3-Day Adventure Featuring Cotopaxi or Quilotoa Lake & Quito Tour Bus
Cotopaxi National Park
Founded on August 11, 1975, Cotopaxi National Park is one of Ecuador's most important protected areas and the second most visited destination by tourists. Located between the provinces of Cotopaxi, Napo, and Pichincha, it is just 1.5 to 2 hours from Quito, offering a spectacular natural getaway across 33,393 hectares. The park boasts temperatures ranging from 0º to 15ºC, and its highest point, the imposing Cotopaxi volcano, reaches 5897 meters above sea level. Recognized as the highest active volcano in the world, its name in the indigenous language means "Moon Neck," a poetic reference to its perfect cone shape, crowned by a glacier starting at 4800 meters.
Quilotoa Lake
Quilotoa Lake, situated in the crater of the same name within the "Los Ilinizas" Ecological Reserve in Cotopaxi province, is approximately 165 km from Quito, a 3.5-hour drive. The crater's rim is at 3610 meters above sea level, while the lake itself is at 2270 meters. In Kichwa, "Quilotoa" means "Tooth of the Queen," derived from "kiru" (tooth) and "toa" (queen). The lake's water color varies from green to turquoise depending on the sky conditions and contains minerals that can be smelled but are not recommended for drinking. The water temperature ranges from 16°C to -1°C (60°F to 30°F), and the lake is approximately 240 meters deep, nearly elliptical in shape, with a diameter of about 3 km.
Itinerary
- Hostel Galapagos Natural Life
- Cotopaxi or Quilotoa Lake
- Quito Tour Bus
Arrive to Hostal Galapagos Natural Life
Arrive to our Hostel Galapagos Natural Life, where you can enjoy:
- A comfortable room
- Hot water shower
- Private bathroom
- TV entertainment
- Wi-Fi connection
- Parking if you have a vehicle.
Breakfast is included in the nights of lodging.
Tour to Cotopaxi Volcano (Wednesday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday)
- The tour starts at 7:00 am, and the times for the rest of the activities are approximate.
- These may change as the tour progresses.
The tour begins with a trip of approximately 1.5 to 2 hours.
Our first technical stop will be at the entrance of the National Park, where we will pay the entrance fee. In addition, you will have the opportunity to buy handicrafts at the small local market, made by the nearby communities. This is the last moment to buy a pair of gloves and a wool cap to keep you warm.
We will visit the "Mariscal Sucre" Interpretation Center, where we will receive an explanation about various aspects of the National Park, including its history, fauna, flora, and other relevant topics.
We will arrive at a large esplanade in the park, an excellent place to take pictures and admire the scenery.
In the parking lot, we will prepare ourselves with the appropriate clothing and water to begin the hike. We will walk for approximately 40 minutes, depending on your physical condition.
We will take a well-deserved rest at the refuge (José Rivas). Then, those who wish to reach the glacier can continue the hike for another 25 minutes. Weather permitting, you will enjoy a beautiful view of the mountains and landscapes. Afterwards, we will return to the refuge for lunch, a perfect moment to share experiences with friends while enjoying a delicious cup of hot chocolate.
We will continue our tour returning to the parking lot, where we will take the bicycles to descend to the Limpiopungo Lagoon.
At the parking lot, we will take the bikes and enjoy the ride, which can last about 40 minutes, depending on your ability.
Arriving at the Limpiopungo Lagoon, we will have a moment to rest and walk. After this, we will return to Hostel Galapagos Natural Life in Quito.
Tour to Quilotoa Lake (Tuesday, Thursday, Sunday)
- The tour starts at 7:00 am, and the times for the rest of the activities are approximate.
- These may change as the tour progresses.
The tour begins with a trip of approximately 3.5 hours from Quito to Lake Quilotoa, visiting several places along the way, such as Saquisili, the community of Las Cruces and the community of Quilotoa.
Our first technical stop is in the town of Saquisili, where we will visit its different popular markets. In the first market, the community sells large animals such as llamas, pigs, cows, sheep and lambs. In the second market, small animals such as chickens, guinea pigs and rabbits are sold, as well as various agricultural products such as onions, potatoes, tomatoes, peppers and mellocos. There is also a flea market section with second hand products at good prices. In the third market, you will find three sections: wool handicrafts, typical food of the area and products such as grains and flours.
