Day Trips from Quito and Cuenca

October 19, 2026

Travel advisory, October 2026: Ecuador is under a state of exception in eight provinces, including Pichincha (Quito), declared for 60 days from 15 September 2026, and curfews have been imposed several times this year, so check the current decree. The UK FCDO advises against all but essential travel to the coastal provinces (Esmeraldas, Manabí, Santa Elena, Guayas, El Oro, Los Ríos and Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas, with airside transit at Guayaquil airport excepted) and to the 20 km strip along the Colombian border, which includes Lago Agrio. The US State Department rates Ecuador Level 2, Exercise Increased Caution, with higher levels for named areas. Quito’s old town, the Andean highlands and the Galápagos lie outside the FCDO areas, but street crime, express kidnapping and taxi scams are real, so use registered taxis, stay on busy streets by day and keep valuables out of sight. Heavy rain and landslides are forecast for the 2026-27 El Niño. Read the current UK FCDO advice and US State Department advisory before you book and again before you fly. This page is written for the areas outside the warnings.

The easiest day trips in Ecuador start in Quito or Cuenca and head into the highlands. Transport times and prices below are approximate and mostly come from operator and press listings, so check them locally. Landslides can close mountain roads in the rainy season, which normally runs October to May, and the 2026-27 El Niño is forecast to be wet. Avoid road travel after dark.

Cotopaxi from Quito

Latacunga is 1.5 to 2 hours from Quito, and the park lies beyond it. No public bus enters Cotopaxi National Park, so most visitors join a day tour, hire a taxi or arrange a 4x4 pickup from the highway. Day tours are listed at roughly US$55 to 100. Entry is reported to be free, but you register with rangers at the gate and carry your passport. Quito sits at about 2,850 m and the car park is at about 4,500 m, so go slowly, drink water and turn back if a headache, vomiting, confusion or breathlessness at rest appears. Check the IG-EPN Cotopaxi page first, because access can change at short notice.

Otavalo

Otavalo is about 2 hours from Quito by bus, at roughly US$3 to 6. Saturday is the big market day, with an animal market early in the morning, Wednesday is the second busiest, and the plaza trades daily. Buy with small notes, because $50 and $100 bills are often refused.

Mindo

Mindo is about 2 hours from Quito, with buses from La Ofelia at US$3 to 4 and only a few departures a day, so confirm the return time. The cloud forest lies on the western Andean slope. A butterfly farm costs about US$8 and a chocolate tour about US$10. Guides sell visits to cock-of-the-rock leks, which are never guaranteed.

Mitad del Mundo

The equator complex is the shortest trip from Quito. Adults pay US$5.00 and children US$2.50, and it opens 09:00 to 17:00 on weekdays and to 18:00 at weekends; see the official site . Reach it by Metro or bus plus local transport, or by taxi.

Quilotoa

Quilotoa is a very long day from Quito, since Latacunga to the crater is about two more hours. The community fee is about US$2 per adult. Walking down takes 30 to 45 minutes and the way back up 60 to 120 minutes, at a rim height of about 3,900 m. There are no ATMs in the village, so bring cash.

Around Cuenca

Cajas National Park is reported to allow free day entry with registration at Toreadora, and Ingapirca is closed on Monday and Tuesday. Confirm both locally.

Places that are not day trips

Guayaquil, Puerto López and Lago Agrio are not day trips from Quito. All three lie in regions where the FCDO advises against all but essential travel.

To compare organised options, browse Ecuador day trips on Viator .