If you do not want to be constantly moving hotels in Ecuador, Quito makes a great base in order to enjoy multiple day trips. It is relatively easy to hire a car or a taxi for a day, or you can book a tour through a tour company such as Viator. There are so many cool day trips from Quito to take – you can easily spend a week exploring the area.
Want a guided tour to start out your trip and get acclimated to the city? Then check out Guru Walks for a free guided tour. You can book online to reserve your spot and pay what you wish when you get there. Check out the tours in Quito here.
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TripAdvisor is a great place to start your hotel search. Search for the best Quito and Ecuador hotels here!
Check out these tips for managing altitude sickness when visiting Quito.
Ciudad Mitad del Mundo
Drive Time: 36 minutes
Ever dreamt of standing in the middle of the world? Then visiting La Ciudad Mitad del Mundo is a must do and one of the best day trips from Quito. It is only 15 miles, or about a 30-minute drive from Quito.
The cheapest way to get here is to catch the bus to La Mitad del Mundo. To get to the bus, head to the Ofelia Station. Look for the bus to Mitad del Mindo. The cost should only be about 25 cents. A taxi ride here is also rather cheap as well. It should only be a $10-$20 ride, so make sure to agree on a price before you hop in the cab.
The last option is to go on an organized tour. This is definitely the most expensive option, but also the most relaxing. There are many options that you can pair with other stops as well.
Once at Mitad del Mundo, this town-like area contains a monument to the equator, a museum, restaurants, and various shops and statues to look at. You can spend a couple of hours exploring the area, but not much more than that.
It is worth a day trip from Quito, so you are able to stand in the middle of the world! It makes for some great photo opps and it is interesting to learn about the area.
Cotopaxi National Park
Drive Time: 1 hour, 45 minutes
Cotopaxi National Park is another must-not-miss day trip from Quito. This National Park is located about 55 miles south of Quito, or a 1 hour and 45-minute drive.
To get here, you will want to hire a local driver, or you can opt to book a tour. We opted to hire a driver for the day and it cost about $100. There are a lot of tour options that you can also pair with some other sites. They start around $60/person for a group tour.
Cotopaxi National Park is a preserved area south of Quito. The park contains the active Cotopaxi Volcano. There are also multiple trails to hike, a museum, and an abundance of dazzling views. Visitors can even hike to the peak of the volcano.
It is fun to see more of the natural side of Ecuador that is totally different from the Galapagos and the Amazon. If you want more time for hiking, I would even recommend spending the night in the area, but I found one day to be sufficient to visit the National Park.
Termas de Papallacta
Drive Time: 1 hour, 20 minutes
Termas de Papallacta is the place to go if you are looking for a relaxing day, and is one of the best day trips from Quito. It is located 45 miles from Quito, or an hour and 20-minute drive.
There are several options on how to get to Termas de Papallacta. You can opt to take a bus or taxi out there, book a tour, or book a package through the hotel. We visited as part of our Ecuador itinerary, so we stayed at the hotel.
If visiting as a day trip from Quito, I recommend just booking a package. There are many options to choose from, but I recommend one that comes with the use of the spa pools.
Termas de Papallacta is a spa and hot springs resort. They offer very reasonable spa packages that include the use of their thermal pools, a massage, and time in the thermal steam cave. This will be the perfect way to relax after wandering around Quito.
There is also an on-site restaurant for food and many places around the resort to just relax. Make note that the elevation is higher in Papallacta, so make sure to take your time moving around.
Otavalo
by Emily of Emily Embarks
Drive Time: 2 hours
Just under 2 hours and only 56 miles north of the capital, Otavalo is one of the best day trips from Quito! Home to beautiful outdoor markets, hospitable locals, and incredible street food, visitors seeking an authentic Ecuadorian vacation need to have Otavalo on their itinerary.
To get there, you can take either the local bus for $2.90 per person or an Uber for about $45 one-way. As a personal tip, don’t ever put your luggage above or below your seat on the local bus as pickpockets are practically guaranteed for unsuspecting tourists.
If possible, try to plan your trip to Otavalo on a Saturday. Why? Because this is when the Otavalo Market is in full swing! Overflowing with vibrant stalls selling everything from alpaca wool backpacks to $1 meals, bartering in the market is quite the experience. It is recommended to learn some Spanish before you visit, however, since almost none of the local population speaks English.
After you’ve scoured the stalls for your favorite Ecuadorian souvenir, pick up some fried plantains and rice from a local street vendor walking around with a cooler on wheels. It may seem strange, but this is likely going to be one of the best meals you have in Ecuador.
Next, grab a taxi over to the Peguche Waterfalls and get ready to wander through the rainforest in search of toucans and scenic shallow pools great for swimming. This makes for a great end to your day in Otavalo before returning south to Quito.
Otavalo is a beautiful destination often overlooked by tourists. On your next visit, stay just north of the city at the Samia Lodge Airbnb where you’ll find unbeatable hospitality and unparalleled views of the city and mountains below!
Pululahua Village
By Anthony of Green Mochila
Drive Time: 40 minutes
At the end of a short way up, we reach a platform overlooking an incredible view: a flat, green plain is stretched between mountain tops. A few roads and two dozen houses are peacefully scattered across the plain. A couple of clouds are trapped, adding to the misty atmosphere.
