When to go · Ecuador
Ecuador in January
Good month. Galápagos warm season starts; Andes mixed; coast hot and wet.
Key facts
- Verdict
- Good
- Crowds
- Medium
- Ecuador
- Prices
- Medium
- Ecuador
Verdict
Galápagos warm season starts; Andes mixed; coast hot and wet.
Weather in January
- Andes (Sierra) · Quito, Otavalo, Cotopaxi, Baños, Cuencafine
Spring-like all year (Quito 10–22 °C); June–September is driest and clearest for volcano views; afternoons bring rain in the wet months.
- Galápagos · Santa Cruz, San Cristóbal, Isabelabest weather
Warm season (Dec–May): calm seas, short showers, clear water. Garúa season (Jun–Nov): cool mist, rougher seas, colder water and more marine life.
- Amazon (Oriente) · Coca, Tena, Cuyabeno, Yasunífine
Rain in every month; wettest March–July. Cuyabeno lagoons can run low in December–February.
- Coast (Costa) · Guayaquil, Montañita, Puerto Lópezhot
Hot and wet January–April; grey and cooler June–November, when humpback whales pass Puerto López (June–September). Check security advice first.
Festivals and holidays
Dates as our data lists them. Moving holidays (lunar and Islamic calendars, Easter) shift every year: check the date for your year before you build a trip on it.
New Year
1 Jan
Effigies (años viejos) burned at midnight.
Crowds and prices
- Crowds · Ecuador
- Medium
- Prices · Ecuador
- Medium
What to pack
- Light, breathable clothes, a sun hat and sunscreen
Where to go in January
Rated best or good this month
Galápagos
Best weather of the year (Santa Cruz, San Cristóbal, Isabela)