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Backpacking Ecuador: 11 best places to visit

The most rewarding stops for backpackers in Ecuador, ranked and mapped. Tap any place to drop it into a free, day-by-day route built around how you actually travel.

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  1. Galapagos Islands, Ecuador1

    Galapagos Islands

    Galapagos

    Wildlife like nowhere else.

  2. Quito, Ecuador2

    Quito

    Pichincha

    High-altitude colonial capital.

  3. Banos, Ecuador3

    Banos

    Tungurahua

    Waterfalls and the swing.

  4. Cuenca, Ecuador4

    Cuenca

    Azuay

    Elegant riverside old town.

  5. Cotopaxi, Ecuador5

    Cotopaxi

    Cotopaxi

    Perfect snow-capped volcano.

  6. 6

    Quilotoa

    Cotopaxi

    Emerald crater lake.

  7. Otavalo, Ecuador7

    Otavalo

    Imbabura

    Famous Andean craft market.

  8. Montanita, Ecuador8

    Montanita

    Santa Elena

    Surf-and-party beach town.

  9. Mindo, Ecuador9

    Mindo

    Pichincha

    Cloud-forest birds and zip-lines.

  10. Tena, Ecuador10

    Tena

    Napo

    Amazon rafting gateway.

  11. 11

    Guayaquil

    Guayas

    Riverfront port metropolis.

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