Exercise increased caution in Ecuador due to crime and civil unrest. Some areas have increased risk. Read the entire Travel Advisory.

Demonstrations and road blockades continue throughout the country and are expected to continue in the coming weeks. There are reports of associated pockets of violence. Police have responded with tear gas. Travel, including flights, may be seriously disrupted. 

The U.S. Embassy has restricted its personnel from traveling within and between cities and provinces until further notice, except for travel to the Galapagos Islands and domestic airline connections that are part of an international itinerary. This includes both travel by air and road. For Embassy Quito personnel, travel is restricted to within the greater Quito metropolitan area. For U.S. Consulate General Guayaquil personnel, travel is restricted to within the city of Guayaquil.

Do not travel to:

• Azuay, Bolívar, Chimborazo, Cotopaxi, Guayas (including Guayaquil), Imbabura, Loja, Los Ríos, Manabí, Pichincha (including Quito), and Tungurahua provinces due to civil unrest.
• Within and between cities and provinces due to civil unrest.
• Carchi, Sucumbíos, and the northern part of Esmeraldas provinces, including Esmeraldas city, due to crime.

Read the Safety and Security section on the country information page.

If you decide to travel to Ecuador:

• Do not travel within and between cities and provinces.
• Avoid demonstration areas.
• Monitor local media for updates on road closures and flight cancellations.
• Ensure you have adequate supplies of water, food, and fuel.
• Review your flight status with your airline or at the Quito / Guayaquil airport websites.
• Enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) to receive Alerts and make it easier to locate you in an emergency.
• Follow the Department of State on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
• Review the Crime and Safety Reports for Ecuador.
• U.S. citizens who travel abroad should always have a contingency plan for emergency situations. Review the Traveler’s Checklist.

Azuay, Bolivar, Carchi, Chimborazo, Cotopaxi, Guayas (including Guayaquil), Imbabura, Loja, Los Rios, Manabí, Pichincha (including Quito), Sucumbíos, Tungurahua, and northern Esmeraldas provinces – Level 4: Do Not Travel

Transnational crime groups operating in Esmeraldas province have engaged in violent crime and killed local citizens in addition to carrying out bombings targeting Ecuadorian military and law enforcement.

The U.S. government is limited in its ability to provide emergency services to U.S. citizens in the Colombian border area, as U.S. government personnel cannot travel to the provinces of Esmeraldas, Carchi, and Sucumbíos without permission from the Embassy’s security office. However, U.S. government personnel are permitted to travel to the northern bank of the Napo River in Sucumbíos, an area approximately four miles wide, and the portion of Esmeraldas province that is south of Esmeraldas city.

https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/International-Travel-Country-Information-Pages/Ecuador.html