Cotopaxi and Quilotoa day tour from Quito: Two volcanoes

Quilotoa Lagoon sits in a crater at 3,900 meters, ringed by walls you can hike or descend into.

A full-day tour from Quito combines Cotopaxi Volcano and Quilotoa Crater Lake in the Ecuadorian Andes, with a bilingual guide, park entry, lunch and round-trip transport. You visit Limpiopungo Lagoon in Cotopaxi National Park to watch birds and hike among mountains, then travel through the town of Zumbahua to reach Quilotoa Lagoon, where you can walk the rim, descend to the water, or simply take in the views of the turquoise crater.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time spent at each

1. Limpiopungo Lagoon1h · entry included
2. Quilotoa Lagoon7h · entry included

Visit Cotopaxi and Quilotoa natural wonders

• Travel from Quito to Cotopaxi National Park
• Visit Laguna Limpiopungo and hike
• Stop at Zumbahua town
• Explore Quilotoa Lagoon and hike crater rim
• Return to Quito

The experience

Quilotoa Lagoon is a water-filled volcanic crater sitting at over 3,900 meters in the Andes, and the tour builds the day around reaching it and deciding how to spend your time there. The drive from Quito takes you first to Cotopaxi National Park, where Limpiopungo Lagoon sits in the páramo landscape below the volcano. You hike among the mountains, watch for birds, and have a picnic in the high-altitude setting before moving on. The route then passes through Zumbahua, a small indigenous town, and climbs to the crater rim where the lagoon's turquoise water comes into view.

Once at Quilotoa, you choose how to experience it. The rim walk offers panoramic views without descending. If you want to reach the water itself, the trail down to the lake is there. A bilingual guide travels with you throughout the day and explains what you're seeing at each stop. Lunch is included and happens during the tour, and all entrance fees to both Cotopaxi National Park and Quilotoa Lagoon are covered. You leave Quito in the morning and return by late afternoon, with bottled water provided along the way.

What’s included

• Round-trip transportation from Quito.
• pickup and drop-off at your hotel.
• bilingual tour guide.
• entrance to Cotopaxi National Park and Quilotoa Lagoon.
• lunch.
• bottled water.

Options for this experience

3 options

Shared tour, lunch not includedUp to 15 per booking · Guide in English or Spanish · 07:30Shared tour without lunch, includes pickup

Private TourUp to 15 per booking · Guide in English or Spanish · 07:30Private tour, pickup is included

Solo TravelUp to 1 per booking · Guide in English or Spanish · 07:30Solo travel, includes pickup

You pick the guide language when booking.

You'll see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates and prices

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 07:30

Book up to4h before

AgesAdult (13 to 80 years) · Under 13: can't be booked

GroupPrivate

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 8 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effort

Operated by See Galapagos

Is this one for you?Choose the shared tour if you're comfortable meeting other travelers and want a lower price. Pick the private tour to travel with your group alone and set your own pace at each stop. Solo travelers have a dedicated option built for single bookings.

Traveler reviews

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English and Spanish.

What is Limpiopungo Lagoon and what do you do there?

Limpiopungo Lagoon is a natural lake in Cotopaxi National Park, set in the high-altitude páramo landscape below Cotopaxi Volcano. You hike among the mountains surrounding it, watch for birds, and have a picnic at the site.

How high is Quilotoa Lagoon and what makes it look turquoise?

Quilotoa Lagoon sits at an altitude of over 3,900 meters above sea level in the Ecuadorian Andes. The water has a dazzling turquoise color and fills an ancient volcanic crater surrounded by towering crater walls.

Is this tour suitable if I'm not very fit?

The tour is suitable for all physical fitness levels. You can walk the rim of Quilotoa Lagoon and enjoy the views, or descend to the water if you choose. The pace is yours to set.