Ecuador - Hitchhiking

Hitchhiking in Ecuador

Hitchhiking to Ecuador

Recent reviews in Ecuador

0.28165, -78.28713

not many locals going through, got picked up by tourists in the end

rating: 2/5, wait: 35 min 👍, ride: 10 km ←

―crazyrik, April 2024

-1.48834, -80.77299

Great spot in front of main entrance of Machalila National park

rating: 5/5, wait: 10 min, ride: 47 km ↓

―Anonymous, October 2023

-1.59673, -78.99564

Space at the side of the road for cars, quite steep though

rating: 3/5, wait: 90 min

―Anonymous, December 2022

-0.37849, -78.13867

Good amount of space to pull in, cars going slow, a car stopped and offered me ride while I was still messing with my bag.

rating: 5/5, wait: 1 min

―Anonymous, November 2022

-1.04482, -77.79688

Speed bump before bridge so driver's have to slow down.

rating: 4/5, wait: 30 min

―Anonymous, November 2022

We easily got a ride to Machala. But you have to be careful: The official taxis will think that you pay the driver and that it's an inoffiacial taxi - and then they make problems!

―Anonymous, June 2016

-2.55464, -78.93945

I'm not sure, whether it's exactly at this crossway, but here on the panamericana in the end of the city are some traffic lights, where you can easily wait and talk to the cars! Was easy to get a ride northern!

―Anonymous, June 2016

-2.4594, -79.00369

It's very easy getting north here! There are a lot of 'tiendas' and on the right side is a parking lot, so cars can stop easily & go slowly (because of a hill & traffic light)

―Anonymous, June 2016

-2.89263, -78.95767

I've done the mistake to not take cars, that just go for 30Min to the north - you should do that! I waited very long on a sunday to get a car that is going further - hopeless!

―ManuelW, June 2016

-2.70444, -78.89082

I got here from Cuenca and directly got a ride continuing to the north. I'D NOT RECOMMEND waiting in the city! Because there is one road around the city and one through it - so here you'll catch all of the cars! It's uphill, so they drive slowly. Same for going south - get dropped of after the roades merge again!

―Anonymous, June 2016

-2.89263, -78.95767

From this spot you can easily find cars going to the north! The road is uphill, so the cars don't ride that fast (though they are not really slowly) and you'll also have all the cars coming from las Americas.

―Anonymous, June 2016

0.79241, -77.73175

I had to walk here from the border to catch a ride, it ended up being three of us though. Once away from the border I got to Quito fast, [Blog Post](http://www.hobospirit.com/hitchhiking-from-colombia-to-ecuador/)

―HoboSpirit, September 2015

-4.26868, -79.2265

Heading to the border with Peru. Although the road is friendly to stop cars and people around are really pleasant, the traffic is extremely(!) low.

It's possible to rely only on good luck to get a ride to Peru, when taking local rides is not recommended except you are ok walking few days and camp.
After 50-60 km south from Vilcabamba, there is no paved road up to the border and dirt road is usually in a bad condition due to rains, sometimes even closed.

―Anonymous, July 2015

-4.03338, -79.1988

The direction to Vilcabamba.
Good road side. Traffic might be pretty low, but people there are so kind. I stopped the first car in less then a minute waiting and got a ride almost to Vilcabamba.

―Anonymous, July 2015

-3.04836, -79.04145

Direction to Loja. The road side is comfortable to stop. Cars are passing by slowly after turn and drivers can see you since the turn, thanks to the straight road and plain part of landscape. The traffic is quite low, though.

―Anonymous, July 2015

-2.91958, -78.99506

It's a bypass way of Cuenca. You can get here easily from the city center (30 minutes walking). Despite most of the traffic is local, you can get a lift closer to the exit out of the city. Interregional trucks are passing by as well.

―Anonymous, July 2015

-1.72735, -78.76207

A bit further after turn to Guayaquil there is enough space on the side of the road to stop cars. Traffic is average. But I got a left right to Cuenca by Taxi driver in half an hour.

―Anonymous, July 2015

-1.201, -78.592

Heading to south.
It's a beginning of the bypass way of Ambato. Cars are passing by slowly after turn and the bridge. A lot of trucks and enough space for them to stop.

―Anonymous, July 2015

-0.5417, -78.58398

In 200 meters before piaje. The side of the road is wide enough to stay and wait for the car. Traffic is good.

To here you can get by taking a bus from Quitumbe terminal in Quito to Machachi and ask bus driver drop you off in some distance before toll.

―Anonymous, July 2015

-0.44955, -80.45103

Muy facil , como todas las rutas de ecuador , camino a PEDERNALES

―Anonymous, May 2015

Recent reviews mentioning Ecuador

1.14137, -76.64394

You're not protected from the sun and most people are just going to the next town (Villagarzón). The one time I wanted to hitchhike five kilometres down the road a truck going to Ecuador picked me up and when I wanted to hitchhike to Ecuador I had to settle for Villagarzón. Such is life.

rating: 3/5, wait: 40 min 👍, ride: 18 km ↓

―Circusonfoot, May 2024

-3.48218, -80.24633

AS FOREIGNERS: DON'T GO TO AGUAS VERDES! You have to cross the border more in the south, the street is caled 'frontera', I think. We had to take some motos to get there and they were dropping us in the wrong place - so if you take motos: make sure that they drop you at the entrance to Ecuador/exit of Peru and not at the entrance to Peru!!

―Anonymous, June 2016

-4.88236, -80.7048

A nice spot to wait for getting north here. You can from Piura get a ride here (or to Suillana) and then continue from here - for instance to Mancora. The Panamericana does not have a lot of traffic from here to the north at the coast, because there's another Panamericana more in the east - which is shorter if you directly want to get to ecuador.

―Anonymous, June 2016

0.79241, -77.73175

-0.44955, -80.45103

Muy facil , como todas las rutas de ecuador , camino a PEDERNALES

―Anonymous, May 2015

-4.10322, -81.03334

Good spot to start a way to Ecuador in the morning. There is a shadow from the road sign that helps to hide from the intensive sun. I walked there from the center of Mancora, but you can also take a taxi for few soles. The spot is in about 50 meters before the gas station and bridge.
There is a sleeping policeman before, so cars and trucks are passing by slowly. I get a ride to Tumbes after one hour (not bad as for the low morning traffic).

―Anonymous, October 2014