10-day Ecuador Solo Travel Itinerary (No Car Needed!)

Earlier this year, I visited Ecuador for the first time and did a 10-day roadtrip around the Andes region of the country. Renting a car was a great way to see the country’s diverse landscape and culture in a short amount of time. I was with my boyfriend, who did all the driving, and he had no problems navigating through Ecuador. However, I know that I would personally not feel comfortable renting a car and driving in Ecuador if I was not with him, so I wanted to create this alternative itinerary that doesn’t not require a car.

This itinerary is also optimized for solo travelers and follows a safe route that is popular among backpackers in Ecuador. It includes group tours and social hostels that will help you make friends and feel safe while exploring all of the beauty that Ecuador has to offer, like it’s vibrant capital city, a volcano, a crater lake, and a towering waterfall.

General Tips for Ecuador Travel

Whether or not you are solo travelling, I recommend you read my 8 Essential Tips for Travelling in Ecuador. Ecuador a unique country with high altitude, varying weather, and limited infrastructure in certain regions so it’s important to be as prepared as possible!

Tips for Ecuador Solo Travel

Ecuador is generally a welcoming and safe country, but it can be intimidating for solo travelers, especially first-time solo travelers. Although we encountered many other travelers and solo travelers during our trip, Ecuador is less popular than its neighboring countries, like Peru. There is less tourist infrastructure (and information about travel), making it a bit harder to travel. Here’s a few extra tips for solo traveling in Ecuador that will make your trip safer and more enjoyable.

1. Stick to Social Hostels and Accommodations: Choosing hostels that cater to solo travelers will allow you to easily meet people and join group tours with like-minded travelers. I have a listed a few great accommodations for each stop in this itinerary that all have social atmospheres, group tours, and communal meals that make it easier to meet people, so you don’t have to travel by yourself if you don’t want to.

2. Learn a Few Spanish Basics: Besides people who work in tourism, English is not widely spoken in Ecuador. While traveling by yourself, it’s important to know some basic Spanish phrases so you can interact with locals and ask for help if you need it. Trust me, being able to order at a restaurant or ask for directions in Spanish goes a long way!

3. Only use Uber or Authorized Taxis: In Quito and other cities, Uber is the safest option for getting to and from the airport and around the city. Hailing a taxi off the street is not recommended. If Uber is not available and you do need a taxi, ask your accommodation to call one for you or look for authorized taxi stands.

4. Take Advantage of Group Tours: Whether you want to explore the attractions in Quito or take a day trip to remote areas like the Amazon, you should stick to group tours as a solo traveler. All transportation and logistics will be arranged for you and you’ll be able to stay safe while still having an adventure.

5. Avoid Walking at Night and Blend In: Especially in Quito, it’s not recommended to walk alone on the street at night (we even avoided doing this as a group). And whether you are walking alone during the day or at night, try to blend in by dressing modestly and avoid wearing flashy jewelry and displaying valuables, like your phone. In general, just be aware of your surroundings.

The 10-day Ecuador Solo Travel Itinerary

• Days 1-2: Quito
• Days 3-6: Cotopaxi
• Days 7-9: Baños
• Day 10: Return to Quito

Quito

Stay 2 nights

Your solo Ecuador adventure will start in Quito, which is the capital of Ecuador. Quito is nestled in the Andes mountains at an altitude of 2,850 meters. Its historic center is a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site, where you’ll find Spanish colonial architecture, cobblestone streets and big beautiful plazas. Since most international flights arrive here, it’s the perfect place to start your trip and adjust to Ecuador’s high altitude.

Where to Stay in Quito for Solo Travelers

When choosing where to stay in Quito, you should try to stick to the neighborhoods Centro Historico, La Mariscal and La Carolina, because they are safe and within walking distance to many attractions. Here are 2 hostels that are great for solo travelers in Quito, Ecuador (and they both offer private rooms in case you don’t like hostel dorms).

• The Secret Garden Quito: This hostel is perfect for solo travelers and where I would recommend you stay in Quito. They offer daily activities, free walking tours, and a rooftop bar and restaurant with some of the best views in the city. The best part is that they have a sister property in Cotopaxi with a free shuttle between the two locations, making it easy to add a few nights in Cotopaxi to your trip (more on this later).
• Community Hostel: This is another popular, highly-rated hostel in Quito that has daily social events, family-style meals, and a rooftop. It has a perfect location in the Historic Center within walking distance to all the sites. And they can help you plan daily trips to explore Quito and Cotopaxi.

