2-Day Quilotoa Crater Lake Tour from Quito with Caldera Rim Hike

The journey

Trip highlights

• 01 Explore the stunning Quilotoa Crater Lake in the Ecuadorian Andes
• 02 Take on a challenging 4-5 hour hike around the sandy caldera rim
• 03 Enjoy magnificent views from the summit of Quilotoa
• 04 Discover the dramatic landscape around the lip of the caldera

Spend your day around the turquoise Quilotoa Crater Lake in the Ecuadorian Andes on this 2-day tour from Quito. Travel to this water-filled crater lake and explore the area around the lip of the caldera. Thrill-seekers can take on a challenging 4-5 hour hike around the sandy, steep caldera rim while enjoying magnificent views of the surrounding landscape.

Spend your day around the turquoise Quilotoa Crater Lake in the Ecuadorian Andes on this 2-day tour from Quito.

From the itinerary

At a glance

What this trip includes

Duration 2 Days

Tour type Shared

Activity level Moderate

Accommodation Included · Budget

Transport Included

Wheelchair access No

Cities Latacunga, Quito, Quilotoa Lake, Zumbahua

Languages English, Spanish

Day by day

The itinerary

1

Day 01

Journey from Quito to Quilotoa Crater Lake

• You will be picked up by your tour guide from Quito International Airport and begin your 3-hour journey towards Quilotoa Lake, a water-filled crater lake. The route to the small town of Quilotoa is generally travelled by truck or bus. You can board a bus from the town of Zumbahua, 17 km to the south, or more commonly from a bus stop at Latacunga.

• You can enjoy activities including a four to five-hour hike around the caldera, which rises over 3 km. This 10 km hike is sandy and steep in places and can be quite taxing, particularly if there is fog.

2

Day 02

Breakfast and Departure

• After breakfast, leave for your next destination or head to the airport for departure.

The route

Where you'll travel

The fine print

Trip details

What's Included

• Transport

• Guide

• Food

• Hostel

What's Not Included

• Outbound flights

Know before you go

• Visitors may have to pay two $2 fees to explore the area around the lip of the caldera. There are a number of simple hostels in the immediate area offering mules, guides, and other such services.

• The caldera rim in the lake is highly irregular and reaches its maximum elevations (3810 m to the north, 3894 m to the northwest, and 3915 m to the southeast) at three lava domes.

Logistics

Meeting & route

Meeting point

Mariscal Sucre Airport, Quito, Ecuador

Tour start

Quito, Ecuador

Tour ends at the same location as the start point.