Tours in Ecuador

The Best Extreme Canyoning -Cashaurco in -Banos Ecuador

When Maz from the Global Hobo crew tackled the Cashaurco canyoning route near Baños, Ecuador, we found ourselves abseiling down waterfalls, sliding through natural rock chutes, and swimming through emerald pools in five hours of pure adrenaline and scenery. Baños sits in a lush valley where the jungle meets the Andes, and the vibe is younger, adventure-focused travellers mixed with serious thrill-seekers. The route balances genuine technical challenge with moments to catch your breath and soak in the landscape — no faffing about, proper action.

ATV Rental per hour

When Priya from the crew rented an ATV in Baños, Ecuador, she got a straightforward hourly rental on some of the region's popular riding routes. Baños is a buzzy adventure hub nestled in the cloud forest where backpackers and adrenaline junkies swap stories at hostels before heading out to tackle dirt roads and mountain passes. The outfit stocks newer vehicles, keeps them maintained, and won't charge you extra for fuel — you just rock up, pick your quad, and ride. One hour is tight enough for a proper test-drive through the landscape without committing to a full day.

3 Hours Local Food Tour in Quito

When Tomás from the crew did this three-hour food tour through Quito, we weren't handed a plate of pre-chewed tourist fare — instead, our guide walked us through the city's markets and neighbourhoods pointing out where locals actually eat, what's worth your money, and the stories behind the dishes. Quito's a layered city: colonial core, indigenous roots running deep, working-class barrios where the real food happens. Our guide didn't just name-drop restaurants; he taught us how to spot quality, read a menu like a local, and understand which stall's been slingling the same dish for thirty years.

Rafting Tour

When Saskia from the Global Hobo crew tackled this rafting tour near Baños, Ecuador, she found herself paddling through proper whitewater for five hours straight. This isn't a scenic float — it's a genuine adrenaline rush through the Ecuadorian highlands, where the river doesn't mess about and neither do the guides. You're looking at a mix of serious paddlers and thrill-seekers keen to test themselves against moving water. The crew gets wet, gets tired, and gets that particular buzz only a good rapid can deliver.

Canyoning in Casahurco from Baños

When Finn from the crew tackled Casahurco canyon near Baños, they found themselves abseiling down waterfalls and jumping into pools in one of Ecuador's gnarliest canyoning spots. The canyon sits 40 minutes from Baños de Agua Santa within Llaganates National Park — a lush, steep-sided slice of the Andes where you're rarely alone but feel miles from anywhere. The 5-hour experience sits at level 3.3.III (proper technical terrain), so you need a solid fitness base and real commitment to scrambling, rappelling and swimming through jungle gorges. Groups stay small (4–12 people max), which keeps the chaos manageable and the guides sharp.

5 hoursfrom AUD $147

Quito Private Tour: Old Town, Half the World and Cable Car

★ 5.0 (102)

2 hours – 3 hoursfrom AUD $7

Quito Private Tour: Old Town, Half the World and Cable Car

When Roo from the crew booked this private Quito tour, we got the full Old Town experience without fighting through crowds. Seven hours with a licensed local guide meant we moved at our own pace through Ecuador's UNESCO-listed capital — hitting the colonial splendour of San Francisco Church and Plaza Grande, tasting proper local chocolate and sweets, and riding the cable car up to the equatorial line for that dizzying half-the-world-in-two-hemispheres moment. The guide was genuinely into the work and tailored stops to what we actually wanted to see, not a script.

Mindo Cloud Forest Guided Private Tour with Three Fees Included

When Ngaio from the Global Hobo crew did this private tour around Mindo, Ecuador, she spent nine hours in one of the country's most biodiverse pockets — a mossy, misty cloud forest where hummingbirds dart past your ears and waterfalls tumble through thick vegetation. It's a proper nature day, not a rushed tick-box experience. The tour hits the hummingbird gardens (where you'll stand dead still watching iridescent flitting), multiple waterfall trails, and an afternoon choice between the butterfly garden or a local chocolate factory. You get a certified guide and private transport, which means the whole thing bends to what you actually want to see rather than herding you with 40 others.