Quito Solo Travel Itinerary

Spend your first day in Quito exploring the Centro Historico. Start with a free walking tour to get familiar with the neighborhood and learn about Quito’s history and important landmarks. Your hostel will likely have a free walking tour that you can join, but if not I highly recommend this one on GuruWalk.

Although you will likely stop here on your walking tour, the Basilica del Voto Nacional is worth a longer visit. For a small fee you can visit the inside of the basilica to see the beautiful ceilings and stained glass windows. And for a great view of Quito’s cityscape, don’t miss climbing the towers.

On your second day in Quito, take a trip up to Pichincha Volcano on El Teleferico, where you’ll find breathtaking views of Quito and the surrounding Andes mountains. Then, head over to the Equator, known as La Mitad del Mundo. Here you can stand on the Equator line and visit the Intiñan Museum for some fun equator related activities. Although you can visit these sites by yourself by taking Ubers to them, I would recommend joining a tour that will pick you up at your accommodation and take you to both in one day, such as this one. Your hostel can also help you plan your day and explore the city in the safest way possible.

For a full list of my favorite things I did in Quito, along with helpful tips and info, check out my blog post 8 Unforgettable Things to do in Quito, Ecuador!

Day Trips from Quito

If you have more time in Ecuador, I recommend you spend it in Quito doing daily group tours to places like Quilotoa, Mindo, or Otavalo. Here’s some highly rated tour you can do from Quito:

Cotopaxi

Stay 2 nights

For your next stop on your solo Ecuador adventure, you’ll be visiting Cotopaxi National Park. The easiest way to get from Quito to Cotopaxi is to take the daily shuttle from Secret Garden Quito to Secret Garden Cotopaxi. This shuttle is free if you are staying at the Secret Garden Cotopaxi.

Stay at the Secret Garden

If you can’t tell already, I highly recommend that you stay at the Secret Garden during your time in Cotopaxi, especially if you’re a solo traveler. This all-inclusive eco-lodge/hostel is the best place for solo travelers in Ecuador as they will take care of everything for you, making it easy for you to explore Cotopaxi National Park and some of Ecuador’s other natural wonders. The communal spaces and family-style meals (which are included in your stay) create an amazing social atmosphere and make it easy to meet other solo travelers.

I have a whole blog post about my experience staying at the Secret Garden, including everything we did and an honest review of the excursions, food, and atmosphere. Click here to read!

Why Stay 4 Nights?

During my trip to Ecuador I only stayed 2 nights at Secret Garden Cotopaxi but I wish I stayed more! This hostel has so many activities to choose from that you can probably spend a whole week there without running out of things to do. Although, I should mention that most of the excursions involve difficult hikes, so if you are not an avid hiker, you may want to spend less time there.

Here are the three must-do hikes/excursions to do at the Secret Garden (and 2 of them are included with you stay!)

• Welcome Hike: This is a free (included) hike to a nearby waterfall. The hike takes about 2 hours total and includes some climbing on slippery rocks, but overall is a pretty easy hike. It’s a great welcome event that will help you meet people and explore the surrounding nature.
• Pasochoa Summit: Another free (included) hike that leaves straight from the property and goes to a dormant volcano summit. This hike was HARD, so I would only recommend it for experienced hikers. It was about 4 hours straight of walking uphill and we weren’t able to take many breaks. But making it to the summit of this volcano was worth it!
• Cotopaxi Refuge: This tour, which costs about $50 per person, takes you in a shuttle to Cotopaxi Mountain. It includes a short, 1 hour hike to the José Rivas Refuge.

To find out about the other excursions and to book your stay at the Secret Garden Cotopaxi, visit their website or reach out to them by email. From what I saw while staying there, they have excursions to Quilotoa and even an overnight tour to the Amazon Rainforest, but they do not run everyday, so plan accordingly.

Read my full review of The Secret Garden Cotopaxi here!

Baños

Spend 3 nights

After Cotopaxi, head south to the adventure capital of Ecuador, Baños. Baños is a small but fun town that’s popular with backpackers and adventure lovers. There’s lots of great hostels and the town is safe and walkable, which is why I think it deserves a place on this Ecuador solo travel itinerary!

