8 days · Quito + Galápagos lite
Ecuador in 8 days
Ecuador in 8 days: Quito + Galápagos lite (or Cuenca / Amazon). Colonial Andes and one extreme second hub without flight overload.
One Andean hub, one extreme landscape
In 8 days: Quito (2–3) + Galápagos lite (4–5) land-based (Santa Cruz / San Cristóbal), or Cuenca / Amazon if islands don’t fit the budget. Don’t stack Galápagos + Amazon + Cuenca + Otavalo + coast.
When
Jun–Nov (Galápagos)
Cooler/drier islands; good viewing. Quito drier mid-year.
Dec–May
Warmer snorkel water; possible sierra rains. Active marine life.
Altitude always
Quito ~2,800 m: soft day 1. Amazon/Galápagos: different climate — light layers.
Budget / day
US$50–140
Hotel (land)
US$200–450
Galápagos*
US$20–45
Food
US$100–500
Total*
8 days
Practical
Flights
UIO/GYE ↔ GPS/SCY frequent. Book island round-trips early; strict baggage kilos.
Where to stay
Quito: La Mariscal/centre · Galápagos: Puerto Ayora/Baquerizo · Cuenca centre · Amazon: full-board lodge.
Altitude & fees
Quito: respect altitude. Galápagos: park fee + transit card. Insurance covering tour cancellations.
Food
Locro · encebollado · chocolate · fresh island fish (pricey). Pack snorkel snacks.
Tips
One second hub, well
Galápagos OR Cuenca OR Amazon. Two extremes = airports.
Cruise + Quito express in 8 days
A serious cruise needs more nights. Land-based fits this arc better.
Early snorkel
Calmer water and fewer boats. Book day tours with a solid operator.
Cotopaxi on day 1
Altitude + effort = bad trip. Want a volcano? Leave 1–2 acclimatisation nights.
Checklist
Ecuador on TripMatches
Build Quito + Galápagos lite (or Cuenca/Amazon), share nights and align islands vs sierra with your group.
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