Ecuador Big Five: Self-Launched Andes to Galapagos in 18 Days
18 days · Ecuador
GUIDEcuador Travel charges £4,715
No-markup version: ~£1,300 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched version of GUIDEcuador Travel's 18-day "Ecuador Big Five" loop: Quito's colonial Old Town, the Otavalo market and highland haciendas, a Papallacta hot-springs stop, three nights in a Napo River Amazon lodge, Cotopaxi National Park, the Baños waterfall route, Ingapirca and Cuenca, a slow southern stop in Vilcabamba, then a flight to the Galapagos for Santa Cruz and Isabela. You book each leg yourself — public buses and shared shuttles on the mainland, a cheap domestic flight to Baltra, and locally run lodges and day boats in the islands — for roughly a third of the tour price. Costs are approximate backpacker/mid-range estimates in GBP.
Day-by-day
Arrive Quito — Old Town at golden hour
Quito
Fly into Mariscal Sucre (UIO) and take an authorised taxi or the Aeropuerto Express bus into the centre (~£5-8). Check into a hostel or guesthouse in the Centro Histórico or La Mariscal. Spend the late afternoon wandering the UNESCO Old Town: Plaza Grande, the Government Palace exterior, La Ronda's balconied street. Eat at a set-lunch 'almuerzo' spot (£3-4). Acclimatise gently — you're at 2,850m.
🚌Airport Express bus or taxi from UIO (~£5-8)
🛏Hostel or guesthouse, Centro Histórico (~£15)
- →Self-guided UNESCO Old Town walk
- →Plaza Grande and La Ronda
- →Cheap almuerzo dinner
Quito churches then bus to Otavalo
Otavalo
Morning self-guided church circuit: La Compañía de Jesús (gold-leaf interior, ~£3), San Francisco (~£2), the Basilica and the Panecillo viewpoint (taxi up ~£3, walk down). Afternoon bus from Quito's Terminal Carcelén to Otavalo (~2.5 hrs, ~£2.50). Overnight in Otavalo town — hostels and family guesthouses cost a fraction of the hacienda stay.
🚌Local bus Quito (Carcelén) to Otavalo, ~£2.50
🛏Hostal in Otavalo town (~£15)
- →La Compañía de Jesús and San Francisco churches
- →Panecillo viewpoint
- →Otavalo town evening
Otavalo market, Peguche waterfall, Cotacachi
Otavalo
Hit the Plaza de Ponchos market early — it's at its best before 10am. Walk or take a £1 local bus to Peguche waterfall (~40 min round trip on foot). In the afternoon take a local bus to Cotacachi leather town and, if time allows, on to Laguna Cuicocha for a rim walk. Return to spend a second night in Otavalo.
🚌Local buses £1-2 per hop
🛏Hostal in Otavalo town (~£15)
- →Otavalo artisan market
- →Peguche waterfall walk
- →Cotacachi leather town
- →Optional Laguna Cuicocha rim trail
Bus to Papallacta hot springs
Papallacta
Bus back to Quito and on to Papallacta (via El Quinche or Carcelén, ~2 hrs total, ~£4). Spend the afternoon soaking in the thermal pools — the public Termas de Papallacta pools are far cheaper than the resort spa (~£7). Stay in a village guesthouse or basic cabaña; the cloud-forest setting is the point, not the hotel.
🚌Local buses via Quito, ~£4 total
🛏Guesthouse or cabaña in Papallacta village (~£18)
- →Papallacta thermal pools
- →Cloud-forest village walk
Descend to the Napo River — Amazon lodge
Napo River (Coca)
Bus to El Chaco/Baeza and onward to Puerto Francisco de Orellana (Coca) (~3-4 hrs, ~£5). Book a small Napo River eco-lodge directly or through a Coca-based agency — 3-night packages with meals, river transport and a local Quichua guide typically run £40-60 per night. Afternoon boat transfer downstream and a first short jungle trail before dark.
🚌Bus to Coca ~£5; lodge boat included in package
🛏Napo River eco-lodge, full board (~£55)
- →Napo River boat transfer
- →Afternoon forest trail
Quichua community and river wildlife
Napo River (Coca)
Morning visit to a Quichua del Oriente community with your local guide — yuca gardens, blowgun and chicha demonstrations, craft skills. Afternoon boat or canoe for wildlife spotting: pink river dolphins, hoatzins, kingfishers, squirrel monkeys. All included with the lodge package.
🚌Lodge boats
🛏Napo River eco-lodge, full board (~£55)
- →Indigenous Quichua community visit
- →Napo River wildlife boat trip
Jungle trails and canopy tower
Napo River (Coca)
Full day on the trails: a medicinal-plant walk with your guide (the 'Dos Ramas' style trek) and a birdwatching tower or canopy platform at dawn or dusk. Nights at the lodge usually include a caiman-spotting boat after dark — bring a headtorch.
