South & Central America
Highlights - Essential Info - Itineraries - History
Visa Requirements - Holders of UK passports do not require a visa for entry into Ecuador, but the authorities sometimes check to ensure that you have a valid onward/return ticket and sufficient funds for your visit and you should have a full passport with a minimum of six months validity from the date of your return to the UK. Please also be aware that you need to have at least two blank pages in your passport.
Health Requirements - There are no mandatory vaccinations required for entry into Ecuador although Tetanus, Typhoid, Polio, Hepatitis A and Meningitis are recommended. A Yellow Fever Certificate is required to enter Ecuador if you have come via an infected country. Even if you have not come via an infected country it is generally recommended if you are travelling to the Amazon basin. Malaria exists in some parts of Ecuador that are below 2500m in altitude such as the Amazon basin. It is therefore essential that you seek medical advice with regard to its treatment.
We strongly recommend that you contact your doctor or the MASTA (Medical Advisory Service for Travellers Abroad) Travellers Health Line on 0870 60 62782 or their website at www.masta.org for all professional medical advice.
Time - GMT -5 hours (The Ecuadorian mainland) GMT -6 hours (The Galapagos Islands)
Money - The currency of Ecuador is the US$ Dollar as they recently abandoned their own currency, which used to be called the Sucre, to try and avoid the rampant inflation that was causing trouble for the country’s fragile economy. Travellers cheques and foreign currency can be freely exchanged at most commercial banks, hotels and lodges. The use and acceptance of credit cards such as Visa and MasterCard is growing and they are generally accepted in many of the larger hotels and lodges, but an alternative payment source such as cash is sensible, especially in remote areas.
Flights
|
Airline |
Route |
Frequency |
Via |
|
KLM |
Heathrow/Quito |
Daily |
Amsterdam |
|
American Airlines |
Heathrow/Quito |
Daily |
Miami or Dallas |
Climate - a rough guide
Ecuador’s claim to fame is that all four seasons can be experienced in the same day, so its climate is noted for its unpredictability, but on the whole it enjoys a year round Spring like climate on account of its location along the Equator and the country can be comfortably visited throughout the year.
Due to the diversity of topography and altitude, each area has slightly different seasons as follows:
Quito & the highlands: June to September is the dry season with day time temperatures hovering around 70F. The rain tends to come from October to May with March/April being the wettest.
The Galapagos: There tends to be significantly less rainfall in the Galapagos than on the mainland with January to April being the warmer, wetter months where you get day time temperatures up to around 85F and the occasional heavy downpour which is swiftly followed by the sun coming out. May to December are the drier, cooler months (75F) with July to September normally experiencing more choppy and windy sea conditions.
The Oriente (Amazon Basin): By its very definition, the rain forest of the Oriente region is the wettest region of the country with high rainfall throughout the year. It tends to be sunny in the mornings with afternoon downpours and temperatures tend to hover consistently around 75F.
Please note also that in recent years the traditional seasons in Ecuador, as elsewhere in the world, have become less predictable than before, particularly when El Nino passes through.
When to go - With its temperate equatorial climate Ecuador is a country that can be visited throughout the year, but arguably the best time to visit is either between November and February, when it tends be a little warmer or from May to September when it tends to be a little drier. However those who want their Galapagos cruise to be as smooth as possible should avoid July to September when the winds can pick up creating slightly choppy seas.
|
Quito |
||||||||||||
|
|
Jan |
Feb |
Mar |
Apr |
May |
Jun |
Jul |
Aug |
Sep |
Oct |
Nov |
Dec |
|
Temp (F) |
71/ 46 |
71/ 46 |
71/ 46 |
69/ 46 |
68/ 46 |
71/ 44 |
71/ 44 |
73/ 44 |
73/ 44 |
71/ 46 |
71/ 44 |
71/ 46 |
|
Rain (in) |
3.8 |
4.4 |
5.5 |
6.8 |
5.3 |
1.6 |
0.7 |
1.2 |
2.7 |
4.4 |
3.8 |
3.1 |
Temp (Fahrenheit) = Average Maximum Temperatures (day/night)
Rain (inches) = Average Monthly Rainfall
