Cotopaxi National Park and the Fire Waterfall – Day Tour

Duration: 1 Day

From: $170 per person

Destinations: Cotopaxi National Park - Fire Waterfall

Description

Cotopaxi National Park & Fire Waterfall day tour from Quito

Your journey begins with a scenic drive along the Avenue of the Volcanoes, where you’ll witness sweeping views of Ecuador’s highlands and traditional Andean communities. Upon entering Cotopaxi National Park, you’ll encounter Cotopaxi Volcano, one of the highest active volcanoes in the world at 5,897 meters (19,347 feet).

At the base, you’ll explore the Limpiopungo Lagoon, a stunning glacial lake at 3,800 meters (12,467 feet). If weather permits, you may opt for a short hike to the José Rivas refuge, with panoramic views of the volcanic landscape.

Looking for a deeper experience in the region? You can also join our Cotopaxi and Quilotoa Day Tour or the immersive 3-Day Cotopaxi, Quilotoa & Baños Adventure.

Ecuadorian Lunch Experience

After the morning’s high-altitude adventure, enjoy a delicious lunch at a traditional Andean restaurant. Savor local flavors such as trout, quinoa soup, or vegetarian options, all made with fresh, regional ingredients. The setting offers a warm and authentic cultural experience.

Fire Waterfall (Cascada de Fuego)

In the afternoon, continue to a more secluded part of the Andes to visit the Fire Waterfall, a peaceful cascade tucked into lush, green forest. A short, gentle walk through nature leads you to this hidden gem ideal for quiet reflection, stunning photos, and connecting with the serene side of Ecuador’s landscapes.

The waterfall gets its name from the sunlight reflecting off the rocks and mist, especially in the late afternoon, giving it a magical glow.

Experience the dramatic landscapes of the Ecuadorian Andes in just one day.

Inclusions

✔ Transportation

✔ Pick up - Drop off

✔ Bilingual Tour Guide

✔ Lunch

✔ Admission to Cotopaxi National Park

✔ Admission to Waterfall

❌ Tips

Highlights

Visit to the Firefall:
Start the day with a gentle walk to the stunning Firefall, where you can admire its majesty and take memorable photos surrounded by spectacular natural landscapes.
Rivas Refuge:
After the waterfall, head to the Jose Rivas refuge, located at 4,800 meters above sea level, ( 15,744 ft ) where you can enjoy panoramic views of the Cotopaxi volcano and the surrounding landscape. If the weather allows, you can take a short walk around the area to get a closer look at the imposing volcano.
Explore Cotopaxi National Park:
Continue your tour of Cotopaxi National Park, home to the highest active volcano in the world. Enjoy breathtaking views and learn about the unique geography of the area.
Limpiopungo Lagoon:
Opportunity to observe the Limpiopungo Lagoon, a beautiful water mirror surrounded by mountains, perfect for a photo stop.

Itinerary

1. Cotopaxi National Park

Our first stop will be Ecuador's Cotopaxi National Park, famous for its imposing active volcano, which rises to 5,897 meters. With more than 33,000 hectares, full of varied landscapes, from moors to lagoons, and a rich fauna that includes the curiquingue and llamas, it is undoubtedly an ideal destination.

2. Jose Rivas Refuge

You will have the ascent to the first refuge of the Cotopaxi volcano, known as Refugio José Rivas, it is an impressive experience. The route, which begins in the Cotopaxi National Park, is characterized by paramo landscapes, with spectacular views of the volcano and its surroundings. As you progress, the altitude and changing climate add a challenge, but the natural environment, full of Andean flora and fauna, makes the effort worth it. Ideal for those looking for an adventure in the mountains.

3. Limpiopungo Lagoon

Inside the park we will take a short walk around the Limpiopungo Lagoon, located at 3,800 meters and surrounded by Andean landscapes with impressive views of the Cotopaxi volcano, being an ideal place for walks, where visitors can enjoy the tranquility and watch birds or ducks.

4. The Fire Waterfall

The Fire Waterfall is an impressive waterfall located in the province of Cotopaxi, near the volcano of the same name. This waterfall, which descends from a cliff surrounded by vegetation, creates a spectacular landscape and is a popular destination for nature lovers.

