Quilotoa Crater Lake Private Tour

DEPARTURE / RETURN LOCATION:

Quito City Hotel

(Airport & Valley Area with extra cost)

DEPARTURE TIME:

Departure: 7:00am

Tour duration: 8-9 hours

Included

NOT INCLUDED

WEAR:

Program details:

The starting point for our Quilotoa Hiking Tour is Quito and our transportation will collect us at 07:00am from the hotel. Depending on the day of the week, our first stop will be the Saquisili market on Thursdays, 70km south of Quito, one of the largest, colorful, and authentic Indian markets in Ecuador. It’s a genuine cultural experience, where you can admire local goods and even see an animal market. On Saturdays however, our stop will be the Zumbahua market, a similar original indigenous market where local artisans trade not only handcrafts, but also horses and llamas. Our next stop will be high in the Andes, in the Tigua community, indigenous artists famous for their paintings portraying the rural but also the mountain life. They paint on sheep hides, using brushes made from chicken feathers. Afterward, we will have a breather at the Toachi Canyon, which was formed by a volcanic eruption 1800 years ago. The lava flows created a picturesque canyon with amazing landscapes. Next, we will reach Quilotoa and start preparing for our Private Quilotoa Hiking Tour, with 2 hiking options that you can choose from:

Option 1 – 2 hours. We will be descending on a rather steep path from 3900m to the Quilotoa Lagoon, at 3500m. It’s a beautiful emerald-green lake, formed as the result of a collapsing volcano. The views here guarantee amazing photographs. For the most adventurous, you can choose activities like boat riding or kayaking. If the trip proves to be too difficult, you can always choose to rent a mule and make it more agreeable.

Option 2 – 5 hours. This 9km hike is one of the most popular treks in Ecuador, around the Quilotoa Loop. This trail, shaped like a ring, goes through small traditional villages, across valleys, green hills and dusty paths. If you choose this option, we’ll have to give up on some of the activities mentioned above.

Lunch will be served at one of the local restaurants and we will also have time to browse in the community gallery and do some shopping. Our tour will end at 6:30pm, when our private transportation will take us back to Quito.

program price: