Explore Ecuador

Ecuador packs an astonishing range of landscapes into one small country on the equator: a Pacific coastline, the high volcanic spine of the Andes, the cloud forests on either slope, the headwaters of the Amazon in the east and, far out to sea, the Galápagos Islands. Few places let you sleep beside a glacier-capped volcano one week and in a rainforest river village the next.

For people looking for a slower, more self-reliant way to live or travel, Ecuador has drawn permaculture farms, ecovillages and small nature lodges for decades. Land in the foothills is fertile and the mild mountain climates suit year-round growing. Its current constitution was the first in the world to give nature legal rights, which tells you something about how the country sees its forests and rivers.

The country is home to nearly seventeen million people across roughly a quarter of a million square kilometres. Spanish is spoken everywhere, and Kichwa, Shuar and other Indigenous languages are part of daily life in many regions. Travel between regions is by bus, and distances look short on the map but take time on mountain roads.

On Off Grid Destinations we list places in Ecuador that are built differently: off-grid and low-impact stays, farms that welcome volunteers, and intentional communities such as Fruit Haven Ecovillage in the southern Amazon foothills. Each listing is written from the place's own information and checked against independent sources.

Tours and activities. Guided tours, day trips and Galápagos trips across Ecuador: see what is on offer on GetYourGuide.