How to travel here

Which Airport should I fly into?

If you fly into Cuenca, you will have a 4.5-5 hour bus ride for ~$10 (or 3.5 hr taxi for ~$120) to get here. If you fly into Guayaquil, you will have a 9 hour bus rides to get here (2 different buses.) If you fly into Quito, you will have 14 hours of bus rides to get here (usually 2 different buses.)

If you want a detailed description of how to get to this area (Gualaquiza) from the airport in Guayaquil or Quito, you can check out the “Detailed Arrival Instructions” page on the Amazon Fruit Festival website: Detailed Arrival Instructions 

PLEASE READ: Travel Safety Tips and read the entry requirements here

Do I need proof of ongoing travel?

Sometimes when flying to Ecuador the customs ask regarding ongoing travel but normally they don’t check for details, sometimes they may ask to provide “proof of ongoing travel” to the airport that you are flying out of. This can be a return ticket. If you do not have a return ticket, you can get on websites such as https://onwardticket.com/ or buy a bus ticket from Ecuador to Peru or Colombia, (you can do that here if you select “Quito” as your origin city: https://www.cruzdelsur.com.pe/ ) or from some other websites you can also buy a ticket from Loja, Ecuador to Piura, Peru on Cruz del Sur for around $20 or less. If you do not have proof of ongoing travel, they may not let you fly.

Are there COVID-related entry requirements?

Read the entry requirements here

From Cuenca:

  • Taxies usually cost about $120 and is about 3.5hrs drive – any taxi should be able to find it if you show them the location or contact our local driver via whatsapp (in Spanish) here
  • Rideshare usually cost about $18 (similar time to taxi), to arrange the ride via the facebook group (in Spanish) here
  • Bus cost is about $10 is about 5 hrs drive, see the bus times below…

Bus times

Note: schedules can change without notice so check with the terminal for updates times, sometimes the bus companies list the hours online (check the linked facebook pages below) but they can still change.

Cuenca to Gualaquiza (Updated 1st Dec 2023) – $9.95 – trip time: 5 hours

00:30 (16 de Agosto) (Pangui)
05:30 (16 de Agosto)
06:00 (Sig Sig Cenepa)
10:00 (16 de Agosto)
12:00 (Sig Sig Cenepa)
14:00 (16 de Agosto)
16:00 (Sig Sig Cenepa)
16:30 (16 de Agosto)
19:00 (16 de Agosto)
20:00 (16 de Agosto) (Pangui)
23:00 (Sig Sig Cenepa)
23:59 (Turismo Oriental)

Gualaquiza to Cuenca (Updated 1st Dec 2023) – $9.95

01:30 (16 de Agosto)
02:30 (16 de Agosto)
05:30 (Turismo Oriental)
07:00 (16 de Agosto)
09:00 (Sigsig Cenepa)
12:00 (Sigsig Cenepa)
14:00 (16 de Agosto)
15:15 (16 de Agosto)
17:00 (Sigsig Cenepa)
20:00 (16 de Agosto)
22:00 (16 de Agosto)
24:00 (Sigsig Cenepa)

Gualaquiza to Quito
12:30pm, 6:45pm and 10pm – $23 San Francisco
8:15pm and 9:30 pm – $22.85 Union Yanzatza

Recommended places to stay:

Cuenca Hotel Norte
Loja: Residential International
El Pangui: CHELSY HOTEL or Hostería Maná

See the area map here