Quito Travel Guide: Altitude, How Many Days, Getting Around, Safety (2026)

Quito rewards planning more than most capitals, and for one reason above all: altitude. At about 2,850 metres it is one of the highest capital cities on earth and the closest to the equator, so acclimatizing comes before sightseeing. Get the altitude, the days, the transport, and the safety picture right, and Quito is one of the most walkable and rewarding cities in South America. This guide answers the practical questions travelers actually search, answer first, then the detail.

The altitude: read this first

Quito sits at roughly 2,850 metres (9,350 feet), high enough that most visitors notice it. On your first day you may feel short of breath on the church stairs and hills, a mild headache, or unusual tiredness. It is normally harmless and eases within a day or two as your body adjusts, but it is the single thing that shapes how you should plan Quito.

• Slow your first day. Do the flat, walkable Old Town before any strenuous climbs. Our one day in Quito itinerary is deliberately gentle for exactly this reason.
• Hydrate, and go easy on alcohol for the first 48 hours. Both make altitude effects worse.
• Arrive a day early if you can, especially before any high-altitude day trips.
• Locals swear by coca or chamomile tea and canelazo, the warm cinnamon drink, as evening comfort at altitude.

Anyone with a heart or lung condition should check with a doctor before travelling. For most healthy travelers, a measured pace is all it takes.

How many days do you need in Quito?

Short answer: two to three days for most people.

• 1 day covers the essential Old Town if you are only passing through on the way to the Galápagos. Follow the focused one day in Quito route.
• 2 days adds a viewpoint like the TelefériQo cable car, the equator at Mitad del Mundo, and the modern La Mariscal and La Floresta districts, without rushing.
• 3 days gives you room to move slowly for the altitude and add an Andes day trip, the Cotopaxi volcano or the Otavalo craft market, at an unhurried pace.

Getting around Quito

The Old Town is compact and a joy on foot, which is how our self-guided Quito tours are built. Between districts you combine walking with transit:

• Metro. Quito's first Metro line opened in December 2023, running north-south beneath the city with 15 stations from Quitumbe in the south to El Labrador in the north. Fast, modern, and cheap.
• Bus rapid transit. Two trunk corridors run the length of the city: the green Trolebús along Avenida 10 de Agosto (through the edge of the Old Town) and the red Ecovía along Avenida 6 de Diciembre. Rides are around 35 cents.
• Ride apps and taxis. For door-to-door trips and anything after dark, use Uber, Cabify, or InDriver, or have your hotel call a registered taxi, rather than hailing on the street.
• A pickpocket note. The Trolebús and Ecovía get crowded, and that is where the most common tourist crime, pickpocketing, happens. Keep bags in front of you and phones out of sight.

Best time to visit Quito

Sitting almost on the equator, Quito has spring-like weather year-round rather than four seasons: mild days of roughly 15 to 20°C and cool nights in every month. What changes is rain.

• Drier season (June to September). The sunniest, clearest stretch, best for volcano views and comfortable walking, and the peak visitor window. June is often singled out as the sweet spot.
• Wettest months (March and April). More frequent, heavier afternoon rain.

In any season, mornings are the most reliable window because afternoons tend to cloud over and shower. Pack a light layer for the cool and a rain shell for the wet, whenever you come.

Is Quito safe?

Quito is generally safe to visit with normal city precautions, and the main tourist zones, the Old Town, La Mariscal, and La Floresta, are patrolled daily. The realistic risk is petty theft rather than violence:

• Pickpocketing on crowded buses (the Trolebús and Ecovía) and in busy plazas.
• Opportunistic theft on quiet streets after dark, including the Old Town's own blocks once the daytime crowds thin.

Sensible habits cover most of it: explore the Old Town and La Ronda by day and early evening when they are lively and policed, use ride apps instead of street taxis at night, keep valuables out of sight, and don't wander empty streets late. Ecuador's national security picture has shifted in recent years and is uneven by region, so check your government's travel advisory before you go for the current picture.

Quito as a gateway

Many travelers meet Quito as a stopover, and it is a good one.

• The Galápagos. Every flight to the islands departs from mainland Ecuador (Quito or Guayaquil), takes about two and a half hours, and usually routes through Guayaquil. An overnight in Quito to walk the Old Town and stand on the equator is the natural bookend to an island trip.
• The Andes. Quito is the base for the northern highlands: the Cotopaxi volcano, the Quilotoa crater lake, and the Otavalo craft market are all within day-trip or overnight reach.

Money and budget

Ecuador uses the US dollar as its official currency, so travelers from the United States need no exchange and everyone else simply withdraws dollars from ATMs. Carry small bills ($1, $5, $10, $20), because change for large notes can be hard to come by. Quito is inexpensive by international standards: a set local lunch runs a few dollars, transit is cents, and self-guided audio tours are free to start on Roamer, so you get expert narration without hiring a guide.

Start planning your walk

Ready to route your days? Read our one day in Quito itinerary, see what to eat in Quito, browse the best self-guided walking tours in Quito, or see all Quito tours. Every tour is free to start, with roughly the first 30% of stops unlocked before an optional purchase, and can be downloaded in advance for offline listening.