Knowing the weather of your vacation destination can make all the difference, and fortunately the weather in Ecuador’s Amazon jungle, where Sacha Lodge is located, is very consistent and predictable. If there’s one thing you should be prepared for it’s humidity. With thick foliage that traps the humidity, the jungle always feels like a bit of a sauna, which makes the gentle breeze of the ceiling fans in our screened-in cabins a delightful respite from the heat at the end of each exciting day of rainforest exploration.

In general, the temperature is between 75 and 95 degrees Fahrenheit, and there are daily rain showers year round.

Wet Season (February-November)

It’s a rainforest, so you can pretty much always expect rain, even during the few months of the dry season. During the wet season, monthly rainfall can reach up to 14 inches, and majority of the 140 inches of rain that the jungle receives throughout the year falls during this season. During this season it is warm and humid, but temperatures might hang around 75 degrees.

Make sure to wear long sleeves and jeans to protect against bug bites, especially mosquitoes – the standing water that is prevalent this time of year increases the number of insects around the lodge. Travelers should also know that some of the walking trails around the lodge become flooded for parts of the year, but that shouldn’t deter you – that’s why we have canoes! We can navigate to most parts of the jungle around our lodge, flooded or not.

Dry Season (December-February)

During the dry season, there is less standing water, which means that there aren’t as many bugs, but it’s still a good idea to have long sleeves and jeans. Rainfall in the dry season is about half of what it is throughout the rest of the year, with a low around 7 inches each month.

This makes a big difference in accessibility on the trails – many of the paths that are seasonally flooded become passable again, allowing land access to even deeper parts of the jungle. But beware: This also happens to be the hottest time of the year, with average daily temperatures just shy of triple digits.

Be prepared for other parts of the country! One of the most amazing things about Ecuador is the fact that within one day you can get from the depths of the jungle into the peaks of the Andes and down to the Pacific coast. Each of these regions has its own unique climate and weather, and if you’re planning a trip to Ecuador you will probably experience at least two of these.

Your flight will either land in the coastal city of Guayaquil or the highland capital Quito:

• In Guayaquil, the dry season extends from late April through December and experiences warm, clear days of sunshine, with highs in the 80s and lows in the 60s, while the wet season runs from late December through early April with humid temperatures climbing into the 90s during the day and seldom dipping below 70 at night.
• Quito has a much more spring-like climate, with temperatures in the 40s in the morning and evening and reaching into the high 60s and 70s during the day. No matter where your flight lands, make sure to have a rain jacket and sweater (thick sweaters and tossle caps are ideal for the highlands), shorts, and long pants or jeans, plus plenty of sunscreen.