Quito: Cotopaxi, Quilotoa & Amazon 4-Day Pass

Four Days Linking Quito's Volcanoes, a Crater Lake & the Amazon Without Renting a Car

You depart Quito early morning, hike Cotopaxi volcano and explore the turquoise Quilotoa crater lake on day one, then settle into Baños for two free days of optional adventures — jungle tours, animal sanctuaries, or simply unwinding. On the return, you canoe the Amazon, make chocolate in a Kichwa community, and soak in Papallacta's natural hot springs before arriving back in Quito by evening. Transport, guide, and park entry are included; meals and optional add-ons are separate.

Is this one for you?Book this if you want to see Ecuador's volcanoes, crater lakes, and Amazon in one trip without arranging transport, park tickets, or timing yourself — the fixed four-day loop and certified guide handle all of that, leaving your two free days in Baños to either rest or explore on your own terms.

What’s included

• Your four days include shared transportation from Quito, a certified national tourism guide for all activities, entry to Cotopaxi National Park and Quilotoa crater lake, a guide-led walk around the turquoise lagoon, a stop for Ecuadorian ice cream on the way to Baños, two free days in Baños to rest or add optional jungle tours, a canoe ride on the Amazon, chocolate-making in a Kichwa community, and access to Papallacta natural hot springs spa.
• Return transport to your original Quito pickup point is included.
• Meals, optional add-on tours (jungle hikes, Chimborazo volcano, animal sanctuaries), and any activities during your free days in Baños are separate.

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Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1 — Quito to Baños via Cotopaxi and Quilotoa

• Pick up at Blue House Hotel or Plaza Belmont
• Hike at Cotopaxi National Park
• Explore Quilotoa volcanic crater lake
• Stop for Ecuadorian ice cream
• Arrive and drop off at Baños Central Park

Day 2 — Free day or Amazon Jungle Tour

• Visit Yanacocha Animal Rescue Center
• Visit paiche hatchery
• Explore orchid and botanic garden
• Hike to waterfall and lookout

Day 3 — Free day or Chimborazo Volcano Tour

• Full-day Chimborazo Volcano tour
• Hike to refuge and learn about fauna
• Lunch and visit vicuna and alpaca hatchery

Day 4 — Return to Quito via Amazon and Spa

• Pick up at Basilica Baños de Agua Santa
• Breakfast
• Visit natural water lagoon
• Cocoa farm adventure and lunch
• Relax at Termas de Papallacta SPA
• Drop off at original pick up point

The Experience

The pickup time at Blue House Hotel is 6:15 a.m., which sounds early until you realize the van leaves whether you're there or not — so you show up. That first morning sets the pace: you're heading straight into Cotopaxi National Park to hike around one of the world's highest active volcanoes, then down to Quilotoa, a 3-kilometer-wide turquoise crater lake formed roughly 1,800 years ago by pyroclastic flows from the volcano above it. The guide walks you through the geology as you stand at the rim, pointing out the volcanic bombs and pumice scattered across the canyon walls. By afternoon you've dropped into Baños, a town wedged between the Andes and the start of the Amazon, and you have two full days to do whatever you want there — hike to waterfalls, visit the animal rescue center, or just sit in a café and let the mist roll through the valley.

On day three, the van picks you up again at 6:30 a.m. from the Basilica and heads back toward Quito, but not directly. First stop is a Kichwa community where you make artisanal chocolate from cacao beans grown right there — you roast, grind, and taste it yourself, which is nothing like the chocolate you buy at home. The guide explains the community tourism project as you work, and lunch happens somewhere along the way (you arrange that part). Then comes Papallacta, a small spa resort built around natural hot springs with medicinal properties. You soak in pools that smell faintly of sulfur, surrounded by cloud forest, before the final drive back to Quito and the same pickup point where you started.

The whole thing runs on shared transport with a certified national tourism guide, so you're not paying for a private driver or figuring out bus schedules yourself. The itinerary is fixed — Cotopaxi, Quilotoa, Baños, Amazon canoe ride, chocolate-making, hot springs, back to Quito — but the two free days in Baños let you add optional tours (jungle hikes to Indichuris Cordillera, the paiche fish hatchery, orchid gardens) or just rest. You need moderate fitness for the volcano hike and the walks around the crater, but nothing extreme. Meals outside the spa are on you, so budget for breakfast in Baños and lunch on the return day.

Top questions

What time does the tour start from Quito?

Pickup is 6:15 a.m. from Blue House Hotel or 6:30 a.m. from Plaza Belmont on day one. Day three pickup from Baños is 6:30 a.m. at the Basilica.

Are meals included?

No. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner are your responsibility, though the itinerary includes stops where you can eat. The spa visit on day four does not include meals.

What is included in the tour?

Shared transportation, a certified national tourism guide, park entry fees, and visits to all attractions listed in the itinerary. Chocolate-making and hot spring access are included; meals and optional add-on tours (jungle hikes, Chimborazo volcano) cost extra.

Can I add extra activities in Baños?

Yes. Optional tours include jungle hikes to waterfalls and viewpoints, visits to animal rescue centers, orchid gardens, and paiche fish hatcheries. These have an additional cost and can be arranged with the guide.

How physically demanding is this tour?

You need moderate fitness. The Cotopaxi hike and walks around Quilotoa crater lake involve elevation and uneven terrain. Jungle hikes and the canoe ride are manageable for most travelers in reasonable condition.

What is Papallacta?

A natural hot springs spa and resort in the cloud forest between Baños and Quito. The springs have medicinal properties and are included in the tour as a final relaxation stop before returning to the city.

Is this tour suitable for families with children?

Infants and small children can travel in a pram or stroller. The pace and physical demands vary by day, so discuss specific ages and fitness with the operator before booking.

What language is the guide?

The guide is certified by Ecuador's national tourism board. Confirm the language availability (English or Spanish) when you book.