Traveling Ecuador with kids: this is the ultimate itinerary!

What is a great itinerary through Ecuador with kids? Ecuador is a country with many opportunities for families with kids. You can enjoy the beach here with the kids, but you can also book a cool tour through the Amazon and explore the country’s jungle. In addition, of course, you have the beautiful Galapagos Islands that you can visit while touring Ecuador with the family. In short, there is plenty to do in Ecuador for families with kids. In this blog, we list the different travel itineraries for Ecuador that are suitable for kids.

Table of contents

Best travel time Ecuador with kids

The best travel time to tour Ecuador with kids is from June through October, as this is the dry season in the country. You are most likely to have sunny days then. Keep in mind that several destinations in this itinerary through Ecuador are at altitude, so the temperature there is never very high.

Therefore, be sure to bring warm clothes for the kids when visiting the country. However, it also depends a bit on which areas you will visit in Ecuador what the best travel time is, so it is always advisable to also check for each destination what the temperatures are during that period and whether there is a lot of rain. In terms of rain, it can also be very changeable in the country and you also need a little luck with the weather when you visit the country.

Transportation in Ecuador

Ecuador is a small country compared to many other countries in South America, so the distances between destinations are not enormous. Still, from one destination to another, you can spend a long time on the bus. Buses run between all major cities and are a common mode of transportation in the country.

You can also be significantly delayed by bus, due to such things as landslides and some roads being closed. Especially if you’re headed toward the Amazon. Air travel is the fastest mode of transportation between some destinations, but of course that comes with a price tag.

Of course, you can also choose to rent your own car and explore the country that way. With a rental car, you have just a little more freedom with kids and can easily get around at your destination as well. Most families with kids rent a car at the Quito airport. This is where most tourists arrive in the country.

The rental company Sunny Cars is a very fine rental company. They have tremendously good terms regarding insurance, deductibles and cancellation. We actually always rent our car abroad through this company. To rent a car at Quito airport, check out the Sunny Cars website for more information.

Itinerary Ecuador 2 weeks

You can already see quite a lot in Ecuador during a 2-week roundtrip. We list a number of options in this itinerary so you can put together your own beautiful itinerary through Ecuador with the family.

Quito

Ecuador’s capital is the destination where most families with kids start their Ecuador tour. Even though the city does not have super many attractions, it is nice to be able to recover from the plane trip. Especially if you’re traveling with kids, though, it’s advice not to rush around the country.

In Quito, you can walk around the city’s old town. You have nice squares, old buildings and there are definitely some nice neighborhoods where you can go for a bite to eat and a drink. With kids, it’s fun to go to Mitad del Mundo for a while. You are right on the equator here and you can also do all kinds of experiments with kids here. This activity is also very educational for kids.

It is also fun to take the cable car and see the city that way. On top of the mountain you have a beautiful view of the city. In addition, it is fun to take kids to the science museum and zoo in Quito. Therefore, you can easily spend 3 to 4 days in this city without getting bored with the kids. For more information about this city, read the blog Quito with kids.

If you are looking for a place to stay in Quito with the family, these are very good options.

Budget accommodation: Colonial House Inn

Mid-range accommodation: Hotel La Cartuja

Luxury Accommodation: Casa Hotel Las Plazas

Also check out the entire list of family-friendly accommodations in Quito.

Galapagos Islands

If you only have two weeks in Ecuador, then you should definitely go to the Galapagos Islands with the family for just under a week. Surely these islands are one of the country’s most beautiful sights and the reason many tourists visit Ecuador every year. The Galapagos Islands are unique and have a huge variety of animals. Many of these animals also live only on these islands.

You can fly from Quito to the Galapagos Islands just fine. You have 3 main islands here, where you can stay overnight: Santa Cruz, San Cristobal and Isla Isabela. You can choose to book a tour for several days or explore the island independently. This also depends a bit on how much money you want to spend here. Tours can be quite expensive, but then you have a lot less to arrange. You then stay on the boat and the tours and food and drinks are then arranged.

You can snorkel with turtles, tropical fish and sea lions on the various islands. You can take beautiful walks and spot very special animals such as the blue-footed Jan van Gent. In short, families who love nature should definitely spend a whole week here. It depends a bit on how long you have time, of course, but you can stay here just fine between 5 and 10 days on these beautiful islands. For more information, read the blog Galapagos Islands with kids.

If you are looking for a suitable place to stay with the family on one of the three islands of the Galapagos Islands, you have the entire list of options below.

