Quito Tours in October 2026

Excellent trip arranged by Explore! Fast moving, early starts exploring Quito and the Galapagos. We weren’t able to go to Otavalo but alternative activities were offered in the Quito area. We learned about the history of Ecuador and the wildlife and habitats of the Galapagos. Our guide Diego was outstanding and all connections were seamless. We felt safe at all times. We did so much in 14 days my head is still spinning. Food is local and plentiful. Would thoroughly recommend a trip with Explore!. Walked miles, snorkelled, swam, dined out, played quizzes, laughed, made new friends and saw countless birds, tortoises, fish, sea lions and iguanas.

With this tour I saw quite a lot of Ecuador in a convenient time and way. I would recommend to do Highland and Amazon together to get a full experience.

I just returned from spending 8 days in Galapagos, and the trip far exceeded my expectations, high anyway thanks to my trip 3 years ago with the tour operator to New Zealand. These islands truly are enchanted, and if you long to go somewhere truly unique and to disconnect from the normal rhythms of your life at home, this is the place to go. Stunning scenery, wildlife so tame you can converse with them up close and personal, fabulous food and comfortable hotels located at just the right places, and a guide (Pablo), to whom I am forever in his debt. His infectious enthusiasm about this magical place and its inhabitants, his gift for conveying a wealth of knowledge so that even I understood, his awareness of the needs and wants of each fellow traveler, and his smile. More than once I found my eyes welling up with tears with gratitude for being in this spot on the globe and being with him.

This is the third trip we had with the tour operator. As expected, the trip was run very smoothly: excellent transportation, nice accommodations in general, great local food, a variety of activities including biking, kayaking, hiking, snorkelling, etc. The best aspect of the trip is our guide Pablo. He is knowledgeable in everything about Galapagos islands: fauna and flora, geology, biology, human history, you name it. Pablo is extremely passionate about passing his knowledge and love to this magic land and its ecosystem to us. His assistant Paolo is great too. When the group hiked the Sierra Negra volcano on Isle Isabela Paolo carried an extra 5L drinking water and other stuff (e.g., snacks) to make sure no one in the group would suffer from dehydration. Together Pablo and Paolo made sure that everyone was safe and sound. Pablo's rich knowledge made the trip the most rewarding one.

This was one of my favorite trips. The itinerary was good, our tour guide was excellent and the small group tours allow for more flexibility more time at locations when everyone agreed to make small changes. Their prices are also very reasonable even as a single traveler.

Amazon to Andes involves a fair amount of bus time, but the diversity encountered is well worth it. Some exertion is required, since walks of a couple of hours at high altitudes are involved; but anyone reasonably fit will do just fine. Most of the tour is above 8000 feet; two nights in the Amazon are lower, as is the final day around Guayaquil. Mosquitos were (surprisingly) not present except in the mangroves, last day. Ecuador is a very easy and interesting country to visit. People are friendly, and are obviously proud of their ecological and cultural heritage. Accommodations and food on the trip were excellent, and the tour leader was well informed and experienced (20 years). Highly recommend this trip for anyone interested in exploring this wonderful small country.