region
Quito and the northern Andes
Sleep in Quito; do Mitad del Mundo, Otavalo and Mindo as day trips, and keep Cotopaxi for after two or three nights at altitude.
Not field-verified
Rules in force · 3
- Ecuador ↗Check entry rules for your passport with Ecuador's Ministry of Foreign Affairs or an Ecuadorian consulate.
- Ecuador ↗The Galápagos has its own entry controls: a transit control card bought at the airport before departure, a national park entrance fee, and inspections for food and plants. Check official Galápagos rules before booking.
- Ecuador ↗Several coastal provinces (including Guayas, where Guayaquil is) are under official warnings and periodic states of emergency; read your government's advice before routing through them.
The northern Andes are one base and several excursions. Quito is high (about 2,850 m), so the first two days stay gentle; after that the market at Otavalo, the equator monument and the cloud forest at Mindo are each a long day from the same bed.
Where to sleep
Quitosleep base
La Mariscal for night 1; the Historic Centre by day.
Otavaloday trip
Saturday market; about 2 h each way by road.
Mindoday trip
Cloud forest and birds; about 2 h each way.
Night sequences
- 4 nights
- Quito 4, Mitad del Mundo half-day and one day trip
- 6 nights
- Quito 3 + Otavalo area 1 + Quito 2
- Quito, Otavalo and Mindo in three days is mostly road time: pick one excursion per day.
Day-trips door to door
| To | From | Door-to-door p50 | Last return | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Otavalo | Quito | 120 min | unknown | Buses and tours leave in the morning; return by early evening. The big market is on Saturday. |
| Mindo | Quito | 120 min | unknown | Tours leave early; birds are best at dawn. |
Bags between cities
No luggage forwarding culture: leave the big bag at the Quito hotel and take a day pack.