This image of serenity would be refreshing if this sleepy plain wasn’t the crater of an active volcano. You read that right: a whole village lies at the mouth of a volcano that could erupt at any time.
Volcán Pululahua is one of 27 ‘potentially active’ volcanoes in Ecuador. The small, oft-overlooked country is divided in its middle by the majestic Andes mountain range. Quito is built right in there, an elongated settlement tucked between mountains.
The village is less than 20 miles away from the capital; only a 1.5-hour bus ride from the Quito-Ofelia bus station, and a convenient 15-minute ride from the famous ‘Middle of the World’. It makes for one of the best day trips from Quito.
Regardless of this uncanny situation, most visitors are here to take in the views, which really are beautiful. A winding path goes down to the village, and a couple of trails venture further into a Nature Reserve. For those who feel adventurous, there are a few campsites and an eco-lodge right inside the crater. If this is not your thing, you can also visit the museums in Quito!
Quilotoa Crater
By Daniel of Destinationless Travel
Drive Time: 3 hours
One of the coolest day trips from Quito takes you out to see one of the country’s most popular volcanoes. Quilotoa Volcano is an active volcano around 3 hours from Quito; however, its last eruption was 850 years ago. Although far, visiting is considered one of the best things to do in Quito.
The crater of the volcano, Quilotoa Crater, is now filled with water and has become a popular spot to kayak. These are available to rent on the edge of the lake.
On a visit to Quilotoa Crater and lake, you’ll enjoy a short but steep hike from the rim of the crater down to the edge of the lake. The way down is easy, but the way up leaves many out of breath. If you’re having trouble, there are horses available for a fee of around $10 USD.
You can visit the crater without a tour by taking a bus from Quito. The bus leaves from Terminal Terrestre de Quitumbe and heads to Latacunga, where you must change buses and make the final trip to Zumbahua. From here, you are still 15 kilometers from the lake, so you’ll either need to take a bus, a taxi, or you can try hitchhiking.
Because the trip there is difficult with public transport, a tour is recommended. This full-day tour from Quito is a top choice and includes transport, all entrance fees (although entrance tickets only cost $2 USD), and an English-speaking guide.
The Quilotoa Crater is part of the famous 3-to-5-day hike, also known as the Quilotoa Loop. If you plan on doing this multi-day hike from Quito, you will see the lake on the hike.
Pichincha Volcano
By Daniel of Layer Culture
Drive Time: 1 hour, 30 minutes
When looking for one of the best day trips from Quito to do, why not consider taking a trip up to Pichincha volcano? The stratovolcano standing at over 4000 meters wraps around the city’s exterior and offers some of the most impressive views of Quito.
One of the best ways to get close to this active volcano is by riding the Teleferico from the city. It is known as the world’s second-highest cable car, so if you are afraid of heights you may want to think twice. From the historic center, the best way to get to the Teleferico is by taxi which takes about 30 minutes, then you pay $8.50 to jump on the Teleferico to take you towards the Pichincha Volcano.
Once you arrive at the top, there is a small cafe and ample space to have a picnic or relax taking in the fresh air and views. Since you are way above the clouds you can get some Instagram-worthy photos and for anyone that likes backpacking or hiking, it is from here that you can start the hike up the volcano. You could literally spend the whole day exploring, but the best time to visit is during a sunny morning for the best views of the city below since the clouds start to lower in the afternoon.
Mindo Cloudforest
By Katie from KatieCafTravel
Mindo is a small village in Ecuador that has become famous in recent years for its beautiful nature, hiking, and adventure sports. Only 2 hours (55 miles) from Quito, Mindo is the perfect day trip from Ecuador’s capital city for nature lovers.
You can get to Mindo easily and cheaply by taking a Colectivo bus from Terminal La Ofelia in the north of Quito. These buses run 5x a day and only take two hours. The buses are comfortable, and tickets cost less than $5 each way.
You might have to take an Uber or another bus to get to Terminal La Ofelia because it’s in the north of Quito, but from there the bus is direct.
Once you’re in Mindo there are lots of amazing activities to do. Mindo is considered a prime destination for nature lovers, with people traveling all over the world to go birdwatching, and regular birdwatching tours are held early in the morning.
You can also visit the gorgeous “Marisposas de Mindo” or Mindo Butterfly Hotel which is located a 5-minute drive outside the town center. Thousands and thousands of butterflies are sheltered in an indoor garden and it’s the perfect destination for everyone, including families.
One of the more adventurous things you can do in Mindo is to take the Tarabita Cable Car to the Mindo Nambillo Cloud Forest Reserve. In the reserve, you can hike through the Waterfall Sanctuary and visit La Reina, the largest waterfall in the nature reserve.
Mindo is an amazing day or weekend trip from Quito – it truly has something for everyone!
Other Day Trips from Quito
There are so many fun day trips from Quito you can take. Other options include Hacienda La Cienega and the Rose Gardens. If you have more time, make sure to check out Peru or Colombia after you visit Ecuador.
