While your honeymoon is just the start of many adventures together, it’s the ultimate trip of a lifetime and, in Ecuador, there’s no other kind. This pint-sized powerhouse is filled with UNESCO highlights and wildly beautiful landscapes, befitting for couples who love a peek into history, exploring mountain trails and underwater labyrinths, or getting to know all the hole-in-the-wall spots like a local. Unique with a capital ‘U’, Ecuador is everything you imagine it to be and beyond… So get comfy and delve straight in to our Ecuador honeymoon guide.
Ecuador of Old
Running down the middle of Ecuador are the picturesque peaks of the Andes – the ‘Backbone of South America’ – and this trip weaves its way through the Avenue of the Volcanoes and the historic cities embedded within. Start on the Pacific Coast in Ecuador’s only real city, Guayaquil, easing into your trip with a stroll to find the finest chocolate in town, or a wander around the art museums. Then, the ascent begins… The sight of powder-blue cathedral domes surrounded by rolling hills welcomes you to Cuenca, before the Avenue of the Volcanoes beckons. Its name is no exaggeration, with a lush valley watched over by around 70 mighty volcanoes offering hikes of every length, visits to the most well-preserved Incan ruins in Ecuador, and a nail-biting train ride down the Devil’s Nose. The King of the area is Cotopaxi, a 5,897-metre-high volcano that dominates the skyline and is ever-present as you ride horseback with an Ecuadorian cowboy, kayak on the turquoise Quilotoa Crater Lake, or hike its impressive slopes. Then, it’s time for Quito. The second-highest capital in the world isn’t short on scenery or fascinating history and days are spent perusing the plazas and churches of the Old Town and admiring the city from the famous Panecillo Hill. Your honeymoon ends in Otavalo, a colourful spot boasting one of the largest indigenous markets on the continent, and surrounded by plains filled with unique flora and fauna, and the promise of a soak at nature’s spa – thermal pools fed by nearby volcanoes.
Top spots to stay
In Guayaquil, enjoy the historic yet high-end Hotel del Parque, waking to the sounds of wildlife from the sanctuary next door and dining at the river’s edge. Make your stay in Cuenca a stylish one at the Mansión Alcàzar with its heavenly spa treatments and gorgeous suites, before heading to the Hacienda Abraspungo for a fantastic introduction to the Avenue of the Volcanoes. In Cotopaxi National Park, homely Chilcabamba is surrounded by four volcanic peaks and will make your adventures a dream, whilst Quito’s ILLA Experience Hotel is a fabulous, central choice when you reach the capital. Lastly, the historic Hacienda Zuleta in Otavalo is beyond scenic and your personal host will see that every detail is perfect.
Epic Ecuador
Incan relics and Andean landscapes, surreal wildlife and vistas that take your breath away – it all awaits on this all-singing all-dancing trip that combines Ecuador’s most incredible experiences. Travel to the city of Quito and dive into Ecuador’s history that plays out in the Spanish plazas, Pre-Columbian museums and ornate architecture. Just north is Otavalo, a chocolate box town in the mountains with one of the largest indigenous markets in Latin America, and fill your suitcase with treasures. When you’re not bartering for a hand-stitched rug, there’s hiking, horseback riding and cycling in the highlands too. Then, it’s to the Ecuadorian Amazon you go, a haven of weird and wonderful creatures, from the smallest monkey in the world to giant otters, three-toed sloths to pink dolphins. Choose one of the many fabulous eco-lodges and hike through the rainforest (day or night), canoe down the tributaries, and take a million photos. Making your way to the coast, you’ll be whisked off to Isla Santa Cruz in the Galapagos, a volcanic chunk of land that’s home to lava tunnels and giant tortoises, before hopping aboard the boat of your choice for a cruise round the Galapagos. Dismount to snorkel with sea lions, spot blue-footed boobies and flamboyant frigatebirds, and kayak into the hidden corners…
Top spots to stay
In Quito, the Casa Gangotena Hotel is an icon and has one of the best sunset views around – just the place to toast your trip! One of the oldest haciendas in northern Ecuador, make Hacienda Piman your home in Otavalo and in the Amazon’s Yasuni National Park, choose the Napo Wildlife Center Ecolodge for ravishing views from every space, especially enjoyable from a private Jacuzzi. On the Isla Santa Cruz, the Finch Bay Hotel enjoys exclusive beach frontage and their yacht, the Sea Lion, is ready to take you island-hopping. As for a bona fide cruise, the Galapagos Seaman Journey has plenty of lookout spots and a shallow draft so you can get into every nook and cranny of the archipelago.
