Cotopaxi Volcano full day tour with all the entrances, every day
Description
Along the range of the Andean Mountains we can find the Cotopaxi National Park filled with an exceptional variety of flora and fauna species; also, it is home to the active volcano Cotopaxi (5,897 meters above sea level). The Limpiopungo lagoon is located at the foot of the volcano and here one could enjoy the view of the Andean Paramo and take incredible shots of the lagoon and the volcano.
Tour Options
Itinerary
On the border of the province of Pichincha, there is the Cotopaxi National Park, an ecological reserve that combines the landscape of the Andean páramo, volcanic soil and the lagoon that emerge from the snow-capped mountains. Its main attraction is the volcano that bears its name which in Spanish means 'moon neck' given because of the conical shape of the crater. The elevation of the volcano is of 5,897 meters above sea level and is the second highest in the country. Visitors can discover different species of plants and animals like: wolves, rabbits, bears, condors, and among others that live in that territory. Visit The Interpretation Center: All information about the Cotopaxi National Park is available at the Interpretation Center, or better known as the Park Museum. The Center has showrooms, a souvenir shop and a coffee shop. It is located inside Mariscal Sucre Station (or Control Caspi entrance). Walk To The José Rivas Refuge (4864 Masl): Since the 70s, this refuge has been a welcoming place for professional mountaineers and amateurs coming to visit the Cotopaxi Volcano. Its name is in honor of the priest José Ribas who built it with the Mountaineering Club of San Gabriel High School. This place is located on the slopes of the volcano and an hour's walk from the parking lot.
Visit Limpiopungo lake and have a nice view of the Cotopaxi volcano
Highlights
What's included
Pickup Locations & Times
we will contact you to confirm you pick up place one day before the tour.
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
- Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
- Not recommended for pregnant travelers
- Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
- Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
Reviews(441)
Wonderful Cotopaxi excursion from Quito! I had a wonderful experience on this 1-day excursion to Cotopaxi. A big thank you to Pamela, our excellent guide, and Andrés, our driver. They were both professional, friendly, and very helpful throughout the day. The stops at the Cotopaxi Museum and Laguna Limpiopungo were great for helping us acclimate to the altitude before the hike. Pamela gave us helpful tips for the hike and shared interesting information about Ecuador along the way. And the lunch was delicious! For only $5, we had soup, an entrada, dessert, and fresh juice. Such a great value! I highly recommend this excursion to anyone visiting Quito. It was a beautiful and memorable way to experience Cotopaxi and the incredible landscapes of Ecuador! 🇪🇨
This was the perfect day trip to Cotopaxi!!! Jorge was a knowledgeable and enthusiastic guide + Jonathan was a skilled driver. The group was so nice — you know a trip is good when there are many Latin Americans, even Ecuadorians, who sign up! We had a good amount of stops for food, bathroom & information. Driving through the park is serene. You can hike to the refuge or choose to stay closer to the bottom, which makes this trip very accessible. Even if you are nervous about the hike, I recommend this trip as you will be supported and still can enjoy it without the ascent. I am so glad I went and recommend it to all as as go-to day trip from Quito!
One of the best experiences in Ecuador, the best guide Jorge!
The experience was great, the guide Jorge was professional and would have provided a lot of emotional value, the scenery in Cotopaxi is very nice, especially on sunny days, it's beautiful! It's a very nice day and it deserves to be part of!
Great time, Diana was a super passionate and fun guide. Highly recommend
Excellent, recommended. Our guide Pamela was very helpful, perfect English and Spanish. Motivating to keep moving forward. The strategic stops and the places we went to eat, we not only enjoyed lunch, but also the views of the volcanoes. I would do it again!! The logistics were super!! The driver also drove well. And the minibus was comfortable.
Having gone on a couple of day trips from Quito with different companies I can say that this one had the best guide and driver. Diana was full of energy and information and made the trip safe and fun. She was great and we were fortunate to have full summit views of Cotopaxi for most of the day. She also did a good job of letting us hike at our own pace while keeping track of a diverse group at a pretty high altitude. Thank you, Diana and Andres (driver). Worth knowing this trip is for a diverse group of travellers - not avid hikers or nature lovers. If I did it all again, I might look for a trip that was focused on more time hiking different trails in the park, but that is just a personal preference.
Very well-organized excursion with a very professional and very attentive guide. Dani gave us a lot of information and was attentive to ensuring the excursion was a nice experience.
It was an excellent experience and an easy way to get to know the high mountains without needing practice. I recommend going up in light hiking boots so as not to pick up so many stones on the way down and also wearing pants with elastic on the outside of the boots. Finally, for the lunch you order, I recommend that it be a hamburger or something that is difficult to prepare poorly, because since it is so touristy, many people arrive to have lunch at the same time.
The guide Diana and the driver Jimmy were excellent. We would have liked to reach the snow line. But the other landscapes are beautiful