Price 2026

Group Size	Private Tour	Small Group	Shared Tour
1 Passenger/ Price per Person	$290	No available	No available
2-3 Passengers/ Price per Person	$230	No available	No available
4 + Passengers/ Price per Person /Shared Tour -No Lunch -No Ticket	$180	No available	$ 100 Check availability in advance, especially for groups of 4 people.

GALLERY

The best photos of our guests

What Travellers Say About Real Dreams

Verified reviews · Real Dream Tours

Great tour company. Amazing tour guides. Safe driver !

We had the BEST time with Real Dream tours. Our tour guide was Andrés and our driver maybe (Javier) was the ABSOLUTE BEST. We went to the hot springs. Got there safely. We hiked a beautiful trail. Andres took some photos of us and pretty much took care of everything when we arrived at the spa. Andres was also very knowledgeable about the country. Educated us on some fun facts. We were traveling as a family of 5. The company is great! They personalized everything for us. They can customize anything you need. Even dropped us off at the airport after our relaxing day. Such great people. highly recommended! Will use them again.

tktun20906

washington dc

June 11, 2025

Quilotoa -day trip

Quilotoa is a beautiful place it’s worth the long trip from Quito. I would totally recomend. The views are just stunning.

Also our tour guide was Pedro. 10/10

Carol

Puerto Rico

March 10, 2025

Vielen Dank Pedro!

Ich hatte eine tolle Zeit mit meinem Guide Pedro. Vom hoch gelegenen Cotopaxi, über die im perfekten Sonnenschein schimmernde Quilotoa Lagune, zum abenteuerlichen Banos und schliesslich in den abgelegenen Regenwald in der Itamandi Lodge, hat Pedro alles gegeben um meine Reise perfekt zu machen.

Martin

May 21, 2025

Great company-book with confidence.

Andres made the day! We have hired many many different guides in many many different countries and Andres was one of the best we have had. He perfectly split the difference between information and giving us our space. He was attentive to our 10 year old…especially important on such a very long day. Keeping the little one going made for a successful day for all of us.

He and the driver spotted a toucan along a road and halted everything, hustled us out of the car and made sure we all saw it and got pictures. Well done!

We combined this tour with visits to both equator exhibits and while this was no fault of the tour company (they had informed us of road closures and we were not upset) it took us much longer to get back than planned and we nearly ran out of time. We got the photos we wanted so no harm no foul, but we cut it very close. I’m thankful for the good driver we had!

maureenehess

Bogota, Colombia

June 20, 2025

Fantastic trip to local market and beautiful nature.

Very nice trip to a very nice market. This is South America's largest outdoor market. Also got to stop at the original center of the world, and taste very good biscuits 😁

Helge B

July 12, 2025

Otavala Market

Great trip to the Otavalo market. Andrés was a wonderful guide who shared so much history and stories about Equador and the area. A great day tour from Quoto.

Martedal

July 9, 2025

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Get in touch with us!

Looking for a personalized experience? Tell us your travel dates, group size, and interests, and our local experts will help you design the perfect tour in Ecuador or the Galápagos Islands. This request is completely free and without obligation — we’re happy to adapt the itinerary, pace, and activities to match your travel style.

      EXCELLENT  
   Based on 519 reviews 
    
 
 
 
   
 
 
       Posted on Tripadvisor  
   
   Sonja R 
 
 
 
 Verified The perfect day
I spent a glorious day with the dream team: Jimmy, the alert, cautious, and responsible driver, and Andres, the super kind, knowledgeable, and enthusiastic tour guide. The day exceeded my expectations: I saw and experienced everything I had heard about Cotopaxi and Banos - and then some. I learned a lot and felt extremely well taken care of. I highly recommend this trip to anyone who wants to see these two famous places in Ecuador in just one day. And if you’re lucky enough, you’ll be driven by Jimmy and guided by Andres.
  
 
      Posted on Tripadvisor  
   
   Voyager212497 
 
 
 
 Verified Ecuador with Andres and Jimmy!!!!
Andres and Jimmy were awesome guides!!!! First time to Ecuador and loved every minute. Andres and Jimmy made the most of our day and introduced us to many local places. Just what we were looking for!
  
 
      Posted on Tripadvisor  
   
   Angela C 
 
 
 
 Verified Perfect Equador Tour!!
Our guide, Miriam was absolutely amazing!! She shared all of the unbelievable information about her country and let us decide what we wanted to do on the tour.
  
