Cotopaxi and Quilotoa Tour
Description
Visit in one day two wonderful places on your trip to Ecuador. Cotopaxi Quilotoa tour sites that like the Galapagos Islands, Also have a volcanic origin. Do not skip the opportunity to discover these two beautiful places in one day. In our Cotopaxi and Quilotoa Full Day Tour departing from Quito. Where you can contemplate the beauty of the active volcano Cotopaxi. Thus, the diversity of flora and fauna of the Cotopaxi National Park. And the impressive volcanoes that make up the “Avenue of the Volcanoes”. Also the viewpoint of the Quilotoa Lagoon. Below, we present everything you will find along our tour:
Cotopaxi National Park
The elevation of the Cotopaxi National Park begins at 3.200 to 5.897 meters. It is the second highest and most active volcano in Ecuador, after the Chimborazo volcano, the Cotopaxi Volcano. It’s localized between the provinces of Pichincha and Cotopaxi. Additionally, it is a very popular choice among mountaineering and hiking lovers. As well as those who enjoy being surrounded by nature and beautiful landscapes.
Quilotoa Lake
The Quilotoa Volcano is located west of the Cotopaxi National Park, within the Ilinizas Ecological Reserve in the Cotopaxi Province, 170 km southwest of Quito. The origin of the Quilotoa lagoon is a volcanic 6 km diameter that forms a caldera 2.9 km in diameter and 640 m deep whereas an alkaline lagoon lies that measures 3.6 km in diameter and has a depth of 240 m. The most spectacular thing is to be able to observe the emerald green quilotoa lagoon and in seasons of turquoise color
Cotopaxi Quilotoa Tour
If you have limited time in Quito and youd like to do Cotopaxi tour and Quilotoa tour?. here we present to you the best option to combine the to wonderfull locations in the south of Quito city. At the end of Cotopaxi Quilotoa tour you will be exusted, but you will be happy to had made it.
Yes, it is true visiting the cotopaxi national park requires a full day visit, and anjoying with time of the lanscape and walking to the base camp or to the glacial hopefully of the volcano. Thus, spending full time in the Quilotoa for the kayacs in the lake lagoon or making the Quilotoa loop or camping in the area will be the best in a program of 3 or more days.
Included
- Confortable Transportation
- Tour Guide
- Cotopaxi National Park fee
- Quilotoa Lagoon fee
- Lunch
Not Included
- Personal Expenses
- Tips
Itinerary
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Cotopaxi National Park
60 km south from the city of Quito and 35 km northeast of Latacunga. Cotopaxi National Park is located in the province of Cotopaxi. In the Cotopaxi National Park is the Cotopaxi volcano. And its formation is due to volcanic strata formed over thousands of years. Dating back to the Pleistocene epoch. Cotopaxi is a young volcano and the most popular of all volcanoes in Ecuador. And it has a climate that ranges from 4 °C (39.2°F) to 15 °C (59°F).
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Flora and Fauna of the Cotopaxi National Park
Among the Andean flora and fauna that predominates in Cotopaxi National Park. There is the chuquiragua, “the flower of the Andean climber”. So called because it is at 4000 m above sea level. Also, there are grasslands, puma maqui, romerillo, quishuar, grasses, mosses and lichens. Also along the route you can find other animals. For example: cows, wild horses, hummingbirds, quilicos and curiquingues. If you are lucky you will have the opportunity to cross paths with foxes and deer. Also with marsupial mice, Andean foxes and moor wolves. Even a colossal Andean condor found in Cotopaxi National Park.
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Active Cotopaxi volcano
Cotopaxi is in the area called “Avenue of the Volcanoes”. Its name come from the German Alexander Von Humboldt in 1802. The volcano stands out among all the landscape of the National Park. So, it has glaciers and perpetual snow starting at 5000 meters (16404.2 ft.). Also, to the north you can observe a huge black rock wall, called Yana – Sacha. Besides, the hike takes 30 minutes from the Rivas refuge you can reach the snow-capped peak.
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Andes mountains on the way to Quilotoa Lagoon
The paramo andino on the way to Quilotoa lake
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Quilotoa Lagoon
The Quilotoa Lagoon is two and a half hours from Cotopaxi National Park. Located in the province of Cotopaxi. Within the Ecological Reserve Los Ilinizas, is the Quilotoa Lagoon. It is an inactive volcano of 6 km in diameter, formed by a caldera of 2.9 km in diameter and 640 m (2,099 ft) deep. Here, rests an alkaline lagoon measuring 3.6 km in diameter and 240 m (787.4 ft) deep. The color of the Quilotoa lagoon is emerald green, resembling a mirror.
