Question 1

Is Ecuador Safe? My Essential 2026 Safety Advice

Accepted Answer

You can travel around mainland Ecuador but you need to take its current security situation seriously. At the time of writing the FCDO advises against all but essential travel to certain parts of the country. Check the latest official travel advice before your trip as the situation can change quickly.

This all sounds quite scary written down but I personally felt safe throughout our trip and we did not have any issues. You just need to stay aware of your surroundings and take the usual precautions with your belongings.

Pickpocketing, phone snatching and armed robbery can happen in cities, at bus terminals and on public transport. Keep your valuables out of sight, avoid flashing expensive phones on the street and book taxis with Uber rather than hailing one from the road. Taxi apps show the driver’s details but they are not regulated in Ecuador.

Always ask a local if you are unsure about a specific neighbourhood or travel route. Use their advice alongside official government guidance as local information completely changed our own travel plans. We originally planned to take the public bus down to Guayaquil to catch our flight to the Galapagos Islands but our tour guide in Quito warned us that it was way too dangerous for tourists at that time. Because of that we decided to travel back up from Banos to Quito and fly from there instead.

For extra peace of mind, you can find more detailed safety advice for every destination within my specific town guides.

Question 2

How to Get Around Mainland Ecuador?

Accepted Answer

Getting around during our 2 weeks in mainland Ecuador was surprisingly straightforward thanks to the cheap public bus network. It was quite different to travelling around Colombia where we mostly used big, fancy sleeper buses.

Most of the buses we used between cities in Ecuador were much more basic. Ours did not have toilets or seats that reclined but they were super cheap compared to long bus journeys elsewhere in South America. Public buses connect the main tourist stops including Quito, Banos and Cuenca with fares generally costing only a few dollars for shorter journeys.

We did not book our buses in advance. We simply turned up at the correct terminal, found the company operating our route and bought our tickets there. Give yourself some extra time during weekends and public holidays when buses can be busier. For shorter routes such as travelling to the cloud forests around Mindo you will use the shared colectivos which are also crazy cheap.

Question 3

Border Crossing from Colombia

Accepted Answer

If you are doing the popular overland backpacking route coming down from Colombia you will cross the border at the Rumichaca bridge. While some people make the long trip straight from Bogota, the most popular option is to break up the journey by starting in Cali, the famous salsa dancing city.

Luke and I did not want to visit Cali so we flew from Bogota into Ecuador instead. Our friends travelled overland from Cali and completed the journey in separate stages as there are no direct buses across the border.

To do the overland option you take a bus from Cali to Ipiales Terminal followed by a taxi to Rumichaca Bridge. After completing both immigration checks, take a shared taxi to Tulcan Bus Terminal where you can buy a bus ticket to Quito. Buses from Tulcan normally arrive at Carcelen Terminal in northern Quito. From there you can take local transport or a taxi to the historic centre.

The crossing can temporarily close because of protests, elections or changes to border restrictions. Check its current status shortly before travelling and try to complete the crossing during daylight hours.

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