Itinerary: Exploring the Andes

Day 2-4 Quilotoa Loop Hike

The next 3 days will be spent hiking the Quilotoa Loop Hike. This is a tremendous 3 day trek that makes its way from town to town through the Andes Mountains. This is a challenging hike that average 8 miles each day with significant elevation gain. The hike ends at the breathtaking Quilotoa Crater Lake in the westernmost volcano in Ecuador. Note that the Quilotoa Loop is actually a one day hike – it is the bus ride that makes this a loop.

If you want to hike the Quilotoa Loop, I suggest reading our Guide to the Quilotoa Loop. Since you are hiking from hotel to hotel on this route, you only need to bring along a few items. Talk with the place you are staying in Latacunga to organize leaving some of your luggage here.

Alternative Option: If you aren't interested in a multi-day hike, you can also stay in one of the mountain lodges in the area or visit Cotopaxi.  There are many fun places to stay that offer activities in the region, you can search for yourself online, or consider staying at Llullu Llama.  
10 day Ecuador Itinerary: Hiking the Quilotoa Loop

Day 2

takie the bus from Latacunga to the town of Sigchos. This bus runs a few times a day mostly in the morning. We weren’t able to find a reliable bus schedule online, so we recommend checking with the counter directly in the bus station in Latacunga. We caught an 8 am bus and it took about 1.5 hours to get to Sigchos.

This is the start of the Quilotoa Loop (although it is possible to hike the Quilotoa Loop in the opposite direction). You can find the hiking trail in the southeast corner of town. The Quilotoa Loop hiking trail goes from trail to road and winds down into the river valley each day before ascending back up.

The first day hike is from Sigchos to Isinlivi and takes 3-5 hours (6.5 miles). The hike wanders through the mountains and through farmland. Each day of the hike has a few steep sections but is generally easy walking.

Spend the Night in Isinlivi – there are two excellent hotels to stay at in Isinlivi. We stayed at Llullu Llama and highly recommend it. This is a gorgeous mountain hotel with great food, lots of activities, incredible views and a sauna. Another great option in town is Hostal Taita Cristobal.

Both hotels offer snacks and a bagged lunch for an additional fee. There is no need to pack food for this 3 day hike.

See our review of Llullu Llama Mountain Resort.

10 day Ecuador Itinerary: Relaxing at Llullu Llama

Day 3

On this day of your Ecuador itinerary, you will hike from Isinlivi to Chugchilan. Just like the day before you will descend to the river and back up the other side of the valley. This hike takes 4-6 hours and has a challenging uphill section.

You will end your hike in the town of Chugchilan. This is a slightly bigger town and from here you can see the rim of Quilotoa Crater.

Spend the Night in Chugchilan – there are several places to stay in Chugchilan. We stayed at Hostal Cloud Forest which is a popular and great hostel. The cost for the night is reasonable and includes dinner and breakfast.

10 day Ecuador Itinerary: Hiking the Quilotoa Loop from Isinlivit to Chugchilan

Day 4

For the final day of the Quilotoa Loop hike, leave Chugchilan and descend back downhill to the river before starting the climb up to the crater rim. This is the most challenging day of hiking as it has the biggest ascent and also is at the highest elevation. The highest point of the hike is at 12,770 feet. When you reach the crater rim you will gain instance views of the Quilotoa Lagoon.

This gorgeous crater is massive and you will finish your hike by walking partway around the rim. After finishing the hike, catch the bus back to Latacunga. If there aren’t any buses leaving from town, you can get a ride down the hill to the town there where you can catch one of the frequent buses.

If you choose not to hike the Quilotoa Loop, you should plan a day trip to visit the Crater. There are many tours and you can also hike all the way around the rim of the crater.

10 Day Ecuador Itinerary: Quilotoa Crater Lake
10 Day Ecuador Itinerary: Quilotoa Crater Lake

Spend the night in Latacunga – we stayed in the same hotel and reclaimed our supplies that we left behind.

Day 5: Banos

Take a morning bus to the town of Baños. You can catch a bus directly from Latacunga, or take abus to Ambato and transfer to Baños.

The town of Baños is fun town with lots of places to stay and restaurants. As the adventure capital of Ecuador, you can find many amazing tour and activities here. If you get to town in time you can grab lunch and then explore town or try one of the many activities. We settled into our hotel and then visited one of the hot springs in town before getting dinner in town.

Below is a list of some of the best things to do in Baños:

  • Visit one of the hot springs
  • Visit an Adventure Park – check out Parque Aventura San Martin 
  • Take the Biking the Ruta de las Cascades (visit the Banos Ecuador Waterfalls)
  • Swing at the End of the World
  • Try White Water Rafting
  • Go Canyoneering or Rock Climbing
  • Enjoy the Food
  • Go Hiking
10 day Ecuador Itinerary

Spend the Night in Baños

Baños is chock full of great places to stay and most places are quite affordable. We stayed at Casa Amarillo perched on the hill above the town. It’s a bit of a walk to get here, but the view is incredible and we enjoying getting outside the bustle of the town. You can also arrange to get to the hotel on horseback.

10 day Ecuador Itinerary: Adventure Park in Banos

Day 6

Spend the day exploring Banos. If you are interested in a tour, you should start the day with one of these activities. We started our morning doing the zip line and adventure tour at Parque Aventura San Martin.

After a quick lunch in town, we rented bikes and set off on the Ruta de las Cascades. This route takes you downhill to a number of different waterfalls including the massive and powerful Pailon del Diablo. After biking downhill, you will find many trucks ready to load you and your bike up and drive you back uphill to Baños.

10 day Ecuador Itinerary: Pailon del Diablo

Catch the Overnight Bus to Lago Agrio – get the overnight bus to Lago Agrio. You should check the timing at the bus station, but we took a bus that left around 10:45. The bus is comfortable and an efficient way to get to the Amazon Rainforest.

You can also choose a different Amazon Rainforest Tour as there are many lodges and tour companies in the area. Your individual tour will leave from a specific location as a specific time.

See our review of the best Amazon Tours in Ecuador.

Day 7 – 9 Amazon Rainforest

The bus to Lago Agrio arrives early in the morning. We were meeting up our tour company Green Forest Ecolodge around 9:30, so we had time to grab some breakfast and take a taxi to the meeting point. After meeting up with our driver, we continued by van into the rainforest and transferred to a boat for a 2 hour ride down the river into the Amazon.

The lodge is located deep in Amazon and you will spend the next few days taking boat tours, hiking, visiting local villages, watching the sunset, and looking for animals. After you finish your tour on the 9th day of your 10 day Ecuador itinerary, head straight to the bus station and head on the bus towards Quito, getting in Papallacta for the night.

10 Day Ecuador Itinerary: Exploring the Amazon

Spend the night in Papallacta

We stayed in the fun and eclectic Mamallacta Paramo Lodge. We loved this spot and it is just a few minutes walk from the hot springs. They have a great restaurant/bar as well if you want to stop by for a meal.

Most Amazon tours in this part of Ecuador last for 3-4 days.  If you have extra time, I would recommend adding an additional day to this part of the trip.  A 4 day trip is the perfect amount of time in the Amazon.

Day 10

Your exact flight/departure plans after your 10 day Ecuador itinerary will dictate how you spend your final day in Ecuador. Our flight didn’t leave until late on this day, so we had the whole day to enjoy Papallacta.

Papallacta is a lovely little town about 1 hour from Quito at the base of a volcano. The town is best known for the hot springs, but there are also beautiful views and hiking trails. The town is at 10,827 feet so if you aren’t acclimated, you may want to stick to the more mellow activities. If you have time, there are several hikes in the area – we did the short and simple Papallacta Hot Spring Hiking Trail.

The highlight of the trip to Papallacta is spending time at Termas de Papallacta Spa. This incredible spa is the perfect place to relax with many pools of different temperatures. You can also get a massage and lunch at the pools. We spent 4 hours here relaxing before it was time to head to the airport.

10 Day Ecuador Itinerary: Papallacta Hot Springs

How to Make Changes to This 10 Ecuador Itinerary

This itinerary is for a full 10 days meaning that you will arrive the day before the start of the itinerary and leave either late at night after you enjoy Papallacta or the following day. There are many ways to shorten this into a 7 day Ecuador itinerary or stretch it into a 2 weeks in Ecuador itinerary.

2 week Ecuador Itinerary

If you have 2 weeks in Ecuador, you should consider adding an extra day in the Amazon rainforest and an extra day in Baños. You should also consider an extra day in Quito. This will give you time to do an additional day trip from Quito such as visiting the Mindo Cloud Forest or spending time on Cotopaxi. If you have more than 2 weeks in Ecuador, you should consider adding on some time in the Galapogas.

7 Days Ecuador Itinerary

If you only have one week in Ecuador, you will need to pick and choose your activities and priorities.

Option 1: Spend a day in Quito and enjoy a day trip to Cotopaxi and Quilotoa Crater Lake. Then head to the Amazon Rainforest by bus and enjoy a 3-4 day Amazon Tour.

Option 2: The second option is to start your time in Ecuador with a day in Quito, followed by hiking the Quilotoa Loop and then spending the last part of your week in the town of Baños. You will find plenty of options for things to do in the mountains and volcanos of Ecuador.

10 day Ecuador Itinerary: Exploring the Amazon Rainforest

Things to Help Plan Your Ecuador 10 Day Itinerary

Below you can find some answers to common questions about traveling in Ecuador and things to know to help you plan your Ecuador adventure. If there is something you want to know that I didn’t include below, make sure to drop me an email or a comment and I’ll update this post.

How Many Days do You Need in Ecuador

This 10 day Ecuador itinerary is jam packed – meaning there is very little down time. This is great if you want to cram as much as possible into a short time period. If possible, I would recommend adding on a few additional days to this itinerary. We really wish we had more time in the Amazon and had time to do another day trip from Quito.