🚌On foot and by canoe
🛏Napo River eco-lodge, full board (~£55)
- →Medicinal plant trail walk
- →Birdwatching canopy tower
- →Optional night caiman boat
Back to Quito — Mitad del Mundo detour
Quito
Morning upstream boat and bus back toward Quito (~5-6 hrs, ~£7). If you skipped it on day 1, hop off for the Mitad del Mundo / Intiñan equator site (~£5 direct, cheaper than the £65 tour add-on). Overnight in Quito and prep for the highlands.
🚌Bus Coca to Quito ~£7
🛏Hostal in Quito (~£15)
- →Napo River upstream departure
- →Optional Intiñan equator museum
Cotopaxi National Park by shared tour
Baños
Book a shared Cotopaxi day tour via GetYourGuide (~£35-45) including transport, park entry and guide — you hike the Limpiopungo lagoon area and the staging area at 4,500m, with the option to push to the refuge. Tours usually drop you back in Quito or Latacunga; take a late afternoon bus from Latacunga/Ambato to Baños (~£4, 2-3 hrs).
🚌Shared tour + bus to Baños ~£4
🛏Hostal in Baños (~£16)
- →Cotopaxi National Park hike
- →Limpiopungo lagoon
- →Optional climb to Cotopaxi refuge
Baños waterfalls and swing at the end of the world
Baños
Rent a bike for the Ruta de las Cascadas (~£5/day) or take the local bus toward Río Verde. Stop at Agoyán, ride the tarabita cable car at Manto de la Novia (~£2) and hike down to Pailón del Diablo (~£2 entry). Back in town, try melcochas sweets and visit the market. Optional zipline (~£15) or the Casa del Árbol swing (~£3).
🚌Bike rental ~£5 and local buses ~£1
🛏Hostal in Baños (~£16)
- →Ruta de las Cascadas by bike
- →Manto de la Novia tarabita
- →Pailón del Diablo hike
- →Baños market and melcochas tasting
Baños to Alausí — Devil's Nose train
Alausí / Riobamba
Bus to Riobamba (~2 hrs, ~£2.50), continue to Alausí for the Nariz del Diablo train (~£10-15 for the shortened route, runs most days — book ahead). Overnight in Alausí or Riobamba. This replaces the operator's optional train add-on with the same ride booked directly.
🚌Bus ~£2.50 each leg; train ~£12
🛏Guesthouse in Alausí or Riobamba (~£15)
- →Nariz del Diablo (Devil's Nose) train
- →Riobamba evening
Ingapirca ruins en route to Cuenca
Cuenca
Bus to Cañar/Ingapirca (via El Tambo, ~3 hrs, ~£4) and tour the Ingapirca archaeological complex — Ecuador's largest Inca site (~£3 entry). Continue by bus to Cuenca (~2.5 hrs, ~£3). Settle into a colonial-centre guesthouse and eat at one of the mercado 10 de Agosto food stalls.
🚌Local buses ~£7 total
🛏Guesthouse in Cuenca centro (~£18)
- →Ingapirca Inca complex
- →Cuenca colonial evening
Cuenca's churches, markets and museums
Cuenca
Self-guided Cuenca circuit: the blue-domed Inmaculada, Parque Calderón, the flower market, the Old Cathedral, the Tomebamba river walk and the Puente Roto. In the afternoon visit the Museo de las Culturas Aborígenes (~£3) or the Pumapungo ruins. Evening stroll along Calle Larga.
🚌On foot / tram ~£1
🛏Guesthouse in Cuenca centro (~£18)
- →Cuenca cathedral and flower market
- →Museo de las Culturas Aborígenes
- →Tomebamba river and Puente Roto
- →Calle Larga evening
Loja stopover and down to Vilcabamba
Vilcabamba
Long travel day: bus Cuenca to Loja (~5 hrs, ~£7) via the Andean ridge road, with a couple of hours to see San Francisco church, the main square, the Puerta de la Ciudad and the city museum. Then a local bus or shared taxi down to Vilcabamba (~45 min, ~£2).
🚌Bus ~£9 total
🛏Guesthouse in Vilcabamba (~£15)
- →Loja city centre walk
- →Puerta de la Ciudad
- →Vilcabamba valley arrival
Vilcabamba valley hiking and slow morning
Vilcabamba
Pick your day: the 6-hour Mandango ridge hike (free, steep, huge valley views), a shorter amble to the Rumi Wilco nature reserve, or a rented bike around the valley. Vilcabamba is Ecuador's long-lived 'valley of longevity' — book a cheap yoga class or hostel pool pass and lean into the slow pace.