 
      Posted on Tripadvisor  
   
   Stefano P 
 
 
 
 Verified Wonderful experience en la Sierra
Esperienza indimenticabile. La nostra guida Ayrton è sempre stato disponibile, attento sia alle nostre necessità che alla nostra sicurezza. Sin dal momento del pick up ci ha dato innumerevoli informazioni sui luoghi che stavamo visitato, facendoci immergere completamente nella cultura Ecuadoriana. Prezzo del tour non economico, ma ne vale la pena.
  
 
      Posted on Tripadvisor  
   
   sv 
 
 
 
 Verified parfait
camping parfait rien a dire sauf l'accès compliqué a la plage
  
 
      Posted on Tripadvisor  
   
   Jacki R 
 
 
 
 Verified Cotapaxi tour
Andres was a wonderful, engaging, knowledgeable and very friendly tour guide. Both he and the driver, Diego, provided us with a highly memorable tour. This was our favorite tour out of our 4 days in Quito. A large part of it was due to Andres. We highly recommend Andres and Diego!
  
 
      Posted on Tripadvisor  
   
   Victoria K 
 
 
 
 Verified Great experience and company!
This tour was absolutely wonderful from the adventure to the company of Ayrton. This walk was intense but totally worth it, i will do the summit next year. I’m very happy with the tour, from the pick up until the drop off! Ayrton is very friendly, knowledgeable, and he knows how to take the best photos that’ll last a lifetime ☺️ I’m very pleased, thank you so much for a great experience!
  
 
      Posted on Tripadvisor  
   
   Tani Davis 
 
 
 
 Verified Amazing views
Andrés was an excellent tour guide. His knowledge of the zone, the fun facts, the trivia questions and the cool attitude made this experience one of a kind! Ciro was an excellent driver and got us back and forth safe. Thank you! The tour was just enough to get good photos from both places, grab lunch and head back. If you want to take a longer experience on either place, probably book a full day per location.
  
 
      Posted on Tripadvisor  
   
   L C 
 
 
 
 Verified Amazing experience
I did a tour/hike of Cotopaxi with guide Andres and driver Jimmy. The scenery was gorgeous! The hike was challenging just due to the altitude but worth it for the views and seeing the Refugio. Guide Andres had so much great information about the history, people, geography and animals in the area. He was friendly and helpful and answered any questions I had about the area. Highly recommend this tour.
  
 
      Posted on Tripadvisor  
   
   Maddy C 
 
 
 
 Verified Book it – you won't regret it!
Absolutely incredible experience – 10/10! I cannot recommend this tour enough! I booked a private day trip from Quito to Chimborazo, and it was truly one of the highlights of my nearly two months exploring Ecuador. I honestly can't believe more tourists don't visit Chimborazo — it is absolutely breathtaking, and such an amazing place to experience. I was picked up directly from my apartment, we stopped for breakfast, and then headed out toward Chimborazo. Irene was an absolutely FABULOUS guide — incredibly knowledgeable, warm, and genuinely passionate about Ecuador. I learned SO much from her throughout the day, and that is saying something, as I've already spent nearly two months exploring Ecuador! She shared so much fascinating information about the landscape, history, culture, and the area around Chimborazo. Jimmy was our driver and was equally wonderful. He has such a great sense of humor and was an excellent, very safe driver. He also came along on the hike with us, which was such a nice surprise! He also recommended a delicious restaurant for lunch. Irene and Jimmy were both so kind and made the entire day feel easy, fun, and comfortable. As a 22-year-old woman traveling alone, I also want to emphasize how truly safe and secure I felt the entire time. I was completely comfortable with both Irene and Jimmy, and they took such great care of me throughout the day. I never once felt worried or uncomfortable traveling so far from Quito on my own. And, the PHOTOS! Irene and Jimmy took FABULOUS pictures of me — genuinely better than anything I could have taken myself. They knew exactly where to stop and how to capture the scenery, and I came away with so many incredible photos and memories from the day. The hike itself was also amazing. I personally found it less difficult than hiking Cotopaxi, although the altitude is definitely challenging and should not be underestimated! The landscape is absolutely surreal, and being up there surrounded by that incredible scenery is an experience I will never forget. If you're considering doing this tour, book it! Especially if you're traveling alone, I could not recommend Irene and Jimmy more highly. They were knowledgeable, funny, kind, professional, and made the entire experience unforgettable. This was one of the best days I've had in Ecuador, and I am so grateful to them both! It's so worth it.