Then, we leave for the community of Las Cruces, where we will arrive in approximately one hour. Here, you will be able to observe their typical clothes, visit their houses and share moments in an indigenous house made of straw, learning about their life and how they prepare the land for planting.
We continue our journey to Lake Quilotoa, passing through the community of Zumbahua. Upon arrival in the community of Quilotoa, we will have lunch (with a choice of llama, chicken or vegetarian food). From there, we will walk about 50 minutes to the lake (depending on your physical condition), enjoying a wonderful view of the turquoise lake, ideal for taking pictures.
When you reach the bottom, you will have time to walk near the water and smell the minerals mixed with it. You can also rent small boats to navigate the lake. To return, we will go up on mules or donkeys, a journey of approximately 40 minutes. When you reach the top, you can buy handicrafts at the community market before returning to Hostel Galapagos Natural Life in Quito.
Quito Tour Bus: Tour of the Historic Center
We start in the north of the city with a sightseeing tour of the most important commercial areas, where most of the hotels in Quito are located. Then, we head to the Historic Center to visit the Basilica del Voto Nacional Church, where we will make a brief stop and explanation. Afterwards, we arrive at the Plaza de la Independencia, where through a pedestrian route we will see the Cathedral, the Government Palace, the Archbishop's Palace and the Church of the Company, famous for its impressive ornaments and gold altars. Then we continue to the Church of San Francisco, built in the 17th century (entrance fees to the churches are not included).Next, we head to the Mirador del Panecillo (entrance fee included), renowned for its beauty, where you can admire a beautiful landscape of colonial and modern Quito. After the tour, passengers can return to their hotel or have lunch in the Zona Rosa of the city, known as La Mariscal.All this aboard our original Trolleys, which are a replica of the streetcars that circulated in Quito in the last century.BUS STOPS AND SCHEDULEStable { border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%; font-size: 12px; /* Reduce the font size */ } th, td { border: 1px solid #000; padding: 5px; text-align: center; }BUS STOP | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
NACIONES UNIDAS | 9:00 | 10:00 | 11:00 | 12:00 | 13:00 | 14:00 | 15:00 | 16:00 |
PLAZA FOSCH - MARISCAL | 9:20 | 10:20 | 11:20 | 12:20 | 13:20 | 14:20 | 15:20 | 16:20 |
MERCADO ARTESANAL | 9:30 | 10:30 | 11:30 | 12:30 | 13:30 | 14:30 | 15:30 | 16:30 |
BASILICA | 9:40 | 10:40 | 11:40 | 12:40 | 13:40 | 14:40 | 15:40 | 16:40 |
SAN FRANCISCO | 9:55 | 10:55 | 11:55 | 12:55 | 13:55 | 14:55 | 15:55 | 16:55 |
PANECILLO | 10:10 - 10:40 | 11:10 - 11:40 | 12:10 - 12:40 | 13:10 - 13:40 | 14:10 - 14:40 | 15:10 - 15:40 | 16:10 - 16:40 | 17:10 - 17:40 |
NACIONES UNIDAS | 11:40 | 12:40 | 13:40 | 14:40 | 15:40 | 16:40 | 17:40 | 18:40 |
3-Day Adventure Cotopaxi or Quilotoa & Quito Tour Bus
- Minimum departure of 1 person
Gallery
Equipmet
- Warm clothes
- Gloves / cap of wool
- Sun glasses
- Sun cream
- Hiking shoes or boats
- Waterproof jacket
- Water
- Candies or chocolate
- Extra snaks
- Camera
Includes
- Bilingual English-Spanish Guide
- Authorized tourist transportation
- Meals menu (Lunch)
- Bicycle and helmet
- Permission to enter the protected areas.
Not Includes
- Extra meals and beverages
- Tips
- Snacks
- VAT
- Tickets $2 to Quilotoa
- Tickets $1 to Toachi Canyon
- We can’t guarantee that you will see all the animals, since they are in wildlife.