When to visit Ecuador

Visiting Ecuador between January and May is popular among those who are planning to visit the Galapagos Islands as this is when the waters that surround the archipelago will be at their calmest and warmest. Please see our full Guide to the Galapagos for more details.  Mainland Ecuador, other than the coast, experiences its coolest, wettest period now with rainfall in the form of afternoon showers. It’s a great time to enjoy the beaches as it tends to stay dry this time of year other than occasional afternoon showers.

In terms of the number of visitors, this is the low season although Ecuador doesn’t experience the fluctuations that most countries do as it’s enjoyable to visit year-round. Still, you might be able to find some discounts on airfare and accommodation. The exception is the week before Easter, Semana Santa, which is when many locals take their vacations and there will be religious parades across the country.

With South America’s national holidays approaching and the water around the Galapagos Islands becoming calmer, October, November, and December are ideal months for visiting Ecuador which means you’ll want to book your reservations, tours, and/or cruises well in advance. If you can visit the Amazon in December, it tends to be a great time to explore as it won’t be as rainy. In the Galapagos, it will be dry with cloudy skies unless it’s an El Nino year when there is likely to be more rain.  Please see our full Guide to the Galapagos for more details. It’s not the best time to visit the coast, where it will be overcast, muggy, and unpleasantly cool. You can expect spring-like conditions in the Andes, with temperatures typically in the 60s Fahrenheit/15 to 20 Celsius year-round, although it will be cooler in the higher elevations.

If you happen to be in Guayaquil on the coast for Independence Day, October 9^th, there will be a very lively atmosphere with street parties and fireworks.