Santa Cruz:

Budget accommodation: Tintorera Guest House

Middle class accommodation: Zurisadai

Luxury Accommodation: Hotel Angermeyer Waterfront Inn

San Cristobal:

Budget accommodation: La Casa de Amelia

Mid-range accommodation: Hotel Pimampiro

Luxury accommodation: Royal Galápagos Inn

Isla Isabela:

Budget accommodation: Hostal Cerro Azul

Mid-range accommodation: Hotel LA GRAN TORTUGA – ᯤ STARLINK

Luxury accommodation: Hotel StarFish

Baños

The city of Baños is also a fun addition to your itinerary through Ecuador with kids. Baños is known as the outdoor capital of the country, which means there is plenty to do with kids. The city is about 4 hours away by bus from the capital Quito, so you should count on half a day to get to your destination.

In Baños, you can go rafting with kids on the Pastaza River. Because this river has different levels with respect to the speed of the water, you can go rafting on this river even with kids. In addition, it is fun to go ziplining and canyoning with the family in Baños. The zipline is very spectacular and you can imagine that abseiling down a waterfall is of course also a tremendously cool activity to do with kids.

In addition, in the region you have a lot of waterfalls that you can visit and cool down. The town of Baños also has an excellent center where you can go for a bite to eat and a drink with the family. As a final activity, it is fun to go to Casa de Arbol where you can swing on a giant swing. You can therefore spend 3 to 4 days in this city just fine. For all the information about this city, check out the blog Baños with kids.

In terms of family-friendly accommodations in the city of Baños, these are good options for lodging.

Budget accommodation: Casa del Peregrino Santo Thomas

Mid-range accommodation: Casa del Balcon

Luxury accommodation: Sangay Spa Hotel

Also check out the entire list of family-friendly accommodations in Baños.

Itinerary Ecuador 3 weeks or longer

If you are lucky enough to have more than 2 weeks to travel through the beautiful country, there are a number of other destinations you can visit. We list these destinations below.

Amazon

You can also visit the Amazon during your tour of Ecuador with kids. In doing so, you can visit the Cuyabeno Wildlife reserve with the family. In this natural park you can book tours for 3, 4 or 5 days through the accommodation. You will then go out with a guide during these days to explore nature.

From Quito, you can travel by bus, car or airport to the Cuyabeno Wildlife reserve and you will soon need to set aside a day to travel here for this. Many wild animals live in the Amazon and you have a good chance of spotting several monkeys in the trees. You will also go hiking through the jungle in the evening to look for large spiders and all kinds of snakes. With kids, of course, it’s also tremendously exciting to do.

We recommend a minimum of 4 to 5 days for these tours. So that means you can spend almost an entire week here. With the tours, food, drinks and overnight accommodations are arranged. For more information about this part of Ecuador, read the blog Amazon Ecuador with kids.

Puerto Lopez

You can also add a few days of beach to your itinerary through Ecuador with kids. Puerto Lopez is located on the Ruta del Sol and you can do several other things with the family here besides the beach. For example, you can visit Isla de la Plata. This is the low-cost alternative to the Galapagos Islands. Here, too, you will find all kinds of animals that you can spot during a tour.

In addition, near this national park you also have the most beautiful beach in Ecuador: Los Frailes. This is a great place to spend a day at the beach with the kids. You can also spot several other animals including several monkeys in Machalilla National Park.

On the Ruta del Sol there are a number of other resorts you can visit with kids. Thus, a visit to Montanita is also highly recommended. This laid-back surf town is fun to visit for a day. You can spend 3 to 4 days in this area just fine. For more information, read the blog Puerto Lopez with kids.

Looking for family-friendly accommodation in Puerto Lopez, these are the top rated accommodations:

Budget accommodation: hostal Monte Libano

Mid-range accommodation: Hotel Berlín International

Luxury accommodation: Victor Hugo Hotel

Also, check out the entire list of family-friendly accommodations in Puerto Lopez.

Cuenca

One of the most beautiful cities in Ecuador is Cuenca, which is why you can definitely extend your itinerary through Ecuador with the family with a city trip to this city. The center of this city is well worth a visit and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. You can take a great family walk in Cuenca in the various parks in the city.

You also have several markets to visit in the region. Especially on Sundays, you have several markets to visit in the Cuenca area. You can also go to the zoo in Cuenca with the family. You can spend 2-3 days in the city here just fine. For more information, read the blog Cuenca with kids.