Cotopaxi + Quilotoa 2 Days 1 Night

2 days, 1 night
Cotopaxi glacier and Quilotoa crater
Night in Machachi included
2 lunches and 1 breakfast
Confirmed from 1 passenger

Duration
2 days / 1 night
Difficulty
Moderate
Departure
Foch Square at 7:10 a.m. / Zular Coffee Shop (San Blas Square) at 7:20 a.m. On day 2 you are picked up at the hotel at 8:30 a.m.
Departure days
Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday
Languages
English, Spanish

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Tour overview

Two of the biggest names in the Ecuadorian Andes, in one trip, without the rush. Day one is Cotopaxi: the hike up towards the glacier and the bike descent. Day two is Quilotoa: the emerald lagoon inside a volcanic crater.

You sleep in Machachi, a farming and livestock town with the volcanoes on the skyline, so day two starts fresh at 8:30 a.m. instead of before dawn from Quito. Accommodation, two lunches and breakfast on the second day are included.

On the second morning the painters of Tigua come aboard the bus with their work, carved animal faces and paintings on sheepskin; if they are not on the road, we stop at their gallery. Then the photo stop above the Toachi Canyon, and the viewpoint over Quilotoa at 3,900 m, where the hike down to the shore and back takes about three hours.

Shared tour, four departures a week, confirmed from a minimum of one passenger. $152 per person, bike and helmet included.

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Itinerary

Day 1: Pick-up in Quito and drive to Cotopaxi

Departure from Foch Square at 7:10 a.m. or Zular Coffee Shop (San Blas Square) at 7:20 a.m., heading south along the Andes. Explanation of the volcano and of the flora and fauna of the area on the way.
Day 1: Cotopaxi National Park and the José Rivas refuge

Entrance to Cotopaxi National Park and the hike from the parking lot up to the José Rivas refuge at 4,800 m (15,748 ft) and on towards the glacier, then back down to the parking lot.
Day 1: Bike descent to Limpiopungo (optional)

Downhill ride from the upper part of the volcano to the Limpiopungo Lagoon at 3,850 m (12,631 ft). Bike and helmet included.
Day 1: Lunch and transfer to Machachi

Lunch outside the park, then transfer to the hotel in Machachi for the night.
Day 2: Pick-up at the hotel and the painters of Tigua

Pick-up at the hotel at 8:30 a.m. The painters of Tigua get on the bus to offer their work; if not, we stop at the gallery. Tigua is known worldwide for its carved animal faces and paintings on sheepskin.
Day 2: Toachi Canyon

Photo stop above the canyon of the Toachi river. Entrance $1 per person, not included.
Day 2: Quilotoa viewpoint - 3,900 m

Photographs from the Quilotoa viewpoint at 3,900 m (12,795 ft) over the emerald crater lake.
Day 2: Hike down to the lagoon and back

About three hours hiking down inside the crater to the shore of the lagoon and back up to the rim. Lagoon entrance $2 per person, not included.
Day 2: Lunch and return to Quito

Lunch after the hike and the drive back to Quito.

RESERVE THIS ITINERARY

What's included

Included

Bilingual Spanish-English guide
Authorized tourist transportation
1 night accommodation in Machachi
2 lunches
Breakfast on the second day
Bicycle and helmet
Protected area entrance permits

Not included

Dinner
Extra meals and beverages
Snacks
Tips
VAT
Tickets: $2 Quilotoa Lagoon, $1 Toachi Canyon

What to bring

Comfortable clothes and a windbreaker
Gloves, ear and neck protection
Sunglasses
Camera
Sun hat
Sunscreen
Comfortable shoes for walking in mountainous and sandy terrain

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Good to know

Where do I spend the night?

In a hotel in Machachi, outside Cotopaxi National Park, with the volcanoes on the skyline. One night of accommodation is included and you are picked up there at 8:30 a.m. on day two.
Which meals are included?

Two lunches and breakfast on the second day. Dinner, snacks and extra drinks are not included.
Is the order of the itinerary always the same?

No. The order may vary depending on the day the tour starts, since departures run Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday.
How hard is the Quilotoa hike?

It takes about three hours from the viewpoint at 3,900 m down to the shore of the lagoon and back up. The climb back is the demanding part, because it is done at altitude.
Which tickets do I pay separately?

$2 for the Quilotoa Lagoon and $1 for the Toachi Canyon. Protected area permits for Cotopaxi are already included.
Can I book if I am travelling alone?

Yes. These are shared tours that run from a minimum of one person.