You should first travel to Quito, the capital of Ecuador, and then take a connecting flight to Cuenca, which is approximately 45 minutes. We recommend staying a day or two in Quito, seeing the main tourist attractions, and then flying to Cuenca, if able. Quito's International Airport: Mariscal Sucre Quito International Airport (UIO). Cuenca's Airport: Aeropuerto Mariscal Lamar (CUE).

Typically, there are no direct flights to Ecuador. Therefore, you will likely take a connecting flight. Plan on taking two flights to get to Quito, one flight that is roughly 3 hrs long and another that is 4 hrs long. Obviously, this can vary based on where you are traveling from and which airline you book through. Also, take into consideration layover times. Plan ahead and assume it will take you one day to get to Quito and one day to get back home.

It is really not necessary! Often times we do not when we are visiting. Cabs are super affordable, most rides in town cost on average $3-$5 in Cuenca. (Please note it may be a bit more expensive in Quito as the airport/attraction sites are farther apart.) If you do rent a car, it is much more affordable if you are able to drive manual. Automatic car rentals can be very pricey in Ecuador, as most cars there are not automatics.

If you are thinking about driving vs flying, you could drive between the two locations, but due to the mountains it takes roughly 8hrs to drive between the two cities. However, along the way you can visit many tourist attractions like Cotopaxi, Chimborazo, and Baños.

If staying in Quito: Reach out to us for recommendations on areas to stay in, Quito is quite large! We can help recommend Airbnbs, hotels, or hostels.

Please see the travel tab for more details! There are two hotels in downtown Cuenca that Jonnathan visited and recommends. Also feel free to look into Airbnbs as well.

Please reach out to us directly and we can help! Jonnathan Pachar 773-474-2404, Rebecca Sparkman 815-997-8131