Day rafting experience from Tena with lunch

When Tomás from the crew grabbed a paddle in Tena, Ecuador, he found himself bouncing through Class II–III rapids with a tight safety brief and actual competent guides who knew their stuff. This seven-hour day trip cuts through the Orellana Province's jungle-hemmed waterways—the kind of place where the river feels genuinely wild but the operation takes no chances. You'll get soaked, eat decent lunch on the riverbank, and paddle hard enough to feel it the next day. Mix of tourists and locals, relaxed pace despite the whitewater.

Cajas Unveiled: A Half-Day Escape from Cuenca

When Saskia from the Global Hobo crew did this half-day tour near Cuenca, she hiked through Cajas National Park—a high-altitude landscape of grassland, glacial lakes, and gnarled Polylepis trees that feel properly remote despite being just outside the city. The paramo ecosystem is genuinely wild; you'll spot llamas grazing and views that stretch for miles if the clouds cooperate. It's a solid half-day option if you want altitude and scenery without committing your whole day, though you'll need decent fitness and lungs that can handle the elevation.

Quito Old Town Free Walking tour Small group Cacao Taste included

When Finn from the crew hit up Quito's Old Town, we got the proper local rundown in just three hours—history, architecture, the lot—without the tourist markup. The colonial heart of Ecuador's capital sits at 2,850 metres, so altitude's a real thing here, but the walking pace is steady and the crew knows their stuff. You'll clock centuries of Spanish colonial swagger and indigenous culture baked into the streets, plazas, and buildings. The group stays small, which means less herding and more actual chat with the guide. Cacao tasting's included, which is a nice touch in a city that's basically built on the stuff.

★ 5.0 (67)

🍜 Food & Cooking

4 hours – 5 hoursfrom AUD $228

Cocoa farm and Chocolate making!

When Priya from the crew did this cocoa farm tour outside Guayaquil, we got the real deal on how Ecuador's chocolate actually gets made. You're picked up from your hotel and driven 45 minutes into proper countryside—past the city's chaos—to a small family-run farm where the cocoa plants are actually growing. The crew walks the plantations, learns the whole growing and fermentation process from farmers who know their stuff, then gets hands-on making chocolate directly from beans. It's a proper half-day gig (4–5 hours) that beats sitting in another museum.

Otavalo Unveiled: A Day Journey Through Time and Tradition!

★ 5.0 (64)

8 hours – 9 hoursfrom AUD $101

Otavalo Unveiled: A Day Journey Through Time and Tradition!

When Tomás from the crew did this eight-hour day trip north of Quito, he found himself in Otavalo—a proper highland town that's part market frenzy, part mountain escape. It's known for one of South America's largest indigenous handicraft markets, where you'll wade through stalls selling textiles, woodwork, and jewellery made by local Kichwa artisans. The town sits cradled by volcanic peaks and crater lakes, so there's genuine landscape alongside the commerce. You get a guide, lunch, and private transport from Quito, which beats fighting public buses if you want to cover ground without stress.

Birdwatching Tour in Cajas National Park from Cuenca

★ 5.0 (63)

8 hours – 9 hoursfrom AUD $87

Birdwatching Tour in Cajas National Park from Cuenca

When Priya from the crew headed out to Cajas National Park from Cuenca, she found herself in one of South America's most striking high-altitude landscapes — a sprawl of over 230 lakes nestled between Andean forest and windswept páramo grassland, just 45 minutes from the city. This 8-hour birdwatching tour draws serious twitchers and casual birders alike, with a bilingual guide leading you through different ecosystems to spot everything from the iconic Violet Throated Metaltail (Cajas's endemic hummingbird) to mountain toucans, antpittas, and thornbills. The park's elevation and varied habitats mean you're chasing some genuinely rare species.

Active Ecuador tour 8 days

When Priya from the crew signed up for this 8-day active Ecuador loop, she got a proper mix of high-altitude hiking, jungle exploration, and cultural immersion across three distinct ecosystems. The itinerary stitches together the dramatic Quilotoa crater, Cotopaxi's volcanic landscape, and the lush Baños region, before diving into the Amazon with canyoning, river paddling, and time spent with indigenous communities. You're moving every couple of days, staying in eco-lodges and colonial haciendas, with a guide shepherding you through activities that range from leisurely to genuinely sweaty. Departures run every Sunday year-round, so there's no shortage of start dates.

