Driving in Ecuador - Can I? Should I?

This gem of a place would be difficult to get to without your own vehicle

We receive many questions about about driving and renting cars in Ecuador. “Can I drive” and “Should I drive” are the most common.

The quick answer is yes, you can drive in Ecuador. You driver’s licence from your home country is valid in Ecuador for three months, but we suggest you complement that with an international driver’s licence. The international licence isn’t necessary, but it does come in handy - it makes you look more professional. It’s also an excellent form of identification when you need more than just your passport. From personal experience in several countries, my international licence has helped me get cell phone accounts, apartments, bank accounts and a few other services.

Renting cars in Ecuador is quite easy. You will find several car rental agencies in most cities. Budget and Avis are the recognizable names, but there are also many local agencies as well.

When renting a car, however, be prepared to accept a vehicle with a manual transmission. Standard transmission vehicles are by far the most popular in Ecuador. In fact, a few Ecuadorians have told me they don’t know how to drive an automatic! There are automatics, but they are few and far between. If a rental agency has them, odds are they will be expensive SUV units that will cost around $100 per day or more. A compact car that will serve most peoples needs should run around of $50 per day.

Now that you know you can drive in Ecuador, the next question is “should you drive.” Among the expat population in Ecuador, there are two camps on this. One group won’t even think of driving. The others are car owners.

There is no easy answer to this. It really depends on what kind of driver you are. If you are a nervous driver, or someone who is really bothered by bad drivers, then you might want to stick to buses and taxis. Ecuador is a developing nation, and if there is one thing developing nations have in common, it’s bad drivers.

That being said, if you’re adventurous and don’t mind being a mix of cautious and aggressive behind the wheel, then go for it. I have driven more than 50,000 km (30,000 miles) in Ecuador and I don’t regret a moment of it. For me, it’s the best way to learn about the country.

When driving in Ecuador, you can easily pull over to snap photos of spectacular scenery.

Ecuador’s major highways are in decent shape and many new highways are being built throughout the country. Once you get off these main roads, however, you will probably want a four-wheel-drive.

The biggest challenge about driving in Ecuador is finding your way around. Decent Ecuador road maps are virtually nonexistent. And if you happen to find a decent map, most roads in Ecuador once you are off the Panamerican Highway are poorly marked.

When driving in Ecuador, it’s wise to know how to ask for directions in Spanish. From experience, I have found Ecuadorians to be quite helpful with lost touristas.

If you need directions to a certain place, here’s an important phrase. “Como llego a ____place name___?” (llego is pronounced yeggo.) Directly translated, this means “how do I arrive at _____?”
Here is a list of vocabulary you will need to know if you want to understand the response.

Directo - straight ahead
A la derecha - turn right
A mano derecha - on the right-hand side
A la izquierda - turn left
A mano izquierda - on the left-hand side
Unos cuadras - a few blocks. Note: learn your numbers so you understand how many cuadras.
Mas adelante - farther ahead
Largo - a long way. If the place you’re heading is quite far, Ecuadorians will drag out this word and say “laaaaaaaarrrrgo.”
Aquicito no mas - you are very close (directly translated: a little here no more)

Ecuador Higways are good - Ecuador drivers, however, are not. One reason against driving in Ecuador.

If you are driving in cities, you may find it difficult to find street names. This is because the street signs are usually on the buildings. Often the buildings get painted and so does the street sign. Also be prepared for signs and/or traffic lights to be in odd locations or hidden by other signs, illegally-parked buses or street vendor umbrellas. As in most developing nations, things we take for granted in the developed world are often quite disorganized.

That in a nutshell is an overview of driving in Ecuador. Personally, I love the freedom of jumping into a vehicle and exploring the side roads of this incredible country. I’ve seen some spectacular places and met some wonderful people along these side roads - things which would not have happened on a bus or a plane.

Len Langevin
Vice President
Canecua Developments