How to Get Around Ecuador

Domestic flights are the standard way to reach the Galápagos (from Quito or Guayaquil) and are also the fastest way to reach the Amazon's jungle lodges, most of which are otherwise reached by a long combination of road and river travel.

Within the mainland, long-distance buses are extensive, cheap, and connect nearly every town, though mountain roads make some routes slower than the distance alone suggests. Renting a car offers more flexibility for the Andean highlands, particularly the Quilotoa Loop and Avenue of the Volcanoes.

Within the Galápagos, inter-island transport is by small boat or short flight, and almost all activities happen as part of an organized, guided tour rather than independent travel -- a structural requirement of the park's own conservation rules, not just a convenience.