Ecuador Tours in October 2026

Galapagos is truly where the wild things are! The animals are not really afraid of you, everything you see is unique in some way, perfectly evolved for its environment. The different islands vary from moon to mars like landscapes, with cactuses, giant tree daisies, clear (cold) seas and wonderful creatures including giant tortoises (like small armoured cars gracefully moving through the undergrowth), marine and land iguanas, turtles, Galapagos penguins, sea lions and so many birds including blue footed boobies - their feet fantastic shades of turquoise blue. Words fail to describe what Machu Picchu is like, its more a feeling! Go and see it for yourself (for the full emotional experience please do the one day Inca Trail) then you will know what I mean. Epic, wonderful, ethereal do not do it justice. Cusco in Peru and Quito in Ecuador are wonderful old cities, people were friendly, happy to help and we had wonderful guides in all locations. Our ship experience was wonderful, we were well looked after on board, good food, excellent guide (Juan) - getting to the heart of Galapagos 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.

If it's variety you're after, in one country, with no worries about getting around, this is the trip to choose. Every day brings something different, whether at fairly high altitude in the snowy peaks of Chimborazo National Park or the sultry heat of the Amazon basin. Breathtaking scenery between the destinations, coupled with stops in quaint market towns en route, mean the travelling is never hard work. The local people you meet and perhaps buy goods from are also friendly and welcoming.