Intrepid Travel: What Are the Top Destinations in Ecuador?

"Our small group style of travel means you’ll stay under the radar, and travel, eat and sleep the local way. You’ll have the unsurpassed knowledge of a local leader, taking you out of the guidebooks and into a world you’re waiting to discover. The best small group adventures strike the perfect balance between included activities and 'you time'. Our trips cater to a range of styles and budgets, s... "

Ecuador tours offer a lot of variety on a small area with a beautiful capital, tropical rainforests, sparkling waterfalls, hot springs, volcanoes and the unique Galapagos Islands.

Below are our most visited cities, destinations and national parks in Ecuador.

Quito is the old capital of Ecuador and a very pleasant place for tourists. There is lots to see and do, including people watching and local markets. Quito was one of the very first cities to be on the UNESCO heritage list!

The Galapagos Islands have no equivalent in the world. The volcanic islands are located 1000 kms west of Ecuador - with nothing in between. This distance made it possible and necessary for all animal life to adjust to the harsh conditions on the islands. Charles Darwin used this for his evolution theory (that conflicted with Adam and Eve...). Because of the distance people did not know about the islands and regular visits only exists for a few hundred years... a very short time in nature´s history. Animals are not afraid of humans and just sit there... a strange experience!

Guayaquil is the largest city in Ecuador, it's main port and a gateway to the Galapagos, by air and by ship.

Baños de Agua Santa (aka Baños) is a major tourist center in eastern Ecuador. It is known as the "Gateway to the Amazon," as it is the last city still before reaching the jungle in the Amazon River basin.

Otavalo is known for the colourful market with local people and lots of souvenirs. Be aware of pickpockets!

Cuenca is a pleasant little city, just south of the volcanos. The cathedral is beautiful. It is also nice to see the laundry all spread out near the river.

Cotopaxi is a volcano in the heart of Ecuador. At almost 5900 m is one of the highest in the world. You may see alpacas and other camels here.

(Click on the city for more details.)

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We have 865 tours for Intrepid Travel in Ecuador with duration 5 - 64 days and rates starting at USD 420.

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All Tours and Cruises in Ecuador

Picture for Tour 4211

Google Map: Galapagos Experience
From/To
Isla San Cristobal ⇒ Isla Santa Cruz
Countries
Ecuador
Travel Quality
Budget Travel
Tour Type
Group Tours Group Tours
Activities
tour category: Divingtour category: Boattour category: Walkingtour category: Naturetour category: Safari

Tour Variations:

☛
Galapagos Discovery (9 days)
☛
Galapagos Island Hopping (8 days)
☛
Galapagos Encounter: Southern Islands (Grand Queen Beatriz) (6 days)
☛
Galapagos at a Glance: Southern Islands (Grand Daphne) (6 days)
☛
More... (2)
Duration
7 days
Starting at
USD 1,395
Operator

Starting at

USD 1,395

7 days
Next Departure
16-Oct-20264+
06-Nov-2026
Details
Picture for Tour 72418

Google Map: Ecuador Highlands
From/To
Quito (Round Trip)
Countries
Ecuador
Tour Type
Group Tours Group Tours
Activities
tour category: Walkingtour category: Naturetour category: Cookingtour category: Safari

Tour Variations:

☛
Ecuador Highlands & Galapagos (18 days)
Duration
9 days
Starting at
USD 1,435
Operator

Starting at

USD 1,435

9 days
Next Departure
09-Oct-20263
23-Oct-2026
Details
 
Picture for Tour 4241

Google Map: Galapagos Family Holiday
From/To
Quito (Round Trip)
Countries
Ecuador
Participants
Family Tours
Tour Type
Group Tours Group Tours
Activities
tour category: Divingtour category: Boattour category: Kayaktour category: Walkingtour category: Cookingtour category: Safari
Duration
8 days
Starting at
USD 3,360
Operator

