Safety in Ecuador: what overland travellers should know
Our summary of the country advice published by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Viaggiare Sicuri) on 4 March 2026.
Safety
- Entering overland — The ministry strongly advises against entering Ecuador by car or motorcycle across the northern border with Colombia or the southern one with Peru. If the trip cannot be postponed, go to the border office yourself to have your passport stamped even when nobody checks you, or immigration will stop you on the way out. Before setting off, also make sure the paperwork of a vehicle hired in another country is in order.
- Esmeraldas and Colombian border — Travel to the Esmeraldas area is strongly advised against, and the whole border strip with Colombia calls for caution. Ecuadorian-Colombian narco-guerrilla gangs there are behind kidnappings, extortion, killings and attacks on the armed forces, which are heavily deployed in counter-operations.
- Narco provinces — The presence of drug traffickers makes the provinces of Guayas, El Oro, Los Rios, Santa Elena, Manabí, Orellana and Sucumbios particularly dangerous. Guayaquil and Manta are less safe than the capital, and every part of both cities has to be treated as high risk.
- Cities and national parks — In Quito the exposed spots are the historic centre, the Mariscal and Guápulo districts, the Carolina and El Ejido parks especially after dark, and the Panecillo hill. Assaults and thefts are common around the Teleférico and on the paths up to Ruco Pichincha. The ministry also asks for caution in the national parks, where tourists have been attacked, and advises visiting sights by day and in company.
- Drugging and express kidnaps — Assaults and short kidnappings are rising in the main cities and in the coastal tourist spots including Montañita and Manta, sometimes using drugs that leave the victim unable to react. Substances get slipped into drinks in bars, and thieves throw liquids or powders at passers-by to distract them before robbing them. Theft of passports and personal effects has surged everywhere in the country.
- Earthquakes and volcanoes — Ecuador has a high seismic risk and tremors are often felt in Manabí, Guayas and Pichincha. Volcanic activity is monitored constantly: check the volcanoes near the places you plan to visit and follow whatever the local authorities say.
Before you rely on this
This is our summary of advice written by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs for Italian travellers, published on 4 March 2026. We summarise in good faith, but we cannot guarantee it is accurate, current or complete, and we take no responsibility for decisions made on the basis of it. Rules change without notice and are applied by officials at the border, not by websites. Always read the original source and the travel advice your own government publishes for Ecuador before you travel. GuideMeet has no way of checking whether an individual guide meets any standard mentioned here — ask them directly.
Source: Viaggiare Sicuri — Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, updated 4 March 2026. Last checked by GuideMeet on 2026-09-20.