Daydream in Quilotoa: Laguna's Enchanting Embrace Awaits
Description
In the heart of Ecuador, as dawn breaks, our journey of discovery commences. On select days, the vibrant tapestries of the Saquisilli (Thursdays) or Pujili (Sundays) markets beckon, offering a glimpse into the rich tapestry of indigenous life. As we traverse towards the Laguna Quilotoa, a shimmering emerald marvel cradled within a volcanic embrace, the Andean mountains stand sentinel, their majesty punctuated by the ancient Zumbahua canyon and the whispers of time in indigenous hamlets and verdant farmlands. This odyssey, winding through some of the nation's most untouched realms, pauses at an indigenous abode, where the stories of the land come alive through its people. So, brace yourself, for this is not just a journey, but an immersion - a dance of culture and nature's grandeur.
Tour Options
Itinerary
This full day cultural tour begins with a visit to local indigenous market at either Saquisilli (Thursdays only) or Pujili (Sundays only). The drive to Laguna Quilotoa – an amazing emerald lagoon inside a volcano crater at the height of approximatetly 3,800 m – displays a beautiful view of the Andean mountains, passing the ancient canyon of Zumbahua and many indigenous towns and farmlands. The trip through the villages of the area provide a fantastic chance to see one of the most authentic parts of the country. Before lunch we visit a local indigenous home where you have the opportunity to interact with the locals. 07:30 – Meet at offices in Quito 09:30 – Explore Saquisili/Pujili (Thursday/Sunday) 10:30 – Depart for Laguna Quilotoa 13:30 – Lunch, begin descent into Laguna 15:00 – Explore Laguna- optional kayaking 15:30 – Return ascent to crater (Lunch) 16:30 – Begin drive back 19:00 – Arrive in Quito
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Not recommended for pregnant travelers
- Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
- Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
- What to bring:
- Warm clothing
- Waterproof jacket
- Gloves, scarf, hat
- Hiking boots or trekking shoes
- Sunglasses
- Sunscreen
- Extra snacks and water
- Face masks
- Hand sanitizer
Reviews(50)
Alejandro was our guide and we had a private tour as the 3 of us (my family and I) were the only ones who did the tour that day. It was magnificent. Alejandro entertained us with much of Ecuador’s history and about its volcanoes. We went to a very nice community and finally was very patient when making the hike to the lagoon. The tour was very complete and Alejandro always had a very good energy and attitude that really infected. We are happy to have found such a good guide and a complete tour.
¡Muchísimas gracias por compartir su experiencia! Nos alegra enormemente saber que disfrutaron de un tour tan especial en compañía de Alejandro. Qué bueno que la historia del Ecuador, las visitas a la comunidad y la caminata a la laguna hayan sido experiencias memorables para ustedes. Alejandro estará muy feliz de saber que su energía, paciencia y actitud positiva hicieron la diferencia en su día. Nos llena de alegría saber que su familia tuvo un recorrido completo y significativo. Gracias por confiar en nosotros. ¡Será un placer acompañarlos nuevamente en futuras aventuras por Ecuador!
Our guide Felipe was very friendly and gave us a lot of information about the places we visited. The tour was very interesting with different stops with beautiful scenery. Lunch was very good. Everything was excellent. We really enjoyed it.
¡Muchas gracias, Andrés! 🌟 Nos alegra saber que tuviste un día inolvidable disfrutando de los paisajes, las paradas especiales y un delicioso almuerzo. Felipe estará encantado de saber que su amabilidad e información hicieron la experiencia aún mejor. Esperamos recibirte nuevamente para más aventuras en Ecuador. 🙌✨
Great guide (Lincoln) great trip and trip exactly as advertised and a couple of additional extra which was a nice surprise. Would highly recommend.
Dear S9046OZandrewm Thanks you so much for leaving a review of the Quilotoa tour with Lincoln as your guide! We are so glad you thought it was a great trip and hope you come back for more in the future.
Very great experience with Alejandro our guide. Gave us pointers to successfully climb back up the crater. Highly recommend
Dear S1414LQglenb Thanks so much for your review, it is great to hear you successfully got out with the aid of Alejandro! We hope you will be back for more adventures in the future.
Alejandro was our guide for Quilotoa and he did a great job of informing us about the day, information about Quilotoa and was also very entertaining! I loved the market where we got food and snacks and the scenery at Quilotoa was beautiful I really enjoyed the tour and setting up was really easy with Carpe DM. I recommend them for sure
Dear Genny_sandiego Thanks so much for your review on the Quilotoa day tour with Alejandro. It's great that the market was a highlight for you! Also, we are pleased you are happy with the booking process. We hope you will be back some day soon for more adventures!
Alejandro was a kind, fun and knowledgeable guide on our private tour from Quito to the Quilotoa Lagoon. He made sure we had all the information we needed and we were preared for what's coming next. He speaks excellent English, drives carefully and provided excellent context so we could properly enjoy the tour. He was very punctual and the hotel pick-up and drop-off were super convenient for us. Tasting new fruits at the Saquisilí market was a great addition to the tour! And the included lunch after the hike was delicious and filling :) Overall, we felt we were in good hands throughout the whole day!
Dear Todor Thanks so much for your review of the Private Quilotoa day tour with Alejandro. We are so glad you enjoyed Alejandro as a guide and that you enjoyed visiting the Saquisili market to try some of the different exotic fruits we have to offer in this amazing country. We hope you will be back again some day to enjoy more of what Ecuador has to offer.
Views were amazing, guide was very informative and funny which made the day very enjoyable. Was a very warm day so winter clothes weren't necessary. The market we stopped off at was great also, and we were able to try some different foods for breakfast before going on to Quilotoa.
Dear Rebecca Thanks so much for your, for your review of the Quilotoa day tour with Alejandro. We are so pleased you enjoyed the views and Alejandro. It sounds like you were lucky with the weather, It is always good to go to Quilotoa with layers as it changes drastically from day to day! We hope you will be back one day for more adventures with us.
Stop over a local market, experiencing original Ecuadorian breakfast - exciting! Driving through wonderful landscape, Alejandro explaining a lot. Quilotoa was amazing, still really hot with the sun burning at noon, walking the 400 meter up the hill. But it was really worth!
Dear Tobias Thanks so much for your review of the Quilotoa day tour with Alejandro. It is great to hear you enjoyed getting breakfast and that despite the hot Sun it was worth it, I think you were Lucky as often it is cold at Quilotoa. If you are ever back in Ecuador and are looking for more adventures you know where we are!
We had a lovely day at Quilotoa. Hiked down and back up the crater (up is hard work!) and went kayaking in the lagoon. Options for motor boats too and mule rides up. Scenery is stunning. Alejandro was our guide. He gave us lots of info about Quito, Quilotoa and the stops we made along the way, and was generally just nice, cheerful company throughout :)
Dear Master W Thanks so much for your review of the Quilotoa day tour. We are so happy to hear you had a lovely day out. We hope you will be back for more adventures.
Amazing views of the lagoon and a safe trip out from Quito with an informative guide telling us a bit about the beautiful countryside. The hike up from the lagoon at altitude is a challenge.