Daydream in Quilotoa: Laguna's Enchanting Embrace Awaits

When Delphine from the Global Hobo crew did this tour, she found herself winding through Ecuador's high-altitude backcountry to Laguna Quilotoa — a crater lake so green it looks photoshopped, ringed by volcanic walls and Andean peaks. The eight-to-nine-hour day kicks off with an optional market stop (Saquisilli on Thursdays, Pujili on Sundays) where indigenous vendors sell everything from produce to woven goods, then climbs through farmland, canyon country, and small indigenous villages before reaching the lagoon. It's the kind of trip that mixes proper landscape with actual cultural texture — you'll visit a local home, eat lunch cooked by locals, and see the terrain that's shaped the region for centuries.

★ 5.0 (49)

LA PINTA DARWIN’S LEGACY (Fri-Thurs)

When Maz from the Global Hobo crew boarded La Pinta for a week in the Galápagos, we got the full naturalist-led island-hopping experience across some of the archipelago's wildest corners. The ship traces Darwin's route through volcanic landscapes barely touched by humans — Fernandina's untouched lava fields, Santa Cruz's giant tortoises, and Champion Islet's legendary snorkelling. Seven days, seven islands, zero mainland distractions. The vibe is proper explorer: small ship, certified guides, wetsuits included, and enough wildlife encounters to make your head spin.

7 daysfrom AUD $11841

5 Days Ecuador Hot & Cold Guided Motorcycle Tour

★ 5.0 (46)

🏔 Adventure & Sports

5 Days Ecuador Hot & Cold Guided Motorcycle Tour

When Maz from the crew took this 5-day Ecuador motorcycle tour, we were immediately struck by the sheer variety packed into 760 km of riding. You're threading through highland forest, then down into rainforest, skirting the Amazon basin — all on asphalt that's mostly smooth with patches of rougher country roads thrown in. Temperatures swing wildly depending on altitude, so you're genuinely riding through Ecuador's climatic extremes in a single trip. The crew's itinerary keeps the pace moderate, with proper breakfast and dinner sorted; you're hunting your own lunch, which means stopping in actual towns rather than tourist traps.

5 daysfrom AUD $3010

★ 5.0 (43)

4 hours – 6 hoursfrom AUD $70

Half Day Bike Tour Discovering Quito

When Maz from the Global Hobo crew pedalled through Quito on two wheels, we ditched the gridlocked minibuses and saw the city properly — from the sleek modern quarters down to the historic centre, one of Latin America's best-kept old towns. This half-day ride strings together iconic spots without the carbon guilt or traffic headaches, adapting to whatever fitness level you're at. You get a helmet, gloves, the bike, and a traditional welcome drink plus chocolate tasting thrown in. Four to six hours on saddle, depending on pace and stops.

Cotopaxi + Quilotoa: Andes Tour 2 days 1 night

★ 5.0 (42)

7 hours – 8 hoursfrom AUD $367

Cotopaxi + Quilotoa: Andes Tour 2 days 1 night

When Ngaio from the Global Hobo crew tackled this two-day Andes loop, she got a solid hit of Ecuador's volcanic backbone without the tourist hordes of the main routes. You're looking at Cotopaxi National Park — home to one of the world's highest active volcanoes — then a night's kip before heading to Quilotoa, a crater lake that'll stop you mid-breath. The crew rolls through high-altitude terrain, past páramo grasslands and indigenous villages, with a certified guide doing the talking and an air-conditioned van doing the legwork. It's a regular gig (Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday departures), so the logistics are tight.

Cotopaxi Horseback Riding Tour from Quito – Andes Adventure

When Maz from the crew saddled up for this Cotopaxi horseback tour, we got the real deal: riding into Ecuador's highest active volcano park with a proper chagra guide from the local highlands alongside an English-speaking pro. You start in Quito, get driven to the national park, then choose your pace—anything from a gentle 2-hour jaunt to a full 4-hour trek through windswept trails where wild horses roam and Cotopaxi looms impossibly large overhead. The park itself stays relatively quiet; most tour operators don't have the permission to ride here, so you're not dodging crowds. Total time on the ground is 7–8 hours, and it reads less like a tick-box sightseeing slot and more like stepping into proper Andean mountain life.

Canyoning in Chamana: 35 Meter Waterfall!