The islands of the Galapagos
Having baffled and amazed since travellers first set foot on the islands, the Galapagos are a dream come true for many. Unique creatures roam the highlands and glide below the water’s surface and no two islands are the same. Your honeymoon will be spent between the rugged Isla Santa Cruz and volcanic Isla Isabela to soak up as much of this one-of-a-kind destination as possible. As you explore, keep your peepers wide open for the endemic ‘Galapagos 15’, a collection of quirky birds, iguanas, penguins, sea mammals and the giant tortoise – there are five different species on Isla Isabela alone. Hikes are always memorable, whether you scramble through lava tunnels or find an untouched beach along the way. The Galapagos Marine Reserve is known for its crystal-clear waters, making diving and snorkelling a delight – you may just be joined by playful sea lions.
Top spots to stay
On the Isla Santa Cruz, swap suites for a luxury tent at the Galapagos Safari Camp, where each moment feels like a special occasion and every detail is taken care of. Then, board the Isabela II, a small but luxury yacht with stylish cabins and rooftop hot tub from which to enjoy the view.
Ecuador’s Natural Gems
If a honeymoon is all about getting away from regular life then, boy oh boy, is this trip for you. Although Ecuador holds only 2% of the Amazon Basin, it is a breath-taking slice of the action where hundreds of vivid bird species chatter in the trees alongside monkeys and sleepy sloths, and there’s an entire cast of creatures below its waters – did someone say pink dolphins and beedy-eyed caimans? In between Ecuador’s duo of natural gems, stop in Quito, the very first city to be declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and explore its 11-century-long history, marvelling at Pre-Columbian art and Spanish architecture. Sprawled across the Andean slopes, verdant greenery and curls of mist mark your arrival in the Cloud Forest. A combination of the elements has made the Cloud Forest a true paradise where unique orchids bloom, and you’ll find over 500 species of birdlife, including the tangerine Cock-of-the-Rock, toucans and iridescent hummingbirds, and all manner of mammals.
Top spots to stay
There is a selection of eco-minded, luxury spots in the Amazon, but Sacha Lodge is set in a 5,000-acre private reserve and boasts the only lake pool in the region, if that takes your fancy. In Quito, head for the ILLA Experience Hotel, a 17th-century gem with little details that make your stay extra special. And in the Cloud Forest, it has to be Mashpi Lodge. Occupying the only ‘flat’ area in 3,200 acres of jungle, it’s centred around conservation, and offers fantastic excursions, a fabulous spa and eight-storey observation tower for amazing views over the trees.
Action-packed Ecuador & the Galapagos
Perhaps one of the most iconic and mysterious archipelagos on Earth, Darwin’s ‘Enchanted Isles’ are the first stop on this trip round Ecuador’s highlights. Made up of 13 main islands, the isles of the Galapagos are alive with curiosities that you’ll find nowhere else in the world. Cruise around the ethereal waters, stopping to dive or kayak and spot the ‘Galapagos 15’ from including cliff-diving penguins and sea lion pups to swimming iguanas. Or, pick an island and set out to explore lava tunnels, stroll with giant tortoises and laze on pristine beaches. Then, pack up your significantly-fuller camera and head for the mainland to get acquainted with historic Quito and its plazas, churches, museums and cuisine. Your final stop is the Cotopaxi National Park, which sits serenely under the gaze of its famous summit. Explore to your heart’s content, riding horseback across the paramo with an Ecuadorian chagra, hiking along the slopes and glacial rivers, and stopping to literally smell the roses at one of the pretty plantations.
Top spots to stay
Should you fancy cruising round the Galapagos, M/Y La Pinta is a fabulous vessel where you’ll relish the views from the observation deck – or without even having to leave your bed. In Quito, the Casa Gangotena Hotel is centrally located and elegant with intricate frescoes and lavish high teas in the conservatory. Built on the slopes of a volcano, the views at Hacienda El Porvenir are utterly sublime and the Mountain Spa does the trick after a day of exploring.
