Quito Travel Guides (Updated September 2026)

We were lucky with the changing weather in the Andes, and my son was able to kayak in the Quilotoa lagoon for the first time! Thanks to Irene and her deep knowledge of our destination and Ecuador in general, the tour was both interesting and fun. Jonathan, our driver, kept us safe the entire way despite the heavy traffic on the Pan-American Highway.

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 ❤️

This tour is a MUST DO!!! I am so glad I got to not only see Cotopaxi, but hike up to the Base Camp!! Jorge did a fantastic job of explaining things and keeping us very informed of food stops, bathroom stops, etc. He was extremely friendly and made sure we got some good photos! The drive up to the parking lot of Cotopaxi was no easy feat and I honestly cannot believe a bus can even make the drive, but Mauricio handled it like a boss!!! I felt super safe as a solo female joining along!! The price is fantastic for the value you get. Also, breakfast was huge and $4 and lunch was also huge, included a petting zoo with alpacas, and was only $6! They also dropped me off at a different spot along their route rather than my hostel so I could go for a much deserved beer!!

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!

Irene was our guide on this tour. She is very attentive, friendly, and provides valuable information about the places visited. I recommend you request her as a guide. The tour offers you the opportunity to get to know a beautiful place in a comfortable and accessible way in one day. Recommended.

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 no idea what to expect of Ecuador, but we've been bowled over. The scenery is beautiful, the people warm and friendly.Our guide today was Mariam, from the start she was engaging and informative.As for value, incredible. Nothing prepared us for feeding humming birds out of our hand.A coffee at a local café broke up the journey to Mindo. The Cloud Forest started with a cable car, down a valley to a waterfall for a swim and then a challenging return up to the car.Finally a visit to the Yumbos Chocolate museum and outlet for the best $10 with a tour, hot chocolate and then a tasting.Brilliant, Miriam, you're a star.

A lot of fun and lots to see and learn. The bus as very nice. The museum was wonderful.Would go again if I had time just to walk around

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!

I appreciate Irene and Jimmy the good work and knowledge so interesting thank u both Front Elena

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.

Ended up with a private tour - had a wonderful day! Our guide was very friendly and knowledgeable. Her insight to Quito and Ecuador made the tour very special.

Is the best way to visit Quito and all Ecuador.. recomended

We are a family and had a wonderful day trip using this operator. Ivan was our guide for the day and he couldn't have been nicer or more helpful. If I was back in Quito, I definitely use them again. MANY thx

The tour is absolutely worthwhile. I was so lucky to connect with.Carolina as my guide. The drive up there is incredible even though it got a little bit misty as we got toward the top. It rained on and off throughout the day, but it didn’t stop us from doing a short hike near the pools. And since it was just she and I besides the driver. She joined me in every activity and the pools and was incredible company. What a beautiful soul and so passionate about sharing her knowledge about the vegetation and scenic areas and she was super knowledgeable about the local history. I learned so much. In addition, got to soak in the thermal pools for an extended period of time. She was a trooper and joined me for everything and we had a great traditional lunch meal too. She managed our time well and provided a lot of flexibility