Ecuador
Warnings and insurance
Your travel insurance could be invalidated if you travel against advice from the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO).
Areas where FCDO advises against all but essential travel
Coastal Region
FCDO advises against all but essential travel to the Coastal Region provinces of:
- Esmeraldas
- Manabí
- Santa Elena
- Guayas
- El Oro
- Los Ríos
- Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas
This does not apply to airside transit within Guayaquil Airport in Guayas province.
Within 20km of the Ecuador-Colombia border
FCDO advises against all but essential travel to areas within 20km of the Ecuador-Colombia border, except for these areas in Carchi province:
- El Ángel Ecological Reserve
- Rumichaca border crossing
- the town of Tulcán
- the Pan-American Highway
Find out more about why FCDO advises against travel.
Nationwide power outage
There will be nationwide power outages from Monday 23 September until further notice, in some cases up to a total of 12 hours a day, occurring at sporadic intervals. For more information on power cut times in your location, check your local power provider’s official website or social media channels.
Water rationing
There will be water cuts as a result of rationing in several areas of the country. Check with your local water supplier for the hours and dates of these water cuts.
State of Emergency declared
A 60-day state of emergency (SOE) was declared on 3 October due to internal disturbance and armed violence. The SOE currently applies to the following provinces:
GuayasElOroSantaElenaManabíOrellanaLosRíosQuitoMetropolitanDistrict(Pichinchaprovince)CamiloPonceEnríquezdistrict(Azuayprovince)
The SOE allows the military and police to seize assets, conduct inspections and enter private properties without permission. There are additional restrictions on the freedoms of association and assembly and the police and armed forces are permitted to break up gatherings in public spaces.
Curfew hours (10pm until 5am) are in place until further notice, for the following districts (‘cantons’) and/or parishes (parroquias):
Azuay province:
CamiloPonceEnríquez
Los Ríos province:
BabaBabahoyoBuenaFeMocacheMontalvoPalenquePuebloViejoQuevedoQuinsalomaUrdanetaValenciaVentanasVinces
Guayas province:
BalaoDuránParroquiaTengueldelcantonGuayaquil
Orellana province:
LaJoyadelosSachasPuertoFranciscoDeOrellanaLoreto
If you need to travel to or from the airport for a booked flight during curfew hours, you can do so by presenting your booking reservation.
Before you travel
No travel can be guaranteed safe. Read all the advice in this guide. You may also find it helpful to:
- see general advice for women travellers
- read our guide on disability and travel abroad
- see general advice for LGBT+ travellers
- read about safety for solo and independent travel
- see advice on volunteering and adventure travel abroad
Travel insurance
If you choose to travel, research your destinations and get appropriate travel insurance. Insurance should cover your itinerary, planned activities and expenses in an emergency.
About FCDO travel advice
FCDO provides advice about risks of travel to help you make informed decisions. Find out more about FCDO travel advice.
Follow and contact FCDO travel on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. You can also sign up to get email notifications when this advice is updated.
Update history
2024-12-23 16:08
Updated information about visiting Cayambe Coca National Reserve (‘Safety and security’ page)
2024-12-18 15:43
Updated information about disruption caused by protests (‘Safety and security’ page).
2024-12-06 00:30
Information on road closures linked to The Ecuadorean Indigenous Nationalities Confederation (CONAIE) demonstrations (Warnings and Insurance pages).
2024-12-03 15:47
Information about a renewal of the State of Emergency (‘Safety and security’ page)
2024-10-21 17:10
Updated information on health risks you may face in Ecuador (See ‘Health’ page)
2024-10-04 15:02
New state of emergency announced, which includes curfew hours in certain places (‘Warnings and insurance’ page)
2024-09-25 14:40
Updated information on forest fires (‘Warnings and insurance’ page)
2024-09-23 17:23
Update on nationwide power outages (‘Warnings and insurance’ page)
2024-09-17 23:10
Information about nationwide power outages, curfew in several locations from Wednesday 18 September, and water rationing hours announced. (‘Warnings and insurance and Safety and security pages’)
2024-09-17 10:17
Information about a power outage and curfew between Wednesday 18 and Thursday 19 September (‘Warnings and insurance’ and ‘Safety and security’ pages).
2024-09-03 15:43
State of emergency extended for a further 30 days on 30 August (‘Warnings and insurance’ page).
2024-08-13 15:22
Addition of information on new curfew hours announced for several districts around the country (‘Warnings and insurance’ page).
2024-07-03 17:04
State of Emergency extended a further 60 days (Warnings and insurance page)
2024-05-24 10:26
New State of Emergency decree for seven provinces and one district. Update on criminal kidnapping in Ecuador. Change to police record entry requirement (‘Warnings and insurance’, ‘Entry requirements’ and ‘Safety and security’ pages).
