Ecuador is the smallest country in the Andes and one of the easiest places on the continent for solo travel. Quito sits in the middle of everything: volcanoes within two hours, cloud forest to the west, the Amazon a night bus away. Also, almost everything worth doing runs as a shared departure, so you join a group in the morning and get your evening back.
So which trips run for solo travel in Ecuador when only one person books? Which need a second body, and what does that cost? Every date, price and meeting point below comes from a tour we operate ourselves.
Why Ecuador suits solo travel
Four things make solo travel in Ecuador work, and none of them is about being brave:
- Short days. The classic trips out of Quito run 10 to 12 hours and end where they started. So you keep one room all week.
- Shared by default. We price our day tours per person as shared tours, so a group is the normal way to travel here.
- Bilingual guiding. Every tour listed here runs in English and Spanish, so you never miss an explanation.
- One currency, no maths. Ecuador uses the US dollar. Also, you pay the extras on these tours in cash on the day, and they mostly run from $1 to $10.
Day tours that put you in a group
These leave Quito, come back the same day and cost the same whether you are one person or four:
- Half Day Walking Tour Quito – $13, 3 hours. Two departures every day of the week, 10:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m., from the Basilica del Voto Nacional. The price covers a bilingual guide, but not museum and church entrances, food or drinks. Then the tour ends with a tasting of traditional sweets and Ecuadorian chocolate.
- Cotopaxi Hike and Bike – $61, 10 hours. Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Pick-up at Foch Square at 7:10 a.m. or Zular Coffee Shop on San Blas Square at 7:20 a.m. Also, lunch, bike, helmet and park permits come included.
- Quilotoa Culture and Hike – $56, 12 hours. Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday. Around three hours of hiking inside the crater, plus lunch, transport and permits. Then, on the day, you pay $2 for the lagoon and $1 for the Toachi Canyon.
- Otavalo Cultural and Shopping – $56, 12 hours. Tuesdays and Saturdays, rated easy. Six stops, free time in the Plaza de los Ponchos on the main fair day, and a $5 ticket at Quitsato to budget for.
- Mindo Adventure and Sweet – $56, 12 hours. Fridays only. Transport, bilingual guide and lunch come included. Meanwhile, you pay for the hummingbird farm, the tarabita, the canopy and the chocolate factory on site, so you only pay for what you do.
The overnight trip confirmed from one passenger
The Cotopaxi and Quilotoa 2 Days 1 Night runs Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday. Most importantly, the tour page answers the question outright. Yes, it is a shared tour, and it runs from a minimum of one person.
It costs $152 per person. The rate includes a night in a tourist-class hotel near Cotopaxi, two lunches and breakfast on the second day. However, you cover breakfast on day one and dinner yourself. Day two starts civilised: pick-up at the hotel at 8:30 a.m. instead of before dawn in Quito.
Climbing and acclimatising with nobody to pair up with
Here the rules change. Certified mountain guiding works in small ratios, so these tours revolve around pairs.
- Acclimatisation hikes. Fuya Fuya, Guagua Pichincha and Imbabura cost $130 per person. They run every day from a minimum of 2 participants, with a private excursion available for 1. Also, the price covers return transport from Quito, a certified bilingual guide, a box lunch and technical equipment. Pick-up at 07:00 a.m., or 06:00 a.m. for Imbabura.
- What to pack for the acclimatisation hikes. Fleece clothing, cotton trousers, a waterproof jacket, gloves, hiking boots, sunglasses and sunscreen. Trekking poles are optional.
- Summit climbs. The Cotopaxi Summit Climb is $405 per person. Departures run every day from a minimum of 2 climbers, or as a private excursion for one. Rope teams are 2 climbers to 1 ASEGUIM guide, which is why the private option exists.
- The summit kit list is a different one. Do not buy boots or a shell for it. The tour already includes plastic boots, windproof jacket and trousers, crampons, harness, helmet and ice axe. Meanwhile, you bring a lycra base layer, fleece jacket and trousers, inner gloves and socks. Add a buff, a sleeping bag, two backpacks, sunglasses and sunscreen.
Would you rather not book the private option? Then send us your dates early, and ask whether another climber has already booked them. We operate these departures ourselves, so we can tell you.
Doing the Amazon by yourself
Two very different jungles. In the Cuyabeno Reserve we run our own lodge, the Cuyabeno Dolphin Lodge. Tours start at Puente Cuyabeno at 11:00 a.m. You reach it by an overnight bus from Quito, or by flying the day before. However, that journey is not in the tour price. You sleep in double or triple rooms with mosquito nets and a private bathroom. All meals come with the tour. On top of that, we lend you rubber boots, a rain poncho and a life jacket.
The 4-day jungle and community tour departs Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Sundays. Only one Cuyabeno programme publishes a minimum group size: the 6-day paddling expedition, which runs every day from 2 passengers. The other three publish no minimum either way. So send us your date, and we will tell you what is on it. Cuyabeno rates come on request.
On the Napo side we have one lodge, the Napo Amazon EcoLodge on the Arajuno River. It is the softer landing. Departures run any day of the week, and you meet us at the Arajuno River Bridge at 12:00. From there, it is 20 minutes by motorised canoe. Two days and one night costs from $192 per person with full board and all excursions in shared groups. Also, budget $10 per person for the community and Pañayaku reserve entrance. There is Starlink internet in the common areas, which matters when you are alone.
Book it directly and ask the awkward questions
Booking solo travel in Ecuador directly has one big advantage. We are the operator, not a reseller. So when you ask whether a departure runs on your date, the answer comes from the person who runs it. Start with the Cotopaxi and Quilotoa 2 Days 1 Night if you want a trip guaranteed to run for one. Then browse the full list of tours from Quito. Or send us a WhatsApp at +593 98 094 2338 with your dates. After that, we will tell you which departures already have people on them.