🚌On foot / bike hire ~£4
🛏Guesthouse in Vilcabamba (~£15)
- →Mandango hill hike
- →Rumi Wilco reserve walk
- →Optional yoga class
- →Optional valley bike ride
Vilcabamba to Guayaquil
Guayaquil
Bus back to Loja then overnight or daytime bus to Guayaquil (~9-10 hrs total, ~£12-15; night bus saves a hotel night). Once there, walk the Malecón 2000 and climb Las Peñas hill for sunset views over the river. Stay near the centre so tomorrow's airport run is easy.
🚌Long-distance bus ~£14
🛏Budget hotel near centre (~£20)
- →Malecón 2000
- →Las Peñas hill and lighthouse
Fly to Baltra — Santa Cruz highlands and tortoises
Puerto Ayora, Santa Cruz
Early flight Guayaquil to Baltra (~£90-120 one way booked direct with Avianca/LATAM; add the ~£20 Galápagos transit card and ~£80 national park entry paid on arrival). Shared bus and ferry to Puerto Ayora (~£5). Afternoon in the highlands: the tortoise reserves at El Chato or Rancho Primicias (~£5 entry, independent taxi ~£10 split).
🚌Domestic flight ~£105, transfers ~£5, shared highland taxi ~£5
🛏Hostal in Puerto Ayora (~£25)
- →Flight to Baltra
- →Giant tortoise reserve in Santa Cruz highlands
- →Lava tunnels
Isabela Island — Tintoreras and snorkelling
Isabela
Morning public ferry from Puerto Ayora to Isabela (~2 hrs, ~£25). Book a local Tintoreras islet boat trip on the pier (~£30-35) — sharks, sea lions and blue-footed boobies, then snorkel at La Calera. Flamingo wetlands walk at dusk. (Add a buffer night on Isabela if you want to fit the Sierra Negra hike — most self-launchers do.) Fly back Baltra to Quito the following day.
🚌Ferry ~£25, local boat trip ~£32
🛏Hostal in Isabela (~£22)
- →Ferry to Isabela
- →Tintoreras islet boat trip
- →La Calera snorkelling
- →Flamingo wetlands walk
Self-launched vs. GUIDEcuador Travel
| This itinerary (self-launched) | GUIDEcuador Travel | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£1,300 | £4,715 |
| Duration | 18 days | 18 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £3,415 per person (72%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more GUIDEcuador Travel-style trips? Check them out here.~£1,300
estimated per person
You never pay Travel Crew for this — you pay hostels, transport, and activity providers directly, the same as if you'd booked it all yourself.
This publishes your dates so other travellers can find and join you — no tour operator needed.
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Frequently asked questions
How much does Ecuador Big Five: Self-Launched Andes to Galapagos in 18 Days cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £1,300 per person for 18 days in Ecuador. This is an AI-generated estimate based on typical budget-traveller prices — actual costs will vary by season and how you book.
Is this cheaper than booking with GUIDEcuador Travel?+
Yes — GUIDEcuador Travel charges around £4,715 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £1,300 — a saving of roughly £3,415 (72%) per person.
How long is the Ecuador trip?+
This itinerary runs 18 days, covering 18 day-by-day stops through Ecuador.
How do I join this trip?+
You can join an existing open departure using this itinerary if one is scheduled, or launch your own departure with your own dates and invite other travellers to join you — no tour operator required.
Isn't it easier to just use a tour operator?+
Well, yes, a tour operator will book all the individual parts of your travel for you and provide a guide. That's obvious, but doing this has the potential to save the group thousands, which can in turn improve your itinerary substantially or save you huge amounts of money. Also, when you launch a departure, Travel Crew has tools in place to help you book the individual sections of the trip or make it easier for you to do this as a group. Really, you do not need a middle man. If you are more comfortable paying more and using a middle man, then you should certainly do this.
Is it safer to book through a tour operator?+
Arguably, there isn't much difference. A self-launched trip runs on the same principle as a group travel crew: collective responsibility, everyone looking out for each other, the same way it would if a group of friends organised the trip themselves — because that's exactly what's happening. You should always take out travel insurance before you go, self-launched or not; that doesn't change either way. Every open departure is published publicly with real dates and a real trip organiser, so it's never an anonymous arrangement, and our support team is reachable any time you need help, including in an emergency while you're away. Longer-term, we're building direct relationships with ground DMCs in popular destinations, offered as an optional paid add-on for extra on-the-ground support. Ultimately, though, the group is responsible for its own conduct and safety on a self-launched trip, same as on any trip you plan yourself.
What kind of trip is this?+
This is a adventure, culture, hiking trip through Ecuador, self-launched rather than run by a tour operator — you organise it with a group you find or bring yourself.
Would you like to name the operator, name the trip, or have any suggestions about how to improve this itinerary?
Drop your comment below — if you've done a similar route, tell us what worked, what you'd add, or what you'd skip.
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