2024-05-03 10:03
A separate state of emergency (SOE) was declared on 30 April due to armed violence. This covers five provinces: El Oro, Guayas, Los Ríos, Manabí and Santa Elena (‘Warnings and insurance’ page).
2024-04-23 09:36
A 60 day state of emergency (SOE) declared due to the energy crisis (‘Warnings and insurance’ page).
2024-04-17 11:05
Information on a referendum that will take place on 21 April and that energy rationing nationwide has been announced (‘Safety and security’ pages).
2024-04-10 14:46
End of the nationwide state of emergency. Information about access restrictions to Cayambe volcano (Safety and security’ page).
2024-03-11 13:17
State of Emergency has been extended a further 30 days in the country (‘Warnings and insurance’ and ‘Safety and Security’ pages).
2024-01-25 11:40
Information about revised curfew hours (‘Warnings and insurance’ page).
2024-01-18 11:01
Additional information about documents required to enter Ecuador by land or river borders (‘Entry requirements’ page).
2024-01-15 15:36
Clarification that FCDO advice against all but essential travel to the Coastal Region provinces of Ecuador does not apply to airside transit within Guayaquil Airport in Guayas province, including onward or return travel to the Galapagos Islands (‘Warnings and insurance’ page).
2024-01-12 09:51
FCDO advises against all but essential travel to Coastal Region provinces of Ecuador (‘Warnings and insurance’ and ‘Regional risks’ page).
2024-01-12 08:28
Update on documents required for entry via land border (‘Entry requirements’ page).
2024-01-10 20:04
Latest update: Update on information following the introduction of a State of Emergency (‘Warnings and insurance’ and ‘Safety and security’ pages).
2024-01-09 23:56
Information on the introduction of a State of Emergency (‘Warnings and insurance’ and ‘Safety and security’ pages)
2024-01-09 21:23
Information on the introduction of a State of Emergency (‘Warnings and insurance’ and ‘Safety and security’ pages)
2024-01-09 15:25
Information on the introduction of a State of Emergency (‘Safety and security’ page).
2023-12-19 16:23
Information on kidnaps (‘Safety and security’ page).
2023-12-13 15:07
This travel advice has been rewritten to make it easier to read and understand.
2023-11-01 18:57
Latest update: Information on daily power cuts nationwide (‘Summary’ page).
2023-10-27 15:39
Information on daily power cuts nationwide (‘Summary’ page).
2023-10-26 18:10
Addition of information regarding strikes, demonstrations and road closures (“summary”, “safety and security”)
2023-08-16 10:35
Information about upcoming elections, to expect a heightened police presence and potential travel disruptions (‘Summary’ and under ‘Crime’ on the ‘Safety and security’ page).
2023-08-10 18:32
Information about upcoming elections and declaration of a nationwide ‘State of Emergency’ (under ‘Summary’ and ‘Safety and security’ page).
2023-07-26 17:44
(Correction) Information about having proof of your flight available if you are due to travel to or from the airport during curfew hours introduced by the state of emergency on the 24 July (under ‘Crime’ on the ‘Safety and security’ page).
2023-07-26 16:58
Information about having proof of your flight available if you are due to travel to or from the airport during curfew hours introduced by the state of emergency on the 24 July (under ‘Political situation’ on the ‘Safety and security’ page).
2023-06-28 13:47
Updated information about political developments, crime, personal safety, health and overstaying visas (‘Summary’, ‘Safety and Security’, ‘Entry Requirements’ and ‘Health’ pages).
2023-06-22 11:17
Information about the global terrorism risks to British nationals abroad on all FCDO travel advice pages.
2023-05-17 16:02
Updated information about political developments and advice on demonstrations (‘Summary’ and ‘Safety and Security’ pages).
2023-04-25 16:51
Updated information about altitude sickness (‘Summary’ and ‘Health’ pages).
2023-04-15 19:57
Update about the State of emergency (see ‘Summary’ and ‘Safety and security’ pages).
2023-04-02 18:22
State of emergency called in Ecuador’s Zone 8, which includes the cities of Guayaquil, Samborondón and Duran, and areas in the provinces of Santa Elena and Los Ríos (see ‘Summary’ and ‘Safety and security’ pages).
2023-03-10 15:27
New information on State of emergency declared in Esmeraldas province from 3 March 2023 and Ministry of Tourism recommendations when visiting Cotopaxi National Park (‘Summary’, ‘Safety and security’ and ‘Natural disasters’ pages).