Starting at

USD 3,360

8 days
Next Departure
20-Dec-20264+
27-Dec-20261
Details
Picture for Tour 4231

Google Map: Best of Galapagos
From/To
Quito (Round Trip)
Countries
Ecuador
Tour Type
Group Tours Group Tours
Activities
tour category: Divingtour category: Boattour category: Kayaktour category: Walkingtour category: Naturetour category: Cookingtour category: Safari
Duration
10 days
Starting at
USD 3,506
Operator
-9.9%

Starting at

USD 3,890

USD 3,506

10 days
Next Departure
08-Oct-20263
10-Oct-20261
Details
 
Picture for Tour 4233

Google Map: Galapagos & Inca Trail Adventure
From/To
Quito ⇒ Cusco
Countries (2)
Ecuador, Peru
Tour Type
Group Tours Group Tours
Activities
tour category: Divingtour category: Boattour category: Kayaktour category: Walkingtour category: Naturetour category: Cookingtour category: Traintour category: Safari
Duration
17 days
Starting at
USD 6,215
Operator

Starting at

USD 6,215

17 days
Next Departure
08-Oct-20261
10-Oct-20261
Details
Picture for Tour 4216

Google Map: Best of Peru & Galapagos
From/To
Lima ⇒ Quito
Countries (2)
Ecuador, Peru
Tour Type
Group Tours Group Tours
Activities
tour category: Divingtour category: Boattour category: Kayaktour category: Some bicycling is possibletour category: Walkingtour category: Naturetour category: Cookingtour category: Traintour category: Safari
Duration
18 days
Starting at
USD 6,196
Operator
-14.5%

Starting at

USD 7,250

USD 6,196

18 days
Next Departure
09-Oct-2026
11-Oct-20264+
Details
 
Picture for Tour 4247

Google Map: Pure Galapagos (Grand Daphne)
From/To
Isla Santa Cruz ⇒ Isla Baltra
Countries
Ecuador
Tour Type
Group Tours Group Tours
Activities
tour category: Divingtour category: Boattour category: Sailingtour category: Walkingtour category: Naturetour category: Safari
Duration
8 days
Starting at
USD 7,330
Operator

Starting at

USD 7,330

8 days
Next Departure
16-Dec-2026
13-Jan-2027
Details
Picture for Tour 74329

Google Map: Ecuador, Galapagos & Peru Explorer
From/To
Quito ⇒ Cusco
Countries (2)
Ecuador, Peru
Tour Type
Group Tours Group Tours
Activities
tour category: Divingtour category: Boattour category: Kayaktour category: Walkingtour category: Naturetour category: Cookingtour category: Traintour category: Safari
Duration
25 days
Starting at
USD 7,650
Operator

Starting at

USD 7,650

25 days
Next Departure
09-Oct-2026
23-Oct-2026
Details
 
Picture for Tour 4249

Google Map: Classic Galapagos: Central Eastern Islands (Grand Queen Beatriz)
From/To
Quito (Round Trip)
Countries
Ecuador
Tour Type
Group Tours Group Tours
Activities
tour category: Boattour category: Sailingtour category: Walkingtour category: Naturetour category: Safari

Tour Variations:

☛
Classic Galapagos: Southern Islands (Grand Queen Beatriz) (10 days)
Duration
10 days
Starting at
USD 7,895
Operator

Starting at

USD 7,895

10 days
Next Departure
10-Oct-20261
24-Oct-2026
Details
Picture for Tour 4242

Google Map: Complete Galapagos (Grand Daphne)
From/To
Quito (Round Trip)
Countries
Ecuador
Tour Type
Group Tours Group Tours
Activities
tour category: Divingtour category: Boattour category: Sailingtour category: Walkingtour category: Naturetour category: Safari
Duration
10 days
Starting at
USD 8,320
Operator

Starting at

USD 8,320

10 days
Next Departure
08-Dec-2026
22-Dec-20261
Details
 
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