Our 22-day Ecuador road trip itinerary with a rental car

Hi everyone, My husband and I are planning to explore Ecuador in the coming year, and to make the most of the trip, we’d like to do it with a rental car. We already have a rough idea of the route we’d take, and I’m reaching out to the community to help us refine this journey. Here’s the plan: Day 1: Flight to Quito Days 2 and 3: Exploring Quito Days 4 and 5: Picking up the rental car and driving to Otavalo and Laguna Cuicocha Day 6: Drive to Papallacta via Cayambe to enjoy the hot springs in the evening Days 7 and 8: Drive to Lasso via Malachi – Excursions in Cotopaxi National Park. Laguna Limpiopungo Days 9 and 10: Laguna Quilotoa Day 11: Drive to Baños via Latacunga/Ambato to enjoy the hot springs in Baños Days 12 and 13: Hiking in the Chimborazo Reserve Day 14: Hiking in Sangay National Park Day 15: Drive to Guamote to arrive by late afternoon Day 16: Guamote market in the morning. Drive to Cañar in the afternoon Day 17: Guided tour of Ingapirca, then drive to Cuenca Day 18: Visit Cajas National Park early in the morning Day 19: Exploring Cuenca Day 20: Returning the rental car and flight to Quito or driving back to Quito (depending on cost) Day 21: Relaxing in Quito Day 22: Flight back to France

We won’t be doing any ascents—just hikes in the parks (we’re walkers, but we’re feeling our age and prefer to take it easy now!).

We’d love to hear your thoughts, critiques, or advice... Thanks in advance. Looking forward to reading your replies! martine

Hi Martine,

Renting a car is a great idea. You’ll be able to enjoy the stunning landscapes, which isn’t really possible by bus (dirty windows—no direct view since it’s enclosed). Plus, you can stop anywhere you like!

The altitudes are high, and even without long hikes, you’ll tire quickly. Watch out for altitude sickness too, especially when sleeping at high elevations (Quilotoa, Chimborazo)!

Cajas National Park is gorgeous.

Here’s a link to the travel journal I wrote after my trip—maybe you’ll find some ideas for your plans:

https://www.myatlas.com/Attila/equateur-les-montagnes-russes

Happy planning!

Agnès

Thanks Attila! I read your travel journal and it makes me even more excited to go. You had a wonderful trip. We’ll be following in your footsteps in many places! I’ll keep drawing inspiration from other forum members’ trips to fine-tune ours since we’ve got time. See you soon maybe! martine

Hi Martine, We visited Ecuador about ten years ago, and that trip remains etched in my memory as one of the most memorable, both for the stunning landscapes and the local customs and the kindness of Ecuadorians. For your upcoming trip, you’re going to explore some fantastic spots and have your breath taken away. Maybe a bit of a shame not to spend 3 or 4 days immersing yourselves in the Amazon rainforest—it’s a truly unique experience. Another suggestion: why return to Quito? You could’ve flown out of Guayaquil instead and saved yourselves some long drives.

Thanks for your message. Yes, we’re really excited to explore this country. We won’t be venturing into the Amazon rainforest because of my terrible fear of insects! We’re looking into the possibility of flying back from Cuenca to avoid the return drive to Quito. Thanks again for taking the time to comment. martine

Hi there, yes, taking a flight from somewhere other than Quito seems reasonable to me. As for the Amazon Rainforest, I can understand if you're phobic about insects! And yes, there are plenty of them—more than you'd think!! Have a great trip and post some photos.

Hi there, Check out the Tout Équateur solidarity network. We rented a car through them. Here’s a little account of what we experienced: https://toutequateurblog.com/blog/un-voyage-3-en-1-en-equateur

Hi Maurice, Thanks for your message. We’re in touch with Tout Équateur, who’s giving us some great tips. I read (and loved) your travel journal—Ecuador is really inspiring us more and more! martiine

Hi Martine, another suggestion: get in touch with Antoine, the French boss at ITK TRAVEL—he’ll be able to give you some great tips.

Thanks for the tip! I’ll check it out. martine

Hi there,

We spent a month in Ecuador in 2021 with a rental car picked up and dropped off at Quito Airport. We started directly in Otavalo, visited the surrounding areas, then returned to Quito/Cotopaxi before heading to the Amazon for Porto Misahuallí by the Rio Napo, then on to Baños, Cuenca, and Montañita by the sea before returning to Quito. That’s the big picture! We drove through breathtaking landscapes and found ourselves above the clouds several times—it’s surreal but you never get tired of it. The highest we went with the car was 4,700m, and we covered a total of 3,000km during this loop.

We visited many national parks, and our favorite spots were Otavalo, Misahuallí, Baños, and Cuenca. Quito can be explored on foot because parking is a hassle otherwise, and taxis cost next to nothing. In the cities we mentioned, we always left the car at the hotel, except when heading out of town. In 2021, fuel cost $2.30 per gallon, and it’s gone up a bit since (now $2.75), but it’s still cheap for us Europeans. We rented the car from Sixt and paid around 600 € for a 4-seater with unlimited kilometers. If you have a Visa Premier card, there’s no need for extra insurance—it’s included for 30 days of rental. A second driver can be a big extra charge depending on the rental company, so make sure to compare options online before booking.

Thanks, Patrick, for taking the time to share your feedback. Rental car prices have definitely gone up, but for us, it’s the best way to travel at our own pace without schedule constraints. We’re sticking to the Andean region and not heading to the Amazon or the coast. But I think I’ve read there’s already plenty to see and do! Martine