The Quilotoa region with its typical villages and Zumbahua Chugchilán is just 4 hours from Quito, and is composed of small indigenous communities living from agriculture to a height of nearly 4,000 m on the western cordillera of the Andes
We propose to discover this beautiful region for three days combining hiking and visits to indigenous people.
We´ll start this tour with a hike in the majestic Cotopaxi volcano….
Program
Day 1:
Departure from Quito at 8h00 in the morning towards Cotopaxi National Park, in private vehicle. In the park, we stop at the lagoon Limpiopungo (3830 m), to observe the typical birds of the Andean páramo and then continue to ascend to the parking area (4500 m).
From here we begin a walk (364 meters of difference in altitude) to the José Ribas refuge at 4864 m.
Box lunch at the refuge.
Little walk to the edge of the glacier (45 minutes to 1 hour, total round trip) to a height of around 5000 m. In return, brief visit to the park´s museum and continue to Quilotoa. Diner and night at the community of Quilotoa.
Hiking time: 4 hours
Terrain: paths of volcanic sand, rock and snow near the glacier
Unevenness: 364 meter
Day 2:
Breakfast. Visit Community Quilotoa, drop of 320 m difference in altitude along a path of about 1600 m. distance into the crater to see the lake, and also to appreciate the volcanic activity manifested by the presence of carbon dioxide gases that coming to the surface of the lagoon and the small source of water containing an appreciable amount of iron the ascent is walking the same path or you can do it riding a mule. Start of the hike from Quilotoa to Chugchilán for a little over 4 hours. Box lunch during the journey. Dinner and overnight at hostel in Chugchilán.
Hiking time: 6 hours
Terrain: dirt paths, stone and sand
Unevenness: 320 meters down to the lagoon. 1000 meter of descent and 400 meter of ascent.
Day 3:
Breakfast. Hiking around the town of Chugchilán (2-3 hours walking, beautiful rural scenes). Lunch. Return to Quito through the region Ilinizas. End of program
Hiking time: 4 hours if we go to the cheese factory of Quilotoa
Terrain: dirt paths and rural roads
Unevenness: 400 meter
Other options
In 3 days:
It is possible visiting the traditional Zumbahua market whether the 2nd or 3rd day is a Saturday (before or instead of the hiking from Quilotoa to Chugchilán)
In 4 days:
For people who likes to acclimatize better to altitud for Cotopaxi climbing, it is possible to have an extra hiking day as in the following program:
Day 1:
Day trip to Cotopaxi as foreseen in the program. Night in Tigua lodge.
Day 2:
Hike from Tigua to Quilotoa. Around 6 hours trekking crossing through a woderful cannon arriving to the border of the amazing Quilotoa lagoon. Box Lunch on the way.
Dinner and night with a family of Quilotoa community.
Day 3 and day 4:
As described in the original program
Equateur Voyages Passion
discover and visits
- All range
Intermediate 
Challenging 