Ideally you also plan an addition 4-7 days to visit the Galapagos Islands.

10 Day Ecuador Itinerary: Hiking in Papallacta

Best Time of Year to Visit Ecuador

Ecuador is a great year round destination.

Since Ecuador is directly on the equator, temperatures do not vary greatly throughout the year in each place, however the altitude of different parts of Ecuador cause the temperature to vary regionally. You can expect hot and muggy temperatures in the Amazon and coastal regions and cool temperatures year round in the mountains.

The temperature in Quito remains in the upper 60s during the day throughout the entire year.

The main difference in weather throughout the year is rain. Ecuador receives significant rainfall during the year, but the dry season is between June and Sept. This is the best time of year to visit Ecuador.

Getting Around Ecuador

The easiest and least expensive way to get around Ecuador is by bus. Buses are common, easy to use and comfortable. We used buses all over Ecuador and found them generally safe and efficient.

See more about traveling by bus around Ecuador.

If you are traveling locally, you can get around by taxi or in Quito take an Uber.

It’s also possible to book transport to most areas in a private car or van or even rent a car. Cars are generally inexpensive but are more expensive than taking the bus and the roads. If you want to rent a car, you can search on RentalCars.com.

10 day Ecuador Itinerary: Hiking in the Amazon

Budget for your Ecuador Itinerary

Compared to many countries, Ecuador is an excellent budget destination. It’s possible to stretch your dollar here. At the same time, there are also luxury accommodations. If you are planning to visit the Galapagos, you should expect to spend significantly more money.

Also note that many places in Ecuador only accept cash. Make sure you carry a range of bill types including coins.

During our visit, we stayed in mid-range hotels and hostels and splurged on a few activities. For our family of 5, we spend between $100-$200/night (this always included breakfast and often included dinner). The tour in the Amazon was one of the most expensive part of our tour, but did include all meals and some transportation.

Transportation by bus is relatively inexpensive and usually cost just a few USD/person.

Meals at sit down restaurants range in price but there are plenty of option for inexpensive food if you look for it.

Below are a few tips for saving money in Ecuador:

  • Stay in hostels or hospedajes (family run guesthouses). Costs start at just a few dollars for a night.
  • Get food in the markets. Most towns have a market and you can find inexpensive and authentic food at these markets. Many restaurants also serve a set lunch menu called almeurzo – this is usually just a few dollars.
  • Book tours last minute. This can be a bit of a gamble, but often booking tours last minute directly will get you a discount. It’s also possible that these tours can fill up so if there is a ‘must-do’ activity, consider booking this in advance.
  • Pack a water bottle. We were pleasantly surprised by the number of refillable water stations at hotels and hostels with filtered water. Plus you are helping reducing single use plastics!
10 Day Ecuador Itinerary: Exploring Quito

Safety in Ecuador

One of the biggest concerns when you begin planning your own 10 day Ecuador itinerary is safety. In general, Ecuador is a safe country to travel to, although general safety precautions should be used to avoid pickpockets, etc. Always keep anything expensive out of site and avoid certain places at night including Quito’s Old Town. If something doesn’t feel right – go with your gut.

If you are traveling to some of the more remote areas, always make sure you consult your own doctor about vaccinations and health and always carry travel insurance.

Want to see more about Traveling Solo and Safe in Ecuador? Check out: A Solo Female Travel Guide for Ecuador.

10 Day Ecuador Itinerary: Banos

Should you Take a Tour in Ecuador or Arrange your Own Travel

When planning an Ecuador itinerary, you may wonder if it’s easier to just take a tour instead of trying to plan your own logistics. When we first starting planning this 10 day Ecuador itinerary, we were a little overwhelmed with the amount of details and the logistics. Despite this, we found Ecuador easier to navigate than expected. If you are willing to do a little planning and book your own lodging, you should plan your own trip. On the other hand, if you are short on time and have the budget, it’s worth considering a set multi-day tour. Below are some pros and cons of each option.

Guided Tour

Pros:

  • Easy to Plan
  • Logistics are smooth and you often see more
  • Excellent guides can deepen your understanding of Ecuador

Cons

  • More Expensive
  • Stuck with the pace of the tour

Book Your Own

Pros:

  • Flexibility and ability to adapt itinerary
  • Less Expensive
  • Interactions with Locals

Cons

  • Constant logistics during your trip
  • Possibility of booking something that isn’t what you expected

Ecuador Travel Resources

Below you can find some of my favorite travel resources for planning your trip to Ecuador

Lodging: We have had great success booking our lodging through Booking.com.  Most places in Ecuador have you pay at the hotel even if you book through Booking.

Transportation: Booking public buses directly at the bus stations. You can find many carriers offering flights to Ecuador.

Tours: We like to book tours through several online sites.  This gives us piece of mind so we know that the tour doesn't fill up.  If you have flexibility, you can wait and book your tours directly.  We like to look and book tours through:

 - Viator
 - Get Your Guide
 - Trip Advisor

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