★ 5.0 (42)

🏔 Adventure & Sports

8 hours – 10 hoursfrom AUD $132

Canyoning in Chamana: 35 Meter Waterfall!

When Delphine from the crew tackled Chamana's canyon system, she found herself abseiling past five waterfalls and launching off a 35-metre drop into pools below — the kind of rush that stays with you. This is Ecuador's answer to serious water-based adrenaline, set in a lush canyon where the only sounds are rushing water and your own heartbeat. The 3.5-hour outing suits anyone with a bit of nerve and basic fitness; guides handle safety whilst a waterproof camera logs the mayhem for bragging rights back home.

Full Day Mindo - Cloud Forest from Quito

When Saskia from the crew tackled this full-day Mindo cloud forest jaunt from Quito, she found herself in the lush Andean foothills watching hummingbirds, soaring over canopy on a cable car, and getting hands-on with chocolate-making. Mindo's the kind of place where you're surrounded by green, mist rolls in most afternoons, and the birding crowd shows up year-round. The tour packs a lot in — eight to ten hours of hopping between sanctuaries, farms, and a chocolate workshop. It's for nature buffs and people keen to get moving without needing mountaineer fitness.

Cotopaxi and Quilotoa Volcano Tour - Lunch & Tickets included

★ 5.0 (38)

8 hours – 10 hoursfrom AUD $440

Cotopaxi and Quilotoa Volcano Tour - Lunch & Tickets included

When Roo from the Global Hobo crew tackled this, we packed two of Ecuador's most dramatic volcanoes into a single day — Cotopaxi and Quilotoa — starting with a hotel pickup in Quito and rolling south along the Avenue of the Volcanoes. You'll hike around Limpiopungo Lake at the base of Cotopaxi (one of the world's highest active peaks), then push on to Quilotoa's crater lake, famous for those surreal emerald-green waters and proper Andes vistas. It's 8–10 hours door-to-door, lunch included, and definitely doable for anyone with moderate fitness.

Waterfalls Route Jeep Tour | 3 - Hour Adventure in Baños Ecuador

★ 5.0 (36)

Waterfalls Route Jeep Tour | 3 - Hour Adventure in Baños Ecuador

When Delphine from the crew hired a jeep in Baños de Agua Santa, she discovered the Waterfall Route isn't just about ticking off scenic stops — it's about how you get there. This 3-hour self-drive (or guide-assisted) adventure trades the standard shuttle bus for a proper jeep, letting you bounce along mountain tracks with panoramic pull-ups and proper adrenaline in your veins. The star is Pailón del Diablo, a thundering cascade that hits you with mist, noise and canyon drama in equal measure. It's Andean scenery at pace, designed for travellers who'd rather feel the road than doze through it.

3 hoursfrom AUD $126

Tour to Otavalo Cotacachi Cuicocha Peguche

★ 5.0 (34)

8 hours – 10 hoursfrom AUD $139

Tour to Otavalo Cotacachi Cuicocha Peguche

When Ngaio from the Global Hobo crew did this full-day private tour in Ecuador's northern highlands, she got to cherry-pick the stops — no cookie-cutter itinerary. The Otavalo Market is genuinely the loudest, most textile-packed indigenous bazaar in South America, set against proper Andean peaks. You can add Cuicocha crater lake, Peguche waterfall, the leather workshops of Cotacachi, or swing by Quitsato to straddle the equator with one foot in each hemisphere. Eight to ten hours depending on what you actually want to see, with a private guide and wheels — you're essentially building your own day rather than following someone else's schedule.

★ 5.0 (33)

8 hours – 10 hoursfrom AUD $382

Hiking the Quilotoa loop in Ecuador

When Priya from the Global Hobo crew tackled the Quilotoa Loop, she found herself on one of Ecuador's most striking single-day hikes—a high-altitude trek around a crater lake ringed by indigenous villages and agricultural terraces. The landscape shifts from páramo grassland to cloud forest; you're rewarded with views of the crater's turquoise lagoon and the chance to cross paths with Kichwa communities who've farmed these slopes for centuries. It's proper leg work (1 day, but steep and sustained), and you'll need genuine fitness, but the payoff is a landscape that doesn't get crowded in the way Ecuador's better-known trails do.

Chakana Reserve: Unique Andean Wildlife, Condors, Ecuadorian Hillstar & Bears

When Maz from the crew did this tour, we headed into Ecuador's high-altitude Chakana Reserve to hunt for Andean Condors—the world's largest flying bird—plus spectacled bears and several hummingbird species. The reserve, run by the Jocotoco Foundation, protects one of the continent's most important condor populations. We spent 8–10 hours in the páramo (high-altitude grassland) with a naturalist guide who knew where these birds roost and nest. It's proper birding territory: cold, windswept, and breathtaking in both senses.

Guayaquil Layover Sightseeing Tour with Round-Trip Airport Transport

★ 5.0 (31)

3 hours – 4 hoursfrom AUD $176

Guayaquil Layover Sightseeing Tour with Round-Trip Airport Transport

When Roo from the crew had a four-hour layover at Guayaquil airport, they jumped on this private tour to dodge the terminal grind. You get picked up from arrivals, whisked through the city's main stops (markets, shops, a decent restaurant), and ferried back in time for your next flight. It's a solid way to stretch your legs and grab some local flavour without the stress of navigating solo or losing track of time. Best for layover survivors who want a proper look at Ecuador's biggest port city without the faff.

Private Tour to spotting condors at Antisana volcano all included

★ 5.0 (30)

6 hours – 8 hoursfrom AUD $232

Private Tour to spotting condors at Antisana volcano all included

When Priya from the crew headed up to Antisana volcano near Quito, she found herself scanning the Andean sky for one of the planet's most massive birds — the Andean condor. This 6–8 hour private tour takes you into the Antisana Ecological Reserve, a high-altitude wilderness where the landscape feels genuinely remote and the air gets thin fast. You're paired with a bilingual naturalist guide who knows where the condors hunt and nest, and the drive itself winds through some seriously dramatic Andes scenery. It's the kind of outing that makes sense if you're genuinely keen on wildlife and don't mind a physical push to get there.

🛍 Shopping & Markets

1 hour – 2 hoursfrom AUD $294

Photoshoot Flyingdress Ecuador

When Delphine from the crew booked a Flying Dress photoshoot in Quito's Historic Centre, she expected the usual Instagram fare — but the colonial backdrops and city views turned out genuinely striking. You get rigged up in a flowing gown (or bring your own), pose against centuries-old architecture and sweeping panoramas, and walk away with professionally shot images. It's a 1–2 hour session that appeals to anyone after bold, fairy-tale-style photos without the flight time to Cappadocia or the Greek islands. The crew found it surprisingly intimate, not a cattle-call affair.

7-Day The Best of Ecuador

When Delphine from the crew did this seven-day Ecuador loop, she went from the Andes straight into proper cloud forest territory, the kind of trip that swaps one altitude for another every couple of days. You're staying in a mix of proper hotels and haciendas, hitting the Equator Line museum in Quito, waterfall hikes near Mindo, a coffee plantation in Intag Valley, the heaving Otavalo indigenous market, and finishing with hot springs at Papallacta. There's a day cooking lunch with locals in the highlands and boat rides on crater lakes. It's the textbook Ecuador sampler — culture, nature, coffee, biodiversity — without the full expedition commitment.

One to One Spanish Classes in Quito - 5 Days (20 hours per week)

When Finn from the crew did a five-day intensive Spanish course at Instituto Superior de Español in Quito, it was all business — 20 hours a week of one-to-one lessons with university-qualified teachers who actually know how to drill grammar and conversation without sending you to sleep. Quito's a solid base for practising what you've learned in real shops, cafés, and streets afterwards. The school's tucked in a handy location, so you're not stuck in some edu-bubble, and they throw in decent coffee and fresh bread during breaks — small touch but it matters when you're brain-fried from conjugating verbs.

Half-Day Guided Sightseeing Tour of Old Town Quito

When Delphine from the crew did this half-day tour through Quito's Old Town, she found herself slipping past the tourist crush into working convents and colonial interiors most visitors miss. The guide steers you through narrow cobbled streets, baroque churches, and actual cloisters where nuns still live—you'll see hand-carved religious art, climb up to domes for city views, and have the chance to buy products the sisters make. Four hours of proper exploration in one of South America's best-preserved colonial cores, bilingual guide included, at the pace of someone who actually knows where the unlocked doors are.

4 hoursfrom AUD $131

A local, professional guide to take you ANYWHERE you want!

