Ecuador Travel Guides (Updated September 2026)

This was such a great first activity to do when I landed in Ecuador! From the time I booked, the communication was great. I also received a message from our guide, Irene, in the morning to confirm the pick-up time and she sent us photos from the day afterwards too. The bus was super clean and modern and our driver (Jimmy) got us there and back very safely, taking care of the bus by cleaning it when we stopped too.It is a long day but not too bad and the trip is broken up a lot by going for breakfast, doing the short hike to Cotopaxi base-camp, visiting the laguna and then going for lunch.The hike itself is only short - but the altitude is no joke if you're not used to it! If you get to base-camp early you have the option to walk a little further up the hill and make it to 5,000 MASL. This was a little bit tough but so glad I did it!Cotopaxi itself is stunning if you get good weather - the disappearing glacier is beautiful and sad to see 🥹We even saw an Andean fox!There is no food provided on the tour, this was the only down side - but I was aware of this when booking. As a vegan, I would recommend taking your own food for the day as the cafe's don't really cater well for veggie/vegans. But I sat with everyone and ate my own food, no problems.Thank you for a wonderful day guy🗻I'll remember this trip forever!

A very relaxing, informative, and fun tour! The sunny weather was perfect to catch a view of the Cayambe volcano. We had an Andean delicacy tasting, a short bus show, and a very unexpected concert! The short walk to the waterfall was refreshing, and shopping at the traditional Otavalo market left us satisfied (and penniless!). Thank you so much, Diana, for all the interesting facts along the way, and to Silvio for the smooth ride back and forth!

Diana was an incredible tour guide. The coffee, chocolate, and hummingbird experiences were unique and quite fun. Would recommend!

Cristian picked us up at our place, and the 40-minute drive to the park was filled with history about Cuenca and Cajas. He chose just the right hiking route so we got the most out of the tour. His knowledge of the park, the vegetation, and even the birds was extensive — pointing out species and calling hummingbirds with their specific sounds. He speaks fluent English. Highly recommend the tour company and Cristian.

Cristian picked us up at our place, and the 40-minute drive to the park was filled with history about Cuenca and Cajas. He chose just the right hiking route so we got the most out of the tour. His knowledge of the park, the vegetation, and even the birds was extensive — pointing out species and calling hummingbirds with their specific sounds. He speaks fluent English. Highly recommend the tour company and Cristian.

Loved this trip so much, what a way to start my adventures in Ecuador! Irene, our guide, was great! She messaged me in the morning before pick-up which was so nice, especially as a solo traveller.The bus was super clean and modern and Jimmy, our driver, with Irene were a great team.The day was amazing, as we arrived into the national park the mist was so think I thought it would be a wash-out, but the clouds parted as soon as we got close to Cotopaxi. The walk to the base camp isn't too difficult if you're used to hiking at altitude but just enough of a challenge. If you want to reach 5,000 meters you can walk for another, 15-20 minutes 🗻 We even saw an Andean Fox! 🦊 The surrounding landscape is so interesting and the mountains opposite Cotopaxi are just as beautiful ⛰️⛰️We were taken to two restaurants for breakfast & lunch (additional $10-15 total) or you can take your own food for the day.On the way home the bus dropped me closer to my hostel too which was super helpful 😍Thank you to Irene and Jimmy for a great first day in Ecuador. I can recommend this tour indeed ❤️

The Cajas National Park full day tour with Cristian was exceptional - we were really impressed with not only the beauty of the national park, but also with his knowledge of Cuenca, Ecuador, and Caja National park. The overall experience was outstanding! We would highly recommend tour with Cristian specifically for anyone who goes to Cuenca, thank you 😊

The Cajas National Park full day tour with Cristian was exceptional - we were really impressed with not only the beauty of the national park, but also with his knowledge of Cuenca, Ecuador, and Caja National park. The overall experience was outstanding! We would highly recommend tour with Cristian specifically for anyone who goes to Cuenca, thank you 😊

Luis was so fun to talk to. He told us a lot about Ecuador. He also was curious and wanted to hear about our country. We had a great time talking and learning from each other. He drove very safely, especially when the fog was thick coming down the mountain.

Diyana filled our day with fun and laughter! She knew all the most incredible places and let us move at our own pace. She was full and very knowledgeable about the plants, animals and history of the areas we visited. What an amazing time!

This was an excellent and memorable experience. My husband and I really appreciated learning more about Ecuadorian foods and delicious unique Andean fruits. We will definitely be making some of the recipes we made during the cooking class. Highly recommend.

The tour was fantastic! Our guide Daniel was incredibly helpful and knowledgeable about the local history. We loved having the chance to interact with the people of Otavalo and learn about their traditions and way of life. Highly recommend this experience!

We had very knowledgeable guidance through the market and through the cooking process. Lovely people, spoke great English. Clean and organized. We had a great time!

Eddy is amazing! His English is flawless, his knowledge of Cuenca’s/Ecuador’s history and culture is bottomless, and his care of and attention to us tourists is exemplary. I saw and learned so much in just a few hours. Highly recommend this tour with Eddy!

Great experience! Luis was a fabulous tour guide. He was very professional and experienced. Took his time to show us all the best places in Ecuador.

Nice day in Cajas. Alejandro was a very good guide and made the day more enjoyable.