I’m taking a 4 day trip to Ecuador in the coming days. Flying from a major US city to Cuenca (3 flights) and back (4 flights). Staying in an AirBnb and planning to hang out and do some hiking. I know some basic Spanish but nothing significant. Traveling with a friend on the way there and meeting up with people in Cuenca but will be solo on the return flights. Will anything significant go wrong? This market will resolve yes if any of the following scenarios occur:

• flight is delayed such that I miss a connection (avg scheduled layover is ~3 hours)

• flight is delayed 5 or more hours

• flight has to make an emergency landing

• flight has an aviation accident/crash

• I get stuck in Ecuador or any connecting country for at least 1 extra night

• I get robbed, attacked, threatened, or suffer a major injury (any cause)

• I get harassed/interrogated at customs/security

• other items that I can’t think of that a reasonable person would qualify as something going significantly wrong

  Background

  Cuenca is renowned for being one of the safest cities in Ecuador, and visitors to the Andes, including Cuenca, can continue to explore mountains and cultural sites with standard precautions against petty crime such as pickpocketing. Ecuador carries a risk of crime, terrorism, unrest, and kidnapping, though the majority of visitors experience Ecuador without incident, and security issues are largely confined to local conflicts far from popular travel routes. Landslides are common in Ecuador and heavy rains can lead to landslides, which frequently lead to road closures. For hiking specifically, if hiking or mountaineering in Ecuador, prepare for high altitude and unpredictable climates.

  Considerations

  Ecuador carries increased caution advisories due to risk of crime, terrorism, unrest, and kidnapping, though these risks are concentrated in specific regions far from Cuenca. The trip involves multiple flight connections (3 outbound, 4 return), which increases exposure to potential delays or missed connections. Ecuador has numerous active volcanoes and earthquakes are common, which can trigger deadly tsunamis, though these are rare events. Hiking in the region carries standard outdoor risks including weather exposure and altitude effects.