Quilotoa Culture and Hike

12-hour full day
3-hour hike inside the crater
Traditional Andean market
Lunch and permits included
Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday

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

BOOK NOW

Tour overview

The Quilotoa lagoon sits inside a volcanic crater and its water really is emerald. People come here to hike and to kayak, but also for the quiet: it is a place for yoga and meditation, and couples get engaged and married on the rim.

The day starts with a real Andean market, not a tourist one, where products from the tropical lowlands are traded for products from the highlands: Saquisilí on Thursdays, Pujilí on Sundays. Then the community of Tigua, whose painters and wood carvers are known around the world for their brightly colored animal faces and their paintings on sheepskin.

Before the lagoon comes the obligatory stop above the Toachi river canyon. From the community viewpoint at 3,900 m you hike down inside the crater to the shore and back up, about three hours. Kayaking on the lagoon costs $3; if the climb back looks steep, horses are $10.

Twelve hours, three departures a week, bilingual guide, transport, lunch and permits included. $56 per person from Quito.

CHECK AVAILABILITY

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 towards the province of Cotopaxi.
Stop 2: Traditional Andean market

A working indigenous market where products from the tropical lowlands are exchanged for products from the Andes: Saquisilí on Thursdays, Pujilí on Sundays.
Stop 3: Highland home at 3,800 m

At the highest point of the route, 3,800 m (12,467 ft), a visit to an indigenous highland home to see part of daily life up here.
Stop 4: Tigua gallery

The painters of Tigua get on the bus with their work; otherwise we stop at the gallery. The community lives from farming, livestock, handicrafts and painting, and its carved animal faces and paintings on sheepskin have made it famous worldwide.
Stop 5: Toachi Canyon

The obligatory photo and selfie stop above the canyon of the Toachi river. Entrance $1 per person, not included.
Stop 6: Quilotoa viewpoint - 3,900 m

Photographs from the community viewpoint at 3,900 m (12,795 ft), the one with direct access down into the crater.
Stop 7: Hike down to the lagoon and back

About three hours down inside the crater to the shore of the lagoon and back up. Optional kayaking at 3,914 m for $3, and horses for the climb back for $10. Lagoon entrance $2 per person, not included.
Stop 8: Lunch and return to Quito

Menu-type lunch after the hike, then the drive back to Quito.

RESERVE THIS ITINERARY

What's included

Included

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

Not included

Extra meals and beverages
Snacks
Tips
VAT
Quilotoa Lagoon entrance: $2 per person
Toachi Canyon entrance: $1 per person
Kayak (optional): $3 per person
Horses (optional): $10 per person

What to bring

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

BOOK NOW

Good to know

How hard is the hike into the crater?

Moderate, rated 3 out of 5. It takes about three hours down to the shore and back up from the viewpoint at 3,900 m. The way back up is the demanding part because of the altitude. Horses are available for the climb for $10.
Which market do we visit?

It depends on the day: Saquisilí on Thursdays and Pujilí on Sundays. Both are real trading markets where highland and tropical products are exchanged.
Can I kayak on the lagoon?

Yes, it is optional and costs $3 per person. You paddle at 3,914 m (12,841 ft), which makes it one of the highest kayaking spots you will find.
What is not included that I should carry cash for?

$2 for the Quilotoa Lagoon entrance and $1 for the Toachi Canyon, plus the optional kayak ($3) and horses ($10). Lunch, transport, guide and protected area permits are included.
What is the weather like?

Average temperature is around 12C / 54F at an average elevation of 3,800 m. Bring warm clothes, a windproof jacket, gloves and neck and ear protection.
Do I need previous experience?

No experience is needed. It is a shared tour running Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday, with a full day of around 12 hours.