Walking Tours in Quito, Cuenca and Cotopaxi

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 best walks in Ecuador are short daytime routes in two colonial centres, a flat loop on a volcano’s flank and a crater-rim descent. Altitude shapes every plan: Quito is at about 2,850 m, Cuenca about 2,560 m, Laguna de Limpiopungo about 3,800 m and the Quilotoa rim about 3,900 m. Take the first days easily and keep longer hikes for later.

Quito old town on foot

Walk the Centro Histórico between roughly 10:00 and 16:00, when tourist police are most visible. A usual route runs from Plaza Grande along García Moreno, with La Ronda, a street of musicians and craft shops, best in the afternoon. Mugging and bag snatching are common around the old town and transport hubs, so carry a minimum of cash, keep your phone out of sight and stay on busy streets. After dark, take a registered taxi, and do not walk the base of El Panecillo; go to the summit by taxi, not on the stairs. Use ATMs inside banks or malls. A licensed guide helps if you want the churches explained.

Cuenca on foot

Cuenca is the gentler city for walking. Follow the Tomebamba riverside past El Barranco, then walk Calle Larga and finish at Parque Calderón beside the New Cathedral. The historic centre was listed by UNESCO in 1999.

Laguna de Limpiopungo

This flat circuit in Cotopaxi National Park takes about an hour at roughly 3,800 m. Entry is reported to be free, but you register at the ranger gate and carry your passport. No public bus runs there, so go with a tour or a taxi. Check IG-EPN before you go.

Quilotoa crater rim

The rim is at about 3,900 m. A path leads down to the water in 30 to 45 minutes, and the climb back takes 60 to 120 minutes, so allow time and carry water. A mule uphill costs roughly US$10 to 12 if your legs give out, and the community fee is about US$2. There are no ATMs in the village.

Tortuga Bay, Santa Cruz

This is a walk of about 2.5 km from Puerto Ayora, with registration at the trailhead. Hours and fees are inconsistent in sources, so ask in town before setting out. Swimming is at the calm beach, Playa Mansa, and strong currents are common on beaches elsewhere. Foreign visitors over 12 pay the US$200 park fee on arrival.

Rucu Pichincha

The summit is about 4,696 to 4,700 m. Go only with an accredited guide, start early and take a helmet, because the FCDO records deaths from hypothermia on the route. Lightning has also killed climbers in Ecuador, so turn back if cloud builds.

To compare guided walks, browse Quito walking tours on GetYourGuide .