2023-02-18 06:54
Latest update: Changes to entry requirements (‘Summary’, ‘Coronavirus’ and ‘Entry requirements’ pages).
2022-11-23 15:21
Updated information on the timing of the curfew currently in place in three provinces (‘Summary’ and ‘Safety and security’ pages).
2022-11-10 09:43
Updated information on the timing of the curfew currently in place in three provinces (‘Summary’ and ‘Safety and security’ pages).
2022-11-07 16:04
Updated information on the state of emergency which is now in place in three provinces (‘Summary’ and ‘Safety and security’ pages).
2022-11-02 14:29
Updated information on explosions across certain areas in Ecuador and a declaration of a state of emergency in two provinces (‘Summary’ page) and (‘Safety and security’ page).
2022-11-02 09:39
Updated information on explosions across certain areas in Ecuador (‘Summary’ page) and (‘Safety and security’ page). Additional information on Cotopaxi Volcano (‘Natural disasters’ page)
2022-10-21 15:48
Removal of vaccination requirements to enter Ecuador and updated information on quarantine requirements (‘Entry requirements’ page).
2022-08-19 11:36
Updated information on a new state of exception in the Guayas area (‘Summary’ and ‘Safety and security’ pages). Addition of information on recent volcanic activity (‘Natural disasters’ page)
2022-07-20 12:56
Undated information on visas and removal of testing/screening on arrival (‘Entry requirements’ page)
2022-07-06 21:18
The FCDO no longer advises against all but essential travel to mainland Ecuador, but continues to advise against all but essential travel to areas within 20km of the Ecuadorean border with Colombia, except the El Angel ecological reserve and the Rumichaca border crossing, the town of Tulcan and the Pan American Highway in Carchi province (‘Summary’ and ‘Safety and Security’ pages)
2022-07-06 20:39
The FCDO no longer advises against all but essential travel to mainland Ecuador, but continues to advise against all but essential travel to areas within 20km of the Ecuadorean border with Colombia, except the El Angel ecological reserve and the Rumichaca border crossing, the town of Tulcan and the Pan American Highway in Carchi province (‘Summary’ and ‘Safety and Security’ pages)
2022-06-30 22:47
Announcement of the end of the nationwide demonstrations and national strike (‘Summary’ page).
2022-06-30 16:15
Addition of information on a 30-day state of emergency for the provinces of Azuay, Imbabura, Sucumbios and Orellana, declared on 29 June (‘Summary’ page)
2022-06-30 14:20
Update to information on the threat of terrorism in Ecuador (‘Summary’ and ‘Terrorism’ pages)
2022-06-26 05:24
Updated information on the state of emergency being repealed on 25 June 2022 for Pichincha (and a curfew for Quito), Imbabura, Cotopaxi, Chimborazo, Tungurahua and Pastaza provinces (‘Summary’ page).
2022-06-24 19:10
The FCDO advises against all but essential travel to mainland Ecuador, and continues to advise against all travel to some areas adjacent to the border with Colombia. This advice against non-essential travel does not apply to transit through Quito or Guayaquil Airports, or onward travel to the Galapagos Islands.
2022-06-22 00:33
Current state of emergency continues due to ongoing protests. Updated advice on hotels and travel including to Quito airport. (‘Summary’ page)
2022-06-21 15:30
Updated information on the addition of the provinces of Chimborazo, Tungurahua and Pastaza to the current state of emergency (‘Summary’ page)
2022-06-18 08:19
A state of emergency for Pichincha, Imbabura and Cotopaxi provinces has been declared by the government, starting at midnight on 17 June for 30 days. In addition, and only for Quito, a curfew has been announced from 18 June between 10pm and 5am, for the same period of 30 days. (See ‘Summary’)
2022-06-17 19:05
Possible travel disruption due to Quito bus terminal not operating and the land border with Colombia closing from Saturday evening to Monday morning (‘Summary’ and ‘Entry requirements’ pages)
2022-06-16 20:50
Political protests in Ecuador; foreign tourists in country can contact the Ecuadorean Ministry of Tourism (MinTur) for direct help and guidance (Summary)
2022-06-15 17:32
Update on political protests in Ecuador (Summary page)
2022-06-13 17:21
Updated information on crime and travel safety (‘Safety and security’ page). Update to information on transiting through Ecuador (‘Entry requirements’ page).
2022-05-04 09:58
Added information on state of exception in three provinces: Guayas, Esmeraldas and Manabí (‘Summary’ and ‘Safety and security pages’). Updated information on COVID-19 restrictions (‘Coronavirus’ page).
2022-02-21 11:44
Updated information on COVID-19 restrictions in Ecuador (‘Coronavirus’ page) and full review of ‘Entry requirements’ page