SOUTH AMERICA 2025
You want to travel to Ecuador and are looking for the best period in terms of climate? It all depends on the region you want to visit.
Ecuador has a variable tropical climate depending on altitude and regions. The weather can be very changeable in the same day but generally remains very pleasant with a feeling of perpetual spring . There are mainly two seasons there, even if with climate change, there are seasons that are less clear-cut than before:
Winter: from December to May, the climate is hot and rainy.
Summer: from June to November, it is the dry season with cooler temperatures.
Then, Ecuador has very different microclimates depending on the 4 main regions that form it
When to visit the Galapagos Islands
Located in Ecuador, the climate of the Galapagos Islands is pleasant at any time of the year. However, the Galapagos Islands are subject to ocean currents which influence the temperatures of the archipelago. The climate is therefore not typically tropical, but rather dry and temperate, marked by two seasons:
from December to May, a hot season (23 to 30° C) with showers. During this period, the water temperature can reach 27°C and the sea is relatively calm with better visibility
June to November, a cold season (19 to 26° C) quite dry. The water temperature can drop to 21°C. The sea is rougher and the visibility less good, but it is during the cold season that divers are more likely to see whale sharks. June and November are transition months
Ecuador is in the -5h GMT zone (-6h for the Galápagos), which corresponds to -7 hours in summer , and -6 hours in winter compared to metropolitan France.
To travel to Ecuador, you need a valid passport whose expiry date is later than 6 months after your return. European nationals do not need a visa to travel to Ecuador. However, these conditions may change and we advise you to inquire before your departure with the Ecuadorian consulate located in your country.
If you pay for your plane ticket with a credit card such as Visa, Mastercard or American Express (to be confirmed by your bank), you should be covered by repatriation assistance insurance for the duration of your stay. It is possible to take out additional cancellation and repatriation insurance, which we are able to offer you.
During your stay in Ecuador, you will certainly have to spend a few hours or a few days at altitude (above 2,500 meters). Terra Ecuador, field expert for 10 years, reveals his advice for a successful stay at altitude.
At altitude, atmospheric pressure decreases: there is less oxygen available to the body. The amount of oxygen available at 3,000 meters is two-thirds of that available at sea level. At 5,000 meters, it is half as much. The body reacts to this lack of oxygen (or hypoxia) in two ways:
immediate reaction
Acceleration of ventilation frequency and heart rate, in order to capture more oxygen in the air and transport it more quickly to the organs.
This reaction is costly for the body in terms of energy, because it makes the respiratory muscles and the heart work harder.
progressive reaction
The immediate reaction is replaced or supplemented by a more economical mechanism: the increase in the number of oxygen carriers, ie red blood cells.
They take a long time to manufacture, you have to spend at least a week at altitude to see their number increase.
Ventilation rate and heart rate may then slow down, but not return to baseline values.