Best Of Ecuador - January 2026
5
We had no idea what Ecuador had in store for us, it honestly wasn’t even at the top of our travel list but glad we booked it. From the moment we landed in Quito, we were hooked. The city is lively and colorful, and even though the altitude made us slow down a bit at first, the views from the top of El Panecillo made up for it.
The Otavalo Market was pure chaos in the best way. I kept telling myself not to buy anything… ended up with a bag full of woven scarves. Zero regrets.
Papallacta was a whole other vibe. The hot springs were exactly what we didn’t know we needed. If the trip had stopped there, I think we’d still be raving about it.
Banos was this hidden gem with waterfalls and fresh air.
The small group made everything more relaxed. No rushing, but no wasting time either. We felt like we got to really be in the places we visited. Everything was organized, we barely had to think. Just showed up, enjoyed, and soaked it all in. Would do it all over again in a heartbeat.
Cultural, religious and historic sites
