Full-Day Tour Cotopaxi National Park - All included from Quito
Description
Enjoy a day trip to Cotopaxi Volcano located inside the National Park. Admire the beautiful Andes Mountains and enjoy a day away from the hustle and bustle of the city. Besides enjoying the beauty of one of the highest active volcanoes in the world (5,897 meters)
Tour Options
Itinerary
It is an active stratovolcano in the Andes Mountains. On a clear day, Cotopaxi is clearly visible on the skyline from Quito and is part of the chain of volcanoes around the Pacific plate known as the Pacific Ring of Fire. It has an almost symmetrical cone that rises from a highland plain of about 3,800 m
Its clear but frigid waters are surrounded by small mountains and hills. It has a magnificent view of the picture in a frame of elevations such as Cotopaxi, the Sincholagua and Rumiñahui. Here you can see a great variety of birds, herds of llamas and some other species of mammals, especially rabbits and deer, among others.
Take a short hike in the surrounding Limpiopungo valley before driving ever-higher into this sky-high region, stopping at the 15,800-ft (4830-meter) Padre Rivas Refuge. Depending on your physical condition, you will get the Glacier (5050-meter)
Highlights
What's included
Pickup Locations & Times
Hotel pick up/drop off outside of the city has extra charge
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
- Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
- Vegetarian option is available, please advise at time of booking if required
- Please advise any specific dietary requirements at time of booking
- A minimum of 2 people per booking is required
- Operates in all weather conditions, please dress appropriately
Reviews(140)
Cotopaxi was amazing! It's really hard to describe what an awesome experience it is. Our guide, Diego, was very knowledgeable about the history and geology of the area. As a bonus, the Ecuadoran lunch was delicious!
Dear Sophie, Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback. Cotopaxi is one of Ecuador's most remarkable natural landmarks, and we are pleased to know that you enjoyed both the scenery and the experience. Diego takes great pride in sharing the history and geology of the region, and we will be sure to pass along your kind comments. We are also glad that you enjoyed the traditional Ecuadorian lunch, which adds an authentic cultural element to the journey. Thank you for choosing Latin Adventures. We hope to have the opportunity to welcome you again on another tailor-made experience in Ecuador. Kind regards, The Latin Adventures Team
This tour was a highlight of this trip! Climbing Cotapaxi, even if just to the Refugio, has been a dream of mine for some time now. Our guide Diego was very informative on the way there & gave us some time to acclimate to the elevation at stops along the way. The climb itself isn’t hard, but you do need to make stops to catch your breath — 16,000 ft is no joke. Diego was instrumental in getting my friend & I (we’re both 65) up the volcano … thank you Diego, for making this dream come true!
Dear Cathi, Thank you for sharing your experience with us. It is especially rewarding to know that visiting Cotopaxi had been a long-standing goal and that this journey became a highlight of your time in Ecuador. Reaching the Refugio at such an altitude is a memorable accomplishment, and we are pleased that Diego's guidance, knowledge, and attention throughout the day contributed to making the experience both enjoyable and successful. We will be sure to share your kind words with Diego. Helping travelers achieve meaningful travel experiences is at the heart of what we strive to provide through our personalized Ecuador tours. Thank you for choosing Latin Adventures. We appreciate the opportunity to have been part of this special milestone and hope to welcome you again on a future tailor-made journey in Ecuador. Kind regards, The Latin Adventures Team
This tour had some strong moments, but the overall experience fell short of expectations. The day was originally scheduled to start at 7:00am. We were ready and waiting, only to find out after calling that the start time had been changed to 8:00am without notice. Our guide didn’t arrive until 8:30am, so we ended up starting about 1.5 hours later than planned. Transportation was also an issue. There were four guests plus the guide packed into a small 5-seater Kia, which made for a pretty uncomfortable ride throughout the day. Our guide was knowledgeable, but not especially engaging or attentive. There were multiple moments where the other guests wanted to stop for photos and our guide didn’t seem to notice. At one point, he pulled out binoculars but didn’t offer them or ask if anyone wanted to use them. Lunch was another miss. It was listed as part of the tour, but there was no mention of it during the day. We started at 8:30am and didn’t return until nearly 5:00pm without having eaten anything. That said, the destination and overall experience were still interesting and worth seeing. However, between the delayed start, lack of communication, cramped transportation, and no food, it made for a physically tough day. I ended up with a pretty bad headache from the altitude and some nausea, which likely wasn’t helped by the long gaps without food or a comfortable ride.
Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback. We truly appreciate all comments, as they help us continue improving our services. We would like to clarify a few important points for transparency. Your booking was made and paid for a shared tour service. As noted on platforms like TripAdvisor, the pickup window is 7:00–8:00 AM, and lunch is not included in shared service. Despite this, we made the decision to upgrade your experience to a private service for your group of four passengers at no additional cost, in order to provide a more personalized experience. Regarding the pickup time, private tours begin with hotel pickups from 8:00 AM onward. We experienced a slight delay while coordinating logistics with another couple, and we're sorry for the inconvenience. We also apologize for the lack of clearer communication. Concerning transportation, the vehicle provided met operational standards for the group size; however, we appreciate your feedback and will take it into account to enhance comfort in future experiences. We’re glad to hear that you found the destination interesting and worthwhile, though we regret that aspects of the day did not fully meet your expectations. Your comments regarding guide engagement and communication have been shared internally to ensure continuous improvement. Thank you again for your input, and we hope to have the opportunity to provide you with a smoother and more enjoyable experience in the future. Kind regards,
The private full-day tour to Cotopaxi is highly recommended. Our guide Diego picked us up at the hotel and we went straight to the national park. We learned a lot about the active volcano, but also about Ecuador. The walk from the car park to the Refugio takes about an hour and we were able to walk at our pace. On the way back we saw another fox and there was another meal in a very authentic restaurant - just outside Quito. A great guide, a great tour - it couldn't be more pleasant!
Thank you so much for your wonderful review, Julia😊 We’re truly happy to hear you had such a great experience on your private Cotopaxi National Park tour. It’s fantastic to know that Diego made your day so special by sharing his knowledge about the volcano and Ecuador while ensuring everything was smooth and enjoyable. We’re glad you appreciated the flexibility to hike at your own pace, as well as those special moments along the way like spotting wildlife and enjoying a meal at an authentic local restaurant. These are exactly the kind of meaningful experiences we love to create. It means a lot to our team to know you felt comfortable and well taken care of throughout the entire journey. We hope to welcome you again for another unforgettable adventure in Ecuador! 🇪🇨
Beautiful day and great scenery. Our guide was knowledgeable and enthusiastic. Unfortunately, we did not make it to basecamp of the mountain due to road conditions. A 4 wheel drive is required for this and our guide did not have that. Overall, we were happy with the trip and guide and would recommend it.
Thank you so much for your honest feedback! 😊 We’re glad you enjoyed the beautiful scenery and that your guide made the day engaging and informative. The Cotopaxi National Park tour always offers incredible landscapes, even when conditions can vary. Regarding access to the basecamp, weather and road conditions in the area can sometimes limit how far we can go for safety reasons. We truly appreciate your understanding, as our priority is always to ensure a safe and enjoyable experience. Thank you again for your recommendation, and we hope to welcome you back for another adventure in Ecuador! 🇪🇨
Great tour. Our host Irene was great! We visited Cotopaxi volcano and a lagoon, and had a delicious lunch after. Would definitely recommend!
Thank you so much for your kind review! 😊 We’re really glad you enjoyed your day exploring Cotopaxi and the lagoon, and that everything came together for a great experience. Our Cotopaxi National Park tour is designed to combine nature, great views, and local flavors, so it’s wonderful to hear you enjoyed it all. Irene will be very happy to hear your kind words. We truly appreciate your recommendation and hope to see you again in Ecuador! 🇪🇨
Excellent experience, Diego our guide was fantastic helping us all the way up the climb. The conditions. On the track up to the refuge were very loose and slippery but Diego helped all the way
Great hike, not as bad as people describe! Just get couple days to get used to elevation in Quito prior the hike! Bring some layers and cash!
Hiking up hill is not my strength, however allowing me to go at my own pace made it possible to reach base camp. Super proud of myself. Tour guide was very patient with me. Thank you for an incredible experience!
I had a wonderful time with the Ivan and Adrian. They are so fun and I got to meet so many wonderful people on the group. Highly recommend and definitely ask for those 2, Adrian and Iva, it was a great time
