You want to visit the Country of the Four Worlds, but for some reason, you only have a week. Let me be honest, even though it is a rather small country, you won’t be able to see everything. But here is what I would do if I only had a week in Ecuador and wanted to make the most of it.
First, if you only have a week in Ecuador, I’d advise you to rent a car. This way, you’ll be more free to choose your schedule and won’t depend on the bus timetables.
I know, driving a car in Ecuador can be a bit intimidating… But we all have to start somewhere, and I promise you, once you are out of the big cities, driving becomes much easier.
This itinerary is based on my personal preferences, but I believe it allows you to see all the different aspects of the country in such a short amount of time.
DAY 1: Quito
Capital of Ecuador, you can land there and start your adventure right away. Quito by itself would need a week to be discovered properly, but when you are short in time, you must make choices.
If you get there in the morning, I would advise you to start by wandering in the historic city center. Full of colonial architecture and historic gems, strolling around seems to be the perfect way to start exploring the Country of the Four Worlds and adjust to the culture.
Did you know that the city of Quito is a Unesco World Heritage Site?
Here are some places you might want to visit or pay attention to:
- Basílica del Voto Nacional: This gorgeous tower is the biggest neo-gothic basilica in the Americas. (YES, the entire American continent, from Alaska to Patagonia!) If you have time, you can visit the inside, which I did on my second trip to Quito and it is just GORGEOUS.
- Plaza de la Independencia: Symbol of Quito’s Independence, this place symbolizes a huge shift in Colonial History.
- Basílica del Voto Nacional: This gorgeous monument is the biggest neo-gothic basilica in the Americas. (YES, the entire American continent, from Alaska to Patagonia!) If you have time, you can visit the inside, which I did on my second trip to Quito and it is just GORGEOUS.
- El Panecillo: You can’t possibly miss it, even if you wanted to. A huge statue on top of the city protecting the people of Quito. You might want to go up there to see it close, but if you are in a hurry, you can admire it from below.
- The Monument of the Middle of the World: The name of it says it all… I can’t think of anything cooler than standing in the middle of the World. You might want to know though that it isn’t located in the center of Quito. You must take a bus, your car (if you rented one) or book a guided tour to get there.
Of course, there is much more to see in Quito, but if you only have one day there, this is what I’d recommend you to focus on. A full article on Quito is coming your way, though!
DAY 2: OTAVALO
Located less than two hours north of Quito, Otavalo is a lovely small town that is worth a detour. To get there, you can get a bus from the bus station of Quito (the northern one).
If you have rented a car (I suggest you do if you are only staying a week in Ecuador), the hardest part will be to get out of Quito. After that, the road is well maintained and you shouldn’t have any problems.
I’ve already written various blog posts on What to do in Otavalo (here and here). But if I had only one day there, I would visit the artisanal market in the morning and head to la Laguna de Cuicocha as soon as I finished la Plaza de Los Ponchos.
You have two options for the night, staying in Otavalo, or heading back to Quito to get closer to your activity of day 3. I don’t think one option is better than the other, so it is entirely up to you!
DAY 3: El Cotopaxi
Probably my favorite volcano in Ecuador. I couldn’t explain to you why, but when you will see it, you will understand, I PROMISE!
The entrance of the park is located an hour away from Quito. A bit more if you are staying in the historic center of Quito, as getting out of the city can be a real nightmare. And two hours and a half from Otavalo.
To enter the National Park, you’ll have to register yourself with your name and passport number and pay $2 as a contribution to the park’s maintenance. Believe me, these are going to be $2 well spent.
Once you are in the park, you can drive to la Laguna Limpiopungo, and from there you will get the BEST view of the volcano. (If the weather allows it, of course)
You can walk around the Limpiopungo Lake and just enjoy the beauty and the serenity of the place. A little advice though, if you can go on a weekday, the place will be much less crowded.
Afterward, if you are feeling adventurous, you can head up to the first base camp. Drive to the parking lot located a bit higher, then start walking up! A warning for you though, el Refugio José Ribas is located at an elevation of 4800m. You might experience altitude sickness, and believe me, that is NOT a fun feeling.
DAY 4/5: CUENCA
Cuenca is, to me, the most beautiful city in Ecuador. And not only because I live there. The architecture is gorgeous, and the city is pretty safe, even for tourists. I could talk about Cuenca for hours, so if you want to know more, let’s go this way!
The only problem is that Cuenca is located almost 7 hours from El Cotopaxi and also 7 hours from the coast where you will be headed next.
It is up to you if you’d like to slow down the rhythm of your trip, or if you can handle so much time on the road. If you are driving, though, remember to stop along the way to get some rest. And if you are traveling with the local bus, try to travel at night to gain time during the day!
DAY5/6: Olón
After crossing the Ecuadorian Andes from North to South, VAMOS A LA PLAYA!
I chose Olón for you because of its location. Lovely village, with everything you might need for a few days, less than 10 minutes away from Montañita, the backpacker’s paradise, for late nights and drinks. And less than an hour away from Isla Salango, often compared to The Galápagos Islands.
DAY 6/7: SALANGO AND LOS FRAILES
From Olón you can head to Isla Salango in the morning. Go to the fishing village of Puerto Lopez and from there you can book a tour of the island.
If you have time and want to make the most of your trip to Ecuador, keep going for half an hour after Puerto Lopez and you will get to Los Frailes. I promise, this place has the best beaches I have ever seen in Ecuador.
And what better way to end your week-long trip than by lying on white sand?
And that’s it! Your time in Ecuador is up. This is my best itinerary for “What to do in Ecuador for a week”. If you have more time or want a more detailed itinerary, take a look at my 2 & 3-week itinerary to discover Ecuador.