Weather
Ecuador is divided into three distinctive climatic zones (four, if you count the coast and Galápagos as separate).
Quito & Highlands: Quito is broadly representative of the climate in the Highlands region. The weather is cooler in the Quito area right now, with rain as evident as the sun. At this time of year, daily highs in Quito are around 69°F (20°C).
Oriente/Amazon: Ecuador's Amazon climate varies across this vast region. Overall, this is the second warmest month of the year in Parque Nacional Yasuni, and with rainfall down to just 7.6 inches (194 mm), the driest month overall since February.
Desert Coastal Strip & Galápagos: It's still muggy on Ecuador's coastline, although this is clearing up and becoming more pleasant, with bluer skies toward the end of this month. After several months of bone-dry weather, rain is slowly becoming more evident. Average temperatures rise for a fourth straight month, in preparation for better beach-going come December.
This is an unsettled month in the Galápagos, with change in the air: the water stays cool as showers increase, with the climate gearing up for the warmer, wetter season on the horizon.
Crowds & Costs
November is a quiet month in the Highlands, a busy one in the Oriente, while on the coast and in the Galápagos, it's hardly busy, but gradually getting busier. November, along with September and October, is a good time to look for deals in the Highlands, on the coast, and in the Galápagos. Thanksgiving in the US sees a spike in visitors to the Galápagos in the latter part of the month.
Chat with a local specialist who can help organize your trip.
Where to Go
Quito & Highlands: Ecuador has a superb cultural heritage; Quito and Cuenca were among the world's first cultural destinations to be listed by UNESCO. So, Quito and, particularly, Cuenca are great places to explore right now. Cuenca is at its best at the beginning of the month for the three-day party culminating in its Independence Day.
Cuenca's surroundings also lend themselves well to exploration. The handicraft villages and towns in the green, nearby valleys, like Sigsig, offer superb hiking (especially at the community of Principal) as well as great artisan shops to check out, so there's something to do come rain or shine!
Parque Nacional Cajas near Cuenca is also in one of its driest periods. This high lake-spattered moorland and mountain is also carpeted in tracts of dwarf forests of polylepis trees, some of the highest forests in the world. Finally, Baños, on the cusp of the mountains and the jungle, also offers plenty of outdoor activities; see below for more details.
Oriente/Amazon: Parque Nacional Yasuni remains a good place to visit this month and, as in other months, a favorite destination for foreign travelers. Here, jungle hiking trails are quite dry, and some lead to elaborate canopy walkways where it's possible to see birds sunning themselves in the canopy during warm, sunny spells.
Desert Coastal Strip & Galápagos: Weather might be improving on the coast, and you may, if you're accustomed to cold northern hemisphere weather, be happy trying out beaches such as those at Mompiche, Canoa, or Montañita.
Or consider basing yourself at Puerto López, north of Guayaquil. It has hiking in nearby rainforest and trips to the Isla de la Plata, where you can observe marine animals and birds such as blue-footed boobies in an ecosystem very similar to that of the Galápagos and with much of the same flora and fauna (but at a much-reduced cost!). Water is cooler in November on the Galápagos, so it's worth considering round-island wildlife cruises which you might be able to snap up at a bargain price at the moment.
What to Do
Quito & Highlands: Try exploring colonial architecture and museums in Quito or Cuenca, or shopping for handicrafts in Otavalo or in the Cuenca valley, all of which offer great hiking when the weather is favorable.
Or if you're in Cuenca, attend the festivals at the beginning of the month! Baños is a brilliant destination with an abundance of activities that don't necessarily depend on the sun or the rain: good at this unsettled time of year. As at Papallacta, farther north, there are great natural thermal baths to soak in (if it's cold), hikes and bike rides (if it's sunny), and bungee jumping (whatever the weather), as long as it isn't too wild or windy.
The Ruta de las Cascadas (Waterfalls Route) between Baños and Puyo might just be starting to be truly spectacular again if rain has swelled the waterfalls.
Oriente/Amazon: With water levels far lower than average, this is the perfect time to explore the jungle on its pathways. Some of these lead to canopy walkways that are great for watching the forest from above (in the drier, sunnier weather, birds love sunning themselves on the canopy). You also see different wildlife than on the rivers: animals that live in or on the trees, such as snakes and spiders, plus some interesting plants.
Some lodges run ethnobotanical tours at this time of year, which explain the medicinal uses of insects and plants and how tribes have utilized the rainforest's wide variety of plant life for food, healing, and practical purposes like bow and arrow making for centuries.
Desert Coastal Strip & Galápagos: If you're accustomed to northern hemisphere winters, you might want to try beach-going on Ecuador's lovely beaches, although the coastal fog keeps lingering, and it's not that warm. If it's too cold to swim, you could walk along the beach or go hiking near Puerto López, north of Guayaquil. Here you're well placed for trekking in the teeming rainforest of Parque Nacional Machalilla, with excellent hikes and beaches, and an Indigenous community at Agua Blanca.
Then, of course, there are the boat trips to Isla de la Plata, where much of the same wildlife visible in the Galápagos can be seen. This is also a brilliant month for diving and snorkeling in the Galápagos. Water visibility is less than the first half of the year, but still decent.
What makes water-based activities amazing, though, is the increased nutrient levels in the water, which attract blockbuster marine animals, such as whale sharks, as well as other nutrient-loving sea creatures. Other animals and birds active on the islands this month include the fur sea lions, which spend a lot of time on beaches around now, blue-footed boobies and frigate birds, famous for their elaborate mating ritual, which involves puffing up their red chests.
Events in November
Cuenca Independence Day (November 1-3). Cuenca's Independence Day falls on the day after the two nationally important holidays of All Saints' Day and All Souls' Day, making this southern Highlands city the place to spend this mini-vacation, as it turns into a long weekend of partying with live music, dancing, singing, and other cultural events.
More Helpful Information
Ecuador in October
Ecuador in December
Best Time of Year to Visit Ecuador
How Many Days to Spend in Ecuador