1 hour – 10 hoursfrom AUD $250

A local, professional guide to take you ANYWHERE you want!

When Finn from the crew booked a private guide day in Ecuador, we got exactly what we wanted: no preset itinerary, no tourist script, just a local who knew the country inside out and let us steer. Whether you're keen on Quito's colonial streets, hiking Cotopaxi's slopes, swimming under Baños waterfalls, or scoping out artisan markets and street food, your guide builds the day around your vibe. It's genuinely flexible—you can do a quick few hours or stretch it to a full 10-hour mission. The kicker: profits go to Awaken Foundation, backing Indigenous and rural community projects across the Amazon and Andes.

Looking for nature around Quito? Mindo cloudforest Private Tour

8 hours – 12 hoursfrom AUD $145

Looking for nature around Quito? Mindo cloudforest Private Tour

When Finn from the crew headed out to Mindo cloudforest, we found ourselves two hours west of Quito in one of the planet's most biodiverse patches of earth. This private tour swaps the hard slog for a slower, more contemplative approach — spotting hummingbirds and butterflies, learning about the cloudforest's wild variety of orchids and birds, and connecting with the ecosystem rather than just ticking boxes. The altitude shift from city to misty forest is dramatic, and the ecosystem that thrives here is genuinely extraordinary. You'll have a certified local guide and comfortable private transport the whole way.

7-day Galapagos Island Hopping Adventure Expedition

★ 5.0 (28)

40 min – 1 hourfrom AUD $59

7-day Galapagos Island Hopping Adventure Expedition

When Tomás from the Global Hobo crew signed up for this 7-day island hopper, he wasn't expecting to feel like a proper naturalist by day three. Based around Santa Cruz and Isabela, you're speedboating between islands, staying in locally run hotels, and tackling everything from giant tortoise reserves and Sierra Negra volcano hikes to snorkelling with sea lions and paddling through surreal lava tunnels. Small-group sized, with bilingual local guides steering the whole thing, and every dollar beds down with island families rather than faceless resorts. It's active—hiking, kayaking, biking all on the agenda—so moderate fitness is non-negotiable.

Quito Airport Private Transfer – SUV or Van (1–7)

When Tomás from the Global Hobo crew landed at Mariscal Sucre in Quito, he skipped the taxi queue and went private. TourExpress picks you up in a proper SUV or van, monitors your flight so they're waiting when you clear customs, and give you a full hour of free loitering time if you're delayed. It's a straightforward 40-minute to 1-hour ride into the city—no faffing about, bilingual driver, air-con that works, and they're on WhatsApp if things go pear-shaped. Beats haggling with dodgy cabbies when you're jetlagged.

MINDO CLOUD FOREST: Nature & Adventure - Flexible Private Day Tour

★ 5.0 (27)

8 hours – 9 hoursfrom AUD $345

MINDO CLOUD FOREST: Nature & Adventure - Flexible Private Day Tour

When Finn from the crew did this tour, he headed into Ecuador's Mindo cloud forest—a lush pocket just two hours from Quito where two of the world's most biodiverse regions collide. The day kicks off with a hike through the Mindo Nambillo Reserve, a transitional rainforest fed by three rivers and hundreds of streams, with a dip at Nambillo Waterfall as the centrepiece. After that, you've got flexibility: stick with forest exploration, or bolt on zip-lining, tubing, butterfly spotting, or a chocolate factory visit depending on energy and interest. The whole thing runs 8–9 hours with a private guide and lunch included.

Astonishing Mangroves & Dry forest /Chocolate experience trip

★ 5.0 (26)

Astonishing Mangroves & Dry forest /Chocolate experience trip

When Finn from the crew tackled this eight-hour Ecuador adventure, it became clear this isn't a rubber-stamp tour — it's proper work. You're trading a minibus seat for a motorised canoe through mangrove channels teeming with birds and crabs, then diving into chocolate production on a working farm, getting your hands literally filthy. The Ecuadorian coast here feels raw and lived-in, well away from resort polish. It's built for people who genuinely want to sweat, learn something real, and come out the other side dirtier and more confident.

8 hoursfrom AUD $411

4 Days Cotopaxi, Quilotoa, Baños and Amazon with hotel and activities included

★ 5.0 (26)