Ecuador Travel Guide
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Guide
Most travelers from North America and Europe get a tourist stamp for 90 days within a 12 month period, and passports should be valid at least six months beyond the arrival date. The bigger question is where you plan to go. Ecuador uses the US dollar, and the Galápagos Islands have an entry system of their own.
The Galápagos National Park entrance fee is US$200 for adult international visitors, 12 and older, and US$100 for children under 12, with children under 2 exempt. Citizens of Andean Community and Mercosur countries pay 100 and 50 dollars, and Ecuadorian and foreign residents pay 30. The fee is reported to be payable in cash US dollars on arrival at Baltra or San Cristóbal, since cards are not accepted. Guides also list a US$20 Transit Control Card, registered online before the flight to the islands.
On land, the map changed on 24 December 2025. Ecuador closed all but two of its land border crossings, and only Rumichaca with Colombia and Huaquillas with Peru remain open for international land transit.
Border crossings
- Rumichaca, to Colombia, open around the clock
The main crossing with Colombia, in Carchi province. It is one of only two left, and in 2026 it also got caught in a tariff dispute between the two governments, described in this site's Colombia guide.
- Huaquillas, to Peru
The other open crossing, in El Oro province. Travelers who used smaller crossings now have to detour to one of these two, and should expect security checkpoints and bring their passport, vehicle registration, and insurance.
- Six secondary crossings, barricaded
Three on the Colombian border, Chiles to Tufiño, Urbina to Santa Fe, and El Carmelo to La Victoria, and three near Peru, at Macará, Zapotillo, and Zumba. The government cited technical and intelligence analyses aimed at drug trafficking, human smuggling, and illegal mining, and has given no reopening date.
Transit routes
- Galápagos flights start with a form
The Transit Control Card is done online before the domestic flight, and the entrance fee is paid at the island airport, so bring enough cash in US dollars.
- Visa runners and border crossers have fewer options
With only two crossings open, a quick border hop for a new 90 day stamp involves longer travel and more checkpoints than it used to.
Entry point notes
- The 90 days are counted across 12 months
The T-3 tourist stamp is valid for 90 days within a 12 month period, not per visit, so multiple trips add up.
- Fees differ sharply by residency
The Galápagos fee ranges from 200 dollars for most foreign tourists to 30 for residents, so check which category applies to you.
- Land crossing rules can change quickly
The December 2025 closures came with no reopening date, so check the status of Rumichaca and Huaquillas before you plan a border crossing.