Cotopaxi Hike and Bike

10-hour day from Quito
Glacier hike to 5,100 m
Bike and helmet included
Lunch and park permits included
No previous experience needed

Duration
10 hours
Difficulty
Moderate
Departure
Foch Square at 7:10 a.m. / Zular Coffee Shop (San Blas Square) at 7:20 a.m.
Departure days
Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday
Languages
English, Spanish

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Tour overview

Cotopaxi is the highest active volcano in the world at 5,897 m (19,347 ft), and its national park is the second most visited protected area in Ecuador after the Galapagos. This 10-hour day puts you on its flank and back in Quito by evening.

Our transport takes you all the way to the parking lot at 4,600 m, so the hardest part is already behind you. From there you hike up past the José Rivas refuge at 4,800 m towards the perpetual glacier at 5,100 m. No technical equipment. No previous experience.

Then the reward: around 45 minutes of downhill biking from the parking lot to the Limpiopungo Lagoon at 3,850 m. Bike and helmet are included, and the descent is optional if you would rather stay in the van.

The day opens with a technical stop at 2,945 m for acclimatization and photos, with Pasochoa and Rumiñahui on one side and Corazón and the Ilinizas on the other. Shared tour, four departures a week, lunch and park permits included. $61 per person.

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Itinerary

Stop 1: Pick-up in Quito

Departure from Foch Square at 7:10 a.m. or Zular Coffee Shop (San Blas Square) at 7:20 a.m., heading south on the Pan-American Highway. The drive to the park takes about an hour and a half.
Stop 2: Acclimatization stop at 2,945 m

First technical stop near Machachi at 2,945 m (9,662 ft) for acclimatization, breakfast and photographs. Pasochoa and Rumiñahui rise to the right, Corazón and the Ilinizas to the left.
Stop 3: Cotopaxi National Park entrance - 3,200 m

Entrance to the park at 3,200 m (10,499 ft), where people from the surrounding communities sell handicrafts and mountain clothing. Your guide explains the volcano and the endemic flora and fauna of the park.
Stop 4: Photo stop at 3,600 m

Photographs in the lower part of the park at 3,600 m (11,811 ft). If you booked the optional horseback ride, your riding guide meets you in this area.
Stop 5: Hike from the parking lot at 4,600 m

From the parking lot at 4,600 m (15,092 ft) your guide explains the route up to the José Rivas refuge at 4,800 m (15,748 ft) and on towards the perpetual glacier at 5,100 m. Then back down to the parking lot.
Stop 6: Bike descent to Limpiopungo (optional)

Around 45 minutes of downhill riding from the upper parking lot to the Limpiopungo Lagoon at 3,850 m (12,631 ft). Bike and helmet are included.
Stop 7: Lunch outside the park

We leave the national park and stop at the same restaurant as the morning for a menu-type lunch.
Stop 8: Return to Quito

Drive back to Quito, closing a day of around 10 hours. If you are on the 2-day program with Quilotoa, you are transferred to the hostel in Machachi instead.

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What's included

Included

Bilingual Spanish-English guide
Authorized tourist transportation
Menu-type lunch
Bike and helmet
Protected area entrance permits

Not included

Extra food and drinks
Snacks
Tips
Ecuadorian tourism taxes (VAT)

What to bring

Comfortable, warm clothes
Windbreaker
Gloves, neck and ear protection
Camera
Sunscreen
Comfortable shoes for mountainous and sandy terrain

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Good to know

Do I need experience or technical climbing equipment?

No. Our transport reaches the parking lot at 4,600 m and the hike up to the glacier is done without technical equipment. No previous experience is required.
How high do we actually go?

Parking lot at 4,600 m (15,092 ft), José Rivas refuge at 4,800 m (15,748 ft) and the perpetual glacier at 5,100 m (16,732 ft). The day starts with an acclimatization stop at 2,945 m.
Is the bike descent obligatory?

No, it is optional. It takes around 45 minutes downhill to the Limpiopungo Lagoon at 3,850 m, and bike and helmet are included in the price.
Can I ride a horse instead of hiking and biking?

Yes. A 3-hour horseback ride can replace the glacier hike and the bike descent for $50 extra, with prior reservation.
How cold does it get up there?

Average temperature on the tour is around 5C / 41F. Bring warm clothes, a windbreaker, gloves and neck and ear protection.
Which days does it run and where do we meet?

Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Pick-up at Foch Square at 7:10 a.m. or at Zular Coffee Shop (San Blas Square) at 7:20 a.m.