Getting to Baños

Getting from Cotopaxi to Baños is a bit tricky and requires you to take a public bus (although there is an alternative if you are not comfortable with that). First, take the shuttle from Secret Garden Cotopaxi back to Quito. Then, catch the bus from Terminal Terrestre Quitumbe bus station to Baños (~$5).

It’s also possible for the Secret Garden shuttle to stop in Machachi (which would prevent you from going all the way north to Quito to then go south again), but I’m not sure if it’s then possible to get directly from Machachi to Baños. Ask the staff at Secret Garden for help with this route. And ask around at your hostel to see if anyone else is travelling south after Cotopaxi. It’s common for people to head to either Latacunga or Baños after Cotopaxi, so you can probably find someone to travel with.

If you don’t feel comfortable taking the public bus in Ecuador as a solo traveler, there are a few private and semi-private transport options that cost a bit more money. Firstly, Daytrip is a private transport service that will take you door-to-door, but it’s not great for budget travelers. It will likely cost $100+, but if you can find some people to split this transfer with it could be an affordable option!

Another option is Ecuador Hop, which offers hop-on hop-off shuttles between popular cities in Ecuador. They have a popular route that goes from Quito to Baños. It’s also a bit pricey, but I think it’s worth it for the safety and peace of mind as a solo traveler!

Where to stay in Baños for Solo Travelers

If you are visiting Baños as a solo traveler, I recommend you stay in the city center, which is safe and walkable. You can walk to many restaurants and attractions, and this will also be the meeting point for most tours you do in Baños. Here are 2 great hostels in the city center, and 1 located outside of the city in case you want to be closer to nature.

• Great Hostels: Less than $10 a night, this is a social hostel with daily events and activities. They can also help you book excursions around Baños.
• Erupcion Art Hotel & Hostel : Also less than $10 a night, this hostel has a prime location right in front of Banos’s central park, along with a coworking space and an onsite Ecuadorian restaurant.
• Mama Tungu Hostel: This hostel is about a mile from town along the Ruta de Cascadas, and you must take a taxi to get to it. It’s in a beautiful location, has a restaurant and a pool, and offers daily adventure tours, so you really don’t have to leave the property if you don’t want to!

Baños Solo Travel Itinerary

Baños offers endless adventure activities to choose from, such as white water rafting, ziplining, and canyoning. It’s most iconic attraction, el Pailon del Diablo, is a towering waterfall that you can walk behind. Most of Baños’s attractions require a car to get to, so as a solo traveler you should rely on group tours to see the sights. Here are some great tours you can choose from to fill your time in Baños:

There are two popular sights that you can walk to right in the town of Baños. Termas de la Virgen are natural hot springs heated by the nearby Tungurahua Volcano. And El Bosque Encantado is a fun walkthrough experience with displays and photo ops for different fantasy worlds. Both of these activities are great to do at night after a long day of exploring in nature!

For a full, detailed list of things to do in Baños, Ecuador, check out my blog post here.

Return to Quito

On your last day in Ecuador, return to Quito from Baños by bus. Alternatively, use Daytrip to book a private transfer or Ecuador Hop to book a hop-on hop-off shuttle.

If you’re traveling back to Quito to catch a flight, leave plenty of time! Although the drive should take about 3 hours, expect traffic and delays, especially if using public transport. Even while driving back in our rental car, we were stuck in traffic for over an hour because of an accident on the highway, so we were glad we left with extra time.

If you’re flight is early in the morning and you need to stay overnight near the airport, I highly recommend staying at Hotel Alpachaca. I stayed here by myself while I was waiting for my boyfriend to arrive in Ecuador the next day, and I felt perfectly safe there as a solo traveler. It’s a 5 minute drive to the Quito airport and they provide a shuttle for just a few dollars. It doesn’t feel like an airport hotel at all because the surroundings are so beautiful. There’s a rooftop with incredible views of the mountains and the planes landing.

Final Thoughts

Although solo travelling in Ecuador may take more planning than in other countries, it’s a great option for those who want to explore an underrated, budget-friendly country in South America. It’s one-of-a-kind hostels and tours to breathtaking, remote locations make it the perfect destination for adventure and nature loving solo travelers. I hope this Ecuador solo travel itinerary gives you the confidence to explore this country and helps you efficiently plan your trip!

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