4-Day Ecuador Tour: Cotopaxi, Quilotoa, Baños & Amazon

Four days linking Ecuador's highest peaks, crater lakes, and jungle in one trip

A 4-day guided tour from Quito through Ecuador's Andes and Amazon, with hotel stays included. You climb to the first refuge of Cotopaxi volcano at 4,864 meters, walk around the turquoise Quilotoa Lagoon, ride the Swing at the End of the World overlooking Tungurahua, cross the Pastaza River by cable car, visit a wildlife sanctuary, and end with Papallacta hot springs. Transportation, bilingual guide, and park entries are included. The itinerary order may shift based on conditions.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1: Quito to Cotopaxi National Park

• Leave Quito early
• Stop for breakfast and cash machine
• Register and enter Cotopaxi National Park
• Visit Mariscal Sucre Interpretation Center
• Visit Limpiopungo Lagoon
• Walk to José Rivas refuge
• Stop for lunch at farm near Cotopaxi
• Overnight stay at Cotopaxi hacienda

Day 2: Cotopaxi to Quilotoa and Baños

• Breakfast with volcano view
• Pick up from hotel
• Visit traditional moorland house
• Walk to Quilotoa Lagoon
• Lunch near Quilotoa (not included)
• Travel to Baños and check in hotel
• Free evening in Baños

Day 3: Baños to Misahualli via Puyo

• Ride Swing at the End of the World
• Walk to Devil’s Cauldron waterfall
• Ride cable car over Pastaza River
• Visit YanaCocha reserve
• Overnight stay at Misahualli eco lodge

Day 4: Misahualli to Quito via Papallacta

• Early lake tour to watch jungle animals
• Chocolate tour with local community
• Visit Papallacta thermal pools
• Drop off at Quito main areas

The experience

The route chains four distinct landscapes in four days: you start south of Quito at Cotopaxi National Park, where the second-highest volcano in Ecuador rises to 5,897 meters. After a breakfast stop on the Pan-American highway, you enter the park (passport or ID required), visit the Mariscal Sucre Interpretation Center to learn about the reserve's plants and birds, then walk up to Limpiopungo Lagoon, a glacier-fed lake where you can spot native species and views of nearby volcanoes. The final push is a walk of about an hour to the José Rivas refuge at 4,864 meters, where the landscape opens across the high Andes. You sleep that night at a hacienda near Cotopaxi in a shared room, with the option to upgrade to private.

Day two takes you from Cotopaxi to Quilotoa Lagoon and down to Baños. After breakfast overlooking the volcanoes, you stop at a traditional moorland house to see guinea pig farming and local agriculture, then reach Quilotoa for a walk down to the turquoise crater lake: the trail difficulty shifts based on weather and your preference. Lunch is available in the area (not included). The drive continues to Baños, where you check in and have a free evening. Many travelers head to the town's thermal pools or explore on foot. You stay overnight at a hotel in Baños, shared room included.

Day three moves from Baños into the jungle zone. You ride the Swing at the End of the World at La Casa del Árbol, suspended above the Ecuadorian wilderness with Mt. Tungurahua volcano in view, then walk to the base of Pailón del Diablo, an 80-meter waterfall whose force has carved a dramatic bowl in the rock. A cable car ride crosses the Pastaza River with panoramic views of waterfalls and jungle, and you visit YanaCocha Bio Park, a wildlife sanctuary housing over 200 rescued animals from trafficking. The night is at an eco lodge in Misahualli, surrounded by jungle.

The final day starts early on the lake to watch jungle wildlife (monkeys are common), and includes a chocolate tour where you harvest cacao and prepare your own fondue with a local community. After that, the tour heads back toward Quito, stopping at Papallacta Hot Springs to soak in more than ten pools of hot and cold water before the drive finishes. Drop-off is at one of three central Quito locations: La Carolina, Plaza Foch, or Plaza Grande. Other areas can be arranged for an extra fee.

What’s included

• Transportation from Quito and back.
• bilingual guide in English and Spanish.
• hotel stays in Cotopaxi (shared room, private room upgrade available), Baños, and Misahualli eco lodge.
• entry to Cotopaxi National Park, Quilotoa Lagoon, Pailón del Diablo waterfall, La Casa del Árbol swing, Pastaza River cable car, and YanaCocha Bio Park.
• chocolate tour and preparation with a local community.
• access to Papallacta Hot Springs with its multiple pools.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 07:00

Book up toStart time

AgesAdult (12 and older) · Child (4 to 11 years) · Under 4: can't be booked

GroupUp to 15

Live guideEnglish and Spanish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated today

Good to know

Low physical effortPublic transport nearbyNot recommended during pregnancy

Operated by Quito Tour Bus

Is this one for you?Four days is the right length to move through the Andes and into the Amazon without rushing any single stop, though it means each location gets a day or part of a day rather than a full day alone. If you want to linger at one site or add a longer jungle stay, a 6-day version would give you that. If you're short on time, a 2-day option covers fewer attractions. Children from age 4 are welcome, and the mix of walking, cable cars, and soaking suits most fitness levels, though the high altitude at Cotopaxi and early morning wildlife tours demand basic fitness.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English and Spanish.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (4 to 11 years). Children under 4 can't be included in the booking.

What's the highest point I'll reach on this tour?

The José Rivas refuge at Cotopaxi sits at 4,864 meters above sea level. The walk from the parking lot takes about an hour to an hour and a half, and the focus is on enjoying the landscape rather than pushing hard. It's accessible for all fitness levels.

Can I see wildlife in the Amazon section?

Yes. The early morning lake tour from Misahualli is designed to spot jungle animals, and monkeys are commonly seen. YanaCocha Bio Park, visited on day three, houses over 200 rescued animals including jaguars, sloths, and birds under specialist care.

What happens if the itinerary changes?

The operator confirms the final day-by-day order one day before the tour starts, since weather and operating conditions can shift the sequence. The attractions (Cotopaxi, Quilotoa, Baños, the Pastaza River, and Papallacta) all stay the same. Only the order may move.

Are the hot springs at Papallacta included?

Yes. Entry to Papallacta Hot Springs is included, and you have time to use more than ten pools of hot and cold water before returning to Quito.

What meals are included?

Breakfasts are included at the hotels in Cotopaxi and Baños. Lunches near Quilotoa and in the jungle community are available but not included in the tour price. Dinner is not mentioned as part of the package.