Private day tour from Quito · About 9 hours
Hike up to the José Ribas refuge at 4,864 m on Cotopaxi, or ride a mountain bike down to the Limpiopungo lagoon: a private day of adventure in Cotopaxi National Park, with a box lunch by the lake.
At a glance
A private day tour with your own certified English-speaking guide and transport, from your hotel in Quito.
| Departure and return | Your hotel in Quito (the airport and the valleys with an extra cost) |
|---|---|
| Departure time | 7:00 am |
| Duration | About 9 hours, back around 4:30 pm |
| Highlights | Hiking, mountain biking, Cotopaxi volcano |
| Price | US$140 per person, based on 2 people (1 person: US$240 · 3–4 people: US$110 per person · 5 or more: ask us) |
Your day
First stop
A first stop on a hill in the south of Quito with a sweeping view of the city and its mountains, perfect for panoramic photos.
The park
About 50 km south of Quito rises Cotopaxi (5,897 m), one of the highest active volcanoes in the world, an almost perfect snow-capped cone on the Pacific Ring of Fire. After registering and visiting the interpretation centre, we drive to the Limpiopungo lagoon, at 4,000 m, a mirror of glacier water that reflects the volcano. Look for Carunculated Caracaras, Andean Lapwings, Plumbeous Sierra-Finches and Andean Coots, and herds of wild horses grazing nearby.
The adventure
Hike (low difficulty, about 1 hour 30 minutes): up to the José Ribas refuge at 4,864 m, with views of the glacier and the summit from behind the refuge, and of the highlands and the surrounding mountains from the front.
Bike (medium difficulty): back to the parking area to pick up the bikes and ride downhill to the Limpiopungo lagoon.
Box lunch by the lake, and back to your hotel in Quito around 4:30 pm.
Times are approximate and may change with traffic, the weather and your pace; your guide always looks for the best option of the day.
Before you go
More day trips
| Day tour | Type | Highlights | Departure |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cotopaxi National Park | Nature | Cotopaxi volcano, Limpiopungo lagoon, páramo birds | 7:00 am |
| Cotopaxi Hike & Bike · you are here | Adventure | Hiking, mountain biking, Cotopaxi volcano | 7:00 am |
| Otavalo market | Culture | Indigenous market, crafts, the equator | 7:00 am |
| Papallacta hot springs | Relax | Hot springs, páramo, Andean Bear country | 8:00 am |
| Cayambe-Coca hike and Papallacta | Hike + relax | Páramo lagoons, Polylepis forest, hot springs | 7:00 am |
| Quilotoa crater lake | Nature and culture | Crater lake, indigenous markets, Tigua painters | 7:00 am |
| Quito and the Middle of the World | Culture | UNESCO old town, the equator, Pululahua crater | 9:00 am |
| Cuicocha Loop hike | Hike | Crater lake hike, Cotacachi or Otavalo | 7:00 am |
| Rucu Pichincha hike | Hike | Summit hike, views of Quito | 8:30 am |
| Pichincha mountains hike | Hike | Three summits, views of Quito | 8:00 am |
| Pasochoa hike | Hike | Andean forest, birds, volcano summit | 8:00 am |
| Pululahua hike | Hike | Inhabited crater, lava domes, orchids | 7:00 am |
| Antisana and condor watching | Nature | Andean Condor, páramo, Antisana volcano | 8:00 am |
All our day tours are private, from your hotel in Quito. Prefer birds? Try our half-day birding tour in Mindo (about 4 hours). Staying longer? See our land tours of Ecuador and our Galápagos cruises. See all our day trips from Quito.
Price
| 2 people | US$140 per person |
|---|---|
| 1 person | US$240 |
| 3–4 people | US$110 per person |
| 5 or more people | Ask us for a quote |
Prices per person for a private tour, with guide, transport, lunch and entrance fees. Pick-up at the airport or in the valleys around Quito has an extra cost.
Questions
At your hotel in Quito, at 7:00 am. Pick-up at the airport or in the valleys around Quito is possible with an extra cost.
Yes: your own certified English-speaking guide and private transport, just for you and your companions.
Quito is at about 2,850 m and many of these places are higher. If you have just arrived, start with an easier day, drink plenty of water and bring warm layers.
Yes. We combine day tours with our land tours, a stay in Mindo Cloud Forest and Galápagos cruises, with all the transfers coordinated.
That’s why you choose Dana Tours
Tell us your date and how many people are traveling. We confirm the guide and the pick-up time within 24 hours.
Or write to us at [email protected]