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Trekking to the bottom of Quilotoa crater lake
Upon arrival we will head towards the edge of the Quilotoa crater lake, from this point we will have an excellent point to take pictures of some of Quilotoa Lagoon. Also, from where we will have time to be able to go down to the bottom of the Quilota lagoon, upon arrival there is the option of kayaking in the Quilotoa lake, then the return trek to the edge.
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Cotopaxi Quilotoa Tour rates
$199 price per person booking for two or more visitors
$239 price per 1 visitor
It is advisable to arrive before 13:00 pm. Since, the fog begins to descend and you will not be able to appreciate its beauty. The Quilotoa community is in charge of managing this attraction. Too, they offer different services such as horseback riding to the lagoon. Also, boat and kayak rentals. And you can enjoy various recreational activities in Quilotoa.
FAQs about Cotopaxi Quilotoa Tour
How long time take the Cotopaxi Quilotoa tour?
- This is a full day from Quito and could take 10 to 12 hours around.
Which days are available for the Cotopaxi Quilotoa tour?
- The departure is every day from Quito
Is including the pick-up from my hotel to the Cotopaxi Quilotoa Tour?
- Yes, including pick-up and drop-off.
Which activities can I do on Cotopaxi Quilotoa Tour?
- Visiting the Limpiopungo area which is the best place to take the pictures of Cotopaxi volcano
- Short walking in the Limpiopungo lake in the Cotopaxi National Park
in Quilotoa Lake
- Walking in the rim in of Quilotoa crater lake
- Trekking to the bottom of the lake (optional)
- Kayaks in the lake of Quilotoa (optional)
From
$199
/ person
*Restrictions applied, prices are subject to change.
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Testimonials
Your opinion is very important for us.
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Amazing Volcanos - We had many tours with Pedro as he was our personal guide for 3 weeks, He was prompt every morning picking us up in Old Town Quito and taking us... read more on amazing adventures around Ecuador. He was fun and very knowledgeable about all the Ecuadorian culture and landscapes. Real Dream Tours is the only way to Travel and we strongly recommend there services. We just came back from 18 days in Colombia that Pedro customized for us and had a fantastic experience around Colombia. We will be using Real Dreams Tours again and I recommend them to all my friends. In all our tours we had great experiences with the local people, culture and local foods, Pedro went outside the box to deliver an amazing experience. GO Real Dream Tours.
December 6, 2022Disappointed and poor value. Nice guide - Our guide was very nice and on time but the sites were okay and the addition of tickets was annoying. It would feel better to have it all bundled
... read more /> Birds- short hike with an ornithologist was okay. We saw many beautiful birds but they would often fly off when he used his laser pointer to direct us. Honestly sitting on the deck and watching birds come and go was great. And feeding the hummingbird. That would have been 5 instead of 15
Falls hike- very overrated. It’s small. Another 5 for this
Butterfly- pretty but not worth the 750 which feels expensive for here
Chocolate factory- 10 pp for tour. We didn’t go. Done it in Peru and Costa Rica.
Lunch- food was okay. Beer not included
I would just suggest hiring a taxi to go to Mindo which is pretty but very tourist
December 10, 2022Pedro was delightful, was very knowledgeable and took us all the way to the glacier. Jimmy the driver also did a great job getting us safely through challenging terrain. Great... read more day all around!
KCampbellW
December 31, 2022 -
BEST guide and tour agent which is Local and Woman owned Ecuadorian travel company - I did an individual self tailored tour with Real Dreams tour. I found them along with few others on my google search, but from the very beginning they stood... read more out with very timely response compared to other companies I had reached out to . Simon who helped format an itinerary for my trip was amazing. He understood what i was looking for and gave perfect suggestions and also was very open to my suggestions and changes. the itinerary for my 5 day 6 night on mainland Ecuador after my Galapagos trip. The guide Pedro was best of best. Knowing I liked hiking and lots of out door activities Pedro recommended and added other activities during the trip which made the trip even more richer and top notch. He took extra effort to get me the local food experience I was wanting including calling the restaurant much ahead of time to prepare CUYI ( guinea pig) and this was once in a life time experience. on the last day before my late night flight back home , he suggested going to the hot springs and massage and this was a perfect ending to the day of the city visit and relaxation before hitting the road.
I recommend Real Dreams tour highly for being local, Woman owned (shout out to Carolina) , flexible to tailoring to your needs and exemplary customer service.
April 14, 2022We had a fun day with David (we left Quito at 08:10 and arrived back around 20:30, so bear timings in mind!), first going to Cayambe town right on the... read more equator to try some delicious bizcocho biscuits. Also stopped here to buy some Andean tea. Then on to a viewpoint of Otavalo volcano and the lake near San Pablo del Lago before going to the market. After this we had a 3 course lunch (drinks are extra) in Cotacachi. We then walked around some of the Laguna Cuicocha with wonderful views. We headed back to to Cotacachi for a quick tasty surprise before heading home. David was very enthusiastic, knowledge and fun and enjoyed telling us about his country in good English. ¡Gracias!
Andrew B
January 29, 2023Our tour with Pedro was amazing, and he was a delight! He was extremely knowledgeable, kind and fun. The perk of this tour was that it was private, so we... read more could go at our own speed and tailor as needed. Given the high altitude and varying conditions, I'd recommend a private guide over a bigger group so you can adjust however works best for you. We also got to stop at various spots for souvenirs and a wonderful meal after the hike. I would caution to maybe adjust a few days to altitude before heading out to Cotapaxi, if you're coming from sea level.
V5629QLkathleenb
November 28, 2022 -
Cotopaxi adventure - anytime again! - We had a wonderful experience with Pedro on our private tour. From the punctual pickup through the safe navigation to the National Parc until reaching the Glacier up on 5000m,... read more we always felt safe and had fun! Tanxx Pedro!
March 25, 2022What a fantastic day! Our guide Pedro was lovely and had so much knowledge about the region, flora and fauna. I was able to get some great photos at both... read more Cotopaxi and Quilotoa and very much enjoyed the experience.
KimA2939
January 16, 2023I happened to be with Luis, the guide, and Jimmy, the driver. I felt like I was hanging out with friends as they made me feel safe, comfortable and free... read more to express myself. They were happy to welcome any requests I had, for they cared about me having a great experience and indeed the whole tour was incredible.
The car was so comfortable and the driver, Jimmy, has been great and careful the whole time.
The guide, Luis, was so friendly, such a great company, he assisted me with anything, we had great chats and he was always making sure I was alright and having fun, feeling like a family member. He shared some great recommendations of his travels and of his past experiences in general, both as a guide and as a traveller himself. I can totally see his strong passion for what he does.
The tour was beyond expectations because I didn't expect to learn so much about the Ecuadorian people and the flora and fauna, as people loved to share their knowledge with lots of enthusiasm. I was very curious and asked many questions and they seemed happy to clear any doubts I had. Particularly I am passionate about plants, and even during the zip line, the workers were so kind to show me interesting things about what they knew about the cloud forests. I also got to taste and smell different fruits and herbs that usually grow in the forest or in local people's yards and therefore not available in the market. What a precious gift!
I'm so grateful for this experience, for the people I met, and for everything I discovered. I highly recommend these guys but also the people from the agency as they all showed great and constant support. Gracias!stefaniamrt
December 27, 2022 -
An unforgettable trip! - I booked this break as part of a longer set of Ecuadorian adventures, and would thoroughly recommend it! It was a wonderful experience, starting from Quito and taking in a... read more whole range of memorable sights and experiences. I was lucky enough to travel solo and be accompanied by a single kind and hugely knowledgable guide, Pedro. We visited sites such as as the famous Swing at the Edge of the World, the shops and spas of Banos, the stunning Quilotoa Lagoon, and a succession of beautiful waterfalls culminating in the famous Pailon Del Diablo as well as Cotopaxi.
Pedro was a superb guide, thoughtful and generous: it was soon apparent that he loved the work of showing off his country's great sights, and there was precious little about either its natural or its human history on which he was not an eloquent and kindly authority. As a result, I came away not merely with a bundle of tourist experiences, but also with some sense of how the various aspects of Ecuador's natural history and culture came together to form a whole, and felt enriched all the more for that. This is an excellent tour presented by a truly dedicated and caring guide, and is a wonderful introduction to this spectacular, complex and fascinating country, as well as to the lovely people who populate it.
July 2, 2022What a fun and memorable day in Papallacta. It all started on the positive side with Pedro. Punctual, he was in time to pick me up from the place I... read more was staying, we then started our journey to Papallacta. The driving was safe and responsible, and he was super active explaining any interesting point/thing we saw. Arriving in Papallacta, I booked a set of massage, walked a few miles to know the place and ended up the day in a very fun way, we went in a sport fishing activity which I didn't plan but it was memorable. I caught few trouts, an went to a restaurante to prepare it, fresh food. LOVED IT.
The Cageless I
December 3, 2022Very cool day ! - Carlos was an awesome tour guide, very explicative and very caring! Always in a good mood ! We saw a lot of colobris, and colourful birds, squirrels, agoutis, butterflies... and... read more tasted very good chocolate. We ended the tour en la mitad del mundo which was very cool ! Thank you for the day Carlos !
Mathilde69008
January 22, 2023