Ambato sits at around 2,500 metres and has a temperate highland climate throughout the year. Days are warm and sunny in the dry season (June to September), cool at night, and liable to afternoon showers in the wet season (October to May).
The unmissable time to visit is during the Fiesta de las Flores y las Frutas, held annually during Carnival (usually February). The festival fills the city with flower-covered floats, parades, beauty queens, bullfights, and thousands of visitors from across Ecuador. Hotels fill quickly — book several weeks ahead if you plan to come then.
The Monday market is worth timing a visit around regardless of the season. Produce arrives from the valleys around Baños, Píllaro, and the Ambato river basin, and the market is one of the largest and most authentic in the central highlands.